Welcome to My Daisy Belle!

Welcome, friends...old and new! I've started this new blog to journal our journey through adoption!
I'll still keep my other blog~ http://petersoncreekprimitives.blogspot.com/
but this blog will be all about our adoption process!
Some background~
My hubby & I got married on July 3, 1993. We didn't start trying to have a family right away, but by August, I knew something wasn't right. Over the next several months, I stopped having periods for the most part, but never had a positive pregnancy test through it all! I started gaining weight quickly, was very hormonal, etc. The first DR I went to told me that because I'd had chicken pox twice as a child, I was in perimenopause. I was 23. He said if I was ever going to have children, I needed to "hurry up" because menopause was setting in. Otherwise, he couldn't offer me any help except herbs.
I sought medical treatment for constant weight gain, acne, missing periods, no pregnancies, etc. for 8 LONG YEARS.
Finally, in 2001, my husband, who is a pharmacist, introduced me to a co-worker of his, Dr. Steve Rousseau. Dr. Rousseau asked if we had children and when I told him no, that I was having lots of 'female' issues, he asked my symptoms and just by looking at me, standing in a hallway, he said, "I believe you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.". He said he could tell by the way I carried my weight around my hips and belly. I didn't have a DR and he instantly became our family DR! =) He sent me right away to Humana Woman's Hospital in Indianapolis. I walked into a small room to meet the DR and she said instantly, "Has anyone ever told you that you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?". She explained that not much was known about PCOS through the years and older DR's especially most always misdiagnosed the disease.
Sadly, this DR in Indpls. wasn't focused on helping me get well. She was focused on getting me pregnant. Instantly, she started me on fertility drugs. I also had to drive to Indy every other day for blood work to test my hormone levels. When the time was right, according to the blood work, I got shots in my hips to boost my chances of conceiving. Well, let me tell you, after being so sick for at least 8 years and the fertility hormones on top of it all, the drugs made me crazy!!!!! I cried all the time, my ovaries were overstimulated and I felt horrible. I finally went back to my family DR, Dr. Rousseau and told him I didn't want to go to Indy anymore, that I was so sick at that point I didn't care if I ever had kids. He sent me to a specialist here locally. This specialist asked about specific blood work that I should have had in Indy, but didn't, and he was furious. I explained that the DR in Indy wasn't focused on getting me well and that was why I'd left. He had blood work done and it showed that by then, I had enough insulin in my body for 5 ADULTS! He said if I hadn't found this out, within 10 years I would have been blind or dead from a heart attack.
What causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
The cause of PCOS is unknown. Most researchers think that more than one factor could play a role in developing PCOS. Genes are thought to be one factor. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Researchers also think insulin could be linked to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to use or store. For many women with PCOS, their bodies have problems using insulin so that too much insulin is in the body. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen. This hormone is made in fat cells, the ovaries, and the adrenal gland. Levels of androgen that are higher than normal can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and problems with ovulation. -Taken from http://www.4women.gov/faq/pcos.htm#e

He immediately put me on Metformin (Glucophage), which diabetics take. So far, I'm not diabetic, but this medicine keeps my insulin in check. I'm the opposite of a diabetic-I have way too much insulin.
So, I went to this specialist annually for 3 or 4 years. I tried all types of fertility treatment except in vitro, which this DR pushed me to try. I finally decided not to go to him anymore and now my family DR takes care of my PCOS.
As those of you who know me already know that 2007 was a terrible year for me health-wise. I started bleeding in April and then hemhorrhaged for 57 days. I landed in the ER one time and was told my bleeding was hormonal, due to the PCOS. Dr. Rousseau did biopsies, etc. but nothing showed up and nothing helped. I went to a different specialist here locally who is just FANTASTIC!! It was decided that I needed surgery..and lots of it. We stopped short of a hysterectomy, because that wasn't really needed, thankfully. Surgery was August 17, 2007. To take care of the bleeding, he burnt out my uterine lining in a procedure called Uterine Ablation. Then, because any pregnancy that might occur after an ablation would be fatal to the woman, we decided not to take any chances and he tied my tubes. He did a D & C. He drilled 50 holes in my ovaries to relieve the pressure. PCOS has caused 100's of tiny cysts on my ovaries and the drilling deflated them. The surgery was outpatient and truly was a breeze!
Post-op, I no longer have periods!! YAY!!! That is surely the best part!
Of course, deciding to do the surgery took lots of thinking and praying before the decision was made. I mean, doing the surgery finally put my dreams to death of carrying a baby. I grieved post-op, but knew I had to do the ablation due to all the hemorrhaging.
Little did I know that a young girl would conceive a baby on August 27, 2007, just 10 days after my surgery-a young girl that I'd never met before.
On January 20, 2008 I could not sleep. Due to some outside stress, I hadn't slept through a night in weeks. This night was no different. I walked the floor, crying. I cleaned the kitchen. At 6 AM on the following morning, I found myself crying so hard and not really knowing why. I fell to my knees on the dining room floor, crying and praying to God. I felt a peace settle over me and I went to bed about 6:15 AM.
At 11:30 AM, the phone rang. It was a sweet little lady that is one of our dearest friends. Her name is Patti and she is 78. She said that her niece Amy had called her and asked her if she knew anyone that would adopt a newborn baby. Patti said she immediately mentioned some other folks' names, but told Amy she'd get back with her. Patti said she sat down in her rocker and began to pray. She prayed and cried for an hour. She told me that the Lord had told her not to call the other folks, but to call us. WOW!
Over the next few days, we found out that the birth mom is a 14 year old girl. She is very tall and led her boyfriend to believe she was 19. He is in his 20's. Of course, when she turns up pregnant AND tells him she is only 14, he wants no part. The girl's mom refuses to raise the baby or allow her child to keep the baby.
Lots to think about! A few days later, we had an opportunity to meet the birth mom, but didn't.
A week later, however, the girl asked again to meet us.
My husband, due to some extreme outside stress, has been slow to get excited about a baby. I think that because of all he was under, a baby adoption just seemed like one more huge thing that he couldn't think about right then.
So, I went to meet the girl myself. I was SO scared! And, very insecure!
I have it in my mind that because I'm overweight, others will judge me by that and not like me. I expected her to say, "I'm sorry! You're too fat to raise my baby!". It might sound funny to some, harsh to others, but it's very real to me.
When I got to Amy's house, the girl was there, as was her mom. We hit it off immediately! The girl, who I'll call MM, is very shy. She had made a scrapbook of the sonogram photos. She showed me the first one, where the baby was the size of a lima bean! The most recent photos show the baby is a GIRL and weighs 10 ounces. Another photo showed the baby's hands clasped together, as if in prayer!
MM's mom was overwhelmed, in a good way, to know that we attended the same denomination of church as her grandparents, who are major influences in her life. She feels as if God is just working everything out for the best for all involved!
When she'd told her grandpa that his great-grand daughter was pregnant and they were giving up the baby for adoption, he was very sad. After she'd met me and told him that we were Christians and very active ones in our church, etc. he said he felt much more at peace and knew that God had a plan in all this. He is thrilled that we are the ones adopting this baby!
On February 7, I went to the DR with MM. She was about 20 weeks along. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time!! It was so AWESOME!
So, this is the beginning of our adoption journey! The baby is due June 27. I pray all goes smoothly for all involved! I look forward to sharing the journey here with you!
Oh, about the title of My Daisy Belle. My great-grandmother was Daisy Belle Crockett. She was a spitfire who chewed " 'baccy"! She lived to be in her 90's and she passed away around 1979 or 1980. I've always loved her name and wondered if I'd ever be brave enough to name a girl Daisy! lol
Daisy Belle isn't the name we've chosen for the baby, according to my hubby! lol but I can at least name my baby blog that in Grandma's honor, huh!? =)