I've always felt Paul and I have been blessed with the best families and friends anyone could ask for...and over the past two years...I've proven to be right! I never really wanted to post about what Paul and I have been through emotionally and physically over the past two years with me having ITP, but with all the love and support we have received, well it just wouldn't be fair not to mention and acknowledge how amazing everyone in our lives have been during this time!
As many of you know when we found out that I had ITP our Dr. recommended that we put the idea of having children aside until my body was able to get better. There were many days that this was very difficult to deal with...but I am a very firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that our time to start a family was going to happen when it was supposed to.
But what most of you didn't know was the Valentines day before last I got a call from my Mom telling me I NEEDED to call her back at 4 oclock. I left work early that day (went home sick!...shhhhh) but really I was going home to cook all of Paul's favorite foods to surprise him with a Valentines Day dinner to thank him for being there for me every step of the way with ITP. Not missing a single Dr. appointment. Holding my hand when I was scared. Sneaking back into my hospital room when nurses told him he wasn't allow to spend the night. Asking Dr.s a million and a half questions. And telling me everything was going to be OK when I got scared that it wasn't (sorry! I couldn't go without mentioning 5 of the millions of things he did for me!) So when I got done grocery shopping I anxiously ran to sit in my car where it would be quiet to call my mom. As I am sitting in the parking lot...my mom picks up the phone and sounds quite different than normal. I got a little nervous as to what she was going to say and then she proceeds with "I went to the Dr. today and asked them if I would qualify for being a Surrogate mother for Paul and you. They said they would be willing to listen to my case so I need you to really consider this with Paul if it's something you want me to do" For the first time in my life (as you can tell from how long this post is) I was speechless. It wasn't even something she had ever mentioned to me before. I don't really remember how I got home that day. All I was thinking was....my Mom is willing to put herself at risk (cuz a lot goes a long with being pregnant) for Paul and I to start a family. Needless to say the entire time I was cooking Paul dinner I was crying hysterically. And when Paul got home I had a much bigger surprise waiting for him than dinner! Obviously we decided against this idea. As much as Paul and I would have done anything to start a family, possibly putting my Mom in harms way was not one of them. However, knowing she would have done that for us....well...still to this day there are just no words to describe that feeling. It just showed me a parents love for their child is endless.
As did the phone calls I'd get from my Dad every Wednesday if I went too long after my Dr. appointments without calling him at work to let him know what my numbers were that day. He rode the entire roller coaster with us...and still does! As did my sister and brother who would constantly call to see how things were. My sister having gone through a similar thing, and my brother having a friend who also had ITP, would always reassure me that it would all work itself out!
What you also might not have known was that every night Paul's parents would toast to my numbers! It didn't matter whether I was there or not...they were toasting! The times that I was there we would go out to dinner and just as I was about to dig in...I would realize they had their glasses raised waiting for all to make a toasts.
And Keri getting me a crocheted mouse making light of the situation that I was taking medicine that was half rodent! We would always joke that I was going to one day grow a tail! And Paul's Auntie for always calling and asking what drug I was given and then spending the next 30 minutes looking it up online to make sure she knew all about it!
Or that our dear friends Kathy and Karyn participated in a Triathlon raising money for ITP. That's right...not only did they swim...but they biked and ran!!! None of which I could ever do, but they did!, and they did an awesome job crossing the finish line!!! They told me they ran "for Jen to one day have babies!" Thank you ladies!!! And thanks to the many that supported them in their run!!!
But what most of you didn't know was the Valentines day before last I got a call from my Mom telling me I NEEDED to call her back at 4 oclock. I left work early that day (went home sick!...shhhhh) but really I was going home to cook all of Paul's favorite foods to surprise him with a Valentines Day dinner to thank him for being there for me every step of the way with ITP. Not missing a single Dr. appointment. Holding my hand when I was scared. Sneaking back into my hospital room when nurses told him he wasn't allow to spend the night. Asking Dr.s a million and a half questions. And telling me everything was going to be OK when I got scared that it wasn't (sorry! I couldn't go without mentioning 5 of the millions of things he did for me!) So when I got done grocery shopping I anxiously ran to sit in my car where it would be quiet to call my mom. As I am sitting in the parking lot...my mom picks up the phone and sounds quite different than normal. I got a little nervous as to what she was going to say and then she proceeds with "I went to the Dr. today and asked them if I would qualify for being a Surrogate mother for Paul and you. They said they would be willing to listen to my case so I need you to really consider this with Paul if it's something you want me to do" For the first time in my life (as you can tell from how long this post is) I was speechless. It wasn't even something she had ever mentioned to me before. I don't really remember how I got home that day. All I was thinking was....my Mom is willing to put herself at risk (cuz a lot goes a long with being pregnant) for Paul and I to start a family. Needless to say the entire time I was cooking Paul dinner I was crying hysterically. And when Paul got home I had a much bigger surprise waiting for him than dinner! Obviously we decided against this idea. As much as Paul and I would have done anything to start a family, possibly putting my Mom in harms way was not one of them. However, knowing she would have done that for us....well...still to this day there are just no words to describe that feeling. It just showed me a parents love for their child is endless.
As did the phone calls I'd get from my Dad every Wednesday if I went too long after my Dr. appointments without calling him at work to let him know what my numbers were that day. He rode the entire roller coaster with us...and still does! As did my sister and brother who would constantly call to see how things were. My sister having gone through a similar thing, and my brother having a friend who also had ITP, would always reassure me that it would all work itself out!
What you also might not have known was that every night Paul's parents would toast to my numbers! It didn't matter whether I was there or not...they were toasting! The times that I was there we would go out to dinner and just as I was about to dig in...I would realize they had their glasses raised waiting for all to make a toasts.
And Keri getting me a crocheted mouse making light of the situation that I was taking medicine that was half rodent! We would always joke that I was going to one day grow a tail! And Paul's Auntie for always calling and asking what drug I was given and then spending the next 30 minutes looking it up online to make sure she knew all about it!
Or that our dear friends Kathy and Karyn participated in a Triathlon raising money for ITP. That's right...not only did they swim...but they biked and ran!!! None of which I could ever do, but they did!, and they did an awesome job crossing the finish line!!! They told me they ran "for Jen to one day have babies!" Thank you ladies!!! And thanks to the many that supported them in their run!!!
And our great friend (and secondly...boss) Matt! Always allowed me to slip out and run to a Dr. appointment without asking any questions. And would always have a look of concern on his face when I'd return...wanting to ask how it went...but not wanting to mention it if things weren't going so well.
And my dear friend Andrea once came with me when I had a treatment. She took out her laptop and showed me pictures and played a card game with me to take my mind off of things and completely understood when I started to fall asleep on her thanks to the Benadryl!
And my dear friend Andrea once came with me when I had a treatment. She took out her laptop and showed me pictures and played a card game with me to take my mind off of things and completely understood when I started to fall asleep on her thanks to the Benadryl!
I also receive a special drawing every Tuesday from our great friend Nick Bruno! They are good luck drawings for my Wednesday Dr. appointments! So far...they have helped each and every time!!! These are just a few of my favorites!
And my girlfriends Ally, Nikki, and Jess always made me dessert if we had a get together that had NO SUGAR in them (when I cut out sugar to try and help with ITP) just so I could have something to eat and didn't feel left out! And Nikki would always send me links to sugar alternatives so I would have something to cook with!
This is not even mentioning the constant support from ALL of our friends. I hold a special place for each and every one of you! I thank you for always being supportive! And for telling me I looked really good even though my face/body had doubled in size! And most importantly, for your prayers!
Having gone through all of this with everyone made us that much more excited to let everyone know that I was pregnant!!! That I had made enough progress over the past two years that we got the go ahead from my Dr!!!! Thank you everyone for being as equally excited to hear our news as we were to share it!!! We received so many hugs! So many congrats! Tears! Cards! Smiles! Gifts! Way too many to mention! So thank you for sharing in our excitement!
There were two gifts that we received that won't last forever, unfortunately. So how do you fix that problem! Take pictures! hahahaha!!! And that is just what I did! We received beautiful flowers from our great friends Bryan and Jane! Here are a few of the pictures I took. I love walking over to it every morning to see if a new bud has bloomed. It started out with four...and now there is only one left that needs to bloom!!!
Having gone through all of this with everyone made us that much more excited to let everyone know that I was pregnant!!! That I had made enough progress over the past two years that we got the go ahead from my Dr!!!! Thank you everyone for being as equally excited to hear our news as we were to share it!!! We received so many hugs! So many congrats! Tears! Cards! Smiles! Gifts! Way too many to mention! So thank you for sharing in our excitement!
There were two gifts that we received that won't last forever, unfortunately. So how do you fix that problem! Take pictures! hahahaha!!! And that is just what I did! We received beautiful flowers from our great friends Bryan and Jane! Here are a few of the pictures I took. I love walking over to it every morning to see if a new bud has bloomed. It started out with four...and now there is only one left that needs to bloom!!!
We also received beautiful flowers from our great friends Parke and Matt!!! The name of the flower is slipping my mind right now...but I fell in love with the shape of them!!!
Bottom line...we'd like to say THANK YOU to EVERYONE for EVERYTHING!!!!!
3 comments:
Wow! What an amazing post. You two are the most amazing people I've ever met and here you are thanking everyone else for how great they are. We are so happy for you and can't wait to meet the "Third Downs" because I know with you two as parents he/she will be an amazing kid.......I think amazing is my word of the day. lol.
Wow, now I'm speechless! You guys are awesome and you're going to be the best parents. Baby Downs is one lucky little peanut to have parents like you.
Your post made me all teary! I never get teary! I am so happy for you. You have been so strong and brave to get through all this, and now you get to be strong and brave for your baby! I have never gotten excited or phased when I hear my friends are pregnant (I am a bad person) but I thought about you all weekend when I heard I was so happy!! You ever need anything, you know where to find us.
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