The following is actually a re-post from last year, with a little bit of editing so the dates were correct. It was something I posted early on in blogging and a story that I love to tell and re-tell. It shows a very special moment in my life. It also shows how neurotic I can be. Enjoy.
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On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, five years ago, I was scheduled for laparoscopic surgery to explore a few fertility issues. I had wanted to seek out a specialist after our first month of trying to conceive. My husband suggested a more traditional approach.
18 months later, he gave in and let me get my way. The morning of my surgery, Aunt Flow still hadn’t arrived. She was usually quite punctual, but this time, when it counted, she was 5 days late.
I woke up at 6am to get prepped & ready to head to the doctor’s office. I decided to take a pregnancy test for old times sake (I had amassed a sizable collection over the past year and a half). It would be negative again and then I’d head to my appointment.
After the test sat on the counter, with my eyes glaring down on it, for 3 minutes, with a single blink it gave me an answer. There it read, loud and clear: PREGNANT!
I was floored. shocked. elated. I immediately ripped open 2 boxes and repeated the process. I figured maybe I did it wrong. Maybe I had funky urine at first thing in the morning. I’d had “NOT PREGNANT” glaring me in the face for 18 months, so I was a bit skeptical to believe. After the 3rd positive reading (I would’ve taken more, but I ran out) I started screaming.
Good type of screaming according to me, bad-someone’s-breaking-in-the-house-and-trying-to-kill-my-wife type of screaming according to my husband.
Once he realized I wasn’t being attacked and it was actually good news, we were overjoyed. I tried to let the news sink in but I couldn’t. For some reason, I was still unsure. This is true Elena form.
Maybe the tests, the ones that I bought just the week before, were all expired?
Maybe I set them down on an angle and that gives a positive reading?
Maybe it was too hot in my bathroom?
All of these ridiculous excuses I used to say when they were negative, I was now saying for a positive test. I needed confirmation. I needed an expert. Three positive tests just weren’t enough.
**This next part is, I can only assume, one of the many reasons doctors have in the past asked me to switch practices or even suggest maybe it’s time we just part ways and I’ll refer you to another doctor.**
I arrived at the fertility clinic before they even opened. I was that girl banging on the glass door. The poor receptionist hadn’t even had a chance to turn on her computer let alone take a sip of her coffee. After more light, but persistent, but truthfully, banging on the door, mouthing to her “please let me in”, she caved.
”Yes?”
“Hi. I’m supposed to have surgery today in your office but I have to cancel.”
“Ok. You realize you could have just called.”
“No, no, no you don’t understand. I can’t have the surgery because I’m PREGNANT! Or at least I think I am. I took 3 tests this morning and that’s what they all said so I’m here for you to confirm it. My name’s ”
“Yes, I know your voice. You call here all the time. Didn’t the 3 tests you took this morning verify it for you? If they all said pregnant, than I’m sure you are and congratulations.”
“Well yes, and thank you, but no. I need a REAL pregnancy test. A blood test. One that I don’t administer. I need to know for 100% fact that I am pregnant.”
She opened the door and as I ran past her, I noticed she was pointing me to the room I’d been in so many times before. Before she could beat me in there, I introduced myself again to the technician.
“I need a pregnancy test. I need to be certain that I’m pregnant. Please, take my blood…”
I’m fairly certain as I was explaining my situation, the receptionist was making just do what she wants so she’ll leave faces behind me.
The technician took my blood, as I sat there asking numerous questions on the accuracy of this test. Once she was done, she told me they would call when they had results. I was instructed to wait for their call and it was not necessary to come back, but as I left everyone assured me that I was indeed pregnant as the 3 previous tests had told me.
Three long hours later, my phone rang. “Hi Elena. Congratulations! You are in fact, just as we all thought this morning at 7am, PREGNANT!”
I started crying on the spot. I thanked her for taking my blood, answering the door and putting up with all my shenanigans. I also assured her that I would never be back to her office again.
I called my husband to confirm something he already knew and shared with his office hours before.
I was in a state of shock. A state I probably should have been in since 6am.
I couldn’t wait for this baby. In my eyes, it was a miracle. Parenthood was actually in the cards for us. I would get to be a Mommy. I would get to see my husband be a Daddy. We were having a baby.
I’ll never forget those initial feelings of sheer joy. Martin Luther King Jr. had a big dream. One for the whole world. But for me, my little dream, has meant the world to me. It came true on that very day. I’ve loved my son ever since that moment five years ago.
Twitter: suitcasetricks
Says:
January 15, 2012 at 11:36 pm
What a great story! Yeah, it was in the cards. MLK day has a different special meaning for me but I don’t want to type it in your comments
January 16, 2012 at 12:04 am
Thanks, Ali! Now you have me really curious….
Twitter: KimberlyAMuro
Says:
January 15, 2012 at 11:46 pm
What an amazing story! Your last paragraph made me all teary, it was so sweet.
Oh, and the neurotic-I-need-8-billion-tests-to-confirm-it? Yeah, that’s me. It’s sickening how much money we spent on pregnancy tests AFTER I already had a positive result. Apparently I need to keep taking them to confirm everything is okay in there.
January 16, 2012 at 12:03 am
Thanks! I’m laughing so hard at your comment, Kimsley, because I took one every 5 days until I was 13 weeks along. Yep, we both probably bankrupt ourselves buying those things.
January 15, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Oh, wow! What a story!!!!
January 16, 2012 at 12:04 am
Thanks, Shell! It was definitely an awesome day.
Twitter: themamamash
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 12:19 am
I think “How I found out I was pregnant” stories and birth stories are my favorites.
January 16, 2012 at 10:30 am
I do too, Julie! That would be a fun link-up to hear from all sorts of moms & dads on what they were doing when they found out.
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 12:46 am
All’s well that ends well!!!
Yay! And OMG the baby picture!
January 16, 2012 at 10:30 am
Very true! Thanks – I love that pic. I still can’t believe he’s now 4 1/2!
January 16, 2012 at 7:08 am
This has to be one of my favorite posts from you. And that picture… absolutely adorable!
January 16, 2012 at 10:31 am
Thanks, Jackie! It’s one of my favorite memories. I just want to snuggle with him in that picture.
Twitter: galitbreen
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 8:34 am
Oh my heart, I’m all sorts of teary!
This? Is lovely and sweet and the best neurotic way possible! Love!
January 16, 2012 at 10:32 am
Thank you! I will have to pass this along to my husband that sometimes I’m the best neurotic way possible. Need to remind him of that.
January 16, 2012 at 8:47 am
What a sweet story, I laughed. I cried. Such miracles our kids our, thanks for reminding me this morning.
January 16, 2012 at 10:33 am
Thanks, Jessica! They truly are little miracles.
January 16, 2012 at 9:32 am
In true Elena form, I’m laughing and “aww-ing” all in the same post!
January 16, 2012 at 10:33 am
Thanks, Liz! Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself and your ridiculous behavior.
Twitter: laurenweber84
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 10:13 am
Oh gosh, I am crying over here! Such a little miracle! And I’m just glad the doc’s office was open on MLK Day!
And those blasted pregnancy tests get me every time…it’s always “What does that say?” and then I have to call in the hubby to confirm one way or the other. EPT is expensive, but so worth it. I’ve made the mistake of the dollar store tests one too many times!
January 16, 2012 at 10:34 am
I know – me too! I agree. I like the ones that give a flat out “pregnant” or “not pregnant” read. The 2 lines or 1 line ones always tripped me up. Well, obviously the ones that read the results tripped me up as well.
January 16, 2012 at 10:40 am
Awww that was such an awesome story! Such a blessing!
January 16, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Thanks, Natalie! It was such a great story for us.
January 16, 2012 at 8:31 pm
I am SO glad you posted this again, because it was the best, best, best story. I have tears in my eyes because I completely felt your joy!
January 18, 2012 at 9:25 pm
That is so sweet, Liz! It was a very precious memory for us.
Twitter: notmommyofyear
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 9:00 pm
Sweet story. Beautiful picture. You tell it with such emotion & excitement, I bet it feels like just yesterday.
January 18, 2012 at 9:25 pm
It does feel like just yesterday! I still can’t believe it’s been 5 years since finding out.
Twitter: Missy_Stevens
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 9:24 pm
This is a fantastic story! I love it. I took a pregnancy test every day – yes every day – for about two weeks. You are not alone in your neuroses.
That picture – oh, it makes my ovaries ache a bit.
January 18, 2012 at 9:26 pm
Thanks! I’m so glad I’m not alone.
I know – that picture makes me want more as well.
January 16, 2012 at 9:38 pm
I love this story.
So much.
In a way, my babies came to me on MLK, too.
Because it was on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 18 years ago that a guy who’d become my husband and their father got in his car and started driving across the country ready to start a new life in California.
And here I was waiting for him; waiting for my dreams to come true.
I just didn’t know it.
Yet.
p.s. I think you should do a “How I found out I pregnant link-up. So. Much. Fun.
January 18, 2012 at 9:27 pm
That is a very cool story as well! That would be a fun link-up for sure!
January 16, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Oh what a sweet post.
I’m so glad your miracle happened.
January 18, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Thanks, Leighann! I’m so glad too.
Twitter: carribrown
Says:
January 16, 2012 at 11:44 pm
Wait… So you were crazy before you had kids?
January 18, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Oh, totally. I’m pretty sure I’ve been this crazy since birth.
January 17, 2012 at 10:10 am
What a great story. As someone who has struggled with infertility myself, I know just what a miracle those little humans are to us.
January 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Thanks! They definitely are little miracles.
Twitter: momgosomething
Says:
January 18, 2012 at 3:53 pm
Love. Love. Love.
January 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Awe – thanks, Kim!
Twitter: take2mommy
Says:
January 19, 2012 at 11:07 pm
What a happy wonderful sweet story. Gorgeous photo. Yeay you!
Twitter: Mytimeasmom
Says:
January 23, 2012 at 9:25 pm
I can see you pounding on the door at the fertility clinic. I’m glad they let you in and didn’t call the cops on you.