The weather has turned cold here in Virginia, Mom (our last visitor of the year) has gone home and we are settling in to get things accomplished by the end of the year. We appreciate all your prayers over the last few months. We have had lots of progress in researching the difficulties in getting pregnant. So let me start where we left off.
In September, I was told that I needed to have a CT Scan. I went and had this done at the beginning of October. The CT scan went well ( I hate drinking the barium chalk, yuck!). After the CT Scan, we met with Dr. Cook again to discuss the results. During this meeting she advised us that most of what she initially saw looked as she expected. She stated that in order to get pregnant I would need surgery. They have confirmed that I have a Deremoid (a benign tumor) on one of my ovaries. It is currently the size of a penny (funny how such a small thing can cause so many problems). Dr. Cook is afraid that it may keep growing and as such does not feel comfortable doing IVF without it being removed. In addition to removing the Deremoid, they are going to evaluate my fallopian tubes. Apparently one is being blocked by something yet to be revealed in scans.
Today (October 16) we went and met with the surgeon (Dr. Paul MacKoul) Dr. MacKoul is a gynecological surgeon (http://www.womenssurgerycenter.com/about/our-team/). Upon review of my medical history, a discussion with Dr. Cook, and a little more information from us this morning Dr. MacKoul is ready to proceed with surgery. As a team we have decided that he will perform the removal of the Deremoid and evaluation of the fallopian tubes. The current goal is to save the ovary that the deremoid is attached to, clean the fallopian tube that is damaged (if possible) and to save as much of my reproductive system in the process. The surgery is an outpatient procedure with a 3-5 day recovery at home. There office will be calling me on Monday to schedule the surgery; as soon as I know the date I will let you know.
The hope after all of this is over is that Eric and I will be able to avoid IVF for the conception of our child. If this does not work we do feel that IVF is a solution and a possibility for conception that we will pursue. Eric and I have had great peace in the recent weeks and know that we are covered in prayer. Please continue to pray for us and the doctors.
***UPDATE: Surgery Date- October 29th at 2:00pm ***
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Updates...
Hello Dear Friends and Family,
ON Tuesday I went back to the Endocrinologist for blood work and ultrasounds to see if I am healthy enough to conceive a child. So far, so good. Dr. Cook was able to see my right ovary and found it to be very healthy. I had several eggs ready to get ripe and everything else looked good.
On Friday June 4th,at 10:30a.m. I have an appointment for an Hysterosalpingogram(HSG test). For those of you that are interested in the exact details of this test I have included a link that I use frequently to research different procedures I will be asked to do. Here it is: http://www.sharedjourney.com/define/hsg.html
In addition to finding out the results of my HSG test I will have another ultrasound completed on June 9th for additional details about my current cycle.
All of this is new territory and I would appreciate your prayers as we begin to discover why we have not been able to conceive. Through all of this investigation Eric and still strongly believe that this is the path God wants us to take for the moment. I don't know how far we will go but I know that God is with us while we proceed.
In His grip,
Nichole
ON Tuesday I went back to the Endocrinologist for blood work and ultrasounds to see if I am healthy enough to conceive a child. So far, so good. Dr. Cook was able to see my right ovary and found it to be very healthy. I had several eggs ready to get ripe and everything else looked good.
On Friday June 4th,at 10:30a.m. I have an appointment for an Hysterosalpingogram(HSG test). For those of you that are interested in the exact details of this test I have included a link that I use frequently to research different procedures I will be asked to do. Here it is: http://www.sharedjourney.com/define/hsg.html
In addition to finding out the results of my HSG test I will have another ultrasound completed on June 9th for additional details about my current cycle.
All of this is new territory and I would appreciate your prayers as we begin to discover why we have not been able to conceive. Through all of this investigation Eric and still strongly believe that this is the path God wants us to take for the moment. I don't know how far we will go but I know that God is with us while we proceed.
In His grip,
Nichole
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Encouragement
Greetings! Praise the Lord for how he is continually encouraging. Praise the Lord for the time I have to spend in his word!
I was recently doing a Bible study on encouragement and ran across a scripture that blessed me very much.
2 Thessalonians 2:16
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
It is a daily struggle to remember that God already knows my future and knows His timing for every gift under Heaven. If I keep praying for His will and my actions reflect this desire for my life then I will keep having peace that God has me right where he needs me.
I am called to be an encouragement for others. Often times I feel like I have nothing more to give. In times like this I must remember that it is God that fills me with what to give. I have nothing to give on my own. I am an empty vessel by God's design and if I remember this then I have everything to give to others, the love of Christ that is the perfect gift. It is God that fills me up with His word to share with all of you.
How do I encourage my sister that says "I am broken"?
I know I have said this a time or two. I always expressed it as if I couldn't give this one thing to my husband. When I told him this he was gracious enough to say to me: "You give me so much. I am blessed to have you in my life". (what a good man) Still I thought of myself as broken... and I prayed. I came to the following conclusion that I was broken in a different way than my worldly body. The world would like to put a label on me as broken because I have not conceived. I have come to embrace this wonderful label. I am broken in every way and in the hands of my creator. I cry out and he comforts me, he bears my struggle with me and this comforts me, I praise Him and he hears me. He is the only one who knows how to put me back together again. He will do His will. Amen.
To God be the Glory for my life, the life of my husband, for all of you and for the future he has planned out perfectly for all of us.
Go forth with peace, joy, and strength in the encouragement from the God of eternal encouragement. Be blessed.
I was recently doing a Bible study on encouragement and ran across a scripture that blessed me very much.
2 Thessalonians 2:16
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
It is a daily struggle to remember that God already knows my future and knows His timing for every gift under Heaven. If I keep praying for His will and my actions reflect this desire for my life then I will keep having peace that God has me right where he needs me.
I am called to be an encouragement for others. Often times I feel like I have nothing more to give. In times like this I must remember that it is God that fills me with what to give. I have nothing to give on my own. I am an empty vessel by God's design and if I remember this then I have everything to give to others, the love of Christ that is the perfect gift. It is God that fills me up with His word to share with all of you.
How do I encourage my sister that says "I am broken"?
I know I have said this a time or two. I always expressed it as if I couldn't give this one thing to my husband. When I told him this he was gracious enough to say to me: "You give me so much. I am blessed to have you in my life". (what a good man) Still I thought of myself as broken... and I prayed. I came to the following conclusion that I was broken in a different way than my worldly body. The world would like to put a label on me as broken because I have not conceived. I have come to embrace this wonderful label. I am broken in every way and in the hands of my creator. I cry out and he comforts me, he bears my struggle with me and this comforts me, I praise Him and he hears me. He is the only one who knows how to put me back together again. He will do His will. Amen.
To God be the Glory for my life, the life of my husband, for all of you and for the future he has planned out perfectly for all of us.
Go forth with peace, joy, and strength in the encouragement from the God of eternal encouragement. Be blessed.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Inspiration or Determination
Hello Dear Friends,
This post comes at a time of deep reflection. I am often asked what inspires you to hold out hope that God has a child for you. The answer isn't always what other expect. To be completely honest, it is shear determination of faith.
I trust God that he knows the course of my life. He is the best compass that I can possibly use. He know what I need when I need it. He knows how to comfort me when life seems unfair and unpredictable. There is no greater relief for me than saying out loud "Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I love for you alone. Direct my path today and help me know what I need to get through my day."
Recently I have had bouts of feeling sorry for myself. My "weepy" days as I call them. On days like that I sit down and have my cry out with God. I ask why he has chosen me for this path. Why He thinks I can do this. Why I am jealous of other women who have conceived. At the end of one of these sessions the answer is always the same. "So that my light, and my power can be reflected through you. So that the glory of what I have done through you shines out and gives hope to others. So that my children will see what miracles I can work".
This is a great peace to me and I hope that it is to you as well. Please remember dear hearts that it is up to God to give us life, not our determination that brings life. No matter how hard you try to conceive... it is up to God to breathe life into all of us.
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life more abundantly".(John 10:10).
This post comes at a time of deep reflection. I am often asked what inspires you to hold out hope that God has a child for you. The answer isn't always what other expect. To be completely honest, it is shear determination of faith.
I trust God that he knows the course of my life. He is the best compass that I can possibly use. He know what I need when I need it. He knows how to comfort me when life seems unfair and unpredictable. There is no greater relief for me than saying out loud "Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I love for you alone. Direct my path today and help me know what I need to get through my day."
Recently I have had bouts of feeling sorry for myself. My "weepy" days as I call them. On days like that I sit down and have my cry out with God. I ask why he has chosen me for this path. Why He thinks I can do this. Why I am jealous of other women who have conceived. At the end of one of these sessions the answer is always the same. "So that my light, and my power can be reflected through you. So that the glory of what I have done through you shines out and gives hope to others. So that my children will see what miracles I can work".
This is a great peace to me and I hope that it is to you as well. Please remember dear hearts that it is up to God to give us life, not our determination that brings life. No matter how hard you try to conceive... it is up to God to breathe life into all of us.
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life more abundantly".(John 10:10).
2010 Winter Vacation and a NEW PROMOTION!
Hello dear friends an wonderful family in Washington State!
Our trips home are always special. This trip was no exception. We missed the biggest snowstorm in DC history by a few days! Upon our arrival home we discovered 4 feet of snow and lots of ice. Our darling friends from Shepherd Group (Alan and Tracey Crosby) were thoughtful enough to shovel our driveway and a path to our door. They also watched our kittens to make sure that they were well taken care of. We are honored to call them our friends.
During our vacation we saw many friends that we have only made contact with a few times since leaving. I am thankful to all of you that came out to the coffee hours and prayed with us. I wish that I got to spend more time with you.
We are so blessed that we got the opportunity to share some fantastic news with all of you while we were with you face to face.
As many of you know Eric worked for over a year for a particular promotion within T-Mobile. He helped develop a new division within T-Mobile with the talents that God gave him in financial analysis. On the second day of our trip Eric got the opportunity to interview with the VP of the division and a few days later was told that if he wanted the job... It was his! He verbally accepted the position and at the airport on our way home he sent in the letter accepting the new position (Manager of Government Field Account Managers)!
We are grateful for all of your prayers and support leading up to this gift from God. It is our desire to seek out God's will for our lives. With the upcoming increase in our finances we are praying and ask you to pray that God will move on our hearts to show us His will for His money.
Please continue to join us in prayer and keep us accountable for the choices that we make with the Lord's guidance.
Coming back from vacation is always rough. We are home now and the kittens have forgiven us for leaving them for 2 weeks. Eric and I were both ill for the last week of our vacation. My sinus congestion proved to be a burden on the plane ride home. Thankfully our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made and God was right beside me as I prayed for relief from pain in my ears while landing. My hearing is just about back to normal and my second fever of this awful cold broke today. My body is still a little jet lagged but I am getting better by the minute. I plan to drink coffee tomorrow to help me at work!
Speaking of work, I will be very busy with work and babysitting over the next month. Please continue to pray for me as I try to balance work and the house. I have very little desire to clean up the house as most of you know and it only gets worse when I go to work at the hospital. I love the opportunity to photograph the newborn babies but the emotional turmoil that I endure is exhausting. Please pray for strength.
Well, this turned out to be a longer post than I anticipated. Feel free to write me back or just break out your knee pads and pray.
I love you all!
Nikki
Our trips home are always special. This trip was no exception. We missed the biggest snowstorm in DC history by a few days! Upon our arrival home we discovered 4 feet of snow and lots of ice. Our darling friends from Shepherd Group (Alan and Tracey Crosby) were thoughtful enough to shovel our driveway and a path to our door. They also watched our kittens to make sure that they were well taken care of. We are honored to call them our friends.
During our vacation we saw many friends that we have only made contact with a few times since leaving. I am thankful to all of you that came out to the coffee hours and prayed with us. I wish that I got to spend more time with you.
We are so blessed that we got the opportunity to share some fantastic news with all of you while we were with you face to face.
As many of you know Eric worked for over a year for a particular promotion within T-Mobile. He helped develop a new division within T-Mobile with the talents that God gave him in financial analysis. On the second day of our trip Eric got the opportunity to interview with the VP of the division and a few days later was told that if he wanted the job... It was his! He verbally accepted the position and at the airport on our way home he sent in the letter accepting the new position (Manager of Government Field Account Managers)!
We are grateful for all of your prayers and support leading up to this gift from God. It is our desire to seek out God's will for our lives. With the upcoming increase in our finances we are praying and ask you to pray that God will move on our hearts to show us His will for His money.
Please continue to join us in prayer and keep us accountable for the choices that we make with the Lord's guidance.
Coming back from vacation is always rough. We are home now and the kittens have forgiven us for leaving them for 2 weeks. Eric and I were both ill for the last week of our vacation. My sinus congestion proved to be a burden on the plane ride home. Thankfully our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made and God was right beside me as I prayed for relief from pain in my ears while landing. My hearing is just about back to normal and my second fever of this awful cold broke today. My body is still a little jet lagged but I am getting better by the minute. I plan to drink coffee tomorrow to help me at work!
Speaking of work, I will be very busy with work and babysitting over the next month. Please continue to pray for me as I try to balance work and the house. I have very little desire to clean up the house as most of you know and it only gets worse when I go to work at the hospital. I love the opportunity to photograph the newborn babies but the emotional turmoil that I endure is exhausting. Please pray for strength.
Well, this turned out to be a longer post than I anticipated. Feel free to write me back or just break out your knee pads and pray.
I love you all!
Nikki
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