Complications

I see I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, but life has been very complicated.

I got pregnant.  That was a huge surprise given that I am 48 years old.  HUGE.

I mean yes, we are fertile as all get out. We WERE fertile as all get out, but Rose is 4!  So yes, we thought we were past pregnancy.

I had a lot of bleeding one day. I was sure I had miscarried.  Two follow up ultrasounds showed a growing sac, but no baby.

A week ago Thursday, I went in and there was a tiny little baby with a tiny little heartbeat.  Kevin and I were flabbergasted.  The doctors were very concerned. The baby was implanted right near my C section scar and I was looking at a complicated and potentially dangerous pregnancy.

Two days ago, I went in for another ultrasound and the baby had died. I mourned, of course.  A lot.  But I wasn't surprised. This pregnancy had been fragile from the start.

But the ultrasound doc was very concerned about the state of my uterus.  I went in to see my normal OB yesterday and the answer is clear -- because of the placement of the gestational sac and the thinning uterus, I'm going to need a hysterectomy.  It is scheduled for next Wednesday.

It will be quite a process.  I'm full of scar tissue after 6 C sections.  My bladder is adhered to my uterus and will need to be separated. I will probably wake up from anesthesia with a bladder injury and a catheter for at least a week or so.  (That happened with C section #5.)

I will be in the hospital for 2 days, with a 6 week recovery.

Now I am taking it easily until Wednesday.  If the miscarriage starts and I start hemorrhaging, I'll need to have an earlier hysterectomy.  So far so good. Kevin and the older kids are going to carry most of the load of our home for those days.

The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

(From Job.  This is the verse the Lord keeps bringing to mind.)