My God is An Awesome God

A few weeks passed by and I had been living with a different frame of mind, for sure.  I truly was not worried at all about getting pregnant.  I had total peace about it.  One day, I woke up feeling strange.  Strangely pregnant!!!  And trust me, I know how it feels.  I have always had lots of early, obvious symptoms, having been pregnant six times.  I thought 'there is NO way that I am pregnant..I mean, I know God is going to do this but, so soon???'.   Yes, a positive pregnancy test proved that I was preggo. indeed!  Wow!  That was all I could think or say.  Chris and I were in awe of what God has done.  You know how people imply that when you stop worrying, that is the key to conceiving...you hear so many stories about that.  People might think the release of the stress can be the magic of the conception (and I'm sure it can be).  But for me, no way!  I knew that God was showing off.  Not only did he reward our faith and answer our prayers.  He did it immediately, which was such a bonus!  I had to tell people.  I had shared with so many friends, coworkers, and family about what happened at the baby shower so everyone was just amazed at what had happened, knowing that we had struggled for quite a long time.  One of the first people that I called was Pastor Eva.  She was so happy but not one bit surprised!  :) 

I went ahead and scheduled my first doctors appointment because they always do early ultrasounds on me, considering my history.  My first appointment, Dr. Scruggs ordered an ultrasound and the tech was fairly quiet.  Of course, there is not a whole lot to see at less than six weeks along but there was a little flickering heartbeat on the screen and that is always a wonderful sight and sound.  After the ultrasound, I met with the doctor in the exam room, she had a concerned look.  She told me that the heartbeat was very low but she was pleased that we saw one.  She said she wished she could tell me everything would be ok but we would just have to keep an eye out and hope the heartbeat speeds up.  I was to come back in two weeks for another ultrasound.  She told me to watch for the obvious symptoms that have happened in the past (cramping, spotting).  If these happened after hours, come to the ER.  During hours, to the clinic.  I was concerned a two on the one to ten scale (we rate everything around here. meals. movies. anxiety...mainly me and jilli on the anxiety ;)).  I knew what God had done and I knew it was early so it was in my mind, but I drowned it out with my excitement and my faith was strong, but that was Tuesday.

The following Saturday (so, about a week and a half later), I had to work at the store.  As soon as I got there, I realized I had started bleeding.  My heart started pounding.  I called Chris to come get me immediately and we headed to BRMC.  I was seven and a half weeks pregnant.  We dropped the girls off with my mother-in-law on the way.  She brough a piece of paper out to the car and I still carry it in my wallet.  She had written down a bible verse for me:  Psalms 46:1  'God is my refuge and strength.  A very present help in trouble.'  I needed that.  I have an awesome mother-in-law, by the way....obviously!  (love you, Betty,  if you are reading.  you are a blessing to me.) 

When we got to the hospital, I was called back right away.  They took me back to ultrasound after about an hour's wait.  I was praying continuously that I would see a heartbeat.  Sure enough, there it was, beating away!  I lifted my hands and praised God in that dark room, so thankful for that improvement.  The heartbeat had increased twenty beats per minute in less than two weeks...I could see that on the monitor!  And I was asking a hundred questions (imagine that) and the ultrasound tech was as vague with each answer as he could possibly be.  Then he told me that he hated to give me bad news but they doctor would need to talk to me about this ultrasound.  That didn't sound good but I was not afraid at that point because I was so encouraged by the high heartrate.

I was wheeled back to the exam room and the ER doctor came in about thirty minutes later.  'Mrs. Kent, I'm sorry to tell you this.  I am very concerned with the pictures I see on this ultrasound.  This does not look like a normal pregnancy.  Yes, the heartrate is healthy.  However, I can see an obvious birth defect that causes miscarraige....and with your bleeding....I'm just concerned for you.  I want you to take this disk to your doctor next week and she can explain in greater detail the problem that we see.'  He continues 'Mrs. Kent, see how these two tissues are attached...well they shouldn't be.  It's sort of like the baby has not separated enough from the uterine wall, almost growing to it.'  He continued to explain that he was not an OB but he sees lots of early pregnancies in the ER and that this did not look good.  I cried the whole way home.  How could I wait and NOT KNOW for two or three more days? 

Several of the ladies from the baby shower were prayer partners for me before and during my pregnancies.  One of them (yes you, D, if you're reading.  love you.  you're awesome!) called me and said 'I heard about your doctor report today.  Joelle, who are you going to believe?  Are you going to believe the doctor's report or God's report?  Your baby is whole, in the name of Jesus.  Your baby is perfect in Jesus' name.  God is going to see this pregnancy through.  He did a miracle in giving you this baby.  This baby is going to be just fine and He will receive all the glory.  (this is not word for word, just as best as I can remember)  That is why I have to write down my testimony so as many people can read it as possible.  God deserves all the praise and glory for this baby and that is why I write. Anyway, that was an awesome encouraging call and she assured me that she had talked to Pastor Eva and they were agreeing and believing that God had this baby in His mighty hand.  I felt so much better.  I had to believe God's report.

I got to see Dr. Scruggs on Tuesday and I had been praying that this ER doc was just totally confused and wrong and knew nothing about ultrasound.  That is really what I was believing and praying.  I was called back after a loooong wait.  shew!  The doctor listened to me tell all about my dramatic encounter.  Looking puzzled, she asked to see the disk and left the exam room.  She told me that she would view it in her office.  She was only gone for five minutes, but it seemed like five hours!  When she returned:  THE EXACT REPORT I PRAYED FOR.  'Joelle, whoever told you that this is not a normal pregnancy must not know much about ultrasounds in early pregnancy.  This ultrasound looks perfectly normal to me.  I see nothing of concern.  I realize you are spotting but bleeding can be ok in some pregnancies.  I know it's concerning with your history, but I think everything will be fine.'  They repeated the ultrasound that day and she repeated the same diagnosis:  Keep a watch, but no need for panic.

So, guess what happens next!?! 

Well, I got miserably fat and swollen, became an insomniac, and other unmentionables....and then....at forty weeks...Tah-Dah!

                                                                         Tah-Da!

And TAH-DAH!  Now, can you see that halo?  He's my angel.  Thank you, God!