Sunday, November 22, 2009

Why Hello There, It's Been Awhile...

Warning: We're about to get personal with bodily functions.

So, for the first time in 21 months, over a year and a half, its that time of the month. That's right, you guessed it, my period. Why hello there Aunt Flo, it's been awhile. Why don't you pull up a chair and stay for awhile, say like...7 days?

You may wonder why I'm posting this. I myself thought twice about doing it, but only did so for one reason. This is the first time in almost four years that it wasn't a bad thing. It's so strange. I'm wondering in anyone out there who has dealt with infertility felt the same mix of emotions the first time it came back.

I mean, no one welcomes this time of the month. In AF's two year hiatus I'd forgotten how much cramps H.U.R.T and had also conveniently forgotten that I turn into something that resembles a rabid, raging bull for at least three days. Poor Rob. The worst part is I know I'm doing it and simply cannot stop myself. For example:

Rob: "I found your car keys, they were in the fridge. Why would you put them there?"
Me: "ROOOOOAAAAR. RAAAAGGE. ROOOAAAAR." ::sulk sulk sulk::

I snap back at this most harmless comments, stew and steam about anyone who dares disagree with me. I have to make a concerted effort to not be a complete bitch. Which renders me exhausted. So there here I am, cranky, exhausted and feel like I'm being constantly headbutted in the uterus and punched in the ovaries, and them racked with guilt at my waspishness and woefully apologetic afterward on top of it. Isn't Rob a lucky guy?

It is still really strange though. This time there is no "You're NOT PREGNANT...AGAIN. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT COLLECT A BABY. FAIL...AGAIN." No hurt. No tears. No hoping that it was actually implantation spotting. No imagining symptoms. No thinking ahead to the next cycle, the next month, counting the days. No ovulation predictor. No next round of Clomid. No doctor's appointment. None of that, for the first time in years.

All I could think of was...wow, you know what this means? This means I'm not pregnant and that is completely OK. It's like letting go of that old infertile feeling, and damn, it feels good. On top of it all, this means that my body can (most likely, with some help) get pregnant again. Who knows when, and who knows how long it will take or when we'll even start trying again, but I'm back on track. So strange to think about. And, even through my AF induced crankiness, super exciting to think of as well.

Someday there will be another baby...babies. There will be a big family of us. A house filled with love and children and happiness. Lucy has completed this little family, but I want more for her just as much as I want it for myself. I want her to be one of a gaggle of brothers and sisters who fiercely quarrel and even more fiercely love. Whisper secrets to one another. Stick up for each other. Make mud pies and run in the rain barefoot together. Wait for Santa. Be the best of friends in the worst of times.There will be more babies, even if they don't all come from me and Rob, there will be more and it will be amazing. In a strange way it's a new beginning.


Did anyone else out there feel the same way?

"You won't realize the distance you've gone until you look around and realize how far you've been."
-Unknown

7 comments:

Rachel said...

I just got AF for the first time in 21 months too!!! isn't it strange?!

Sarah H. said...

I liked this :) I haven't experienced what you have...but I can imagine, and I think you did a good job explaining it!

Bren said...

I can definitely relate to your feelings. When I got my first period after pregnancy (which was only about 4-5 months after) it was like a big RELIEF! Because I spent so much time before just wishing to GET a period to indicate that I MIGHT have ovluated, that now it's like "what - my body actually is doing what it's supposed to be for once? hoorah!"

I've always hoped that I'd be one of those people whose problems somehow got "fixed" after pregnancy. And I hope the same is true for you!

Maybe you can post on this, maybe it's TMI, so feel free to ignore it, but I'd like to ask...given your horrible infertility issues and how long it took to get pregnant...do you plan to use birth control?

I wasn't going to go back on the pill, since my problems were all about hormones, but I changed my mind based on a doctor's recommendation. Just curious as to what others with infertility do.

teacheroftwos said...

I have not experienced infertility, but I did get AF back after having my last baby, she just turned 6 months and AF returned at 5. I thought since I breastfeed I would have longer without my AF, but she decided to visit early. It is a little sad for me because we do not plan on having anymore children, so I now hate her even more because she is useless...does that make since? Well I hope she will be of use to you again when you are ready and I pray you do not have to try so hard this time!

Suzanne Incognito said...

Oh gosh. Now you have me all teary eyed and weepy.

What a powerful post.

I can relate in more ways than one. I'll surely blog about it all sometime.

Heather B. said...

I, myself, have not experienced infertility. But I have experienced the strangeness of AF coming back! It makes the end of your pregnancy FINAL! Even though it is a good thing it is just weird. My baby is 2 and she is my last baby so when I got AF after her I bawled seriously for days. It was CRAZY!

dani said...

Perfectly posted. I have enjoyed your post probably as long as AF had been in hiding. I can absolutely relate to AF returning, infertility, and mostly to filling our house full of lots and lots of babies. However they get here.

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