Joyfull Living

As October fades away, there is one more story to share for National Pregnancy Loss month. Physically there are three methods of miscarriage - naturally, a d&c procedure and an ectopic pregnancy which requires surgery.  Interestingly enough, all three of mine were different physically, covering each of these methods.  After two healthy children and two miscarriages, I became pregnant. Surely this won't happen again was the thought as we cautiously began the pregnancy.  A call for a doctors appointment was put off until after 6 weeks, which was when the other miscarriages had happened.  Sure enough, spotting began and inwardly devastated, put on a non-emotional face as we headed to the doctor.  I'll never forget sitting up with that hardened, protective shell on as the doctor walked in. It was the same gentle doctor from my last miscarriage and he walked in and in the most tender voice said "doggone it, Joyce".  I just melte...

With October being National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month, I posted about our first miscarriage.  Physically the recovery went very well and we began to heal emotionally as well.  Since it was such a shocking experience following 2 healthy babies, we still felt a little stunned.   A few years later, we again rejoiced at a positive pregnancy test.  Instead of instant joy, the looming reminder of the first loss came quickly back.  Before we were able to see a doctor, I began spotting again.  Filled with fear and dread, we went to the emergency room. The nurse assigned to me was a friend and told me about a wonderful doctor which could see me later at the hospital. Back then, they didn't do ultrasounds to gauge if the pregnancy was healthy, but did blood tests and exams and then it was some agonizing waiting.  Dr. G. came in later in the evening. He was a large, gentle man, filled with compassion and kindness.  He said everything look...

October is recognized as the National Pregnancy Loss Month and last week, I shared that miscarriage has affected our family multiple times.  In this post, I will share a few details about our first miscarriage.  This isn't like the usual joyful post that is on the blog, but it is a part of real life. Real life sometimes is filled with pain, sorrow and loss.  There are tunnels of trials we must sometimes go through, but there is always light at the end. Trials come and go, weave in and out of our lives, but in the midst of them all, God is able to hold us and keep us.  When our older boys were very young, 5 and 2, we found out we were expecting again.  A home test was taken and showed the positive result.  A short time later, I began spotting. My sister in law was pregnant and on one of her prenatal visits, I went with her and was able to see the doctor who confirmed my pregnancy, said everything looked fine, but to call if there were any complic...

October is here and in my area, we are still waiting on fall!  If you have spent any time on this blog, you know that I love FALL!  October 'usually' means fall is in full swing with cooler weather, enjoying chili for supper, fall festivals and simply spending time outside enjoying the fresh air. But October is also Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Through this month I'm going to open up a little bit more than usual and share about the pain of miscarriage. Here are a few staggering statistics. One in four pregnancies ends in the loss of a baby The loss of a child is recognized as the most intense cause of grief Parents never “get over” the loss of a child – no matter the age Parents experiencing grief without supportive care can have debilitating consequences such as PTSD, depression and anxiety In 1988, President Ronald Reagan had proclaimed the whole month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.   Baby Loss Awareness Week...