Shayla's story

I got married in October 1995 to my high school sweetheart, I was 20 years old and Rob was 23. I had ALWAYS knew I was put on this earth to be a mom. All of the jobs I have had in my life were with children. I worked for years (starting at age 13) in our church nursery, I always loved to babysit, I worked in a daycare with the infants for 5 years, I worked in an elementary school for 5 years while attending college for my education degree. After Rob and I had been married for 3 years or so people began to ask when we were going to have children. We KNEW we wanted them, but we were so young and really just enjoying being married. To our surprise, in June 1998 we found out I was pregnant when I began to miscarry. At the time, it really didn't seem to phase us much. We didn't even know of the pregnancy until it was too late, and we were young and were not yet planning our family. Then that same year in November we found out I was pregnant again. Even though this was not planned, we were so excited! In just a weeks time the planning began. We started to renovate the upstairs in our home, had all new carpets ordered for the entire house, etc...only to miscarry 2 weeks later. I was about 7-8 weeks along. We were devestated. I cried for weeks. I was finally ready to be a mom and this happened. The doctor suggested we do some testing since this was my second loss. I underwent many, many tests. All we found was that I had low progesteron and was Rhnegative. In March 1999 I was pregnant again, this time we were trying! I was very nervous having had 2 miscarriages already. They check my progesteron and it was low again. I immediately went on supplements. After 4 months of extreme morning sickness (I lost 10 pounds in those 4 months) all went well, and after 14 hours of labor I delivered a beautiful baby girl on Novemebr 26, 1999. She was induced just 2 days before her due date. Madison Shay, my daughter was finally here weighing 6 pounds 12 ounces! We were so amazed by her, that we created such a perfect being! As the story continues, she was just 16 months and I was expecting again. It was March 2001. I was nervous, but could not contain my excitement. Knowing what I was about to do filled me with such joy, I was about to bring another baby into this world. I went to the doctor right away and he was shocked that I even knew I was pregnant yet. He said I was just days along. I knew because I woke up one morning and could smell everything!!! My blood levels were checked every other day for 2 weeks. The doctor was fine with the results after the first week, he said my progeteron looked good but I was not satisfied so I had him check again for the next week. Again after 4 months of extreme morning sickness, losing 10 pounds again, all seemed well. When I was 36 weeks pregnant I was at a routine check-up and my doctor suspected I had pre-eclamsia. My blood pressure was rising 156/92 and my platlet levels were dropping. He said I was to go get steroid injections for the baby's lungs and as soon as I was 38 weeks we would induce. That is exactly how it went, and on November 12, 2001 after 14 hours of labor, I was holding my precious baby boy, Caden Robert. He was truely a blessing and weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces. We were on top of the world, our perfect little family with a boy and a girl. We had always talked about having 4 children. Time passed and we were not really even discussing more kids yet. Then in May 2005 we again found out I was pregnant when I was losing it. I didn't seem too bother by this loss, but I was really questioning WHY this happened a third time. We focused on how blessed we were with are 2 healthy children and time went on. In August 2005 I was pregnant once again. We began planning and telling our family. The excitement was about to boil over out of us. Then 3 weeks later I miscarried AGAIN!!! I was about 8 weeks along. This miscarriage seemed very violent in the way that it happened. The crampimg was more than with the others and the loss came in a one person bathroom in a clinic waiting room. Blood was everywhere, all over me, my legs, the toilet, the floor, it was as if I were hemmoraging. The violence of it seemed to dwell in me over the next few weeks and caused me to be more upset than with the other miscarriages. Life continues around you even when you choose to not participate and that is how the next month or so was for me. Then once again, in Novemebr 2005 I was pregnant!!! WOW, three pregnancies in one year and my 7th pregnancy total!!! It was the same scenario, I was nervous, I went for blood work often. I made it through the first 4 months somehow, I do not know how. I was on the progeteron again and the moning sickness was even more extreme than with the other pregnancies, I lost 16 pounds in the first 16 weeks. I was hospitalized due to dehydration at week 12, but once the morning sickness subsided things were looking up. We finally told everyone, even our other children who were now 6 and 4. Life was starting to seem as though another baby would become a part of ours very soon. I had such a hard time being pregnant in the beginning of this one that we decided this would ultimately be our last pregnancy. Really, how much more could my body handle??? At 36 weeks pregnant I went in for a routine visit and my doctor decided to do an ultrasound. Everything looked good. He told me that he was going to be on vacation when I was actually due so he gave me the option of being induced early so he would be the one to deliver the baby. I really did not want to go through another induction. I told him "if you can induce me then why can't you just do a c-section"? He got my chart out and said to me "if you really want a c-section I can do it". He said that my rip and tear with Caden was a 3rd degree and the chances of me having a 4th degree (ripping to your rectum) is very high because Caden only weighed 6lbs. 6 oz., so if the baby is over 7 pounds I would probably have a lot of stitches. I agreed to the c-section and talk to him about tying my tubes at the same time. That was the plan, at 38 weeks, July 31, 2006 I was scheduled to have a c-section and have my tubes tied. I was then scheduled for my next and last visit at 37 weeks. I went home and really began to get excited that in just 2 weeks my baby would be here!!! I went to my 37th week appointment that next Monday. My doctor said my blood pressure was again very high (as it was with Caden's pregnancy). Just to be safe he wanted to check my liver enzymes and platlets and get a 24 hour urine collection. The nurse came in and drew my blood and gave me a container to go home and start collecting my urine. I did. They called me the next morning (Tuesday) and said my liver looked fine but my platlets were getting low. They wanted to get the results of the urine before they made any decisions. I dropped off the urine first thing Wednesday morning. I called the office just before closing that same day and they did not have the results yet. i called again first thing Thursday morning and they said the results were there but the doctor had not seen them yet. He would call me back. He did call back about 11:00 am and said all was well and they would just see me Monday for the c-section. I was a little disappointed. I was tired of being pregnant. I really did not think I could wait 4 more days. About 1:00pm that same Thursday I thought it had been a while since the baby had moved or kicked so I decided to lay down and wait. I waited a half hour and panicked--no movement. My mom took me to the hospital and they searched for the heartbeat. It was gone, my child had already left me and was with God. My world came crashing down that Thursday afternoon, July 27, 2006, just 3 1/2 days before I should have delivered. Later that evening at 5:30, my son Nolan Allen was delivered into this world stillborn at 37 1/2 weeks gestation. He was absolutely perfect. I do not know why this has happened or if I will ever come to an understanding. the wounds are still so fresh. He would be 7 weeks old right now. Our family is pulling together to deal with such a tragic death. We had a beautiful funeral for him. I have pictures of him in our home. He will always be a part of our family. I decided not to have my tubes tied that night, and we are already hoping to be pregnant again very soon. I hope my body can do it again. I know my heart will have a lot of trouble. Nolan can never be replaced, but our hearts want to love again.
Shayla