Moving forward

Yesterday I decided to do some cleaning and came across my “baby box.” This is where I’ve been storing all the information  I got from the obstetrician and my copies of Practical Parenting magazine. It also contained various pamphlets and another baby-related paraphernalia and had been lying in a mess in the corner of our spare room. As I took everything out to re-order it and put it onto a shelf, I came across the white envelope that held the scans they took of Peanut the day I miscarried. I had only looked at them once before because it was too painful. As I held the envelope in my hand, I had to decide if I was ready to look at them again.

I stared at the envelope for what seemed a long time. I wondered why I had even kept it. It just had the scans and doctor report and I’m sure there isn’t any particular details that would be relevant to another pregnancy. But clearly, I haven’t been ready to let it go. I flashed back to the last time I opened it and remembered the flood of tears it created. That memory made me ache but I decided to be brave and opened it.

I re-read the report. It basically says the pregnancy isn’t viable and recommended another blood test in a few days. I remembered talking to the obstetrician and he didn’t bother with another blood test. He just said “the baby’s heart should be beating by now and it isn’t. It’s that simple.” It made me wonder if I should have insisted on another blood test but at the time, I already knew he was right so didn’t see the point. Mind you, I wish I had of just for that extra piece of mind.

I then looked at the scan pictures. Given I was only 7 weeks, you can’t see too much. I guess that’s a good thing because there is no distinguishable hands, feet, head or face. There’s one picture that’s the closest I have to a photo of Peanut – it just looks like a kidney bean. But it isn’t a kidney bean, it’s my baby.

I looked at it intently, trying to see if there was anything else there. There wasn’t – it was just a picture of a blob. Most people wouldn’t even know what they were looking at if they happened to pick it up. Only I know what the true subject matter is.

I finally put all the paper back in the envelope and re-sealed it. Again, I wondered if it was time to throw it out or not and I couldn’t. I just placed it on the bottom of the box. Maybe I should keep it for the next pregnancy or in case there are problems again. I’ll check with the specialist next time I see him. But really, I think again, I’m just not ready to let it go.

I managed to do that without shedding a tear. I certainly had a swarm of emotions whirling up inside of me, but they didn’t overflow. I was proud of myself for being brave enough to go there and trusting myself that I would cope with whatever emotions it bought – including tears.

I was proud of the progress I’ve made and it came as a timely reminder. Yesterday I started obsessing about whether we had sex at the right time this month to conceive and I had a mild panic attack. Stupid really given the moment is gone , but it just started and I couldn’t shake it. 

Looking at those scans reminded me to calm down. The baby would come when it was ready and when I was ready. I needed to accept that after 5 months, I’m still figuring things out, my body is still figuring things out and us as a couple are still figuring things out. This month bought another learning to add to the learnings I already have so if we don’t have success this month, I head into next month a little wiser and a little more prepared. That’s a great thing to know!   

Illustration by foto76

Courtesy of www.freedigitalohotos.net