Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.I’ve heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.– Emily Dickinson
I was in the middle of writing a long blog post, but I suddenly erased it. It was full of medical details and information, and it made me think of this post that WarmSocks over at ∞ itis wrote. I think it’s great to share medical details on our blogs – this is how we learn things and support each other. But today, for this topic, getting into the nitty-gritty is really a defense mechanism for me, a way to avoid talking about what I really need to talk about.
My husband and I have decided that we really want another baby. The post I deleted got into all sorts of complicated medical reasons why this may not be the best idea. All of that is interesting, but isn’t the main point. The main point is this: Yesterday we went to see a high-risk OBGYN for a pre-conception consultation, and came away from the meeting feeling optimistic and hopeful. We asked him to give us an honest, straightforward assessment of our risks and challenges, and he surprised us by saying that he thinks that our chances of a healthy pregnancy are excellent. Even better, he made immediate plans to consult with my endocrinologist and rheumatologist to form a plan for my care that will make everyone comfortable.
So unless things change, we are going to try. We know that we may not succeed, for all of the reasons I outlined in the post I deleted. 🙂 We know going in that it will be high-risk if we do succeed. We also know that life with two children will be more challenging than life with one, especially if my RA or other conditions worsen.
But right now, I choose to focus on hope.
Tags: Doctors, parenting, RA Community
Awesome! It seems a lot of people can go into a temporary remission while pregnant with RA. I hope that will be the case for you! Sending positive thoughts your way 🙂
How absolutely beautiful and what a wonderful thing to read early this morning. Your first baby came at a difficult time and all worked out. Baby number two will also. Always follow your heart, it will never let you down. Thanks for sharing this and letting us have the opportunity to send our thoughts and prayers your way!
My rheumy also says that most of her pregnant patients end up in some type of remission. I think this is wonderful and that things will go great for you!
Yay for you! I am so happy to read that! I hope everything works out for you!
Why not! Go for it.
How exciting! That is fabulous. I hope that you have a wonderful pregnancy and that everything goes smoothly for you.
It’s wonderful that you’ve made this decision with such hope (LOVE that poem, by the way; it’s a favorite of mine) and with such care. And how terrific that your rheumatologist is so encouraging, too! You’ll be just fine with baby No. 2; I really believe that we can do far more than we think we can. You’ve a lifetime of joy ahead. Thanks for sharing this good news. Sending care, warmth and calm your way …
Oh wow, this is so exciting! Thank you for sharing this. I went into remission while I was pregnant. It was wonderful. It came back promptly for me two weeks after the birth of my little guy. But while I was pregnant, I was able to walk all over the place even when I was large and in charge! I will be praying for a healthy mama and baby and look forward to hearing how you are doing. And I agree–sharing medical information is important. It helps me tremendously to read what others are doing. Better to hear it from the RA bloggers than my Dr. Hope you had a great mother’s day.
Wow! Congratulations, this is wonderful news. If good thoughts count for anything, you certainly have a cheering section. I know it’s scary, but we’re here for you (whether you give us the nitty medical details or just need a virtual group hug). All the best to you and your family as you move forward in this wonderful adventure.