Back in the U.S.A.

Vacation is over and we are back in the U.S.A. I can't believe how fast time flew while I was away. The 18 days that we were in Portugal felt like 3 days. I was in heaven with my sister, nephews, grandmother, and family. I love spending every minute I can with them. I just stayed at my mom's house and did absolutely nothing. At one point, John started calling me a vegetable because all I did was vegged out. But that's what I like to do when I visit my family. My nephew was finally baptized and I got to celebrate my oldest nephew's birthday which was on the same day.

Every since we've been back, I've been extremely busy. I've been catching up on my work, unpacking, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, storing away summer clothes, etc. I'm hoping to finally catch up with everything this weekend and start fresh next week.

Here are a few pics from my trip.

My sister and brother-in-law


My whole family with my nephew on his baptism. Me, Dad, Sister, Martim (my youngest nephew on her arm),BIL, Mom, John, and Pedrinho my oldest nephew


John and I with Martim


My sister, BIL, and Martim on his baptism


My sister and I with my nephews

Vacation - YAY!!!!

I'm so excited to leave for vacation tonight. It's been over two years since the last time I went to Portugal, and I couldn't be happier than to know I will be there tomorrow morning. I can't believe how fast time flew. It's so funny to talk to my family today and tell them I'll see you tomorrow. It just sounds so weird, but it's true. Tomorrow morning I will see my mom, sister, nephews, grandmother and everyone else. This is definitely the best vacation I could ever ask for.

Family is SO important to me, that when I know I'm going to see them, it's the greatest feeling ever. I'm lucky if I see my sister and nephews once a year for two weeks. With our lives and jobs it's hard to take vacation all the time to fly across the ocean. Not to mention the cost of air fares.

Going to Portugal to see them is not the same as when they visit me here in the US. There is something special about being in Europe; breathing the different air, smelling the different scents, the different cars, different foods, everything is so different. These next 2.5 weeks are truly going to be the best. I'm all ready thinking about where I want to go, and eating out at my favorite restaurants. It's truly going to be the best!!!! I'll post some pictures on my blog of my vacation.

Blood Results = MTHFR

This afternoon I met with my Ob/Gyn to discuss the results of my recurrent miscarriage blood work. Originally we were also going to discuss the results of my HSG but it was cancelled. Well I did receive some news. My Dr. discovered that I have MTHFR; a rare genetic disorder that causes blood clots in my body. There is no cure, but things can be done to prevent it. He wants me to start taking a baby aspirin everyday. He has also prescribed me a high dosage of folic acid to take as well. My pnv has folic acid, but the prescribed version has 16x the folic acid as my pnv. He is 99% sure that this has been the cause of my two miscarriages. Carriers of MTHFR have a higher chance of miscarriages, recurrent miscarriages, high-risk pregnancies and high blood pressure during pregnancies to name just a few complications. None of this sounds good to me, but I'm prepared for everything and I know with John's support and love we can make it through this.

As for my HSG, this will be perform in November when I return from my vacation. He said for me he will do it any day of my cycle. So I don't have to wait until CD 10. I penciled in my HSG for November 7 so this might be the day. It's first thing in the morning, so hopefully he will not have any surgeries that day.

I'm feeling sad knowing this information. I feel like I have a long journey ahead of me. The good news is that I can definitely conceive, but we shall see what happens. I just feel like I am at a high risk for everything when it comes to pregnancy. After talking to him, I'm pretty sure that my sister is also a carrier of MTHFR. She had two pregnancies, but with her second one, it was high-risk and she had to be on bed rest throughout the whole 9 months. Thank God, that she delivered a healthy boy and he is as healthy as one can be. So seeing her gives me comfort that it can happen, although she never had a miscarriage, and I all ready had two.

While I was there this afternoon, it seemed like everyone women in the office was expecting. I felt pretty sad seeing most of them with their baby bumps. I wish I was the one with my little baby bump and expecting soon.

As for now, I'm ready to depart on Friday and ready for my vacation. It will be so good to be away with my family and not have to think about TTC. I can't wait to see my sister, nephews, grandmother, and family. I think I really needed this vacation more than anything.

Happy 4th Anniversary

Yesterday, Oct 2, was my 4th year wedding anniversary. I can't believe that John and I have been married for 4 years now. I can vividly remember the whole day as if it was yesterday. It was truly the happiest day of my life. Looking back four years ago; I can honestly say I love him more today. My love for him grows everyday as I spend my life with him. He truly is the best husband.

We met up for dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and had a lovely dinner. He bought me, my favorite, red roses and an orchid for the house, along with two small gifts.

Here is a picture of us at our reception.

HSG got Cancelled!!!

I'm so mad and upset right now. So I just got a call from my Ob/Gyn's office saying that he will not be able to perform my HSG this afternoon because he's tied up in surgery. Okay. So the nurse says, "Will you be able to come tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.?" I said "sure", she said "Okay I'm going to call the hospital and see if they can do it." I'm waiting on the phone for about 3 minutes when she comes back and says, "Oh sorry, the radiology department is going to be in a meeting tomorrow, so this will have to wait until next cycle." Are you kidding me??? What about if I get AF in Portugal during my vacation and when I come back it's pass CD 11? Now I have to wait again? I normally don't get mad this easily, but this really got to me. I was hoping to have this HSG done and get answers to what's going on and just move on. I have an appointment with my Dr. on Tuesday to receive the results from our recurrent miscarriage b/w so hopefully there is some good news with that. I was really hoping to start TTC soon, perhaps this cycle, but I have a feeling I will have to wait until my HSG.

On the other note, I always try to look at the positive of everything, so I know it wasn't meant to be today. It wasn't meant for me to have this HSG today, for me to go to Portugal knowing the results. I believe everything happens for a reason, and I know it just wasn't my day for my HSG. At least if I can not TTC, I can really enjoy my vacation and not have to worry about any TTC issues. I can have a glass of wine with my family and go out with my cousin and not have to stop and think twice about drinking. I know that what is meant to be is and what's not is not. So now I have Tuesday to look forward too.

NKOTB / Pre-HSG Appointment

Last night, my friend and I attended the New Kids on the Block concert at Mohegun Sun in CT. We had such a good time! Seeing them perform last night, brought back so many memories of my childhood. Of course as you can all imagine, it was 99% women there. There were a few men, but hardly any. The girls were all going crazy once they appeared on stage. Screaming so hard that literally, the arena was vibrating. My friend and I walked out of that concert deaf. I do admit, I did scream a little, why not, join the crowd. It was really nice to hear some of their old music, and the ones that made them popular. The worse part, I got home at 1 am this morning and being sick for a while has not helped me today.

I also went to my Ob/Gyn's office this morning for my pre-HSG appointment. I filled out some paperwork and had to draw blood for a pregnancy test. It's so bizarre how they require you to take a pregnancy test, when you know damn well your not, when you can only have this procedure done once you have your period. So I'm ready for tomorrow. I need to check in at my local hospital at noon tomorrow. After that I will be sent to the radiology department, and off to the procedure. I'm hoping I will be able to get my results right away, since my Ob/Gyn is performing the HSG. I will keep you all updated tomorrow with the results.