Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Our Blue

I have been working on this post for a long time. With no real intentions of even posting it really. In fact this is the only post I have ever saved in my drafts. Then I got thinking, wondering why I was so guarded with it. Like I have been secretly protecting something.

I began to write this because I wanted a memory. I have written in my Journal over and over about it. I have almost gnawed Jon's ear off talking about it. Finally he said I should post this. He told me this has been our family journal, which we plan to print someday (if I can ever find out how) and keep it in a book. And it would be good for both of us to have it. As something to look back on.

I honestly don't really know how I feel about posting this. I have been protecting the good and bad of all this for almost 4 months now. I'm going to try my hardest to put my feelings down as non-crazy as possible. This is already getting jumbled... Let me start from the beginning..



Our Christmas was WAY more eventful then I let everyone in on. Christmas day was the day I told Jon he was going to be a Daddy. He was so excited! I love the video of him opening his gift. He could hardly keep our secret that I had been keeping for a couple weeks already. So we picked a couple people he could tell since he couldn't seem to keep it in. I loved that day! All day with our families, we had our own little Christmas secret. It was by far the best Christmas.

The week after Christmas I came down with pneumonia in both lungs. I was put on a mild antibiotic, since I couldn't really be put on anything else.

In January, January 20th to be exact I had my first OB appointment. At 10 weeks Jon and I were so excited to go see our little Blue.

Jon always hated the nickname Blue, He thought it was dumb, I started calling her that when she was the size of a blueberry. As for calling her, Her. I don't really know why. In my mind she was always her. Talking to Jon I always just said her, without really thinking about it. Which I kind of think is funny since I always wanted a boy first. Growing up I always wanted a big brother. So there you have it, SHE is BLUE. Odd... I know. But I don't care.

We had our appointment. Did all the excited talking about it. Then went to ultrasound. When she came up on the screen, Jon looked at my face, and saw the tears in my eyes and just sat down next to me. He knew just my looking at me, that I knew something wasn't right. Blue had stopped growing. Blue had no heartbeat. And Blue, like me, was refusing to let go. She had been gone for a little while, So they were calling it a "missed miscarriage". But my Doctor wanted to be sure so I was scheduled to go back a week later to be sure. Absolute. Worst. Week of my life. Back at our second ultrasound She was measuring two days bigger than the previous week. But that could just be that she was measured wrong one of the times. But no heartbeat. I asked the Doctor why she "missed" her miscarriage and he honestly didn't know. He said, "Sometimes they just refuse to give up as much as the mother does." I know there was no life. I know my baby couldn't fight to stay with no heartbeat. But his sensitivity to it made me feel better. And who knows, maybe she did fight. I like to think she did.

There were then two options. I could go home, and be induced, have contractions and go through a full labor. Or do a D&C. I don't know why, But I just couldn't do the D&C. Maybe I wasn't ready to give her up, So I thought by not making the choice to do it would make me feel better? I don't know. So that weekend I was induced. My Doctor never really told me how much pain there would be. Just that it would be painful cramping... Contractions, and Cramping are two totally different things.

A week later I went in to see if everything had passed, and it all hadn't. So I went home and was induced again. Two weeks later, another ultrasound, and two more inducements 24 hours apart and now I'm being scheduled for that D&C I was trying to avoid.

It's so odd to me that I miss her. Everyday I miss her. It's odd because I have been trying to wrap my head around it. I have been trying to understand all the feelings going through me at any given time. I can't believe how insensitive I used to be. I thought a miscarriage was easy. I thought the mother could move on easily because she never met her baby. I think only a mother who has lost one through miscarriage can know. I have been having the hardest time mostly with that. Understanding why I miss her so much. And why I feel like I knew her when we never met. I know what it's like to love someone who is apart of you. I know why I was secretive when she was there, but I don't really understand why now that she's gone, I feel like I still need to protect her. It all sounds strange I know. That's the only way I know how to put it. I feel like I'm a mother in hiding. Jon and I know we are parents of a little angel. But just us. I know life goes on, I'm not going crazy wanting everyone to be stuck in this limbo of sadness. But part of my head wonders why I'm the only one stuck here. The tricks your head plays, aren't always the funnest. And I hate that I notice certain comments so much more now. (which I don't hold them at fault, I mean, they don't know) Like "You don't know what it's like to love someone that came from you." True, I have never held my baby. But I know the love I have for her is real. Or "When you understand a mothers love..." I know I will feel this love I have 1000x more when I have the chance to hold one of my own. But as for now.. I do understand a mothers love. I unconditionally loved her from the moment I knew she was there.

For the most part I do okay. I laugh everyday at one thing or another. I enjoy time with my husband. Things are going back to normal. But I still have moments. Like remembering 3 other friends of mine are all about as far along as I would be. Moments are hard, but they are only moments. I miss Blue, Everyday. But I'm realizing more and more that I'm okay. There will be more chances to finally get to hold one of my own. But until then I am a Mother. I just have to wait a little longer than most to meet my baby.



15 comments:

  1. I have been where you are Chelsea and don't let anyone tell you you don't have the right to mourn. You will be in thoughts, if you ever need anything you know I am not to far from your new house!

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  2. we've been there too. it's not one of those events that anybody or anything will prepare you for. i'm glad that you did post, it really makes me think about life, how short it can be and will make me greatful for our little girl we conceived a couple months later. i'm sorry for you and your husbands loss :(

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  3. Chelsea Bell,
    I can't believe it! oh, I'm so sorry, I can't even imagine how hard that would be. I sure love you and wish that I knew so that I could have been there for you. It will all come together and I can't wait till you do have a baby to hold!

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  4. I'm so sorry! What a difficult time for you and Jon. I will be praying for you.

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  5. Chelsea- I am sure that writing this post could not have been easy, but I appreciate your courage, strength and willingness to share Blue with us. Just know that we love you and are praying for you and Jon at this difficult time...

    A quote someone told my mom when my brother died: "When a mother has a child, her first instinct is to protect them. When a mother loses a child, her first instinct is to protect the memory of that child..."

    Along with you and Jon, we too will always remember and love our sweet niece, Blue! *hugs*

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  6. There are so many things that we cannot understand until we have been there. I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish I had some profound words that would help you through this, but I think time is the only thing that will ease the pain. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I will be thinking about you and praying for you.

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  7. I'm so sorry you had to go through this! I have never experianced this, but I know you miss her just as much as you would if you ever held her. She was yours, and that is completely understandable.

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  8. Thank you so much for sharing this. You have touched my heart and I want you to know that you are a strong mother. I don't know what it would be like to lose a baby but I know that you must be strong to go through a trial like this.

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  9. Thank you so very much for sharing this with us. I know how difficult it must have been writing it down and reading it through, kind of like living it again. Chelsea you are a wonderful mother. Having the baby inside you and growing, or in your arms the thing that doesn't change is how much you love and care for that little baby. I know that Blue knows how much you love her.

    I think that Ariell's quote is perfect and those memories are so precious. We love you and Jonathan so much, never hesitate to let us know if you need something.

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  10. oh, i'm so sorry! i can't even imagine. i hope i never have to go through anything like this, but i'm sure people who have appreciate reading things like this. by the way i think a woman becomes a mother the moment of conception, not the moment of birth. don't let anyone tell you that your not a mother.

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  11. I'm so sorry.
    I want you to know that I really appreciate you opening up and publishing this post. It has helped me in my own miscarriage. We were trying to get pregnant from July of last year and succeeded in September, but miscarried in October at 7 weeks. I was handling it fine, assuming we'd just try again, but now 5 months later we're still not pregnant and it is hard to think that I would be 10 weeks from my due date right now, but instead my stomach is empty. It freaking sucks. Especially because my sister is due the same time I *should* be.
    I know some people struggle to get pregnant longer than I have, and at least I've already got one, but it really doesn't take away from the emptiness that the loss of *that* child has left. If anything it makes me ache in other ways because I so long to give my daughter a sibling. She would make such a great big sister.
    Anyway, I don't mean to take away from the loss that you've experienced, I suppose I just wanted to share my story with someone since it's not something I've talked about with anyone. Again, thank you for sharing. I'm sorry for your loss. I feel for you and I pray you'll have the emptiness filled very soon.

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  12. Chelsea,
    I found your blog on Brie's. I had heard at work that you guys had a loss, and I was so sad for you because I've been there.
    I don't know if you were ever told about Share Parents, but I joined after I lost my Jake, and it has been very healing to me. We have support meetings the 2nd Thursday of each month, usually at 7pm. We also have a balloon release each Sept. and a picnic in June. It is for anyone who has lost a child in any way, and we have many mothers who have suffered miscarriages at all stages.
    If you want more info, there is a facebook page under Share Parents of Cache Valley.
    Stay Strong!!

    Lynsie

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  13. Chelsea, I am so sorry you and Jon have had to suffer this loss. I hate that you have had to go through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  14. I guess I haven't been to your blog in awhile since this is news to me. I am SO sorry for your loss. I have had 2 miscarriages--one that ended exactly like yours: a "missed miscarriage." It's the worst thing I have ever had to go through and there is just no way people can understand it without having gone through it. The sense of loss is so undescribable and if you try to explain it, many people trivialize it. I hope you and Jon are doing well and that you will be blessed with another little one soon! You're in my thoughts!!

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  15. Chelsie:

    I just ran into your blog,and wanted to express how sorry I am you had to experience such a loss, but excited to see you are almost to full term with this baby Jack. I think I have seen you read our blog getbabyjackback.com, and I loved the definition you posted about the meaning of Jack. I had never looked up the meaning and that was shared with me at the perfect time. So thanks!

    Good luck with your baby Jack!

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