Cautiously Optimistic

Today could have gone better, but it isn't completely bad news. It all started this morning...

The nurse had to prick me three times to get any blood. I was such a mess that my veins would not give blood. Cherub asked me what my gut feeling was and I told her I didn't think it had worked. She proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't be feeling any symptoms yet, so if I'm basing it off that than I need to stop worrying.

We decided to have Cherub leave a message on my cell phone, and I would go home after school so Michael and I could listen to it together.  This is what she said...my HCG number is a 28. (HCG is the hormone that runs through your body when you are pregnant.) She was looking for a number between 50-100...obviously mine is rather low. She told me that we need to be cautiously optimistic. She said it is a positive number and we will discuss it tomorrow morning when I call her on my break. I have to go back in on Wednesday for more blood work. She said we need to see the 28 go up by 50-60% or higher.

I read this online which made me feel a little better...
Normal hCG levels vary widely between different women and in different pregnancies for the same woman. Be very careful when trying to 'interpret the numbers'. During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the level itself is NOT as important, as is, how much it is rising every few days.  Some normal pregnancies will have quite low hCG levels and still progress, ending in the birth of a healthy baby. The best way to confirm if a pregnancy is progressing is to repeat with a blood test in 2 to 3 days time, and perhaps again 2 to 3 days after that. This is aimed at seeing if the hCG level is rising adequately.

I thought this would be over today...good or bad. Now I have to wait two more days. I guess we will know Wednesday if we will be expecting or moving on. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.