Crazy Beta HCG

I just had another Beta HCG done today. My level is crazy! 65000! This had me worried so I "googled" it.  Most people are reporting that this is about right for a twin pregnancy.

My first ultrasound is on Thursday.  I can't believe it's only been 4 weeks since conception. My belly is definitely not getting smaller and I am going to have to invest in some new bras over the next few days.  I haven't been able to wear underwire bras since last week and my pants are definitely tighter.  I'm just thinking that this is way too fast for me to be losing my figure! =)

This is a picture of a 4 week old embryo.

Beta HCG Levels & Drugs Galore

Since coming back (approx. 5 days), I have seen my GP twice. I was catching a cold and dealing with major nausea, cramping, whole body "achiness", insomnia... it was bad. I haven't been eating these last 2 days... absolutely no appetite.  My beta HCG for  Thursday, August 1 was over 4000! Crazy!  This a great sign for twins! I have an ultrasound scheduled with my local fertility doctor on August 15th. That's when we'll know for sure.

But my iron levels are super low.  This makes sense as to why I have no energy to do anything! So my GP is prescribing Iron supplements.

My drug/hormone/vitamin load is absolutely ridiculous right now.  I think I'll get full just eating these pills. Starting tomorrow I will be officially ingesting 13 pills a day! This is a combination of Estrogen, Various types of Progesterone, Iron, Preg Vit 5 and anti-nausea pills... thank God I am not officially working yet...

I believe I have actually recovered from the whole time zone change!  However, Wil is struggling with that...

Finally Home

After a very uncomfortable flight home, I'm just glad that I can sleep in my own bed. Unfortunately, I now have to really concentrate on packing up... hopefully we'll be able to find a desirable piece of land soon.  The one we had our eyes set on was sold while we were in Thailand. Oh well.

I believe that I will continue to blog until the end of this pregnancy. My crazy dog jumped on my belly during my nap yesterday afternoon because he heard a noise, so I was in pain for a few hours. So now Wil has insisted that I sleep with a pillow over me... 

It also looks more like we'll be moving in to live with my parents until we have a new home... this could potentially be a 1-2 year arrangement... ahhhh.

Fantastic News!

Thank you for your prayers!!!

I am officially pregnant!!!  Our Dr. mentioned normally he sees patients with a Beta HCG around 50. Mine is through the roof, but still normal (477.3). He says it is likely that we have twins, but we won't be certain until a future ultrasound.

Below is a picture of Dr. Wiwat and Tina, our international counselor/translator at our clinic.




  We spent most of the day with our friend in Thailand. We visited the Royal Palace and watched Wolverine! Then headed out for quite the dinner.



 

Please continue to pray for us as we return home on Wednesday.  To be perfectly honest with you, I still can't believe I am pregnant.  I know I have been cramping literally since the day after implantation and constantly thinking that my period is coming... I know I'm not out of the woods yet.

 

Once again, thank you for your many positive thoughts and prayers.  All I can say is "God is Good... God is especially good to me..."  This is a great 10th Wedding Anniversary gift for us thus far!

 

Last Day in Chiang Mai

Tomorrow is our last day in Chiang Mai. I'll be attending a Thai cooking class in the morning before we head to the airport for Bangkok.

I have over 20 mosquito bites (1 on both sides of my face from last night) from being in this city already... and this is with me carrying around mosquito repellent fan!!! I've been wearing my long sleeved jacked and capris here and the critters still get me through my clothing!!!

I'm still quite nervous about the pregnancy test I'll be taking this Sunday at the clinic. Please keep us in your prayers.  I created a video of our trip to date.

Please click on the link below:

 Video of our Trip

Chiang Mai - The Elephants and Tigers

What an amazing trip so far!!! We went on a "Night Safari" tour last night where Wilson pet giraffes and deer that stuck their heads inside the tram.

Today we visited the Tiger Kingdom and the Maesa Elephant Camp.  What a fantastic and unforgettable experience!



Us with a 2 year old Bengal tiger!



Here we are petting the tiger in their wading pool.



Here I am with a baby cub, 1.5 months old! So cute!

Here we are sitting on the 2nd largest elephant in the camp!

Wil getting "kissed" by a baby elephant

Can you believe that this elephant painted this picture!  We saw it right before our very eyes!

The most amazing thing is that the younger elephants (with high IQ) paint to raise funds for the camp.   Below is a painting that another elephant was painting while we watched.  It is selling for 6000 Bhat or $200!

 

This one below was also painted by another elephant and it is priced at  80 000 Bhat ($2,667).

 

Did you know that Elephant poop is collected and used to make paper!  Elephant poopoo paper! Aside from visiting these majestic creatures, I am doing OK. Wil is keeping me sane and I know that I have been gaining weight because I can't be very "active". We have 2 more days here in Chiang Mai before we head back to Bangkok. I'm missing home already. 

Phuket and the Internet

Sorry for not blogging the last few days.  I have not had access to "free wifi".  Our hotel in Phuket charges $5/hour or $10 a day!  We've had access to wifi for me to check e-mail at dinner, but that was about it.

I'm now writing from the "smaller" airport in Bangkok while we wait for our connecting flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai.

Here are some photos of what we did the last few days in Phuket.

Our hotel, Kata Beach Resort and Spa

Private access to Kata Beach from our hotel.  The waves were pretty rough... too rough to swim in, but perfect for surfing!

We watched a snake show and Wil decided to be a part of the show!

  We joined a tour to visit James Bond Island and some neighbouring caves.

 

 

It was during our tour that I realized how much Thailand depends on tourism... I actually began to feel awful realizing that I was destroying their natural ecosystem. There are shops, toilets, food and plastic where they don't belong!  There I am, preaching how we destroying our planet... and here I am participating with so many tourists creating an unsustainable condition and stress on the Thailand environment! 

I know on this trip I am more acutely aware of what the "local" standards are versus the "foreign" standards.  This is reminiscent from my previous mission trip to Cambodia two years ago... 

Back to my primary purpose for coming to Thailand, becoming pregnant.  To say that I have not been thinking about my belly would be false.  It has constantly been on my mind. I feel extremely bloated and fat. These drugs are definitely doing a number on me. I know that I have been praying to leave this to God and I am trying to, but it's difficult.  I keep freaking myself out, thinking that these embryos won't implant and my period will come. It's happened before...

5 more days before my blood test back at the IVF Clinic in Bangkok. Hopefully I won't see any blood until my blood test...