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HelpRe: Non-Traditional Family Congrats -Round 2
in reply to a message by Siân
humblebee
The Harrison Family:
Parent: Elinor Daphne Harrison
DD: Estella "Stella" Kathleen Harrison [3]
DD: Amelia "Amy" Jennifer Harrison [nb]
Elinor is overjoyed when, on the morning of Stella's third birthday, she gets a postive pregnancy test! Donor 118E has been lucky for her again, this time in only two cycles, leaving 3 vials still in cold storage. She's on cloud nine, eagerly anticipating the near future when a baby boy or girl, perhaps with hair as red and eyes as blue as Stella's, will be in her arms.
Her second pregnancy seems as "textbook" as her first until she starts to throw up. Initially, she's not concerned; she had morning sickness with Stella, too. She knows it's a common symptom, and it can even be a positive sign that things are progressing normally. As the weeks pass, however, this proves to be anything but normal. Her nausea and vomiting intensify, and her weight begins to drop alarmingly as she begins to vomit up to 20 times a day. When she almost passes out after being unable to keep down even small sips of water, her neighbor takes her to the emergency room. The diagnosis: hyperemesis gravidarium resulting in dehydration and malnutrition. She is prescribed antiemetics, intravenous therepy to be administered by a home care nurse, and, when she can stomach it, a diet of clear liquids and bland foods.
For the first time, being a single parent is truly hard for Elinor. How can she care for Stella, to say nothing of working full time and taking care of their house, when she can't pick her head up from her pillow without the world spinning? She weighs her pride against Stella's needs and does the hardest thing: She asks for help, and she feels touched and blessed as her family and friends respond. Her beloved sister-in-law leaves her own family and comes to Elinor's aid, staying with her for up to a week a time to help her through the worst of it. Her neighbor's teenaged sons take over caring for her lawn, feeding the dogs, and bringing in her mail. Dear friends made through her local Single Moms by Choice chapter show up offering to mop floors or handle the grocery shopping. With their help and with an eye on the prize--her due date--Elinor and Stella make it through.
Still, it is with no small amount of relief that Elinor feels her first contraction a week and a half before her due date. After an easy labor, she cries happy tears as Amelia Jennifer, red-faced and wailing lustily, is placed into her arms. Jennifer is picked to honor Elinor's sister-in-law, and she chose Amelia both because its meaning is a reminder that she was worth all the hard work and because the nn Amy reminds her of love and friendship. Amy looks so much more like Elinor than Stella does: She's rosy where Stella is fair, her hair is a fine, light brown, and her eyes already look more grey than blue. She's also smaller than Stella was, being a full pound lighter and over an inch shorter.
As life slowly goes back to normal--or as close to normal as you can get with a newborn--Elinor has so many blessings to count. Stella is delighted with her new sister, loving to help with her bath and kiss her satiny skin, and Elinor begins to consider a move out to the country, to be closer to both her mother and her brother's family. The thought of a huge yard for the girls and room for her family to continue to grow is another attraction. With a sigh, she thinks of the remaining vials. Considering another pregnancy so soon after this last one is almost too much to bear. Perhaps it's time to dig through the information she gathered on adoption again. On the other hand, she does own the vials, and she doesn't have forever if she wants to have more biological children. She busys herself with her daughters, but options keep turning through her mind. She has some thinking to do.
I'm sorry this is so long!
The Harrison Family:
Parent: Elinor Daphne Harrison
DD: Estella "Stella" Kathleen Harrison [3]
DD: Amelia "Amy" Jennifer Harrison [nb]
Elinor is overjoyed when, on the morning of Stella's third birthday, she gets a postive pregnancy test! Donor 118E has been lucky for her again, this time in only two cycles, leaving 3 vials still in cold storage. She's on cloud nine, eagerly anticipating the near future when a baby boy or girl, perhaps with hair as red and eyes as blue as Stella's, will be in her arms.
Her second pregnancy seems as "textbook" as her first until she starts to throw up. Initially, she's not concerned; she had morning sickness with Stella, too. She knows it's a common symptom, and it can even be a positive sign that things are progressing normally. As the weeks pass, however, this proves to be anything but normal. Her nausea and vomiting intensify, and her weight begins to drop alarmingly as she begins to vomit up to 20 times a day. When she almost passes out after being unable to keep down even small sips of water, her neighbor takes her to the emergency room. The diagnosis: hyperemesis gravidarium resulting in dehydration and malnutrition. She is prescribed antiemetics, intravenous therepy to be administered by a home care nurse, and, when she can stomach it, a diet of clear liquids and bland foods.
For the first time, being a single parent is truly hard for Elinor. How can she care for Stella, to say nothing of working full time and taking care of their house, when she can't pick her head up from her pillow without the world spinning? She weighs her pride against Stella's needs and does the hardest thing: She asks for help, and she feels touched and blessed as her family and friends respond. Her beloved sister-in-law leaves her own family and comes to Elinor's aid, staying with her for up to a week a time to help her through the worst of it. Her neighbor's teenaged sons take over caring for her lawn, feeding the dogs, and bringing in her mail. Dear friends made through her local Single Moms by Choice chapter show up offering to mop floors or handle the grocery shopping. With their help and with an eye on the prize--her due date--Elinor and Stella make it through.
Still, it is with no small amount of relief that Elinor feels her first contraction a week and a half before her due date. After an easy labor, she cries happy tears as Amelia Jennifer, red-faced and wailing lustily, is placed into her arms. Jennifer is picked to honor Elinor's sister-in-law, and she chose Amelia both because its meaning is a reminder that she was worth all the hard work and because the nn Amy reminds her of love and friendship. Amy looks so much more like Elinor than Stella does: She's rosy where Stella is fair, her hair is a fine, light brown, and her eyes already look more grey than blue. She's also smaller than Stella was, being a full pound lighter and over an inch shorter.
As life slowly goes back to normal--or as close to normal as you can get with a newborn--Elinor has so many blessings to count. Stella is delighted with her new sister, loving to help with her bath and kiss her satiny skin, and Elinor begins to consider a move out to the country, to be closer to both her mother and her brother's family. The thought of a huge yard for the girls and room for her family to continue to grow is another attraction. With a sigh, she thinks of the remaining vials. Considering another pregnancy so soon after this last one is almost too much to bear. Perhaps it's time to dig through the information she gathered on adoption again. On the other hand, she does own the vials, and she doesn't have forever if she wants to have more biological children. She busys herself with her daughters, but options keep turning through her mind. She has some thinking to do.
I'm sorry this is so long!
This message was edited 10/26/2011, 10:48 AM
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