Aaron is NOT a Cystic Fibrosis Carrier

I got the call yesterday! Aaron's results are in from his blood work. Aaron is not a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis!!!

Can I tell you how happy and relieved we are?!?!? Sooooooo happy!!! :)

I immediately called Aaron, knowing full well he was in the middle of teaching, but he needed to know. It was something I know we both have been wondering ever since I was diagnosed as a carrier. If we were both carriers, it would've changed a lot of things. It would've made our road to IVF a lot more windy and drawn out (not to include, expensive!) with gene therapy. But, now...we finally know. :)

And, as you probably guessed, this is the last of what needed to be in order to proceed with our IVF cycle. So, with that, I plan on starting the birth control pill (the first step of any IVF cycle) in early November, a couple days after I start my period (that is if I start my period - we still tried to conceive this cycle, even with the almost nonexistent chance that we'd create a baby naturally). Hey, like I've said before, God can create miracles out of 0% chance!

So, needless the say, the IVF ball is rolling and gaining more momentum day by day! We're excited, nervous, anxious, scared, happy, hopeful, uncertain...the list goes on! We are a plethora of emotions, but trying to take each step of the journey as it comes and not getting ahead of ourselves. We are continually leaning on each other and God for support, encouragement and stability. And, although my future as a mother of two is uncertain, my life in my husband, my daughter, and my God are certain. :)

I am a Carrier for Cystic Fibrosis

Dr. Weckstein told me last week that our blood work results are very good. Well, apparently not that good because we got a call from Dr. Weckstein today. It turns out I'm a carrier for cystic fibrosis. This came as quite the shock, seeing as how I don't know or have ever been told of anybody on either side of my family with the disease or any mention of anybody carrying the gene.

Anyway, what does this mean for our future children???

Aaron needs to have more blood work done (and you all know how much he is looking forward to that) to determine if he's a carrier as well.

If he is not a carrier (which we're almost certain will be the case, but then again, I had no idea I was a carrier), then the diagram on the left applies. None of our kids would have the disease, but there would be a 50% chance any given one of them would be a carrier (as I am) and a 50% chance of any given one of them being a non-carrier.

However, if Aaron turns out to be a carrier, then the diagram on the right applies, and there would be a 25% chance any given one of our children would be born with the disease.

I know I'm talking on a hypothetical now (because the likelihood of Aaron being a carrier as well is very slim), but just imagine if it is the case! Just imagine if we are both carriers! Imagine, first, how wonderful of a blessing having Ella being born without the disease really is (given the 1 in 4 odds). And, second, imagine God's hand in our "infertility."

Imagine Aaron and I unsuccessfully trying to conceive for 24 months, questioning why it's not happening, why God is not blessing us with a second child, all the while God was looking down on us with a warm smile, saying, "See? I have everything under control. You should never doubt My plan for your lives."

And, don't get me wrong, I am in no way hoping Aaron is a carrier. And I'm not saying I need him to be a carrier to find clarity as to why God hasn't blessed us with a baby by now. I feel my clarity, my "Ah ha!" moment, will come in time. But, in the back of my mind, I smile at the thought that God has a hand in this. I smile at my ignorance about how great God really is. If Aaron turns out to be a carrier, oh wow, I can only imagine the humility I will feel to have ever doubted God.