This is a difficult one for me. I have faced many challenges in my life some I can write about, others I overcame, but don’t want to remember them. So, I packed them away in a “box”.

I think my biggest challenge to date was trying to get pregnant. On 24 June 1995 the Springbucks won the World Cup Rugby and my husband at that time told me that if they won, we can start a family.

Let me start from the beginning. We got married in February 1995, I was 21 years old, the pill or any other Birth Control methods did not work. I either got as sick as a dog or got infections galore. So, you can imagine my relief when we started trying for a family. I got pregnant and had my first miscarriage on 1 December 1995 at 12 weeks.

I was devastated. But the worst part was when the gynecologist told me that I will never be able to have children. I did not believe him, I believed that only God has a say in that. The doctor put me on hormone tablets and I gained 25 kg in about 8 months. I was crushed I started getting asthma attacks, was tired all the time and it did not matter if I exercise or watch what I eat I keep gaining weight.

After a year and hitting the scale at 98kg I decided enough is enough. In April 1997 I went to my house doctor and told him I refuse to go back to my old gynecologist. He referred me to Dr. Lampen.

Dr. Lampen send me a lot of tests. He examined me from top to bottom and explained to us that I must try to lose some weight. Every 100g will help. He started treating my anemia, and I started exercising 7 days a week. I lost a few kg and Dr. Lampen began with a fertility program.

After many disappointments and tears, in October 1999 we decided to rather focus on Anton a boy we had in foster care at that time, renovate the house and I wanted to start to study Law and was supposed to enroll on 5 January 2000.

In November 1999 I joined a weight loss program. I never drank any of the food suppressors. I got my vitamin shots every week and started losing weight and centimeters. Just before Christmas my mentor looked at me and said something is wrong. I am losing weight but I am gaining centimeters.

4 January 2000 I went to the doctor. I was tired all the time, felt bloated and constipated. I asked the doctor to please give me something. He told me to go and lie on the bed he has to examine me. He had a look that worried me. He asked me to go please give him a urine sample. He came back to the examination room even more confused when he left me. Back on the examination table. He examined me again.

While sitting at his desk, he informed me that he will have to send me for an ultrasound. He thinks I am at least 19 – 21 weeks pregnant, but all three urine tests said it was negative. I did not even get excited, I had too many disappointments in the past. My mom accompanied me to the ultrasound, I did not want to get my husband’s hopes up. Mom said she heard me all the way at reception when I screamed with joy when the doctor showed me, my 19,5-week-old baby.

On 18 May 2000, Armand was born, and 15 months later on, 8 August 2001 Lian was born.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and having a look at my post.

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Have a Blessed day

Coreen