The Results

In my life there have been many results that I have looked forward too-my test results in math, my ACT scores, my PRAXiS scores, and so on. Usually I met the results with cold trepidation and knots in my stomach-unsure of what the outcome would be but sure that it was never very great. So when it came time to take my first Pregnancy test-I once again woke with that same cold trepidation and grasshoppers instead of knots in my stomach. Because for anyone who has ever wondered, and then managed to pee on a tiny stick and wait for those results that will inevitably change you life, you know what I mean. There is a part of you hoping for that little plus sign to appear. And part of you-even if its very small-that says "Am I really ready for this? Am I sure I want to know right now?" So four days before Aunt Flo and her little dog Spot arrived, I peed on a stick and waited. And then was simultaneously relieved and disappointed. No Baby. Not this month. So I waited for Aunt Flo, and when the day of her arrival dawned Tom talked me into peeing on yet another stick. So I did, and I waited with the sure knowledge that if I was pregnant I would know right? Mothers intuition? And once again the stick said "NO." So I prepared for the arrival of my monthly visitor with the knowledge that we would try again next month. But when Aunt Flo, and even her dog Spot, didnt arrive at the appointed time, I was a little confused-in all my years Aunt Flow has never missed an opportunity to show up and make me as miserable as possible. Could this be the first time in my life that she would skip a visit? I mean, all this time and she waits till now to skip? Really. Well, I waited. And when she was 4 days late I took yet another pee test. At this point I was a pro at running to the bathroom in the early hours of the morning with a very full bladder, opening the stupid foil package, and managing to "hold it" until I had everything in position. And once again, it was a big, flaming, NEGATIVE. Now I was totally confused. How could Aunt Flo pick this month to skip? That just meant one more month before we could try again. But it would be just my luck to have to wait. So that night, when Tom and I returned to Logan, with doubts still nagging in my mind, I went to the hospital and had a blood test done.

Of course I was nervous. The grasshoppers had reappeared and I waited the 5 minutes it takes for serum tests to be run. At 4 minutes it was still a flaming No, and the Tech, Deb, said to me: "I would be VERY surprised if this was positive at this point. It has 1 minute left." And no sooner had those words left her mouth than this crazy purple squiggly line started a journey up the window. And as that little squiggly line passed the Test line, it went positive. And then that little squiggly line just kept climbing all the way to the top. And I turned to Deb and said "Deb...what, what is that? Whats it doing?" and she looked that the test, at me, and said "I have NO idea. Ive never seen it do that. But it looks positive." I cannot explain how surreal that moment felt. In fact the entire evening was pretty surreal. She ran the test once again on the little reader and then once on the machine to get an exact number of HCG. And sure enough, all three were positive! The reason the pee sticks didnt work? Not enough HCG. Funny how they say that on the day of your period, they are 99.9% correct. Apparently I fit in the .1% of women. And boy am I glad I do! Those results were the best, the happiest, I have ever received in my life! So, everyone, although this wont be open for public eyes until after my first ultrasound, I can say that I am PREGNANT! Hooray!!