The Story of BAM: Part Four

*Hey everyone! Just as a heads up: THIS IS LONG! I wrote this one early morning during my maternity leave to remember everything that lead up to us having our sweet son, Brady. There will be four parts to this story, and I hope you stick around for all four! These posts serve two purposes. The first is for memory sake, so that I can remember the moments, the details, the emotions that brought us to where we are now. The second purpose, and the one that really holds dear to my heart, is that this will bring HOPE to others. Whether it is hope for having a baby, or something else that you're longing for, my prayer is that my story gives seeds of hope to those who need it. So if you read this and you know someone who could benefit from hearing my story, please feel free to share with them. I'm a firm believer that everyone's story can help someone else, no matter how big or small you may feel it is.*

It was 2am on October 9^th, 2016 and I needed to get out of my hospital bed to use the restroom. When I went to get up, my water broke. I walked over to the toilet, and knew it was happening. I was about to give birth to my son. I called over to Jearen to wake up, saying that I think my water broke, and he rushed over. I wasn’t panicked, but laughed and said “well now what?” Mind you, we were told I would be in the hospital on bed rest for weeks, and it had only been 4 days. We had no time to take a breathing class, birthing course, nothing. Jearen called for our nurse, and she did a test to see if my water did in fact break. She confirmed it, and we just laughed again. Like ok, here we go. We literally just talked last night about being ready in case he decided to come out early, threw together a birth plan, and prayed. Like just a few hours ago. It was surreal and exciting. I was surprisingly not nervous. 

This day, although two months ahead of schedule, was here and it meant that we got to meet our son, our BAM. We wheeled off to the labor section of the hospital (I was staying in the antepartum wing) and went into a delivery room. They decided it was too small of a room since I was going to need the NICU staff, being only 31 weeks and two days pregnant. We were placed into the largest room they had, with four floor to ceiling windows. Jearen had called his Dad to tell him I was in labor, and he drove up to the hospital right away. The two of them packed up our hospital room quickly while I was given another round of Magnesium to stop contractions (I guess they thought that even though my water broke, we could still prolong labor). Jearen and his Dad were right there to cool me off with cold rags since the magnesium made me insanely hot. It went by quickly and wasn’t as intense as the first time around. The nurse measured me to see how dilated I was, and I was around a 3-4. I then asked for an epidural immediately, and because of the magnesium, they had to draw my blood first before the doctor could give me the epidural. That was literally the longest and hardest part of this labor. I began feeling my contractions and knew time was ticking. Finally the blood work took place, which meant the doctor could come in and give me my epidural.

 Jearen was very involved with my pregnancy, always at every doctor’s visit and what not. He laughed when they told me he had to sit down when they gave me my epidural. He is strong and doesn’t get sick to his stomach, but apparently, some guys pass out when they see the needle, and they have to inforce the "sit down rule". The epidural was perfect and did not make me lose all feelings of my legs as some have told me they experienced. The doctor measured my dilatation again and I was at an 8. They did a little more prep work, and then I was at a +1, meaning I was ready to push. The on call doctor, who we literally just met the day before walked in and was ready to deliver my baby. I know some women would hate not having their personal OBGYN doctor deliver for them, but I was at complete peace. I knew she could do her job, no worries. Jearen was right by my side as it came time to push, along with a nurse who I just met. When it came time to push, I did so a few times while not taking deep enough breaths. I remember the nurse and doctor being SO kind in helping me and encouraging me to basically breathe push this baby out. I was thanking them and telling them how much I appreciated their help and kindness immediately after Brady was born. 

Brady Glenn Myers, born at 7:16am, was placed on my stomach while Jearen cut the cord, and then he was taken by a NICU nurse a few feet away to be weighed and cleaned off. I just starred at amazement at him as he was being cleaned up. Our miracle was finally in the world for us to see. The sun was rising outside of those four big windows, and I just experienced God’s love in a whole new way. I had an adrenaline like never before. Brady was placed before me to kiss before being sent down to the NICU. Jearen went down there with him, and I sat on that hospital bed feeling nothing but peace. I wasn’t scared of what just happened. I wasn’t scarred of Brady being in the NICU. God blessed me in that moment in such a real way that I had nothing but Joy! I grabbed my phone that was playing Bethel Worship Music beside me, and called my sister Kim. Jearen had all of our family notified around 4:30 am when I was getting the epidural that I was going into labor. I shared with her the good news about Brady and was on cloud 9. Then I called my Dad and he thought I just drank a few cups of coffee with my chipper tone of voice. I was just so excited. I couldn’t help it. 

Family greeted me as I was wheeled down to the NICU. Jearen and I went over to where our son was, and a NICU doctor gave me a whole low down of what was going on. I can’t remember a single word he said because I was tired, his words were overwhelming, and I was on a natural high. We took our first picture with our son, and I beamed with pride. Our little 3 pound 3 ounce baby was perfect to me in every way. He would stay in the NICU for another month & a half to grow, but what a miracle. From before he was ever created, to the time he entered the world, every single thing has been a miracle before my very eyes. I am forever thankful and blessed for this gift from God. BAM, on the day you were born, you changed my life in the best way possible, and I am honored to be your mom and share your story with the world!

The Story of BAM: Part Three

*Hey everyone! Just as a heads up: THIS IS LONG! I wrote this one early morning during my maternity leave to remember everything that lead up to us having our sweet son, Brady. There will be four parts to this story, and I hope you stick around for all four! These posts serve two purposes. The first is for memory sake, so that I can remember the moments, the details, the emotions that brought us to where we are now. The second purpose, and the one that really holds dear to my heart, is that this will bring HOPE to others. Whether it is hope for having a baby, or something else that you're longing for, my prayer is that my story gives seeds of hope to those who need it. So if you read this and you know someone who could benefit from hearing my story, please feel free to share with them. I'm a firm believer that everyone's story can help someone else, no matter how big or small you may feel it is.*

For Part One, read here.

For Part Two, read here. 

I’m so glad we finally shared the news that I was pregnant with our friends and family. Over the next month, I had several episodes were I would bleed. It was terrifying. Panic and confusion would fill my mind, fearing that I was going to lose this child. I had to go to the doctor for ultrasounds due to the bleeding more often than most pregnant women, but every time I went I got to witness the little miracle inside of me growing more and more. As the weeks passed, we took some photos to announce our pregnancy with the world, and then shortly after found out BAM, Big Amazing Miracle as we called him, was a BOY! We had a Gender Reveal Party with our families and shared the exciting news. Everything kept feeling so surreal. Besides the bleeding, I didn’t have much else to complain about when it came to being pregnant. I didn’t deal with any morning sickness. I wasn’t gaining an outrageous number of pounds. I didn’t have any aversions to scents. We enjoyed the end of our Summer and beginning of Fall together. School was fixing to start back up, and my position at work had changed to only teaching one subject for the year: Social Studies. I saw it as a blessing since I was due in December and would have to have a sub for a while. 

Around mid September, I had another bleeding episode. At this point, every time it would happen, I was told by my doctor to take it easy and get off of my feet. I was put on bed rest one weekend, and wasn’t sure if I was going to make it to December. All I could think of was how the plan was for me to have this little boy before Christmas and work as much as I could before then so that I didn’t mess with the maternity leave I was going to take. My doctor called me one day after having gone in for an ultrasound to tell me that my baby looked healthy, but was measuring a little small, so they wanted me to come back in. I tried to not let that discourage me. I woke up two days later bleeding while Jearen was out of town again, and my doctor told me I needed to go to Labor & Delivery. I called Jearen’s mom and she came to the house to drive me over there. Four hours later, and after a visit with a special sonogram doctor, I got to go home. They told me that my cervix looked a little short, and that I needed to take it easy. Returning back to work the next day, I let my principal know what was going on, and it was agreed that I could sit more/teach from my desk. 

Two weeks later, I had another bleed. Same situation where the Dr. told me to go to labor & delivery. This time Jearen was home and was the one driving me to the hospital. We played worship music the whole way there, knowing that God has brought us this far, and isn’t going to leave us. We trusted that He has been in control of this whole pregnancy, and there was no reason to fear. After another ultrasound to look at my cervix, it was decided that this time I wasn’t going to get to go home. My cervix was shortening and the doctor said “it’s like your son is a rock, rolling down a hill. We want to slow down the momentum of him rolling (aka being born).” *This is where my Dad will forever refer to Brady as Rocky now*. I was now on hospital bed rest, and it was all out of my control. Jearen went back to the house to gather our things, and we both camped out in a hospital room for a week. God Bless this sweet man I married. He is the real deal. 

On the day I was admitted, I was given magnesium to stop contractions I wasn’t even aware I was having. It made me VERY hot and I needed ice, cool rags, and my socks to be removed STAT. We had visitors stopping by daily to check on us, and BAM just kept on growing. At 31 weeks, I had another ultrasound and could see his little hair on his head. It was precious. They told us we would be in the hospital for weeks, with their goal being me getting to go home around 34 weeks with BAM still cooking. Saturday night, October 8^th, Jearen and I decided we should get a birth plan in order. We had already had a visit from the on call doctor for the weekend (who was not my OBGYN), and she suggested just printing one from The Bump’s website and going over each part together, so we did. That was at around 8 pm. I told Jearen that it was nice of every one to be praying for us, and that they were praying for Brady to make it to 38-39 weeks, but in my heart, I just didn’t think we were going to make it that long. I told Jearen that I think it was going to happen way before then, and sought after his approval for that to be ok, haha. I asked him to pray over us and BAM, knowing God had his perfect timing already set up. That was around 9pm. Jearen laid on his pull out couch two feet away from my bed, and fell asleep as we were watching SNL. I dozed off around 11:30pm…only to be woken up around 2pm because I needed to use the restroom. Only instead of that happening, my water broke!

Part 4, The Day Brady was born is up next!

The Story of BAM: Part Two

*Hey everyone! Just as a heads up: THIS IS LONG! I wrote this one early morning during my maternity leave to remember everything that lead up to us having our sweet son, Brady. There will be four parts to this story, and I hope you stick around for all four! These posts serve two purposes. The first is for memory sake, so that I can remember the moments, the details, the emotions that brought us to where we are now. The second purpose, and the one that really holds dear to my heart, is that this will bring HOPE to others. Whether it is hope for having a baby, or something else that you're longing for, my prayer is that my story gives seeds of hope to those who need it. So if you read this and you know someone who could benefit from hearing my story, please feel free to share with them. I'm a firm believer that everyone's story can help someone else, no matter how big or small you may feel it is.*

If you missed Part One, you can read it here.
We were driving home from a trip to see my family in Houston when Jearen and I were discussing our house. We wanted a bigger home, but also knew several things needed to be improved in our current home. We spent the four hour drive detailing every house project we wanted to take on. We were already pregnant at this point, and we didn’t even know it. We were itching for a change, not knowing that the answer to that change was going to be a baby on the way! The time came for my period to roll around, and because the doctor told me he wanted me to call when it came, I was more ready for it to come than usual. Day 1, 2, and 3 all passed without any signs of my cycle starting. I’ve been there before though, with things being late, so I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Then days 4,5, and 6 swept by with nothing to show for it. I was beyond nervous. I had wasted so much money buying pregnancy test before with only negative outcomes that I really didn’t want to buy more. But I did. And along with the regular priced test, I also bought a few (ok 5) from Dollar Tree because I’ve read that they are just as good. I came home, waiting for the next morning to arrive so I could take the test when the timing was right. I took the test at 6 am, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, there were two lines. It was faint, but it was there. I cried from shock, but my heart was still so hesitant that I doubted it. Maybe it was wrong. I woke up Jearen to tell him about it, and he felt the same way I did... hesitant. So I tested again the next day and got the same two faint lines. Then we decided I should wait a few days. Six tests later, all positive, it was becoming VERY real. I was pregnant. And excitement was met face to face with fear. 

Fear that this child wouldn’t make it to my womb. That it would be stuck and we would find ourselves in the same predicament as we were in January of 2014. I immediately called the fertility specialist I had just seen a few weeks ago, and told them about the positive pregnancy test. They told me that the wanted me to have some blood work done first, and then they would see me to have an ultrasound. Jearen and I prayed hard that this baby would make it to my womb. It became our biggest prayer. Most women don’t even give it a second thought if they see those two lines on a test. Due to our past though, it was very clear to us just how every part of becoming pregnant and staying pregnant was a miracle. 


I went in for blood work, and they called me at work the next day to confirm the pregnancy. I was excited, but still very concerned about where the baby was in my body. They had to draw my blood three times to check my HCG level. On the day that I was scheduled to have my blood drawn for the second time, I was at work. I had just finished class and was heading to lunch, when I felt like I was bleeding. I went to the restroom and sure enough, what looked like a full period was happening. Fear immediately took over. No one besides Jearen knew I was pregnant. I knew I needed to leave to see the doctor right away, but how? I pulled my trusty bff coworker out of the breakroom, and spoke quickly as I began looking like a ghost of my situation. She told me to go and she would handle everything at school. I drove all the way from Duncanville to Las Colinas feeling sick to my stomach, like I was about to puke. Jearen was on a work trip out of the state, and was having to hear about all of this via phone call. I walked into the doctor’s office without an appointment, and they told me that unfortunately, there was nothing they could do for me. They told me to go ahead and get my blood tested as I had already scheduled, and then once they get those results back, they would bring me in. I shakily drove myself over to get my blood drawn, just a mile from my house, then went home to curl up on the bed and watch Gilmore Girls. I was alone, cramping, and scared. I took off work the next day if I remember correctly. The day after that I had to put on my game face because we were going on a school field trip to the Zoo. I got the phone call that said my HCG level was still going up via my blood work, so they believed I was still pregnant. I was told I had a small blood clot that had caused the bleeding, but was nothing for me to worry about. Once Jearen was back in town, it was time for us to get an ultrasound done.

Hands held, we walked together into the ultrasound appointment. We prayed together before the nurse walked in, and then it was time to see the baby. We shared with the nurse our nervousness because of the ectopic pregnancy, and then not even 5 seconds into the ultrasound, the nurse said, “Well you don’t have to worry about that this time, because there is your baby.” I could not believe my eyes. My prayers were answered. There before me, on a black and white screen, was a little speck of a human being that made is safe to my womb. We held it together, but as soon as the nurse walked out, both Jearen and I were in tears. Our hearts were so thankful, giving all the praise to God. We both decided that we wanted to tell our family that weekend the good news. At this point, I was 8 weeks pregnant and I was about to let the secret out. My first phone call was to my sister Kim. I face timed her as she was cooking dinner, and showed her the sonogram photo. Tears were flowing from both sides of that phone call. We drove to Stephenville to share the news with my family that weekend, and Jearen shared the news with his family. Another miracle before our eyes, this was only the beginning.

 Stay tuned for Part Three!!

The Story of BAM: Part One

*Hey everyone! Just as a heads up: THIS IS LONG! I wrote this one early morning during my maternity leave to remember everything that lead up to us having our sweet son, Brady. There will be four parts to this story, and I hope you stick around for all four! These posts serve two purposes. The first is for memory sake, so that I can remember the moments, the details, the emotions that brought us to where we are now. The second purpose, and the one that really holds dear to my heart, is that this will bring HOPE to others. Whether it is hope for having a baby, or something else that you're longing for, my prayer is that my story gives seeds of hope to those who need it. So if you read this and you know someone who could benefit from hearing my story, please feel free to share with them. I'm a firm believer that everyone's story can help someone else, no matter how big or small you may feel it is.*

I’m going to start this story by giving a brief description of what lead up to the arrival of our son, Brady Glenn Myers. Okay, maybe not as brief as I am one to give all the details in a story (sorry husband, I know that annoys you, lol). From the moment we found out we were pregnant, we were elated. Every single moment felt so surreal. Like why now? Why us? We felt so privileged. Our pregnancy came as a bit of a surprise, as I only had one fallopian tube remaining after an emergency surgery that almost cost me my life. I was pregnant at the end of November of 2013, and we had celebrated big and shared the news with our closest friends and family during the Christmas season. However, at the beginning of January 2014, heartbreak came as I had an ectopic pregnancy causing the baby to be stuck inside my right fallopian tube, and surgery to remove my ruptured tube took that sweet little angel to Heaven. To read more about that, click here. From that moment on, we had tried to get pregnant again with no success. I was having to face the reality that having children may never be in our cards, and that came with months of sadness and defeat.

Jump forward to the spring of 2015. I had gone to a fertility specialist to be examined. They were going to check out my left tube to see if there was any blockage. The exam (known as an HSG) was painful, but I breathed my way through it and left in tears. I remember sitting in my car right after, feeling so broken. I remember feeling like I was no good for Jearen, a waste of a wife who would never be able to have his children. I felt alone. I didn’t understand why I was the one going through this. And this was just after the exam. The same feelings showed back up after the fertility specialists rushed me through a consult to basically tell me that IVF was the only answer. I remember that day well. Jearen was with me for that consultation, and as we got home, I broke down. I couldn’t believe it. I stood in our dining room crying, as my sweet husband held me. He looked me in the eyes, and told me all of the following:

• We were just going to have to believe God for a miracle.
• If it just wasn’t meant to be for us to have kids, that that was ok too.
• He loved me no matter what.
•  I wasn’t a waste.
• I was everything to him.

Oh that sweet man of mine. Those words began a journey of healing for me. Healing for the child we had lost. Healing for the news we just received. Healing to trust God no matter where He takes me. *I told you I love details….so this is most likely going to be a LONG story, but it is one I always want to remember*

Then came the summer of 2015, just a few months after my healing journey began. We went on a family trip to Hawaii and celebrated our 5^th anniversary as we were there. It was a beautiful trip! I do remember though crying to my husband as we were walking down a pier, apologizing for not having a kid by now. Our “goal” was to have a kid by the time we were five years into our marriage, and we used to talk about that all of the time. Imagine being a planner like myself and not being able to say you were successful in making something you always planned happen. Oh man, I’ve learned so much through this. Especially how to let go of control, and little did I know then how much control I would have to give up. After that trip to Hawaii, we traveled to Boston for a week for Jearen’s job, and then to Belize with other parts of our family. That trip was amazing too, but it was a scuba diving trip for Jearen and his brother, so while they spent most of their time exploring in the ocean, I was lounging by the pool reading and working on my tan burning.

As I was doing that, I read a book by Pete Wilson called Plan B. Basically saying how sometimes our life doesn’t turn out the way we plan, and that’s ok. It was a life changing book for me, in the sense that I finally found a peace to not being pregnant. And that was hard, being that many months leading up to that moment were met with tears flowing as Aunt Flo showed up, or the testing stick was another negative, yet again. The day after I finished the book, as we were on this trip, I started my period (sorry TMI, but this IS a story about becoming pregnant, so…) and I had complete peace. Like OK God, I trust you. I am not mad, sad, angry, or bitter. The following months brought about the same kind of peace. And truth be told, I gave up in trying to get pregnant. I didn’t want the pressure. I didn’t want to feel confused. I basically gave up trying.

A year went by, and my husband brought up trying again. Maybe all we needed was a second opinion. And lots of prayer. We had this discussion as we were on a romantic getaway to Chicago for Valentine’s Day that Jearen worked up all on his own. The day before our trip was over, we finally had “the talk.” I had pushed this topic of child bearing under the rug because hello, it hurt. Moving on with life made more sense and was less painful then discussing seeing another specialist for a second opinion. But, that is what we decided to do. Several weeks after our trip, I found myself walking into a different fertility specialists’ office, feeling as though I was literally going to poop my pants be sick from being so nervous. I was too far into my cycle to be examined by another HSG exam, so the doctor told me to call back once I have started my period so that they could schedule me in to be seen. He made me feel like I didn’t have to rush out the door which was nice, and gave me lots of hope.

 Having been told IVF was my only option before, this doctor made me feel like there were several other options we could try before ever having to come to that. I remember asking him “So should we still try in the meantime?” And he said, “YES! Just try a little sooner than you have been.” Ok, sounds good. I have a plan now, and it doesn’t include IVF at this point. So, I went home, and we “tried”…and then tried some more. Two days after the consultation, we conceived. On our own, without IVF. It was JUST the beginning of this miracle.

Come back for The Story of BAM: Part Two!

-Becky