November 9, 2011

More updates...

Wow, where do I begin?

Since I last posted, so much has happened. 

My D&C is still on for tomorrow (actually later today, since I'm posting this at 12:30 am!).  It's scheduled for 4:30 pm.  I'm a little less concerned about the actual procedure and more worried about what they will find when the tissue and everything is sent off to be biopsied. 

I received a call from the doctor on Sunday evening (yep, see how dedicated this new doc is?  Called me himself on a Sunday night!) telling me he wanted to discuss the results of my bloodwork.  He said it was "interesting, and explains a lot".  I was actually at work, so I called him right back, and was totally not expecting to hear what I heard.  Basically, my body is one giant baby killing machine. :(

The results of the RPL panel showed I'm positive for:
     ~Lupus Anticoagulant
     ~Anticardiolipin Syndrome
     ~Compound Heterozygous MTHFR mutation

Sounds fun, huh?

Not so much. 

The Lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin syndrome (from what I've read in the small amount of research I've been able to do since hearing the news) are the two most common Antiphospholipid Antibodies (APL's), basically blood clotting disorders that cause blood clots all through various places in the body and are a primary cause of miscarriages. 
The MTHFR mutation I'm gathering is a mutation of an enzyme that breaks down homocysteine, which is an amino acid.  Elevated homocysteine levels are associated with fetal neural tube defects, blood clots, strokes, and miscarriage.

He told me again that having gastric bypass is a must for me.  This news of the blood clotting issues, my weight, my blood pressure (it's been running high lately...go figure, all this stress!), and other factors, he's extremely concerned of heart attack or stroke.  I've been talking with my family and close friends, and everyone is supportive of the weight loss surgery.  I'm all for it.  However...things can never be easy for me.  I called my insurance company to see what the requirements were to get it covered and was told that gastric bypass was an "employer excluded" benefit.  My insurance itself covers it (after jumping through hoops and red tape of course), but my employer chose NOT to have that particular benefit on our policy.  So there is no way, no how, no sir, that they will pay for it.  I'm just devastated.  I cannot pay for it.  We cannot get a loan for it.  And now I'm told that because my employer chose not to have that benefit, my insurance won't cover it.  My doctor is adamant that this is a lifesaving issue.  I have no idea where to go from here. 

I also am in a very strange place regarding the pregnancy loss issue.  All this time, I've believed I've never been pregnant.  I've thought "maybe" a few times...but it's never been confirmed.  Now someone is telling me that due to my history and these bloodwork results that he's convinced that I've probably had at least one miscarriage, if not more.  I don't know where to go with that.  I don't know where I fit, you know?  I'm not definitively sure I've ever been pregnant.  I'm not definitively sure I've had a miscarriage, yet all the evidence is indicating that I probably have.  I'm in that weird space where nothing is concrete, yet everything weighs a ton.  I don't know how to process it all yet.  It's going to take some time, that's for sure. 

Please keep me in your prayers while I figure all this out.  I sincerely appreciate it.

Love,
Rebecca

2 comments:

  1. Oh sweetie I am so so sorry. I know none of this is the news you expected or wanted to hear.

    You'll be in my prayers this afternoon and in the days ahead.

    Sending you tons of love, prayers, and peace.

    xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear this :(. That is a lot of news to process, and especially it sucks about the insurance. I hope there is some way you can work around your employer to get it covered.
    ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete

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