I cried like a baby this morning, y'all. Seriously. Helen writes:

There's a song I heard by chance when this IVF round started. I heard it and I listened to it constantly, as it's a sweet, calming, pure song that goes in one ear and right out the top of your toe, massaging every nerve in comfort on its way out. I listened to this song through the shots, the surgeries, the positives, the scans, the scares. This song has been with the Lemonheads since before their existence. I got the headphones and placed one beside one baby, one beside the other.

I hit play.

I heard the song myself as I watched the slide move, indicating the song was playing.

I waited.

And waited.

Then I felt it - a flutter from the left. A kick from the right. Mama, we're sleepy.

I smiled as the song ended, then plugged the iPod into my own ears and fell back asleep listening to the song.

All this is a long winded way of saying that Helen is home from the hospital, and feeling a bit better after a hell of a scare, although she and the Lemonheads will be closely watched for the next 10-12 weeks (hopefully!)

Do drop by and give her your love, as she is worn out, sore, and scared, and I'm pretty sure your well wishes are more than welcome right now.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:24 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Bless your heart. I do know how that feels, tho. I cry when I read a LOT of her posts. And you're NOT a jinx. See? xoxo

Posted by: Margi at July 30, 2007 02:39 PM (Y7BFR)

2 I couldn't even leave a comment over there this morning after I read her post; I was SO messed up. My heart nearly stopped when I thought the Lemonheads might be in danger, then I cried my eyes out at approximately the same passage you cited. I was spent. Thank God she and the babies made it through! And I agree; the internet IS a funny thing!

Posted by: pam at July 30, 2007 05:27 PM (l6NIn)

3 You don't have to ask me. I stop by almost every day, and have for, umm, the last 4-5 years. I'm glad that she's doing better, albeit in a kidney suffering kind of way. Watching her countdown reminds exactly of my wife's pregnancy. Each week that passed marked another milestone on the way to healthy, surviving baby. Passing the 90% mark did a lot to calm me down.

Posted by: physics geek at August 06, 2007 01:00 PM (MT22W)

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As many of you know, from my occasional posts about the subject, my dear friend Helen is 26 weeks pregnant with twins after a series of failed bouts of IVF.

Last night brought word that our girl was in the hospital, with hydronephrosis and a terrible kidney infection.  She's being treated for the infection and the twins (her Lemonheads) are being monitored for any signs that they want to jump ship early.

So far so good, as there's no sign yet of early labor and the antibiotics seem to be helping the infection.  However, the doctors don't know whether or how they'll treat the hydronephrosis.

Which is all a long way of saying that our girl needs love and good wishes and prayers, which I am sure she and Angus can feel and do appreciate, even in the UK.

Please drop by and give her some love and encouragement.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 09:58 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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First, two Happy Birthdays:
Ith and Ktreva both have their special day today!

And also, Happy 41st wedding anniversary to CaltechMom and CaltechDad. I love you.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 09:54 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 Happy 41st to your parents! That is wonderful.

Posted by: vw bug at July 16, 2007 11:26 AM (FPOeI)

2 Thank you! And happy anniversary to your parents.

Posted by: Ith at July 16, 2007 02:57 PM (Xoeyh)

3 OH wonderful! Happy Anniversary to the Caltech Parental Units! May they have many many more.

Posted by: Teresa at July 16, 2007 03:40 PM (gsbs5)

4 Happy 41st Anniversary to your parents!

Posted by: pam at July 16, 2007 05:51 PM (l6NIn)

5 Thanks for the birthday wishes, and congrats to your parents!!

Posted by: ktreva at July 17, 2007 07:14 PM (gSaan)

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Profanity alert!

My dear friend wRitErsbLock wrote something this morning that struck a nerve with me. She writes:

Do not ask people "when are you going to start having children?"

It might just be a very, very sore subject for the couple.

Maybe one wants children while the other does not. Maybe you asking that question will cause the couple to have yet another fight about it later on.

Maybe the couple is unable to conceive and has been trying without success for quite some time. If so, you just helped plunge them back into despair.

Maybe the couple hates children and never plan to have any.

No matter where the couple is at, you are stepping into dangerous water when you ask the question. It's none of your business. And you are running a risk of either angering the couple or upsetting them. So just don't ask.

People really fuck me off when they ask this kind of shit. It may take a village to raise a child, but does the entire village need to know the details of the conception and whether or not the child was wanted, planned, or a complete surprise? Does the whole village need to know why?

It's amazing to me how the most private and significant moments in our lives, and their accordant choices seem to be public fodder: who we marry (or not, as the case may be), whether we parent, and how we parent. People pop out of the woodwork with advice and questions better for weddings and babies than any other event I've ever seen. Every new mom or mom-to-be that I know has been made to feel pathetic for one choice or another with regard to her baby.

And you know what else fucks me over? A lot of these nosy nellies are the same bitches who go around screaming, 'My Body, My Choice" but then they want to censor your right to do the SAME FUCKING THING if your choices don't agree with their holy-anointed-best-for-the-child-best-for-the-world-happy-shiny BS.

AUUUGH. Get over yourselves, people

With regard to WB's post, the real answer is this: You shouldn't have to ask. If you know me well enough to PRESUME to ask such questions, you should already know the answer. So if you're even considering asking those kinds of questions, that should serve as your notice that I don't want you to know.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:12 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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