FACTOR 5 and DIVINE INTERVENTION

Hello friends and family!


I know my blog has been "lacking" lately but our life here at the Harden Homestead has been not been "normal" lately. As some of you know, we had a miscarriage in February and I had to have a D&C. Jeff and I were in shock because everything went so smoothly when I was pregnant with Luke. Our doctor is Catholic and we loved how spiritual he was but sometimes "these things just happen" isn't a good enough answer-this was definitely one of those times. He recommended that we wait a couple more months to try again and we did. During that time we both focused on Luke and how blessed we were to have him!! It was difficult because we were sad but also felt selfish for being sad because we had such a beautiful, loving, little boy already!

Going back to work was a good distraction for me and I love what I do so it really helped me heal. A teacher, Trisha Sims, had heard about our situation and told me she was praying for my family. She asked me if I had heard her story and then proceeded to tell me that she had two miscarriages before she was diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder. She then went to a specialist and had to take medicine to thin her blood once she got pregnant again. She had two very healthy babies after her diagnosis and asked if I wanted her doctors information. I was so grateful for her testimony but told her I would talk to my doctor first since I had already had Luke and had only had one miscarriage.

Three weeks later we found out that we were pregnant again! I was so hopeful that time around! Right at 5 weeks I had another miscarriage at work and Jeff and I rushed straight to the doctor's office. Again, he told me "these things just happen". I told him I wanted my blood tested and he asked why. I said, "What if I have a blood clotting disorder?" and he told me that it was very rare. Something inside of me knew that there was something else going on and I needed answers. Jeff was furious and I was frustrated and scared. We left with no answers but received a call from my doctor's nurse the next day. She said that he had a change of heart and wanted me to do the blood work. I had 6 vials of blood drawn and prayed for some good news.

The next week I received a call from our doctor and he stated that I did indeed have a blood clotting disorder. He told me that is was called Factor 5 and that it was recessive (which was good). He then told me to start taking a baby aspirin once a day and to make an apt with a hematologist and that was it. I immediately contacted Trisha at work and told her the prognosis. She gave me her doctor’s number and I made an apt for the next day. Thank God for Trisha's story because I may not have ever known to ask for blood work if it wasn't for her!!!

I went to see the specialist at Baylor Grapevine and he was so wonderful! He said he was very hopeful that we would be able to have more children! After a very thorough exam he told me that I would have to continue taking a baby aspirin a day and prescription prenatals before we tried again. He then said that as soon as I found out that I was pregnant I would have to begin the blood thinner medicine which would consist of one shot a day in the stomach during the entire pregnancy. He also gave me some detailed information about Factor 5 Leiden- It was identified in 1994 in the Netherlands-it is found primarily in white females of European descent and it is much more common than most people think! He also told us that mine was recessive which means it was only one chromosome and that this was much more manageable than if it was a dominant gene. He told me that most women go through their entire lives without ever knowing they have it and that it is usually passed down from their mother or father. I was so relieved that we had answers!!

Dr. Wei, is my new doctor and I am so grateful for him. I am also so blessed to have met Trisha Sims and to have heard her testimony. I truly feel like it was Divine Intervention. I know that God has great plans for our family! I thank all of our family and friends for their prayers and support because this has been a very difficult journey!!