ONE MORE DAY!!!!!!!

The wait is freaking killing me!  Tomorrow we are taking a caravan to Mom's hospital to have her run the test and we will find out!  Its going to be me, Steve, Mom, Dad, Joey (my brother), Laura (Steve's mom), and Grandmother.  I am so excited.

In they go!

So they transferred 2 embryos this morning and now we wait.  We will be able to do our first pregnancy test on the 1st.  Any earlier and there is a chance of a false positive because of the hormone treatments I have been on. Everyone will know as soon as I do!

Tomorrow is the big day

I talked with the doctor this afternoon and of the 4 eggs that fertilized 3 produced 3 cells and 1 produced 4.  They had to at least produce 2 to be able to move to the next stage so all of my fertilized ones were good.  Which means if this transfer does not result in a pregnancy I wont have to go through the heavy hormone treatment again.  That is good news cause it made me tired, bloated, and moody :)  I go in tomorrow at 9:45 and they will do some preliminary blood work then at 10:30 do the transfer.  Everyone pray for us, we need all the help we can get.

Fertilized

So 4 out of 6 fertilized but the remaining two will be kept through the morning to see if they eventually do.  Later they will look at the eggs again and make sure there are no embryos with abnormalities.  More info to come.

Eggs

So today they went and did the retrieval of the eggs, I am really sore and have slept most of the day and just rested.  They retrieved 6 eggs and will call me tomorrow and let me know how many fertilized.  More info to come!

We have a date!

So had my doctor's appointment this morning and we now have a date.  Tuesday December 13th, my birthday, we go in for the egg retrieval.  I was told that they expect to get 8-12 eggs from me, which is normal, based on the number of follicles and sizes.  Then on Friday we go back in for them to implant the embryos!!!!!!!!!!  This would make a due date of September 7th!!!!!!!  I am so unbelievably excited.  Everyone please keep us in your prayers.

Another day another doctor's appointment

So I had another appointment today and they did blood work and an ultra sound.  I call them at 1 to see what changes they are making to my meds and then I see them yet again tomorrow.  Apparently tomorrow will decide my day.  I think that will be when I am told to take my progestrone which tells my body to release the egg so we are looking at Monday but this is still tentative.  More info to come tomorrow.

And again...

Had another doctors appointment today and they adjusted my meds again and did an ultra sound.  I have 2 large follicles and 3 small on each ovary.  I'm symmetrical apparently :)  I have to go back in again on Friday for more labs and ultra sound again.  Doc did tell me that we are still looking on schedule and they will know more Friday but the retrieval will be Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.  I am having awful nausea and my stomach feels "full".  Its to be expected since my ovaries are getting nice and plump with eggs but it causes some discomfort.  It feels different than being bloated or food stuffed but a definite tightness in the lower abdomen.  Well more info to come Friday.

I'm a pin cushion!

Had a doctor's appointment this morning for some baseline blood work.  I call them back later today to get the new shot dosages based on the test results.  I do think that my two new shots have larger gauged needles because they do hurt a bit and feel much tighter when I go in and out with the needle.  The spots are becoming more pronounced on my stomach now that I am having to do 3 shots a night.  I look like a pin cushion that has been thoroughly used :D  I am counting the days until the implantation.  I am so excited and impatient.  I just wish it would get here already!  I am still really tired taking a nap nearly everyday, I'm able to fight it some days but others I am not so lucky.  My hot flashes are not as bad as they were, I am actually able to sleep in the bed again.  Hopefully they will stay at bay.

3 Shots a day

So I went to the doctor yesterday and they did some bloodwork on me and an ultrasound.  All of my results were good I guess and they gave me the new dosages of my medicines.  I have to decrease the amount of Lupron to 5 units and I start the Gonal and Menapur shots today.  Now I will be giving myself 3 shots a day until the day of retrieval.  I go back to the doctor on Monday and they will do bloodwork again and update my dosages again.  Its coming down to only a matter of days.  About 10 days until the retrieval, I will know more the closer it gets but it could be the 12th, 13th, or 14th for retrieval and the 15th or 16th for implantation.  Wish us luck and I will keep everyone posted.

I did it!

I gave myself my first shot yesterday and all my worrying was for nothing.  It felt like little more than a bug bite.  I had to syke myself up in the doctors office before I could do it but after sitting for several minutes saying I can do this I did.  I will continue to take this medicine through the 1st of December when I see the doctor again for my training on the next meds I will be taking.  I have to learn to mix them properly.  But after than I will be giving myself 3 shots a day (holy crap yeah)  Now the bad news.  This new medicines side effects include hot flashes, increased sweating, night sweats, tiredness, and trouble sleeping.  Needless to say last night was rough.  I woke up about every hour and a half - two hours drenched in sweat and shivering.  I do have to say that even though the previous birth control I was on for this was making me tired it was nothing compared to how I feel today.  I do know it will be worth it in the long run..

High Anxiety

So as tomorrow approaches my anxiety has become worse and worse.  I've been having heart racing and feeling weak in my arms and legs.  Just all together freaking out about it.  I know it wont be bad at all in the long run but I cant seem to tell my body that.  So that on top of the birth control making me sleepy has left me exhausted the last few days.  I find that if I can keep my mind busy that its not as bad.  Needless to say I have logged a lot of hours on Skyrim the last couple of days.  Its been impossible to make my mind turn off at night so I am having trouble sleeping and my body is in a state of constant anxiety so I am having tons of nightmares and have been waking up in cold sweats every night.  Luckily this should pass and be over tomorrow.

injection training

So I have my doctors appointment on Tuesday to start my first injection.  They are going to train me then so I can do it on my own.  I'm super nervous.  I'm not afraid of needles but the thought of giving myself a shot makes my stomach fluttery.  Wish me luck guys.

Sleeeeeeepy!

I have to say this birth control they have me on makes me so sleepy!  I am not one for napping but the past few days of taking the meds I have napped at least every other day which is sooooo unlike me.  I detest naps and feel they waste the day so for me to take naps so often is unheard of.  Only a few more days of taking it.

Calendar of events

So saw the doctor this morning and they drew blood for my baseline tests and I will start taking the birth control in the morning.  On the 22nd of November I will begin my injections and should get my period around the 2nd of December and have the final set of baselines and ultrasound taken care of.  Then early in the week of December 12-16 will be when they do the retrieval of the eggs and later that week will be the transfer of the embryo.  So that means this will be one amazing birthday present for me!!!!!!!  I will keep you guys posted of any developments.

Woot!

My period came and I made my appointment and I go Monday at 7:30.  They said that they would be outlining my schedule and that I made it in just under the buzzer to have everything done before their Christmas break.  Will post more tomorrow.

UGH!!!!!!

Why wont my period come!!!!  It is always on time and now I am 3 days late and I know its all because I want it to get here!  Whats worse is I am getting the symptoms so cramps, bloating, ect, just not the winning piece.  Never thought I would be this impatient to get a period.

Rocking Chair for the baby's room

So picked up a rocker at goodwill for $5 but it was in need of reupholstering and refinishing.  So far got all the fabric and stuff removed, completely sanded down, and the first coat of stain on.  Here are some progress shots of it.

Here is it when I had just started the removal of fabric, see the awful ugly orange and its pretty dinged up as well.

and here it is once I have sanded down all wood that will not be covered by fabric.

I plan on staining it a warm grey and have gotten the first coat of grey stain on but it was a very cool grey and had too much of a purple look for my taste so I have to go and get a light brown stain to alternate coats with.  But I decided if the stain doesnt come out a color I will like I will just sand and start again.  I will not get discouraged ^_^  More to post soon.  

On a separate note I am expecting my period any day now.  Woot!

Now we wait

So I had my appointment yesterday and they did the biopsy to make sure everything is kosher in there and did the mock transfer and measured how far they will need to go in when they are ready to place the embryos.  It was a little painful (like a bad cramp) but the biopsy is what really hurt.  It left me a little crampy all day yesterday and I had some spotting but it was to be expected.  Steve goes on Thursday to have some tests run and after that we wait.  I will call the office once I get my period and they will have me in for some blood work on the 3rd day of my cycle and then start me on a dosage of birth control.  The birth control causes all my eggs to be on the same cycle so that when they start the injections they are all on the same maturity level to maximize the amount of usable eggs.  I tried to get a time line but everything is pretty nebulous right now.  Once I start the birth control we will be able to have a more accurate date.  I will keep everyone updated.

CONGRATS!!!!!  to the Diaz family with their new addition Felix Astro Diaz!!!!!  I cant wait to see pics so you gals out there better send me some cause I know mom and dad are busy.

Pregnant by Christmas!?!?!?!!!!!

So today's appointment went pretty well.  Today they ran some tests that were very similar to a papsmear to check bacterial cultures and ureaplasma cultures.  I return on Monday to have an endometrial biopsy and a mock embryo transfer preformed.  They basically insert a catheter to check the depth needed when they do the real thing.  I will also be making an appointment for Steve for sometime in the coming weeks for his IVF profile and cultures that he needs to have done.  He has to see what his work schedule looks like first though.  I was told that starting on cycle day 3 of November's cycle I will have an appointment to check my levels and then they would start me on a dosage of birth control.  After that I will start my injections in late November/ early December and if all goes according to plan I will be pregnant by Christmas!  I have to say this would be one phenomenal birthday/Christmas present.

Once we start nailing down some dates I will see where that puts us for going to Albany for my birthday weekend and for coming home at Christmas.  It should be fine since we are going for the weekend and I should be able to align any doctors appointments to suit but you never know since that will be a time I am in and out every 1-3 days to check levels.  If it happens to be too difficult maybe I will make it an after the holidays winter celebration!  As far as home for Christmas we will just have to play the waiting game and see how events fall.  Everyone think good thoughts and wish for a Christmas conception ^_^

Today is the big day!

So when they called to remind me of my appointment I asked if it could be moved closer (I got my period and wanted it to line up with my cycle days) so that maybe I could convince them to go ahead and do baselines today and start me on the injections.  Wish me luck I leave in 30 minutes.  I will let you know how the visit goes.

Its all coming together

Our insurance cards came today!!!!!  You have no idea how relieved I am that they are here.  They told us they would come before the end of the month but you never know.  So we are one step closer, as small as this step is its still a step :D

In the beginning......

So if anyone following this blog doesn't know already, here's the story.  

I can't conceive naturally so after 7 years of not actively trying Steve and I went to the doctor.  Come to find out, after many many tests, I had hydrosalpinx which is just a fancy word for saying I have blocked fallopian tubes filled with fluid.  So we then headed to the IVF clinic in Albany, NY where we started getting all the necessary tests run to start the procedure.  Well, we get ready and are about to start and Steve gets a job in Seattle so everything goes on hold until we can get settled in there.  Now we are in Seattle I have set up appointments and we are getting ready to go ahead with the IVF and we find out that the Seattle clinics want to charge $23,000!!! Outrageous I know and that was just for one try.  So we are hit with sticker shock since in NY it was going to be $8,000 and NYS was covering $4,000 since I had medical reasons I could not conceive and it was for unlimited tries in the first year.  So I am seeing all hope is lost and I will never be a mom and have a little one to call my own when Steve says why don't we just do it in Alabama.  So we look into it there and it suddenly becomes doable again.  I visit the clinic and get everything underway and start doing out of state monitoring while I am in Seattle.  All the time the tests are coming out of our own pocket.  I have the tubal surgery and have all of my blood work completed as well as any other tests they deem necessary for me and Steve as well and we actually get started with the first steps which are the baseline tests.  After this they start me on birth control to control my cycle days and as we are about to start the injection and hormone treatments when Steve gets the job in Maryland.  But the news is good because they are going to pay for the treatment 100%!!!!!!  

So here we are in Maryland and I have taken the first step and my first appointment is October 6th at 9am.  Wish us luck!