Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Date Has Been Set!

On January 25th, 2011 I will have the IP's embryo transferred into my uterus.  The embryo will be 5 days in development.  According to the case worker at the fertility clinic, this will put the due date at Oct. 13th, 2011.  I, however, have done some research and believe that she may be off a little.  She hasn't taken into account the time from ovulation (release of an egg) to fertilization, to the uterus...about two weeks....I don't know...it may be wishful thinking...one of my very best friends is getting married on the 15th of October and I am supposed to goimg to TN to be in the wedding.....so the sooner the due date, the better!  I will know for sure when I talk to the doctor. 

Well, that's pretty much it for now...Thanks for listening!

UPDATE:  
I found a calculator to determine the due date of IVF of a frozen embryo...and she was right...the due date is OCT. 13th, 2011. 

Thursday, November 18, 2010

“Tummy Mommy”

So today I went in for the ultrasound, mock transfer, blood draw, and estrodial check.  I also got to meet the doctor.  He was amazing and a joy.  That's a big deal coming from me, as I am usually anti-male vagina doctors.  He's an endocrinologist though, so maybe that's the difference!?!

As for the tests, everything looks great.  In fact, the doctor said that I am a perfect candidate for the process!  When I get home I will take off the FOUR estrogen patches I have on, replace them with two new ones and take my first Provera.  I really won't know much more schedule wise until I start my period after the Provera is gone.  We're kinda looking towards the end of next month to early January from what I can tell.  How EXCITING! 

I wrote an email to the intended mother [IM from now on, IP for intended parents, and IF for intended father (this works so much better than initials)] and let her know how it went.  She wrote back a lovely email and suggested that we swap family photo's.  One of them for my daughter's and one of us for their son, so he can see his sibling's "tummy mommy."  I think that is such a sweet term and apparently it is often used in adoption situations. 

Well, I believe that is it for now.  Please feel free to write comments with your thoughts, feelings, and questions and I will try to respond quickly!  All my love.

Monday, November 15, 2010

What in the hell is an HSG?

First let me say that I am sorry for my posts being so far and few in-between.  I promise to try to be better at this blog thing!  Full time school, work, and child rearing kinda keeps you busy!  Thanks for understanding!
 
I am currently at the part of the mock cycle where I am loaded with 3 estrogen patches.  The emotional side effects have seemed to waiver but my libido has spiked which is good for my relationship because for a while it was pretty much null. 
 
Last Thursday I went in for an HSG scan...As one friend said, "What in the hell is an HSG scan?" 
 
An HSG scan is an x-ray of your uterus and fallopian tubes to insure that everything looks normal and also that there is no blockage in your tubes.  The doctor injects a radiopaque dye into the uterus with a catheter they insert through the cervix.  This is all visible on a computer like monitor that shows almost a live action (still shot) view of the dye flowing into the uterus and out of the fallopian tubes.  My scan was normal and the doctor and tech were amazing and let me take a photo which I inserted above. 

Friday, November 5, 2010

Day 2 of Estrogen...And the Tears Begin to Roll....

I kid you not!  I was looking through my favorite teacher from Middle school and beyonds pictures on FaceBook and the tears were flowing non-stop.  In fact, they are still going.  They are happy tears and maybe a little sad because I don't get home to West Virginia (my home state) nearly enough.

Other than the tears, there isn't much of anything else going on...I'm just preparing for a busy weekend of soccer games, end of soccer season celebrations, and of course my daughter's 10th birthday at Lazer Planet! That's just Saturday....Sunday is the "field trip" to Cape Kiwanda with my gym's Skogg 60 Day Challenge group...it's going to be hell...relays back and fouth a 1/2 mile stretch of beach X4 then a hike up a 400ft sand dune......but it's also going to be fun and a day of pride, hard work, sweat, and at this point, I'm almost certain some tears.

Until next time, be well.  Thanks for letting me share!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Gonna be a Bit Hormonal....

Yesterday I was visited by my dear friend Aunt Flo...As instructed I called Oregon Reproductive and they prepared my mock trial calendar.  Today, on the 10th Birthday of my lovely daughter, I started estrogen patches.  Whoo!

So far, I haven't experienced anything substantial regarding my hormones or emotions, but this is just day one, and the beginning of it at that.  Here is what my schedule looks like in regards the mock trial:

OREGON REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE


MOCK CYCLE –CLIMARA


DATE

11/4 CLIMARA .1 mg (Place 1 patch)

11/6 CLIMARA .1 mg (Remove old patch & place 1 new patch)

11/8 CLIMARA .1 mg (Remove old patch & place 1 new patch)

11/10 CLIMARA .1 mg (Remove old patch & place 1 new patch) Blood draw @ 11:30

11/12 CLIMARA .1 mg – 2 PATCHES (.2 mg TOTAL)
(Remove old patch & place 2 new patches)

HSG needs to be scheduled  11/8 – 11/12

11/14 CLIMARA .1 mg – 3 PATCHES (.3 mg TOTAL)
(Remove old 2 patches & place 3 new patches)

11/16 CLIMARA .1 mg – 4 PATCHES (.4 mg TOTAL)
(Remove old 3 patches & place 4 new patches)

11/18 Lining check, estradiol level, mock transfer, Doppler ultrasound, blood draw @ 10am
After blood draw and ultrasound and if instructed by nurse/physician, remove old 4
patches and place 2 new patches

As you can see my estrogen levels will be very high...I expect some roller coster rides along the way...

Thanks for letting me share!