tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62461403376214953932024-03-04T20:08:33.332-08:00Making Baby ProvenceThis is the journey we have embarked upon to bring another Provence baby into this world. We hope you enjoy reading! Life is not always fair, but it's still good.Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-59164830490050580892016-08-12T06:55:00.000-07:002016-08-12T06:55:14.663-07:00Infertility Prayers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is no secret that I have
relied on prayers during this entire journey. Therefore, when I had the first opportunity
to read <i>31 Days of Prayer During
Infertility</i>, by Lisa Newton, I jumped at the chance. I have read several devotionals about
infertility. This is definitely my
favorite.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A couple of years ago, Lisa took a challenge to blog
everyday for 31 days. Those entries
turned into her first rendition of this book.
The book is laid out as a chapter per day. Each chapter is a different topic that we
should pray about in the midst of our infertility. The 31 topics that she chose are every fear
that I ever felt during my journey.
There isn’t one topic that I would add.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The chapters start with something
to read, either a personal story from Lisa or quotes from others interlaced
with Bible verses. So many of the
personal touches that Lisa adds hit home for me as they are thoughts or stories
very similar to my own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, there is a section where
you can answer questions pertaining to the topic, write-out Bible verses, and
conclude with a written prayer, tying all of it together. There is plenty room for journaling on these
pages, which I really appreciated. Plus,
I thoroughly enjoyed actually writing the verses because it gave me a chance to
focus more deeply on them, learning what they were saying to me in that phase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The way the devotional is laid
out, you can even jump days if a different topic is speaking to you on a
certain day. That is something I have
done each time I read this. It’s fun to
see where I’m going to be called each time I open the table of contents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first read this study when I
was in the midst of my infertility journey, and it truly helped me to find the
words to more clearly pray through my pain and confusion. I have read it, again, since we have started
accepting our new path after fertility treatments. It has allowed me to start processing what
life may look like moving forward. The
truth is, scripture pertains through every season of life. Lisa gave me an outlet for being able to find
how scripture can mean something different to me at each step.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am thrilled that this book was
released this week on Amazon in print and in a Kindle format. I wish I could give a copy to every woman I
know that is in the midst of a wait. It’s
brilliantly laid out, and I look forward to continuing to read it through more
phases of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">#IFprayers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You want to know an added bonus?! Right now, this book is only $7.99 for print or $0.99 for Kindle on Amazon. Hurry though because these prices won't last past Sunday, August 14. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can find Lisa’s book for sale </span><a href="https://amzn.com/1519332122" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">on Amazon</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In order to say thanks for buying the book now, there are some
special bonuses that you can get, but only if you buy the book from Amazon by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aqj">Sunday, August 14</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s what you get:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">A PDF download of 31 Scripture memory
cards that coincide with each day’s verse (a $1.99 value)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">FREE access to the Preparing for IVF
eCourse (a $7.99 value)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">An entry into a raffle to receive a
care package from me (approximately $25 value, U.S. residents only)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">A coupon code for 50% off my
follow-up book, 31 Days of Scripture During Infertility eBook (PDF format only,
$2.40 value)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s how you get the bonuses:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">Purchase the print book for $7.99 or
the Kindle book for $0.99 from Amazon between now and this</span> Saturday, August 14<span style="color: #222222;">. They're both on-sale at their lowest prices now, and the
prices will go up after</span> August
14<span style="color: #222222;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">Forward your Amazon receipt OR the
screenshot of the purchase confirmation screen to Lisa by emailing it to</span> <span style="color: #222222;"><a href="mailto:lisa@amateurnester.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #222222; text-decoration: none;">lisa@amateurnester.com</span></a></span> <span style="color: #222222;">by</span> Monday,
August 15<span style="color: #222222;">. Please put "31 Days Bonus” in the subject line.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You’ll receive an email from Lisa with your bonuses! If
don't receive the email within an hour or so, please check your Spam
folder. If you still haven't received it, you can try emailing her again
or messaging her on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/amateurnester" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/amateurnester" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-54491712852511717272016-07-23T02:00:00.000-07:002016-07-23T02:00:20.528-07:00Even If…<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Back in January, we started
stimulation shots for our sixth and final IVF cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The morning of my first shot, I attended my
weekly women’s Bible study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a
friend that was a small group leader for the group with me who I had built a
deep relationship with over the previous months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, she and her husband struggled for
five years to get pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they
were told IVF was their only option, they gave their struggle to God and walked
away from the reproductive endocrinologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shortly thereafter, they were blessed with their miracle
pregnancy…naturally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lindsay carried her
sweet baby girl to full-term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aspyn was
born on September 25, 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a
little angel, a healer of the hearts that had been broken by infertility.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On October 25, 2015, my dear
friend went to feed her sweet baby and instead found her lifeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aspyn Jane was exactly one month old when she
left this Earth due to SIDS to be with our Heavenly Father.</span></div>
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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="299" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember this picture from my last entry?<br />
This is why this picture was so profound to me as my view on Transfer Day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the morning of January 23,
2016, Lindsay sat and told the Bible study a part of the story of the night
Aspyn passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a part of the story
I had not yet heard, and it changed me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">She said that she could remember
running to her in-law’s house next door to get them, and as she ran back into
her front yard, she collapsed, face first onto the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that moment, she turned to God, and she begged
Him to bring Aspyn back to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in
the next instance, she prayed, “But even if you don’t, I will still know you
are good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She suddenly remembered the
Bible story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They prayed to God to save them from the fires where they were being
tossed but said that even if He didn’t, they would still only worship Him.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That was it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the prayer that I knew Todd and I
needed to pray during this final attempt to have a child that was half him and
half me.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">“Dear God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, give us a
baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even if You do not, we will still know
that you are good.”</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I went home that day and told
Todd the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With tears in both of
our eyes, we agreed we would pray that through each step of this final cycle.</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><img height="400" 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" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="400" /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fast forward to Friday, May 20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had blood work drawn to see if I was
pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left work at 1:30 in the
afternoon, so I could be at home when our nurse called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so used to taking phone calls at work,
but we decided that this one should be done together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, we both just <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>knew</u></i></b> this cycle
had worked, so we needed to start planning how we would tell the kids
immediately.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I will never forget sitting on
our couch with Todd, staring at the phone that just would not ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally called CCRM because I couldn’t wait
any longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time since we
had started talking to this clinic, they patched me through directly to the
nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both sat and listened as she
said, “I’m so sorry, but you are not pregnant.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Todd took the phone as the look of horror and sadness overwhelmed my
voiceless cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember her telling
him that she understood we didn’t want to talk to her at that moment, I should
stop taking my meds immediately, and they would contact us to setup a regroup
appointment with Dr. Schoolcraft.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our prayer was being put to the
test.</span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-36774317822389679982016-07-21T19:43:00.003-07:002016-07-21T19:47:34.840-07:00Frozen Embryo Transfer: Take 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s bitter sweet that all of
this is finally coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
have been saying that God was giving us our final embaby as a Mother’s Day
gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter the outcome, we had
decided this would be the last stop on the IVF train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended up being a great way to spend
Mother’s Day and our final week in Colorado for this cycle. (Yes, we went for our transfer the week of Mother's Day. I realize how late that means this entry is. My sincerest apologies.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We started the week by arriving
earlier than I like to even be awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was nice to get to fly this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ate
at our favorite local breakfast place and cruised the mall until our condo was
ready for our arrival.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Over the next week, we had the
opportunity to spend time at The Royal Gorge, run through the rain to find
sushi in downtown Denver, watch the Rockies play baseball, and view the
spectacular sight that is Pike’s Peak. We also had a chance to have dinner at my childhood friend's house; one of our favorite parts of our Colorado trips has been spending time with Millie and her family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now, a montage of pictures from our visit...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">(By the way, we purchased a beanie baby monkey on the way home after our very first IVF retrieval. He now travels with us on each of our cycles.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NHmrov9nBA5eYp72I8N_s5wtIt3UHbWcNZh9WcjAH9mQzt8R_eiGvI0YDmflsgqdBdYjWftgYICn5ZlM4gAAamvBtgR1nnrzWYcEAE2Wvy47HKWnMcmPOaS2FitFu1yUU0jXb0oE-44/s1600/IMG_7102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NHmrov9nBA5eYp72I8N_s5wtIt3UHbWcNZh9WcjAH9mQzt8R_eiGvI0YDmflsgqdBdYjWftgYICn5ZlM4gAAamvBtgR1nnrzWYcEAE2Wvy47HKWnMcmPOaS2FitFu1yUU0jXb0oE-44/s400/IMG_7102.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*Our Little Monkey* about to board the Royal Gorge train.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IWMJq9zeU3xLHu_-yY0rZppSzttaDROYUtiwZy42u8x1Aeqb5f8RyvfhzGXJylIFinrTL59pF1iXXwR7Zz6ypoQ7sPyZZ2pXmYPkIeU9O5ll_dbcduMoGDI6rCECUrtkdqlrX7cFz4/s1600/IMG_7131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IWMJq9zeU3xLHu_-yY0rZppSzttaDROYUtiwZy42u8x1Aeqb5f8RyvfhzGXJylIFinrTL59pF1iXXwR7Zz6ypoQ7sPyZZ2pXmYPkIeU9O5ll_dbcduMoGDI6rCECUrtkdqlrX7cFz4/s400/IMG_7131.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVM1vh4dFwnqvfs4e3sWXgSwMtTQhQX5pPgzjMh2PoHL-x0jTuD-Cl1InvqbfVEMamOZxd3UCrapYfOmpD4lkylDaiX5gYoKe43TypFmwaVOTKPvWgOKoVHZ5pDu7g6gF_rfhHgN30TU/s1600/IMG_7149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVM1vh4dFwnqvfs4e3sWXgSwMtTQhQX5pPgzjMh2PoHL-x0jTuD-Cl1InvqbfVEMamOZxd3UCrapYfOmpD4lkylDaiX5gYoKe43TypFmwaVOTKPvWgOKoVHZ5pDu7g6gF_rfhHgN30TU/s400/IMG_7149.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf7QYrDfd6uYniBguHc7MVjFBcW2l9QKJ1K00HW5k2-GvKbnIY7OXNO7WoavElCytJdkJdCZvbOqOlDs8WFlbBM7HHDsL_R7MVBk3YYgCYBVdQ18qUWpDPXmvTHniXHsG77PPfBuRodQ/s1600/IMG_7355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf7QYrDfd6uYniBguHc7MVjFBcW2l9QKJ1K00HW5k2-GvKbnIY7OXNO7WoavElCytJdkJdCZvbOqOlDs8WFlbBM7HHDsL_R7MVBk3YYgCYBVdQ18qUWpDPXmvTHniXHsG77PPfBuRodQ/s400/IMG_7355.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfbk7HWSCy92KTED8lmoBtw1jX8ixoJVNe-dJzYJlH50iDk-tBOWxON8-gpeOX2quNNfuYIGbvbZQEQ4uPefvYAreydY13l5JzDhDp6XbIid9gu9FPbzeBh1THtfpPMraSIHhULZJAYc/s1600/IMG_7279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfbk7HWSCy92KTED8lmoBtw1jX8ixoJVNe-dJzYJlH50iDk-tBOWxON8-gpeOX2quNNfuYIGbvbZQEQ4uPefvYAreydY13l5JzDhDp6XbIid9gu9FPbzeBh1THtfpPMraSIHhULZJAYc/s400/IMG_7279.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guess what state we are moving to because their flag is perfect?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEBeDxDB_D1QX8SlV8UGz6RudP0v4PLz-ailcmB577bG6WUo0oVIdBnkHu_-V3PNkVfnkOD9AHgD_rmUeP90Oblh2E3q-Wo-Re9iSU44OsqMVJGNmWgiRj2jcq1rq8NhUnLqZg_C5yzM/s1600/IMG_7214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEBeDxDB_D1QX8SlV8UGz6RudP0v4PLz-ailcmB577bG6WUo0oVIdBnkHu_-V3PNkVfnkOD9AHgD_rmUeP90Oblh2E3q-Wo-Re9iSU44OsqMVJGNmWgiRj2jcq1rq8NhUnLqZg_C5yzM/s400/IMG_7214.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the A-frame across the way? We are about to swing from it..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In some ways, riding in that swing is symbolic of our IVF journey together...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXNRBEAb3kd6IKHrB1IrcKHrPhu29raH4kV9yd2LwPNBtsZHbqNfPW36_NOigZRtbvMrw-9Hy9TXspM71UF4AApAdhMlrO4gP0RCpt27NMB6998kRetvMwzTRQWyhR0FSnQA66F2U72o/s1600/IMG_7282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXNRBEAb3kd6IKHrB1IrcKHrPhu29raH4kV9yd2LwPNBtsZHbqNfPW36_NOigZRtbvMrw-9Hy9TXspM71UF4AApAdhMlrO4gP0RCpt27NMB6998kRetvMwzTRQWyhR0FSnQA66F2U72o/s400/IMG_7282.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were excited in the beginning...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4N7hwkHAlq5Aa02M5Pc5ih2pJdtNWYqRS-vsKjdKPLfkvTH8-AkgK4l7iwVfyzB8lohO8rtSNSBNuA3dGd-A6reLEF5e0fpfQgriEui6QmHLIDh3lIfgGti1MfGmvL5AwQkZ_zdRhB8/s1600/IMG_7289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4N7hwkHAlq5Aa02M5Pc5ih2pJdtNWYqRS-vsKjdKPLfkvTH8-AkgK4l7iwVfyzB8lohO8rtSNSBNuA3dGd-A6reLEF5e0fpfQgriEui6QmHLIDh3lIfgGti1MfGmvL5AwQkZ_zdRhB8/s400/IMG_7289.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but quickly began gripping onto the man I love...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbSVirK4ok_IkabzZPv5lt620dJdTX6f3K8W3pH9Y_mETq1AnRWy7i9mJqNFQhmESfFfFVzIu1xeg7SFCPjk1j4_mtOlDi05ysyN7opDK8mR0m8ySQJnGtNVIfAisXiZAaMOnQ4IO8ck/s1600/IMG_7291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbSVirK4ok_IkabzZPv5lt620dJdTX6f3K8W3pH9Y_mETq1AnRWy7i9mJqNFQhmESfFfFVzIu1xeg7SFCPjk1j4_mtOlDi05ysyN7opDK8mR0m8ySQJnGtNVIfAisXiZAaMOnQ4IO8ck/s400/IMG_7291.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...followed shortly by screaming my head off from the sheer terror of it all...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01ilQ_mUwSZk_64oc0FJQ2NnZdANcsl39iJCSk-0b_Ikz8PU3xUNq3N8ZNIJGA36aO6iHeLYli-JqGja2xpkrUSNjjlZanGrC_Z3hXIW77jE8xi9yMLXss6V7lBt_6vXyIQKBKAR2XWE/s1600/IMG_7290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01ilQ_mUwSZk_64oc0FJQ2NnZdANcsl39iJCSk-0b_Ikz8PU3xUNq3N8ZNIJGA36aO6iHeLYli-JqGja2xpkrUSNjjlZanGrC_Z3hXIW77jE8xi9yMLXss6V7lBt_6vXyIQKBKAR2XWE/s400/IMG_7290.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but finding a way to enjoy the ride...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IqwM91o-kvJSD9rhZO8MpZQi01cR-Ho8q5axRsENVJOAzQSnslh87X6CFFXjcJadmHtjns7TRHPPv07uZr1bVZDm7ps6nsqg7O3zjNph8xtzy2yvmlWvTHTCT4bbjw_YiysWGHMKtc0/s1600/IMG_7293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IqwM91o-kvJSD9rhZO8MpZQi01cR-Ho8q5axRsENVJOAzQSnslh87X6CFFXjcJadmHtjns7TRHPPv07uZr1bVZDm7ps6nsqg7O3zjNph8xtzy2yvmlWvTHTCT4bbjw_YiysWGHMKtc0/s400/IMG_7293.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...while ultimately never letting go of my rock.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuQUbS3sQsqTGtmyZ2E5xTC765PkIsHo_5LMrERupZHhSND3EDNvTXvxNuXJDSZZ9dQweUXwJVGcBDKj79PczbZLshmzOrjAZAqe7XPXgE5t_ZWL6hTHeaQ_yvnPEALnwilL3Cgsa2Zs/s1600/IMG_7297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuQUbS3sQsqTGtmyZ2E5xTC765PkIsHo_5LMrERupZHhSND3EDNvTXvxNuXJDSZZ9dQweUXwJVGcBDKj79PczbZLshmzOrjAZAqe7XPXgE5t_ZWL6hTHeaQ_yvnPEALnwilL3Cgsa2Zs/s400/IMG_7297.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoNQpA8kZx9nQcg1TJ6fm9UIA6CpXZOo_8A1DkZdfXTYwNQHmHVb_73BE4vtncdmsFCmYKrv413-7VokZzZWkCzNgaqdxr6R6pAwxpEcdrP3IPa5kMwhE3c64Wj76cPDIo6fUpdHo6-g/s1600/IMG_7304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoNQpA8kZx9nQcg1TJ6fm9UIA6CpXZOo_8A1DkZdfXTYwNQHmHVb_73BE4vtncdmsFCmYKrv413-7VokZzZWkCzNgaqdxr6R6pAwxpEcdrP3IPa5kMwhE3c64Wj76cPDIo6fUpdHo6-g/s400/IMG_7304.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't he precious when he's trying to pretend he's tired of pictures?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhE1Pu3nKSsR0s1lOMZs-X2XegryEtLkNXydFy4u05IpSDf61PwrfON8O0AK8SIurlP7UycBZqoep421PAVvnWXeXCTsMUZK9K6Kk-2lb_Yb9lgVrfxCfHhgsPPZKJFULdK0KJGG3Vsc/s1600/IMG_7303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhE1Pu3nKSsR0s1lOMZs-X2XegryEtLkNXydFy4u05IpSDf61PwrfON8O0AK8SIurlP7UycBZqoep421PAVvnWXeXCTsMUZK9K6Kk-2lb_Yb9lgVrfxCfHhgsPPZKJFULdK0KJGG3Vsc/s320/IMG_7303.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to run through the rain to get this girl some sushi!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PHEPtxxdmvHVmzzNIeWkL_7-SvxUQjVLK6h1_PnWHqz8kiTe3J8fDOdzVdcy6tAj6IcQAC5zNr6UPJKwFyI8DmtrfgHZBzIB3nURhpkCYIJbDqv1pxFBIgO0OC5YVV_RCbMz3wRQ1YQ/s1600/IMG_7310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PHEPtxxdmvHVmzzNIeWkL_7-SvxUQjVLK6h1_PnWHqz8kiTe3J8fDOdzVdcy6tAj6IcQAC5zNr6UPJKwFyI8DmtrfgHZBzIB3nURhpkCYIJbDqv1pxFBIgO0OC5YVV_RCbMz3wRQ1YQ/s400/IMG_7310.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrCQHNlWHQ0dMkTPsmWy3IPc1BNUCMXxN8dJyJjXY5lJiDCDBWZyg5d6nSWeg_AzoowU_j9JcMKaulN9J_rwvOtrk_7Wdily03JxInnnGyj6Jl2RV-WtJFBHTwXdNj7ohFM0J_LehH0w/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrCQHNlWHQ0dMkTPsmWy3IPc1BNUCMXxN8dJyJjXY5lJiDCDBWZyg5d6nSWeg_AzoowU_j9JcMKaulN9J_rwvOtrk_7Wdily03JxInnnGyj6Jl2RV-WtJFBHTwXdNj7ohFM0J_LehH0w/s400/IMG_7311.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-image: none;">
I asked him to take me to see *The Rockies.*</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
What we have here is a failure to communicate.</div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIU1XfEHqZWL0_wgwo7QSAc9kJI_pHqDAc3wnpE4jeiolHlcrMirgK_w-a1f74VSq5PDyftpDM_cnGTn1BYZ65b0EWAr1D5dk_lPlal8o72GLIQ8aT9MrjN-JjmeTUSL8hzHr0Zm0zK0/s1600/IMG_7467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIU1XfEHqZWL0_wgwo7QSAc9kJI_pHqDAc3wnpE4jeiolHlcrMirgK_w-a1f74VSq5PDyftpDM_cnGTn1BYZ65b0EWAr1D5dk_lPlal8o72GLIQ8aT9MrjN-JjmeTUSL8hzHr0Zm0zK0/s400/IMG_7467.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of Pike's Peak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JBJuXN-JwkdmkQVUwczqgNFWv46TMcml3TIIKnA_xDl4yJO7OHOenoz2q3UlmSQpbBB7fZ7fJyqHXoswzQ6Ii916lJupEm7htSxAkIpk2WY_v806vcGAIHu2Kzf4a6y2eqk8td_iwJ8/s1600/IMG_7497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JBJuXN-JwkdmkQVUwczqgNFWv46TMcml3TIIKnA_xDl4yJO7OHOenoz2q3UlmSQpbBB7fZ7fJyqHXoswzQ6Ii916lJupEm7htSxAkIpk2WY_v806vcGAIHu2Kzf4a6y2eqk8td_iwJ8/s400/IMG_7497.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Y'all, I was not dressed for snow in May!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvuqO5DLxN4r7vXyW_-kI4KTdIIYNRxrk26I2BlsVNlCr0NwfIGd_89yeAP8H78hyYBsACGUiX88427ligf6ZffjrWkK0PDRDqSi7cZ-OK2h4pc9JkFpUOh1Un_AlIZsfxuj6_ZgvW0o/s1600/IMG_7385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvuqO5DLxN4r7vXyW_-kI4KTdIIYNRxrk26I2BlsVNlCr0NwfIGd_89yeAP8H78hyYBsACGUiX88427ligf6ZffjrWkK0PDRDqSi7cZ-OK2h4pc9JkFpUOh1Un_AlIZsfxuj6_ZgvW0o/s400/IMG_7385.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It wouldn't be a trip to Colorado without a wild hair picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="border-image: none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZO0uGsHIviFk6IBeeX9_AM0Yp6rkIVCU3HCwY6DGIOOjBK3k8wbtcz4ocYz2FNrYSlHCsfeOWcY1sJOhRh1S_J4NKDEd9cX77qC8ZUBdBMx5KWC2CZCq-HULkZVYwYuV1QIPOgqPqz-U/s1600/IMG_7523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZO0uGsHIviFk6IBeeX9_AM0Yp6rkIVCU3HCwY6DGIOOjBK3k8wbtcz4ocYz2FNrYSlHCsfeOWcY1sJOhRh1S_J4NKDEd9cX77qC8ZUBdBMx5KWC2CZCq-HULkZVYwYuV1QIPOgqPqz-U/s400/IMG_7523.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*Our Little Monkey* on Pike's Peak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zS8bPIXFs9zm-BmsR3sVow7BGn8YcHQx7nVyEVXzIf2i0ocoyU1vOUoPh6CnRjg5WnyGHv8h76mViKWOc5HYY_YGkAK_v8vYFkfVb_h2-_iEmKoToAg0kSq3823jsoPZ9TWgTUNyxSs/s1600/IMG_7443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zS8bPIXFs9zm-BmsR3sVow7BGn8YcHQx7nVyEVXzIf2i0ocoyU1vOUoPh6CnRjg5WnyGHv8h76mViKWOc5HYY_YGkAK_v8vYFkfVb_h2-_iEmKoToAg0kSq3823jsoPZ9TWgTUNyxSs/s400/IMG_7443.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-image: none;">
But this view...</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Literally brought tears to our eyes as we stared and listened to Bethel Music serenade us with "It Is Well."</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzRHEDn0aQ-m6UMpYCIO4C6G5gcZhsfnQY_o5NvYsqZ4AKD2jlQ3SnuGTcIXdjOAwgzKsjcFpvVLe2Gu7KTo0jgprRmitfMB1FNwJkc4IIulHTinPOb9qsujUAEuPrQhOJDk5Ku3wpYQ/s1600/IMG_7539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzRHEDn0aQ-m6UMpYCIO4C6G5gcZhsfnQY_o5NvYsqZ4AKD2jlQ3SnuGTcIXdjOAwgzKsjcFpvVLe2Gu7KTo0jgprRmitfMB1FNwJkc4IIulHTinPOb9qsujUAEuPrQhOJDk5Ku3wpYQ/s400/IMG_7539.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvJpl7uZpAMPlV9orzBKyz_RJjn5LY7ON-0iPcWHY4NcB-NFehCNoG6ur2e5ERYwd0Jc3CplwqTL4mQ83bHjisy5oFInNx1qqdFGlqhcffrM8QaEFCUFb9Yoe7LLOJgKNeUIj_O5LLcg/s1600/IMG_7545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvJpl7uZpAMPlV9orzBKyz_RJjn5LY7ON-0iPcWHY4NcB-NFehCNoG6ur2e5ERYwd0Jc3CplwqTL4mQ83bHjisy5oFInNx1qqdFGlqhcffrM8QaEFCUFb9Yoe7LLOJgKNeUIj_O5LLcg/s400/IMG_7545.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Obviously, we also had time for
IVF appointments and a little thing we call a frozen embryo transfer
(FET).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we made it to our condo on
Saturday, May 7, we unpacked our bags and setup “Preggo Central: Colorado
Style.”</span></div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDfIrmCIwOg8PrTuXDs1k0io6kCmIcY3f0K4IukdZwjIXedhE6wqU9-pvhmlC_FY5_dAykV1Otc0IerGJqa7MIHI8JVTAPxsmdSCVvUiknQZqUB20HE81miGzJcUr7AZceKzrpeyklfM/s1600/preggo+central+colorado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDfIrmCIwOg8PrTuXDs1k0io6kCmIcY3f0K4IukdZwjIXedhE6wqU9-pvhmlC_FY5_dAykV1Otc0IerGJqa7MIHI8JVTAPxsmdSCVvUiknQZqUB20HE81miGzJcUr7AZceKzrpeyklfM/s400/preggo+central+colorado.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preggo Central: Colorado Style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3f96NePE2u0BZwYqE-0gnRT3HzTcZbMbEmll9YuM1bY9DNlfFtlBi6fHfqYmT02LHeKBjNJG9M2gnSFD2N7Rqctck5HzSHBCe8xF4SZX5I2eWQ4tyKW9tT-7exz4ajzZ2XHy5ekPXPs/s1600/IMG_7738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3f96NePE2u0BZwYqE-0gnRT3HzTcZbMbEmll9YuM1bY9DNlfFtlBi6fHfqYmT02LHeKBjNJG9M2gnSFD2N7Rqctck5HzSHBCe8xF4SZX5I2eWQ4tyKW9tT-7exz4ajzZ2XHy5ekPXPs/s320/IMG_7738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the meds for this cycle:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
Lupron & Progesterone injections – Vivelle patches – <br />
Aspirin, Medrol, and Doxycycline pills – and Endometrin…uh, tabs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sunday morning, we had a stop at
CCRM for blood work for the both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our communicable disease labs had expired, so those had to be
redrawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I needed my progesterone
levels checked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately for Todd, his
vein rolled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all of my dozens of
blood draws over the last 5 years, I have never seen this happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I could say that I still hadn’t. Todd likes to say that she was moving the needle around so much that she almost clipped the carotid artery <em>in his neck</em>. Ha!</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfjQ-J-wYIhJQ7aLh9cabgueCYtP4EpLWi0M1nTYg-K32XzH-Auw_mV2_942CDw3fnArZ6cEG2P57WWa-8vm2Q8Rdv79AD56SBQ_j9_YLI5K1ZOP5pMopRVZN9yWBCHr-peVwZ7Asgjo/s1600/Todd%2527s+draw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfjQ-J-wYIhJQ7aLh9cabgueCYtP4EpLWi0M1nTYg-K32XzH-Auw_mV2_942CDw3fnArZ6cEG2P57WWa-8vm2Q8Rdv79AD56SBQ_j9_YLI5K1ZOP5pMopRVZN9yWBCHr-peVwZ7Asgjo/s400/Todd%2527s+draw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face of a man with a rolled vein. Ouch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On Wednesday, we arrived for the
big transfer day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was handed Valium to
calm my nerves and told to start drinking a bottle of water, which I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had blood work to check my estrogen and
progesterone levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, they took us
upstairs to the magical land of baby-making.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A nurse came in to complete a
quick ultrasound to check my bladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She said it was almost full enough, so chug the rest of the second
bottle of water I was currently sipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being the good patient I am, I did.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuxSFua-_6m9EokSNlzxTWc8WUPYhdYxTWZB56xYeO2LBPzog3MoHQnYedFf2684dGVd8AyeXhyTKR7WTLDoQK1atdHx7VrLlLCA5k8yzTx1JEpmSFZiGUW4sEqNNuBjtsVK4Zwk82H0/s1600/IMG_7337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuxSFua-_6m9EokSNlzxTWc8WUPYhdYxTWZB56xYeO2LBPzog3MoHQnYedFf2684dGVd8AyeXhyTKR7WTLDoQK1atdHx7VrLlLCA5k8yzTx1JEpmSFZiGUW4sEqNNuBjtsVK4Zwk82H0/s400/IMG_7337.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course *Our Little Monkey* was with us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmGgwrUkWMhUfJ2IckDvGkgKS-Vp1cgLnktX265sDNTHV4N-gJKEheep4FUydz36RxQ8n6bb2-v1K41wlk8oFzSL7fzKQcwO81DUSbduWx3_TFu06v_jqh4A60kCnbCC7_NzPgfN0LGQ/s1600/IMG_7339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmGgwrUkWMhUfJ2IckDvGkgKS-Vp1cgLnktX265sDNTHV4N-gJKEheep4FUydz36RxQ8n6bb2-v1K41wlk8oFzSL7fzKQcwO81DUSbduWx3_TFu06v_jqh4A60kCnbCC7_NzPgfN0LGQ/s400/IMG_7339.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modeling my stylish anchor socks I have worn for every transfer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC4OoaTaIIDRgfW9eKLLR436r3giVe_WXRJ5kw0fEctdnfrLZC2X4WczZ2EGtcVhntuXgPTIc1Qe1ZArGncqq-P3gj2DpmvlKK6wjUEiyL7cBCo7rbawUo13DhyphenhyphenCE5dT41l2Cvi4WhEo/s1600/IMG_7341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC4OoaTaIIDRgfW9eKLLR436r3giVe_WXRJ5kw0fEctdnfrLZC2X4WczZ2EGtcVhntuXgPTIc1Qe1ZArGncqq-P3gj2DpmvlKK6wjUEiyL7cBCo7rbawUo13DhyphenhyphenCE5dT41l2Cvi4WhEo/s400/IMG_7341.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd wearing his good luck charm, a Never Give Up shirt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiG1JD3FkXqISHqDZuQ74LISeTB70Q417hjxyOg-ApPFENf7vCv0t6APp5z2lr0G-eilkBWsSIYRSzNe1O-LRbQeqZ-7pMnam9UjoLu1-GgISYf3VN7ZehwOGrPW8Z5cgUJJb7LkW2Dk/s1600/IMG_7343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiG1JD3FkXqISHqDZuQ74LISeTB70Q417hjxyOg-ApPFENf7vCv0t6APp5z2lr0G-eilkBWsSIYRSzNe1O-LRbQeqZ-7pMnam9UjoLu1-GgISYf3VN7ZehwOGrPW8Z5cgUJJb7LkW2Dk/s400/IMG_7343.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-image: none;">
My view for the procedure - </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
anchors for our journey & </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
"Aspyn" trees to remind me of a friend that has </div>
played a profound part in this recent step of our journey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The acupuncture practitioner came
in and started my first round of acupuncture. Studies show that
acupuncture directly before and after a transfer increases your odds of
success. Bring on the needles! (Heck, these weren’t hooked to any
electric leads, so I thought it was pretty easy.) I laid there for about
30 minutes (I think?) with Todd in the room. He read me a devotional and
some texts full of love and support from friends and family. At one
point, he made me laugh, which did hurt. I had needles in my ears.
Who knew there were so many nerves inside the ears. Ouch!</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjHRIEaZlKYDi6V8Qpi_pYmXuyAvjs9JioxbJMJvWpHHj4o3tXALydJPX25GHLNsggnouAHqTnuhg6CuQQ6npnhiTgi_DdUSwFtRx5Dvb0xnRWI-Z-dFlURp4X4nauhbOb8Z3efWQJi8/s1600/IMG_7348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjHRIEaZlKYDi6V8Qpi_pYmXuyAvjs9JioxbJMJvWpHHj4o3tXALydJPX25GHLNsggnouAHqTnuhg6CuQQ6npnhiTgi_DdUSwFtRx5Dvb0xnRWI-Z-dFlURp4X4nauhbOb8Z3efWQJi8/s400/IMG_7348.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acupuncture needles in my ears - Don't make me laugh!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By the time the acupuncturist
removed the needles, my bladder was full, and I was getting close to
uncomfortable. Dr. Schoolcraft poked his head into the room and asked,
“How are you doing?” I responded with, “I hope I don’t pee on you.”
He said, “That makes two of us.” Have we mentioned how much we like him?!</span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The next thing I knew, they were
wheeling an incubator with a computer screen on top of it into the
room. Inside there was our embaby. Todd was allowed to take
pictures of the screen which displayed our little baby. Todd said he|she
looked like a diamond ring, but we of course realize how much more
precious they are than diamonds. This was our 35th and final baby that we
would make with IVF. It was pretty awesome.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSvy8hjOv_RVYAg8p0zeC3yPAvO7Rzy3OMtsUrdWdFydNv2sPpBxE7E0aD7B_mDpOg75jmAbQnDBKc-YZyo30x1vorFo8kWqc8qntcIw4RpkcjYH9t_0JNmmJrTBf6p4yFF64cafAiek/s1600/IMG_7347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSvy8hjOv_RVYAg8p0zeC3yPAvO7Rzy3OMtsUrdWdFydNv2sPpBxE7E0aD7B_mDpOg75jmAbQnDBKc-YZyo30x1vorFo8kWqc8qntcIw4RpkcjYH9t_0JNmmJrTBf6p4yFF64cafAiek/s320/IMG_7347.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The incubator keeping our baby nice and warm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OqsA1CfeaqD4tow1bNg7IlY_RxL48APCnInMo1ADmqIUFaOJWanPpXtCa2_OBI-AtJ2isJF6Eb0nfslnUOKXKC-LyjZAJlmzddFCKZTI1A0bH3A8x4RulI0C6qimzpxurk4Uip_wgtA/s1600/IMG_7345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OqsA1CfeaqD4tow1bNg7IlY_RxL48APCnInMo1ADmqIUFaOJWanPpXtCa2_OBI-AtJ2isJF6Eb0nfslnUOKXKC-LyjZAJlmzddFCKZTI1A0bH3A8x4RulI0C6qimzpxurk4Uip_wgtA/s400/IMG_7345.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sweet embaby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The transfer was the easiest I can
ever remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he said he was all finished,
I said, “I didn’t even know you had really started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was easier than a pap smear.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He replied, “Oh, if only they gave Valium for
pap smears.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m going to talk to my
doctor about that.)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By this point, I was about to
burst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily for me, I was allowed to
use a bedpan, as you’re not allowed to stand up for another hour after
transfer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only tell that detail for
ladies that will be doing transfers with doctors that want full bladders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The acupuncturist reappeared for my
second round of acupuncture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, I had
another 45 minutes to relax with Todd in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say that I really enjoyed having
Todd by my side through the entire transfer day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was calming.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I spent the rest of that day and
the next in the horizontal position at the condo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was allowed to recline to eat, but
otherwise, I stayed flat.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On the way home, we were trying
to upgrade one of us to board the plane early enough to get us seats together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd told the ticketing agent that I was
pregnant, which didn’t receive any feedback more than a quick “Congratulations,”
but it made my heart soar.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A few mornings, he kissed my
belly to say “good morning” to our little sweetness.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One night, my 5-year old niece had
lost her tooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she put it under her
pillow, she told her mom/my sister, “This one is for Aunt Laura’s baby!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><swooning></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I started having soreness and
cramping, which we celebrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I thoroughly enjoy getting to be
pregnant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">************************************</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I would just like to apologize for some of the formatting issues on this entry. I am kind of over BlogSpot. Le sigh.</span></div>
</div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-75830055089113072472016-05-23T15:30:00.003-07:002016-05-23T15:30:50.541-07:00Final Preparations<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeoiHGWP9HTTUATujEIgNcwkkWn6wsry6lUYRa4vedwI9zhqnpU0O_3MHsXMlWP51YPOBPfQWk89xU8cqBizsHM3ArfIh96BrRlh-j382_-1R3wCUB_BztRKu2FdVKgvfVQKr4JlPwvc/s1600/fortune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeoiHGWP9HTTUATujEIgNcwkkWn6wsry6lUYRa4vedwI9zhqnpU0O_3MHsXMlWP51YPOBPfQWk89xU8cqBizsHM3ArfIh96BrRlh-j382_-1R3wCUB_BztRKu2FdVKgvfVQKr4JlPwvc/s400/fortune.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I get the best fortune cookies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em><br /></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Telling the story of this cycle seems to be dragging along. I apologize for that. It's nearing an end...I promise.</em></span></div>
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Somewhere between administering
*Devil Lupron* shots, electromagnetic acupuncture, and ordering FET meds, Dr.
Schoolcraft’s office called to say he would not be in the office on Monday, May
9, to perform my embryo transfer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Huh?!</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">They said we could move our
transfer to Wednesday, May 11, or we could have another physician perform the
procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering we came to
Colorado <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for Dr. Schoolcraft</i>, we
opted to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, since our
flight, rental car, and condo were already booked for Saturday to Saturday, we
decided to leave those details alone.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On April 18, the frozen embryo
transfer (FET) meds began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always
assumed that there would be fewer meds for an FET.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not necessarily true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping on schedule with meds for any part of
an IVF cycle can be confusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
convert the “calendar” that their office gave to me into my own to make sure
that I didn’t miss any dosages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
taking meds three times a day at one point during the cycle, so it’s just a lot
to remember.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many cycles ago, Todd organized
all of our meds onto a single shelf in our pantry to make it easy to find
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very romantic
gesture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, our girls made me a cute
sign that said “Preggo Central.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
used that sign for every single cycle since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This time, though, we moved the meds into the closet for easier
access.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In another romantic gesture,
Todd cleared off one of his shelves in the closet for the entirety of the
cycle.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNH-jDsWdkhE4Z9gWEVMW5sE6bnagBW8k8VShmxOkC_44vhO3MJvYseUVPbkM7xli_TYZes0hPM5qSEiEE0f-sexXRsXl5pUfov6EzHENH2X3zWUigkFZLpuavYWfsiB_Rd8pEcvlk_I/s1600/preggo+central+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNH-jDsWdkhE4Z9gWEVMW5sE6bnagBW8k8VShmxOkC_44vhO3MJvYseUVPbkM7xli_TYZes0hPM5qSEiEE0f-sexXRsXl5pUfov6EzHENH2X3zWUigkFZLpuavYWfsiB_Rd8pEcvlk_I/s400/preggo+central+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the meds & supplies I need for my FET, plus my red notebook containing my calendar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For those like me that enjoy
*geeking-out* on IVF med protocols, this is what I was taking:</span></div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Vivelle 0.1mg patches – started with 1 and
quickly escalated to 4 patches every other day</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Lupron 5 units daily – NOT *Devil Lupron* – This
shot is much smaller with much easier side effects.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Aspirin 81-83mg daily</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Medrol 16 mg daily</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Endometrin 100mg twice daily</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Doxycycline 100mg twice daily</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Progesterone in Oil 0.5ml every other day – Um,
it makes a world of difference when this shot is not daily.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKw3zCsbTtSnIgjOPsbDq_dLu5UA7NwGw_cw-IuBpEkUq855Pwwl2ffWsc0tBA7A-8DSzo0sfHYxLoxyJTvvW0N2mJdVT3teQJdv6xxes6c8uMf1zJ15qY6VRPIqbW13DVqUqAv8CMro/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKw3zCsbTtSnIgjOPsbDq_dLu5UA7NwGw_cw-IuBpEkUq855Pwwl2ffWsc0tBA7A-8DSzo0sfHYxLoxyJTvvW0N2mJdVT3teQJdv6xxes6c8uMf1zJ15qY6VRPIqbW13DVqUqAv8CMro/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were the starter meds for the FET: Vivelle, Lupron, and Aspirin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I do want to mention two more
things about this med protocol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have been known to state this
cycle that Prometrium is one of my all-time least favorite drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just gross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, Endometrin is the exact same thing
except that it costs more and comes with applicators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Totally. Worth. It.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would not go back and do this any
differently.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, thanks to the Progesterone
in Oil (PIO) not being daily, I have been taking the shot without any pain
relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have ever taken PIO, you
know that most people use ice or Lidocaine or something to help numb the shot
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, in past cycles, PIO was
always administered in the evening, so I was able to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this time, we are doing it in the
mornings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(“We” because it’s in the
rear, so Todd has to administer it.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, because I forgot to get up an hour before the shot to start the
numbing process the first few times, I just decided to see how it was
without.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not as bad as you would
think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, I think I’m just
getting used to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still stings like
crazy, but it’s worth it to get my beauty rest.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The only real side effects I had
during this preparation were weepiness (you’re welcome, Todd) and sleepiness
(you’re welcome, boss).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For the final 4 weeks of FET
preparation, we both participated in relaxation therapy because we can and we
should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to the electromagnetic
acupuncture I was doing twice a week, Todd also went with me for weekly
massages or float therapy sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you haven’t heard of float therapy, you should look it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, you float in an 80% salt water mix
for 40 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s incredibly
relaxing.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYt4RV_cSVU6QqTaXET11rUn4xjWNw3m3VTJ2jo7TviDRq53qpoDvBo26B77nEOijiFqg5PNu5mHb_Tbm4m5IRl6tgC8rZJcXh-QwMtOxSLE8AZO-VuMjkRfdxz6uJvwHNik4EdAaV0c/s1600/pod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYt4RV_cSVU6QqTaXET11rUn4xjWNw3m3VTJ2jo7TviDRq53qpoDvBo26B77nEOijiFqg5PNu5mHb_Tbm4m5IRl6tgC8rZJcXh-QwMtOxSLE8AZO-VuMjkRfdxz6uJvwHNik4EdAaV0c/s1600/pod.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what the pods look like.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><em><br /></em></strong></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><em>It’s bitter sweet that all of
this is finally coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
have been saying that God was giving us our final embaby as a Mother’s Day
gift.</em></strong></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong><em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></em></strong></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-89128513820332228162016-05-09T20:42:00.000-07:002016-05-09T20:42:59.177-07:00Shocking Treatments<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I briefly mentioned before that
we took the girls to Copper Mountain to ski for Spring Break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, this was a strategic decision on our
part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the <a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2016/02/whew.html" target="_blank">one day work-up at CCRM in October</a>, we were informed that my uterine blood flow was low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the first time it had been tested on
me, so we weren’t really sure what that meant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had sipped on a Pepsi roughly 65 hours prior to the test, so they said
that may have caused the issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically,
I was going to have it retested when we were there for retrieval.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I forgot, and they forgot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I called to ask about it, they said I had 3 options:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Have
it retested at home for $270.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Complete
the treatment for $380.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Have
it retested at CCRM for free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, that
sounded absurd because it would cost more than $270 plus $380 to travel out
there for the test.</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what did we do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We traveled to CCRM for the test, of
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were going to take the girls
on a trip anyway, so it made the decision easy for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way, we knew the test would be accurate.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My ultrasound was set for Friday
of Spring Break, so we had time for 3 days of skiing before we had to report
for another transvaginal ultrasound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was very careful not to drink any caffeine the week of the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me rephrase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very careful not to drink any Pepsi or
coffee the week of the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I
did drink about 4 cups of hot chocolate, eat a couple of Snicker’s ice cream
bars, and gobble up some chocolate birthday cake.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We walked into the ultrasound
room at CCRM with our chests held high, knowing we were about to pass this
“ultrasound with dopplers” test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
then she dropped the bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nurse
asked if I had any caffeine or chocolate in the last 72 hours.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">WHAT?!</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How did we forget that chocolate
had caffeine?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> emphasized that before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Educated people here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just
don’t always show it.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She performed the test, and I
failed.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Within a few days, the nurse had
called to say that Dr. Schoolcraft was recommending I go ahead and complete the
treatment to be extra careful, but it was ultimately up to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said it was a possibility that my test
failed because of my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">indulgence</i></b> in chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
she wants to see an indulgence….</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The unfortunate part was that
treatment consisted of 8 rounds of electromagnetic acupuncture over the next 4
weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did my due diligence to get
recommendations and call each of them for pricing and scheduling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I settled on Brandy Valentine Davis at Cancer Treatment Centers of America because she would only
charge $380 for the 8 treatments (a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">steal</i>)
and could take me with minimal time away from work.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Electromagnetic acupuncture is
simply described as normal acupuncture with jumper cables clipped to the
needles…if you ask Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next two pictures are actually my back and legs with several acupuncture needles. Only some of them are hooked up to the leads. If needles make you woozy...well, this is your warning.</span></span></span><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The treatments were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mostly</i></b>
enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was the one time that
she accidentally turned one of the leads up high very quickly when she meant to
turn it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like I was being
electrocuted through a needle because I was basically being electrocuted
through a needle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never made that
mistake, again.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the most part, I had some of
the deepest naps of my life during those sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was invigorating.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our fingers are crossed that it
worked.</span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-20855769325374328042016-05-07T17:20:00.001-07:002016-05-07T17:20:31.246-07:00*Devil Lupron*<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you for the love and
support during National Infertility Awareness Week (#NIAW).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great week!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Returning to our regularly
scheduled programming…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, after we found out on
February 25 that we had one remaining embryo that was chromosomally normal, we
waited patiently for our regroup with Dr. Schoolcraft <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">on March 17!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talk about torture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">March 17 finally arrived, Dr.
Schoolcraft called, and Todd and I were physically in the same place to take
the call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2016/02/whew.html" target="_blank">Remember last time when we mixed up the time zones?</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear we are
educated people.) During the call, Dr. Schoolcraft informed us
that he thought we had about a 50% chance of this cycle working with our little
embaby on ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chose not to let that
get us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, we know our God
can work miracles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, he confirmed
that I would need to take Depot Lupron for two months before we started the
frozen embryo transfer (FET) stimulation (stim) meds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t help but to let that get us down.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2012/09/heres-to-start-of-shots.html" target="_blank">Flash back to 2012.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took
Depot Lupron for 4 months after my laparoscopy/hysteroscopy to allow my uterus
to heal more quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re
thinking, “Oh, I’ve taken Lupron to suppress my ovaries before a cycle,” you
are thinking of the wrong Lupron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is the Lupron that Todd so cleverly coined *Devil Lupron.*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t take offense because it’s true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Lupron rocked our world that winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sends you into a state of menopause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, mood
swings…the whole gamut.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were not quite prepared for
the mood swings in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to
say we were better prepared for them in 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, recently I said that prometrium was my least favorite drug of
all of the drugs in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
starting to think I should retract that statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s amazing what you can forget over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a few bouts of unexplainable cries during
this most recent two month stint, and one of them brought me to my knees in our
closet searching for comfort from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Honestly, I can’t really think of a better place to be.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyhow, the hot flashes were
worse this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They made me
angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back, it’s pretty funny,
but at the time, I thought I might stab someone…preferably Dr. Schoolcraft.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Actually getting the Devil Lupron
in our hands was a chore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We priced it
at two different pharmacies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When our
favorite, Walgreens Specialty, said they would have to ship it directly to the
doctor for them to administer, we chose Accredo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, we were told these two shots would
cost a total of $2,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not a
typo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, Dr. Schoolcraft redeemed
himself (from the decision to make me take this drug) by coding this as
medically necessary to treat my endometriosis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Score one for CCRM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able
to purchase both shots for a total of $150.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><Speechless></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first shot came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was intimidating, to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd administered it into my rear
flawlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His years of practice giving
me progesterone shots had paid off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
of the symptoms began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We survived.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">See? Intimidating.</span></div>
<br />
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<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second shot arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd had to give it to me while we were
“Spring Breaking” in Copper Mountain with our girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still a flawless administration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The symptoms got worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t kill me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life moved on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simple as that.</span></div>
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<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We did run into two minor kinks
after the fact.</span></div>
<br />
<ol style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
I
called Accredo to pay for the second shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The man that answered informed me I didn’t owe the full $75.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without questioning and getting it raised, I
paid and moved on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I called later
to pay for a drug they shipped me without my prior authorization (it was easier
to keep and use than to return it), I was informed I owed $75 for the second
Lupron shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After many, many, many
calls, I realized that although my credit card statement showed a payment to
Accredo for the amount he said, they had zero, nada, zilch record of me making
the payment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shockingly, no one at
Accredo wanted me to send them a copy of my statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still bumfuzzled as to how that happened!</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
Walgreens
Specialty never canceled the order for the shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, remember that they said they wouldn’t ship
it to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, when we ordered the
remaining FET meds from them, we told them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
to send the Lupron shot, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
didn’t listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shipped it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, bumfuzzled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has taken us three weeks to
get both of these ironed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
even sure why I’m documenting these problems except to prove that pharmacies
are human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In case you thought they were
perfect, they are not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is proof
that you should check your meds when they arrive and make sure you know what
you have and the dosages.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next time on Making Baby
Provence, the downhill slope to the FET!</span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-70073552475459167852016-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:002016-04-30T12:34:15.638-07:00#startasking<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I have mentioned…a few times…this
week is National Infertility Awareness Week (#NIAW).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theme is #startasking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This theme gives me so many feels.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I mentioned in the previous
post, I wish more friends and family would #startasking about our journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know people fear that it will upset
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to be honest, I might cry
when I tell you about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it
feels good to talk about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thing
is, some infertiles, i.e. Me, fear that talking about it too much will turn
people away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are afraid you will
start to look at us and think that all we talk about is infertility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like when your friend decides to sign-up
for a Multi-Level Marketing company and you stop answering her calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know what I’m talking about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When someone asks me about our journey, it makes me feel less alone.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All of that is to say, don’t be
afraid to #startasking me or your friend or your co-worker who is infertile how
they are doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask them what the next
step is for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask them if there is anything
you can do to better support them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take
time to invite them to coffee or a pedicure and learn about their
struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m not saying you have to
buy.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the love, #STOPasking why
they don’t “just adopt” or tell them to “just relax.” </span><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The real reason this theme gives
me so many feels is…Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just
over two years ago that <a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-quest-for-faith.html" target="_blank">I stood in the parking lot of a CVS in Dallas with Todd and told him that I was doubting my faith</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s really hard to admit publicly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, it was that moment that truly changed the trajectory of our
journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like an arrow that has to be
pulled back in order to be launched forward, I was at the deepest part of that
pull.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The following Sunday, we
immediately found a church, began attending regularly, and joined a life group for
blended families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within two months, we
were serving as door greeters and in the children’s ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it, we were
attending a weekend seminar on finding your God-given purpose in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two months after that, I had the first
meeting for Infertile Myrtles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very
quickly, my arrow had been released from the Devil’s grasp and was starting its
forward momentum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t signing up to
become religious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hopping on board
for a personal relationship with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Within the last two years, I learned
something I had heard but never truly understood before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When days are tough, it’s time to #startasking
Jesus for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe I didn't understand it before because my
life was pretty easy for the first 30+ years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, the attack started, and I realized I couldn’t fight this battle
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Todd’s support, which is
solid, wasn’t enough.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I don’t
know the answer, or when the next step seems too big to decide on our own, it’s
time to #startasking Jesus for guidance.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I start to feel envy of the mommies around me, it's time to #startasking Jesus for a softened heart.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I feel that relationship with a friend starting to slip away, it’s time to #startasking Jesus for restoration.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I feel like I can’t go another day down this path, it’s time to #startasking Jesus for patience.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I start to doubt if we will ever be parents, it’s time to #startasking Jesus for hope.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have learned that when I feel all-consumed by our situation, it’s time to #startasking Jesus for peace.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Like I said, I don’t consider myself a
religious person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I consider myself to
be in a relationship with Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
my strength and my hope for our future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I trust Him to stay by our sides for all of our days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have confidence that no matter where this
path leads us, He will never forsake us.</span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All I had to do was #startasking Him to be a part of my life.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWLJxFQv6yibYma6V3CRY8ZuId16dBKiyQ5NYBHpz_JndguVyMSb7fgNxp0yXDALBSj-rqFx8eo-TTJ4Ycrr3M5QBnXriN404jtv4BJJ1qsqQR51VKeHFvzjfuJFL1eNy25jQOVEy_IM/s1600/blessed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWLJxFQv6yibYma6V3CRY8ZuId16dBKiyQ5NYBHpz_JndguVyMSb7fgNxp0yXDALBSj-rqFx8eo-TTJ4Ycrr3M5QBnXriN404jtv4BJJ1qsqQR51VKeHFvzjfuJFL1eNy25jQOVEy_IM/s400/blessed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I actually took this picture at our favorite lake in Skiatook, Oklahoma.<br />
God is such an artist.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Vox-NEgcdofqMmxIUmSpiOZool8ha3UGm23Ebz79QtHS3Da5qTebUMRaTHyeNlWUppi5jG2-BmG8PMN6ZWxxA-pfb0Sv-X4dqVMAbPxdAIyv0GduUFp4QyaJ6eqdDVmxFeu191iDddE/s1600/2016-bloggers-unite-badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Vox-NEgcdofqMmxIUmSpiOZool8ha3UGm23Ebz79QtHS3Da5qTebUMRaTHyeNlWUppi5jG2-BmG8PMN6ZWxxA-pfb0Sv-X4dqVMAbPxdAIyv0GduUFp4QyaJ6eqdDVmxFeu191iDddE/s1600/2016-bloggers-unite-badge.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-32230945925551055502016-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:002016-04-29T12:02:21.337-07:00Our TTC Story<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week is National Infertility
Awareness Week (#NIAW).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely
love this week because all of the bloggers come together to write about the
same topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, the theme is
#startasking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a great theme because I
have had a few friends that have said, “I had no idea you did this,” or “When
did you go through that?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I have
had friends tell me they were afraid to ask too many questions for fear of
annoying me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I would like to
say that Todd and I are open books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are few things we do not share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, if there is something we are keeping quiet, I won’t be afraid
to tell you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to know more of my
story or any other infertile’s story, all you have to do is #startasking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you know we are infertile, chances are
that it’s healing for us to answer questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It not only makes us feel like
you care, but it helps us feel less alone on a very isolating road. (More on this tomorrow.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That being said, I decided to do an
overview on our journey from the beginning until today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t be short because our journey hasn’t
been short. I have never really put our entire story in one place, so here goes. I have even added links to where each part of the journey starts on the blog in case anyone is interested in jumping back to something particular to read more detail.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTgbiOQV5lRFR_Y9u46KMplIv9iDywFPYVMa-8dYDh-RJeqTmsHFWkfPy2q-xE_Fi_CAMIr07-ZjOftMLXdNzhU0Kt6P8uSIrWG5LA8ZhTVSr9neuwWbDcsvzgxf4-gwNJ5I9P4-7KUw/s1600/us+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTgbiOQV5lRFR_Y9u46KMplIv9iDywFPYVMa-8dYDh-RJeqTmsHFWkfPy2q-xE_Fi_CAMIr07-ZjOftMLXdNzhU0Kt6P8uSIrWG5LA8ZhTVSr9neuwWbDcsvzgxf4-gwNJ5I9P4-7KUw/s1600/us+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what we used to look like before...you know, life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2012/09/making-baby-provence-beginning.html" target="_blank">The Beginning</a></span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd has 3 children from a
previous marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the last one
was born, they decided he should have a vasectomy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fast forward 10+ years…</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">March 2010:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got married
and immediately became serious about our next steps to grow our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had already researched urologists, but we
weren’t sure if that was the direction we should go.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSiIn8chRbw4zN_FPJBeKqj8lRRWLaaP9BvtIdPUWUbVmVKXZWcCP3t1o7Lflg6lw_56_GnvVo1bqsP5CZ5GhXckIINHzJa1V1t0L0W2fKUrvd3xR1AP3kBB3Qal7fOy7TG7bRp7Z7Ao/s1600/us+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSiIn8chRbw4zN_FPJBeKqj8lRRWLaaP9BvtIdPUWUbVmVKXZWcCP3t1o7Lflg6lw_56_GnvVo1bqsP5CZ5GhXckIINHzJa1V1t0L0W2fKUrvd3xR1AP3kBB3Qal7fOy7TG7bRp7Z7Ao/s1600/us+3.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">October 2010:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to
Tulsa Fertility Center (TFC) to meet Dr. Prough about IVF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meeting did not go well, and we left
there feeling uneasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also met Dr.
Steve Miller (who plays Steve Miller Band music during surgery – no lie), and
decided that a vasectomy reversal was our way to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spoiler alert:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a waste…for us.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">May 2011:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd’s vasectomy
reversal.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">August 2011, November 2011, February 2012, May 2012:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Negative tests for sperm in Todd’s...eh
hem…specimen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told it was time
to pursue IVF or adoption if we wanted to grow our family.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IVF Cycles 1 and 2 – Dr. Clark Bundren</span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">July 2012:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met Dr.
Bundren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He promptly scheduled me for a
laparascopy and hysteroscopy.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">August 2012:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laparscopy and
hysteroscopy where I was diagnosed with stage 3 endometriosis and a uterine
septum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fixed both of those during
the surgery.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2012/09/heres-to-start-of-shots.html" target="_blank">August 2012 – January 2013</a>:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Depot Lupron…<a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2012/12/todd.html" target="_blank">aka Devil Lupron</a>, if you ask Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hot flashes, night sweats, depression…oh my!</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2013/05/this-is-day-that-lord-has-made.html" target="_blank">April 2013 – May 2013</a>:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IVF
Cycle 1.</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 9</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd had MESA procedure performed by urologist.</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 6</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transferred = 2 on day 5</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ended in biochemical pregnancy around 5 ½ weeks</span></span></li>
</ul>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2013/10/may-odds-be-ever-in-your-favor.html" target="_blank">November 2013</a>:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IVF Cycle 2.</span></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 12</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mature eggs = 8</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We used frozen sperm, which turned out to be a very, very bad
idea because of the way it was retrieved and the immaturity of the sperm.</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 8</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transferred = 3 on day 3</span></span></li>
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</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2013/12/broken.html" target="_blank">BFN (Big Fat Negative)</a></span></span></li>
</ul>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/01/say-something.html" target="_blank">We were devastated.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can still remember having to go in to talk
to Dr. Bundren to get the results (which is abnormal) and getting to the lobby
to sob into Todd’s chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was one
of the hardest cries I have ever had in my life.</span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-future.html" target="_blank">January 2014</a>:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interviewed a doctor in Dallas, Dr. Douglas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is when my faith began to change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-quest-for-faith.html" target="_blank">I can still remember the day.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also interviewed Dr. McKinney at TFC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It went <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">much</i>
better than our first encounter with TFC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/01/third-time-is-charm.html" target="_blank">We decided to move forward with Dr. McKinney.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to make a quick statement to say that
I am so glad we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s become one of
our all-time favorite doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has
cried with us, laughed with us, and spent many hours talking us through our
options.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this point, we had three doctors telling
us our problem was 1) Todd's sperm, 2) my eggs, or 3) Todd's sperm and my eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Literally, each doctor disagreed on our
diagnosis.</span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/04/chazown-my-purpose.html" target="_blank">May 13, 2014</a>:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inaugural meeting of Infertile Myrtles,
my support group and LifeGroup begun to support women struggling with fertility
challenges.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifW7qkfogINZNybpuC3l3pEFBA8N23FiMrwXVv_BfwKhPjvsGdAthRTk6P2QRpkZ7C_xZvub_uAEulOM7F5h5IDTOgL5Jcq8Cv9RhuIN7ICeIqmiYB9-0_9Si6uq91x0ful1jrRuTMHvk/s1600/us+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifW7qkfogINZNybpuC3l3pEFBA8N23FiMrwXVv_BfwKhPjvsGdAthRTk6P2QRpkZ7C_xZvub_uAEulOM7F5h5IDTOgL5Jcq8Cv9RhuIN7ICeIqmiYB9-0_9Si6uq91x0ful1jrRuTMHvk/s1600/us+2.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
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</span><br />
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</div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IVF Cycles 3 and 4 – Dr. Shauna McKinney, Tulsa Fertility Center
(TFC)</span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-dont-want-to-be-special.html" target="_blank">September 2014</a>:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IVF Cycle 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the cycle where we started using Preimplantation Genetic
Diagnosis (PGD), commonly known as genetic testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was performed on day 3, so the results
were received before transfer on day 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, Dr. McKinney put me on the maximum amount of stimulating
medication (stim shots) that she legally could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We found out around this time that I had Diminished Ovarian Reserve
(DOR).</span></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 6</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mature eggs = 5</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd had epididymal aspiration performed by Dr. Prough (the
one we didn’t love on our first visit).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Turns out, we really do like him.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 2</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Genetically tested = 1 (1 was too deteriorated to test)</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chromosomally normal = 0</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/09/and-just-like-that-its-cancelled.html" target="_blank">Transferred = 0</a></span></span></li>
</ul>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was not prepared to have nothing to
transfer.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/10/i-feel-so-much.html" target="_blank">November 2014</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>IVF Cycle
4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We refer to this as “The Good Cycle.”</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 9</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mature eggs = 8</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd had epididymal aspiration performed by Dr. Prough.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 7</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Genetically tested = 7</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chromosomally normal = 2</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transferred = 2</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BFP!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Big Fat
Positive)</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-handkerchief.html" target="_blank">Blighted ovum miscarriage <span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span></a></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We found out around 8 weeks that we would
miscarry, and it took until 11 weeks to start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I won’t even go into what that miscarriage was like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2015/03/public-service-announcement.html" target="_blank">I have said it before, though.</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">February 2015 –April 2015:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had said from the beginning of our IVF
journey that we could not quit IVF until we tried Dr. Ahlering in St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had heard really great things about
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a chance to meet him in
person, and I loved him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew he would
be our next doctor.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I went to see the doctor that would monitor
me in Tulsa for my cycle with Dr. Ahlering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He found that my miscarriage had not completely finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, I understood that I had tissue
left in my uterus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We scheduled a
<a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2015/04/d.html" target="_blank">hysteroscopy and D&C</a>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IVF Cycle 5 – Dr. Peter Ahlering, Missouri Center for Reproductive
Medicine (MCRM)</span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2015/06/ivf-cycle-numero-cinco.html" target="_blank">May 2015</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>IVF Cycle 5.</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 7</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mature eggs = 5</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd had TESE procedure performed by urologist.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 6</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transferred = 0</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This was just a mess of a cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t even need to go into it all
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lot of unfortunate
incidents coming together to rock my world. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">August 2015:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ovarian cyst found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not have cystic ovaries, despite being
told I did when I was just out of college, but occasionally, this happens to a
woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is, it pushed back
everything we were planning to do next.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IVF Cycle 6 – Dr. William Schoolcraft, Colorado Center for
Reproductive Medicine (CCRM)</span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://www.makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2016/02/whew.html" target="_blank">October 2015</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>After many
months of waiting for the cyst situation to fix itself, we headed to Colorado
for a One Day Workup (ODWU) at the well-renowned office of Dr. Schoolcraft.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em>December 2015 – January 2016:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></em>IVF Cycle 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retrieval only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Schoolcraft put me on Clomid,
Testosterone, and Viagra during this cycle, which was so strange and new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We loved the idea that he was trying new
things.</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs Retrieved = 11</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mature eggs = 7</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Todd had MESE procedure performed by urologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um, here is another doctor we love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Cowan, the urologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we ever need a urologist, we plan to
fly to Denver for this guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong>He’s that good.</strong></i></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fertilized = 6</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Genetically tested & frozen = 3</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chromosomally normal = 1</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dr. Schoolcraft does Comprehensive Chromosome
Screening (CCS) for his genetic testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s performed when the embryo makes it to blastocyst stage (usually on
day 5), so the embryos have to be frozen until the results are received.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">February 2016 –
March 2016:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Devil Lupron…again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The shame!</i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">April 2016:</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) meds started.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That brings you up to date.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, to sum it all up:</span></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Failed vasectomy reversal</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 surgeries for Todd</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stage 3 endometriosis & diminished ovarian reserve</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 IVF cycles</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 egg retrievals</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">54 eggs retrieved</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">35 embryos made</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 embryo transfers - 7 embryos transferred</span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 embryo transfer on the way - 1 embryo to transfer</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 doctors</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 states</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 cities</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 miscarriages</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 total months on Depot Lupron (It's that important to mention.)</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hundreds of shots</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m not even going to say how much money we have spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Insurance covers nothing for us except
for the occasional patch or antibiotic.)</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More acupuncture and massage than I can remember.</span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Loads of love!</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the end, what we have to show for all of
this is 1 frozen embryo waiting for us to bring them home, a better
understanding of how we handle crises, a stronger marriage, and a deeper relationship
with our Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have had days
overflowing with joy and days full of sorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We wouldn’t change a thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
has blessed us in ways we could have never imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what the future holds, we know He will be with us to the end.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope that answers any lingering questions
anyone might have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, I just
summed up the last 3 ½ years of blogging in one really. long. entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there is anything I left out, please don’t
be afraid to #startasking.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, I am participating in a blog link-up with </span></em><a href="http://in-due-time.com/fertility/fertility-blogger-linkup-my-story/" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Caroline, at In Due Time</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Can you tell I really like her blog?</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-30629148257723991852016-04-27T15:34:00.003-07:002016-04-27T15:36:37.782-07:00What We Want You to Know about Infertility<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Please, pardon the break in the
show (the long version of cycle 6) while we take a minute to acknowledge what
week it is.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s National Infertility
Awareness Week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#NIAW!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this week because so many bloggers
really pour their hearts and souls into great entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week’s theme is #StartAsking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the opportunity to participate in a
blog entry for a dear friend of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Caroline blogs at <a href="http://in-due-time.com/" target="_blank">In Due Time</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her entries inspire and comfort me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you are not already following her, well what are you waiting on?!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am very excited to be a part of
her entry today called <a href="http://in-due-time.com/fertility/want-know-infertility/" target="_blank">“What We Want You to Know about Infertility.”</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My statement was:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Infertility is a couple’s struggle. Men seem stoic and strong, but they
hurt inside, too. There are always two people on this journey.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Men do not get enough credit for
the feelings they have on this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have said it before, but our husbands deserve capes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I love you, Todd.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7n8cTEaKB_7d0etFiEpPJk_lP3iLzGUgEt-9nRzgdRBg_GFWAUtzbn2_8CqBu0U_n__6_mdD99eppN_0AX8MBJCT7j_zCrXNjnI5OP_OtQKhcfD1gHHckmOqOr_pSlG33b9Cl7J9680/s1600/what+we+want+you+to+know.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7n8cTEaKB_7d0etFiEpPJk_lP3iLzGUgEt-9nRzgdRBg_GFWAUtzbn2_8CqBu0U_n__6_mdD99eppN_0AX8MBJCT7j_zCrXNjnI5OP_OtQKhcfD1gHHckmOqOr_pSlG33b9Cl7J9680/s1600/what+we+want+you+to+know.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">*************************************************</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And on a side note, we were
supposed to have an Infertile Myrtles Sprinkle (our form of a baby shower) at
our house last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the
threat of storms postponed it a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, Todd asked me to cut his hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep in mind that I have never cut <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anyone’s</i> hair aside from the three times
I trimmed my own bangs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the record,
I fired myself after said bang cuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#beautyschooldropout</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNwY4QAyPQi-rnUG4lKvNnWMCNW3ybH-4n3u2uHM44j_IYTWUek5XEuMb_V6Ei73a3sriaPNEC_GwkP96UM-Cb_BL91kCSNIU_gLLdxXk67YTJU5MfFHnrBgyI63rxtyogP-K4UInOJ8/s1600/haircut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNwY4QAyPQi-rnUG4lKvNnWMCNW3ybH-4n3u2uHM44j_IYTWUek5XEuMb_V6Ei73a3sriaPNEC_GwkP96UM-Cb_BL91kCSNIU_gLLdxXk67YTJU5MfFHnrBgyI63rxtyogP-K4UInOJ8/s400/haircut.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Just to prove that I didn't do such a bad job, he sent me this most adorable selfie. Man, I married a hottie!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiy7oPPNno07xmHDcD3xdzROxHt7BYyVBLnKkbu5A79D-N0XCR5GWFIMmBC-udfy2M1i1QrwcOW1p3r6udfhX1K51QXG3A41u-Amq3y2rCc5zpGqFXjdWDr81tsjuO1E49y0_GPlKra4/s1600/haircut+selfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiy7oPPNno07xmHDcD3xdzROxHt7BYyVBLnKkbu5A79D-N0XCR5GWFIMmBC-udfy2M1i1QrwcOW1p3r6udfhX1K51QXG3A41u-Amq3y2rCc5zpGqFXjdWDr81tsjuO1E49y0_GPlKra4/s400/haircut+selfie.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-21895405200261522342016-04-25T17:09:00.000-07:002016-04-27T15:40:18.542-07:00The Real Truth<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the last entry, I explained
how we found out we had three embryos that had made it to blastocyst
stage. Therefore, they were biopsied for
genetic testing and frozen. (I should mention that this type of genetic testing was much different than what we had done before. At TFC, our embabies were biopsied on day 3, and results were received before a transfer on day 5. At CCRM, our embabies were not biopsied until they reached the blastocyst stage on day 5, 6, or 7, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">– days 6 & 7 for us –</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so we didn't receive the results until weeks later. Hence the reason we chose a frozen transfer this time instead of a fresh transfer. But I digress...)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, one day shy of two weeks
later (nothing in infertility happens that fast), we received <i>the call</i>. However, I didn’t have my phone on me at
work. Are you kidding?! I sat back down at my desk – and phone – and
didn’t even check to see that I had a missed call. Several minutes later, Dr. Schoolcraft’s
office called. I was so excited. I answered to hear the scheduler tell me that
I needed to set a meeting for a regroup with Dr. Schoolcraft. Now, keep in mind that I had no idea the
nurse had already called with the genetic test results. I immediately started quizzing her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Is this good news or bad news?”
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Does he always do a regroup with patients that have chromosomally
normal embryos?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Would he be doing a regroup with us if there were no embryos left?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“When will I hear something?!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As you can imagine, she was very
confused and told me the nurse should be contacting me soon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Soon?! How soon?”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hung up the phone and went to
call Todd when I realized there was a missed call and voicemail from CCRM. My heart stopped, and I’m pretty sure I
stopped breathing, as well. We had been
so nervous that none of the embryos would be chromosomally normal. I checked the voicemail and found our nurse
telling me that she had the results and to call her when I had a moment to
speak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Phone tag?! She wants to play
phone tag at a time like this? Was she a
sadist?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I called her direct line, and
left her a message. I called the nurse’s
line, and left her a message. I called
the front desk and asked them to walk to the back and hand her a phone. They didn’t.
I know, it was a surprise to me, too.
Instead, they returned to tell me she was with a patient and would
return my call soon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Soon?! How soon?”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I waited, and I waited, and I
waited, and I waited. It was the longest
few hours of my life. I couldn’t believe
she didn’t want to give me these results as bad as I wanted to hear them. Maybe </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">she thought</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">that’s what you get for not
taking your phone to the restroom."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, she called back. And confirmed all of our fears. We do make a lot of chromosomally abnormal
embryos, but we also make a small percentage of normal embryos. Out of our three embryos that were biopsied
and frozen, we had one embryo remaining.
<b><i>One more shot with one more embryo to make one more baby.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was overwhelmed with relief and
disappointment. I tend to have those
mixed emotions a lot on this journey. We
could finally breathe, knowing it wasn’t all over just yet. It was if God was telling us that we were
silly to ever worry. Of course He was
always in control.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZbbs98BP-RQLkuttGoflF8jQGo3T724ebM_dbKRqSTEAw0NCN814WG12CydcKg4zOAGURsE-z1t-PyiuvEyBvzvNLhzPITrjI35RUTphbZn8Bv0Eadt_sv-Z7JGk_qGjYGyS4nmFeSg/s1600/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZbbs98BP-RQLkuttGoflF8jQGo3T724ebM_dbKRqSTEAw0NCN814WG12CydcKg4zOAGURsE-z1t-PyiuvEyBvzvNLhzPITrjI35RUTphbZn8Bv0Eadt_sv-Z7JGk_qGjYGyS4nmFeSg/s320/IMG_6968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-70802082720707865132016-04-17T18:05:00.000-07:002016-04-17T18:05:05.009-07:00Blasting Babies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnA791rdHrTnzK25IMkZHjVo2lO_uNNojoGizoWEfys-cKcm6-zxUiSvMf3OyZdMjvH1k-NGN9v5qHKmXgw_gqEFEqCvuohhRzECgWP2S9mhhkqn33AoeHbdze7QPQxB954PcmIGz7aY/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnA791rdHrTnzK25IMkZHjVo2lO_uNNojoGizoWEfys-cKcm6-zxUiSvMf3OyZdMjvH1k-NGN9v5qHKmXgw_gqEFEqCvuohhRzECgWP2S9mhhkqn33AoeHbdze7QPQxB954PcmIGz7aY/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another excellent fortune we received when we returned from Colorado.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a while since I have
written, which I am guessing is becoming nothing new to my readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I apologize for being absent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of my doctors have been encouraging me to
make more time for all of the things that make me happy, so I’m working on
fitting writing back into my schedule.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In my last entry, I left off by
telling you that we had six of our mature eggs that fertilized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were elated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day, we left Colorado feeling
confident with our decision to only continue with this lone cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a rough drive home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd and I were both having a considerable
amount of pain, so we broke the drive into two days.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once we were home, settled, and
back into our daily routine, we only had a day to wait until we
*hopefully* started receiving news from the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We hoped to hear from them on Thursday, which was considered Day 5 of
embryo growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the best day for
the embabies to make it to the blastocyst stage (called “blast” for short)
where they can be biopsied for genetic testing and frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything past Thursday means they are showing
signs of weakness, so to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thursday
came, and Thursday passed.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Friday, February 12, Todd came
to pick me up for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my 35<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
birthday, so he was taking me out for a special treat of sushi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We <s>knew we should be expecting</s> hoped we would receive a call some
time that day because it was now Day 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just as we wrapped up lunch and received the copy of our bill to sign,
my phone rang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hearts stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly picked up the phone and headed for
the exit as I answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I listened
intently as the embryologist explained to me that three embryos were still
alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One had blasted that day and
would be biopsied for genetic testing and frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two others were still being watched until
the next day, Day 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked as many
questions as I could think at the time, hung up the phone, and climbed in the
car with Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s where I cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of our babies had finally achieved the
level we needed, but it was a day later than we had hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chances of the other two making it until
tomorrow seemed very grim.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was there in the front seat
of our car on a cute little street in downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on my 35<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
birthday that I felt my dream starting to slip away for good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried on and off for the remainder of the
workday when no one was around.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next day, on Day 7, we were
doing our best to pay attention at a marriage conference, which we coined our “Continuous
Improvement Weekend.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the middle of a
session, my phone rang, and Todd and I both darted out of the ballroom to the
lobby as quickly as we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, I listened
patiently as the embryologist began to explain that we no longer had to
wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three of our embabies had
blasted, been biopsied, and frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t
believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd couldn’t believe
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here we were expecting to only have
one embryo, and God reminded us that we needed to have a little more faith in
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><em>Three embabies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still fighting for a chance to be our baby.</em></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJjv3JS1ef8sCrXOsIg61Rg56avPHnG0guNxO-aWoFW2-FWch9BZY2scG9vX4B022weucVZFoHCI9THlPGZ22x4TXfq9Sd8T3P57EOaCq_vefXSCbqiEUIQj5NMszGs5QnqOlzvnsano/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJjv3JS1ef8sCrXOsIg61Rg56avPHnG0guNxO-aWoFW2-FWch9BZY2scG9vX4B022weucVZFoHCI9THlPGZ22x4TXfq9Sd8T3P57EOaCq_vefXSCbqiEUIQj5NMszGs5QnqOlzvnsano/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continuous Improvement Weekend selfie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After some discussion, we
realized that if we had been told nothing on Friday and found out on Saturday that
only three of the six survived, we would have been so distraught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, since we thought on Friday that we
would only have one, we were elated at the news of actually having three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>It’s funny how God works like that.</em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXjCusrDyTj0cGv8H0B6AJ-I5Jpskl7yeUwWNuYFvNvQBs0gWxMZvLIz1ouDG7xui_jYulL-DoFNKVITa6F_b8WBfoqsikWTbkyVWjGyU0AEadnPllDwH-g7OmDrGSpWUvWtauxDFVjU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXjCusrDyTj0cGv8H0B6AJ-I5Jpskl7yeUwWNuYFvNvQBs0gWxMZvLIz1ouDG7xui_jYulL-DoFNKVITa6F_b8WBfoqsikWTbkyVWjGyU0AEadnPllDwH-g7OmDrGSpWUvWtauxDFVjU/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At that point, we were given
another wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told that they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could</i> call within 3 weeks with our
genetic test results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, another
friend of ours that was at CCRM received her call at 4 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, we told everyone we knew not to expect any information for 4
weeks.</span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I promise to try not to make <strong><em>you</em></strong>
wait another 4 weeks to find out what happened next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6pB4a-EjJwDeBwUpnmLvx5bEE2JKgExBOQcb6n1pWeI9gsVTfLOzx9Ck0v62-lgn7A1I_n2BMy3X2qehv7UKy2H6hy9ZQdmGkUrPfdnAgUDOyTDNsF9qBvjR8gtc73ejWhwAq5m8syg/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6pB4a-EjJwDeBwUpnmLvx5bEE2JKgExBOQcb6n1pWeI9gsVTfLOzx9Ck0v62-lgn7A1I_n2BMy3X2qehv7UKy2H6hy9ZQdmGkUrPfdnAgUDOyTDNsF9qBvjR8gtc73ejWhwAq5m8syg/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a little funny</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-52231023479306066902016-02-27T17:56:00.000-08:002016-02-27T21:12:12.706-08:00Mile High Memories<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pEWS0V0pCKJKA_djKlDNc46hWoxjVr6j2YK2WbC-kI9TNkJqKv1z9ZPFb9BrYV2cYW5a74xRleVhfKNggIVb8EtBN5WXvk8H9yFGkl_bXz91fgLtZtl9iLZiXmLVk3xio5POSAj-28c/s1600/IMG_6078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pEWS0V0pCKJKA_djKlDNc46hWoxjVr6j2YK2WbC-kI9TNkJqKv1z9ZPFb9BrYV2cYW5a74xRleVhfKNggIVb8EtBN5WXvk8H9yFGkl_bXz91fgLtZtl9iLZiXmLVk3xio5POSAj-28c/s320/IMG_6078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fortune just before we left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So,
I left off telling you about priming for the cycle. Well, on January 22, I had CD1, so I went in
for my baseline ultrasound and blood work.
Everything looked fine with that, so we started stimulating (stim) shots
on Saturday, January 23. The start of my
stim shots looked like 150IU Menopur (2 vials) in the morning and 300IU
Follistim at night. I took 50mg of
Viagra 1 hour before each of these shots.
Really?! I was surprised,
too. Apparently, it helps your body to
absorb the medication. Unfortunately,
this stuff is a little pricey, and I was accidentally taking 100mg of it before
each shot. This lead to us having to
purchase it two more times in Denver, and one of those times, we paid $44 for a
single pill. Seriously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway,
I also had the honor of taking Dexamethasone and Clomid daily. The Dex isn’t a big deal, but I was
definitely nervous about the Clomid. I
have heard horror stories about the mood swings that medication will give
you. I’m pretty sure that God thought it
would be funny to let me have a shot at Clomid since I’ve never taken it. He thought it would be even funnier to mix it
with a plethora of additional hormones.
Awesome. I think we were both a
little nervous how this would go, but I have to admit, the side effects were
nothing like I expected. My moods were
pretty even keel this cycle, aside from one fit of anger about making a huge
decision. More on that later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">So,
I took the all-day cocktail of Viagra, Menopur, Follistim, Clomid, and
Dexamethasone for a total of 13 days.
The following Thursday, I had my first mid-cycle ultrasound and blood
work. I knew it was early, so I didn’t
put much stock on the number of follicles we were measuring.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
next day, we made the trip to Colorado.
It was a great day! We laughed
and talked and no one napped. We just
enjoyed our time together</span><!--EndFragment-->.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIKgVuRXQ6qLeO4vkFaqu7N4zV9-IWPVyZH0yBQ7TBv6FI1pC_19BbJwSTtkI3_eQNuVPyeDUsyS8ercVUVL6dkxEFN92rqsGkPPICH_6dOMzwBnQbVW7W_q7oyluVQ-ZDqisj-0RJnQ/s1600/IMG_6127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIKgVuRXQ6qLeO4vkFaqu7N4zV9-IWPVyZH0yBQ7TBv6FI1pC_19BbJwSTtkI3_eQNuVPyeDUsyS8ercVUVL6dkxEFN92rqsGkPPICH_6dOMzwBnQbVW7W_q7oyluVQ-ZDqisj-0RJnQ/s320/IMG_6127.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDhO3eyk-yEuf0D3E37KgkuUqH6oEA1VzArdhumMfQyRJdkktkXnTpNDmJumzwOHir-36u5Y-cVf8nQLkLixxD1Ksvw56M2UF2dnRm2gq6Lj6eFEvPOU55bGSxPzeOOMEjTqW_CBJjv0/s1600/IMG_6136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDhO3eyk-yEuf0D3E37KgkuUqH6oEA1VzArdhumMfQyRJdkktkXnTpNDmJumzwOHir-36u5Y-cVf8nQLkLixxD1Ksvw56M2UF2dnRm2gq6Lj6eFEvPOU55bGSxPzeOOMEjTqW_CBJjv0/s320/IMG_6136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stopped at the first sign of snow to take a picture for my mom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioU_7VCkP4z2ZKTO0_iqEJwU5Z0T-GjEsAAGWtuttUH2NLiuyBCj7hM5OFj33DCR-IgMS2IF1xIUBRnQ6A4H6yXWYfotpjWy2iq8klbm4b_uCMjxyGopdbwapF7SxQ5rEqy2BOiAD_G8/s1600/IMG_6142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioU_7VCkP4z2ZKTO0_iqEJwU5Z0T-GjEsAAGWtuttUH2NLiuyBCj7hM5OFj33DCR-IgMS2IF1xIUBRnQ6A4H6yXWYfotpjWy2iq8klbm4b_uCMjxyGopdbwapF7SxQ5rEqy2BOiAD_G8/s320/IMG_6142.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd very much enjoyed the chocolate from our travel pack our best friends sent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxEYpXWdTRdFw2nWEGZH8Y2AGO_wuhTSsi1qibOhKX_y0e1kFmsZxmFIAHBosyD3HyCbzA2VXvav5K0z8Q0p8DZ7AwQTw-PFn5knVweBocGNVbIamBmCJkfl2oqz08AfuNJTmSbVZzT0/s1600/IMG_6365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxEYpXWdTRdFw2nWEGZH8Y2AGO_wuhTSsi1qibOhKX_y0e1kFmsZxmFIAHBosyD3HyCbzA2VXvav5K0z8Q0p8DZ7AwQTw-PFn5knVweBocGNVbIamBmCJkfl2oqz08AfuNJTmSbVZzT0/s320/IMG_6365.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view from the back porch of the condo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXLl2aZVUB8hnXc7G3gBhIkNazP_HsssNZFl71gpvSvgHb5BMNN2MczS1zAy0qpT4L8XtOAGiosXV9ruGXxklAKPHCR-aGH74xmYu1TZnEXNYcJIv6ql6sKD-ZL7ERU3TZLohhPgrcHQ/s1600/IMG_6347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXLl2aZVUB8hnXc7G3gBhIkNazP_HsssNZFl71gpvSvgHb5BMNN2MczS1zAy0qpT4L8XtOAGiosXV9ruGXxklAKPHCR-aGH74xmYu1TZnEXNYcJIv6ql6sKD-ZL7ERU3TZLohhPgrcHQ/s320/IMG_6347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that I cannot pack lightly. It's impossible.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On
Saturday, we had our first mid-cycle ultrasound and blood work at CCRM. This was an experience. They perform your ultrasound; then move you
to a very small, private waiting room to talk to your nurse; then send you to
have blood drawn. On that day, we found
out we were only measuring 4 follicles that seemed to be growing at a good
rate. We were a little disappointed, but
we just assumed it was still pretty early.
This was only the eighth day of stims, after all.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRUrrWSRB0C3nZE0XJtrLC2vjtbJKLSpEoLoTia3nwt6KKkmJv-x0pr7FqaNk60DXmMEegXibPKiElmg3ej7ilKriQJtYGhgLJqGq53x_lVkxhlR3yYe4FCtNm7TvVkTqEb60zDrmw2o/s1600/IMG_6260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRUrrWSRB0C3nZE0XJtrLC2vjtbJKLSpEoLoTia3nwt6KKkmJv-x0pr7FqaNk60DXmMEegXibPKiElmg3ej7ilKriQJtYGhgLJqGq53x_lVkxhlR3yYe4FCtNm7TvVkTqEb60zDrmw2o/s320/IMG_6260.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mecca of the infertility world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBvBXrpGJVrsdCvK8pzF-VvM9UWttRs0xtQ8dV3ieK5uFKZPW4exoZu9Tq1gW5xIflW6p5dH0QhyphenhyphenjmX8Ohh2RC8IAQYE-1F8rigPQ3-NAxWxRVnfNQMSMpLyby73_G-Suho2n6D1oKrQ/s1600/IMG_6361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBvBXrpGJVrsdCvK8pzF-VvM9UWttRs0xtQ8dV3ieK5uFKZPW4exoZu9Tq1gW5xIflW6p5dH0QhyphenhyphenjmX8Ohh2RC8IAQYE-1F8rigPQ3-NAxWxRVnfNQMSMpLyby73_G-Suho2n6D1oKrQ/s320/IMG_6361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That
afternoon, we went to Colorado Springs to do some sightseeing. We went to the Garden of the Gods and the
Olympic Training Center. Both were very
cool and fun things that neither of us had seen.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4ZI29lcBdx_hemD_1Pftb6HV06n51tGKhOYypqehZDd20103JBy0i2epE4DWfCHH5d53kqS1hqjndFEvIredio7NeKvVrE24ykQwdt2KaSsMasbSwjAWPxzcj8z395K2KIl0AJakrto/s1600/IMG_6214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4ZI29lcBdx_hemD_1Pftb6HV06n51tGKhOYypqehZDd20103JBy0i2epE4DWfCHH5d53kqS1hqjndFEvIredio7NeKvVrE24ykQwdt2KaSsMasbSwjAWPxzcj8z395K2KIl0AJakrto/s320/IMG_6214.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden of the Gods - The Balancing Rock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1MHdaUvBKcWvONtWW7VfBy1xEoOWLspMtBS6gV3udziOzg0TN6ve7uqJXzolHbTvs_F070sijldg5aY5ULymDcZ8DUXPt1teV9j_QgUMkRe_-_9WPuW4rxYbGY7K-spNzdqiMRsT-5U/s1600/IMG_6234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1MHdaUvBKcWvONtWW7VfBy1xEoOWLspMtBS6gV3udziOzg0TN6ve7uqJXzolHbTvs_F070sijldg5aY5ULymDcZ8DUXPt1teV9j_QgUMkRe_-_9WPuW4rxYbGY7K-spNzdqiMRsT-5U/s320/IMG_6234.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why is Colorado so windy?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsFGeBtbIhfZrMQ27R6T6MvIUtAdtpML0imBjg0MzqW88mbL52E1i_7i2KlGzo_UrmWqSe8rM-LIa9ja34Lw6rARuLNw5mRaQLFzD0grpQwxF4Pc5rr0pdDnhtA47QaxVbQDnKAMd4k4/s1600/IMG_6248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsFGeBtbIhfZrMQ27R6T6MvIUtAdtpML0imBjg0MzqW88mbL52E1i_7i2KlGzo_UrmWqSe8rM-LIa9ja34Lw6rARuLNw5mRaQLFzD0grpQwxF4Pc5rr0pdDnhtA47QaxVbQDnKAMd4k4/s320/IMG_6248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlLeUPslhlbLCgmPgBiDAv0B7Cix4SI6gu6WGMTFzdOAuv3Wp77tRCJ8fXZ_BdxtB9_G4kV8NRBiXhcO7-uHk1HRsUR_btf5hm283o5g4bizrKIQ1saRDsiAXgzcv3uQQx-gn-7R1_PE/s1600/IMG_6359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlLeUPslhlbLCgmPgBiDAv0B7Cix4SI6gu6WGMTFzdOAuv3Wp77tRCJ8fXZ_BdxtB9_G4kV8NRBiXhcO7-uHk1HRsUR_btf5hm283o5g4bizrKIQ1saRDsiAXgzcv3uQQx-gn-7R1_PE/s320/IMG_6359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On
Sunday, they gave us a day off from appointments, so we hung out at the condo and
watch 18” of snow begin to fall from the sky.
It was magnificent. We added one
more shot to the mix; Ganirelix is not a stim shot, but it keeps you from
ovulating. The only complaint on this
one is that it’s a strange needle that doesn’t insert easily.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIzvcQYQSinqtzrH94MVsc-AhZiAofgvs6PROXExw_cbed0VTlStFT42nzeEMQg6AiMPIt4uxIaWyLYIAumwXh96XqywMNenZf6rSXytR8F3FkV_Xpl2Eh6O3XIrRMONtBPPmOCZBi3Y/s1600/IMG_6253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIzvcQYQSinqtzrH94MVsc-AhZiAofgvs6PROXExw_cbed0VTlStFT42nzeEMQg6AiMPIt4uxIaWyLYIAumwXh96XqywMNenZf6rSXytR8F3FkV_Xpl2Eh6O3XIrRMONtBPPmOCZBi3Y/s320/IMG_6253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IsR2dh124A7U4hmb3i-C2c5Yl0mnUJaSyoyRFvSKvfcQ8xKS-wIX7tpRGk5V0vljgn9Lvl9erIChShbTmaOvS0vZhU3mKDsIYvpwymnSotlt85TkHcAhtAgOajPcut_cYNQDUpksKko/s1600/IMG_6272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IsR2dh124A7U4hmb3i-C2c5Yl0mnUJaSyoyRFvSKvfcQ8xKS-wIX7tpRGk5V0vljgn9Lvl9erIChShbTmaOvS0vZhU3mKDsIYvpwymnSotlt85TkHcAhtAgOajPcut_cYNQDUpksKko/s320/IMG_6272.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh1C6HwS_2DUuhNj6JPa3RdTWjNBMAtxJGSl77Npny-FzblxksoYphiA3x120lFxVqe-a2ed70gUdRF8K8_AwjzvsRE41qf3WxezLy3RnSYz99TjJsq_1V6-3dqNRnOhgwnOTwtyPwlI/s1600/IMG_6275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhh1C6HwS_2DUuhNj6JPa3RdTWjNBMAtxJGSl77Npny-FzblxksoYphiA3x120lFxVqe-a2ed70gUdRF8K8_AwjzvsRE41qf3WxezLy3RnSYz99TjJsq_1V6-3dqNRnOhgwnOTwtyPwlI/s320/IMG_6275.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our back patio where we did not get to eat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When
Monday came, the real fun began. We
started the day with the regular ultrasound and blood work. Fortunately, they said it appeared we were
measuring one more follicle.
Unfortunately, this meant we were still only measuring five
follicles. Statistically, not great odds
with our history. We had a genetic class
to teach us all about how they would perform the genetic tests on our embryos
and what they were looking for. Then, we
had an individual consultation with a genetic counselor. Seriously, we have never had this kind of
information given to us. We ended the
day with a physical to make sure my body was ready for anesthesia during
transfer. I cannot stress enough how
kind and enjoyable all of the staff is at CCRM.
I know I mentioned it in the last post how Dr. Schoolcraft will
patiently answer all of your questions, and he must have trained his nurses
because they are the exact same way.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAy7AaCvehGP1Tv-q8XC1AU91Kw5ItjyxaEGRj67OUX1Drh1_FX3COQdjuezEtf-gBFxABik-bTyP5tNbUuCBbfPuNuf2_f_vdD_GH7QkNtP_pKwQv2nisdfIveiPGXEoZ9b04GZQyQo/s1600/IMG_6278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAy7AaCvehGP1Tv-q8XC1AU91Kw5ItjyxaEGRj67OUX1Drh1_FX3COQdjuezEtf-gBFxABik-bTyP5tNbUuCBbfPuNuf2_f_vdD_GH7QkNtP_pKwQv2nisdfIveiPGXEoZ9b04GZQyQo/s320/IMG_6278.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is proof that we did setup a home office for the two of us <br />
to work while we were there. You're welcome, bosses!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We left
there and headed into Denver to buy more Menopur and Viagra. We have always had to mail order my
injectable medications, so it was cool to be able to pull up to a pharmacy to
get them. It was about a 30 minute drive
to the pharmacy, but with Denver rush hour, we had plenty of time to discuss.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgtk1gTKh7hsXCjkNWSVA5gP3utJtt-BQVBIFh03zw4uEDVjgWLO3rciHOtTMNcKt8p_x002qKKzxdm2dNW2lIQCflSNUYhf-HDJBNyWm0-w51iBNFqzQ3zFmvdm8BSPAelO935HO-LQ/s1600/IMG_6284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgtk1gTKh7hsXCjkNWSVA5gP3utJtt-BQVBIFh03zw4uEDVjgWLO3rciHOtTMNcKt8p_x002qKKzxdm2dNW2lIQCflSNUYhf-HDJBNyWm0-w51iBNFqzQ3zFmvdm8BSPAelO935HO-LQ/s320/IMG_6284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new pharmacy...where everybody knows <br />
your name (after you visit 3 times in 4 days)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tuesday,
we came back to the clinic for a regroup with Dr. Schoolcraft. Our nurse recommended it since we seemed to
be disappointed in the fact that we only had five follicles growing at the
right rate. It was at this time that he
informed us that he was not surprised with my response. Unfortunately, there was literally nothing
else he could do to make my body respond any better. He had given us the “bazooka” plan. It was the biggest and best that they only
give to patients with my type of ailments and history. He encouraged us to consider adding the two
extra cycles with banking that we had discussed before. We were absolutely distraught. We knew we had until my retrieval to decide
what to do about the extra cycles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On
Wednesday, we had our fifth round of ultrasound and blood work since this cycle
started. The nurse said we were still
measuring with five follicles on track.
We left the clinic and headed into Denver for our second pick-up of injectable
medication and Viagra to hopefully last us the rest of the cycle. Later that afternoon, we drove back into
Denver (because we don’t know how to do all of these things at the same time?) to
see Todd’s urologist for his pre-op appointment. Sadly for Dr. Cowan, when he walked in the
room and asked how the cycle was going, I broke down into tears. He was prepared as he quickly handed me a box
of tissues and reminded us that we are in the best hands.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thursday
brought round six of ultrasound and blood work and no changed news. We had our third trip to the Denver pharmacy
for more Follistim that day too. That
evening, we were lucky enough to get to go to dinner with my childhood friend
that we saw on the last trip. This time,
her little girls were with her, again, and so was her husband. It was a great break from the
all-encompassing decision of what we would do about adding more cycles. This was the first night that I lost my
marbles, though. I was so upset that we
couldn’t make a decision that I blew my lid.
Thank you, hormones.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEGv55mv0KMqPCPdssjzrhwVMS5DsHxbSiNf44Fd4zgp_rzda-rY8g3jY5mY1b3InwYNpbjUFSWepLI3FiPGwhL7RKkRBBHFYMMyqM0nc82qe3NHH-NLuFYKJ35-B54Do2g6gh4isDqg/s1600/IMG_6291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEGv55mv0KMqPCPdssjzrhwVMS5DsHxbSiNf44Fd4zgp_rzda-rY8g3jY5mY1b3InwYNpbjUFSWepLI3FiPGwhL7RKkRBBHFYMMyqM0nc82qe3NHH-NLuFYKJ35-B54Do2g6gh4isDqg/s320/IMG_6291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only picture we have ever taken of my ovaries. <br />
You can see multiple follicles at this angle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Before
we went to bed on Thursday, we did my first two of three trigger shots. These are the shots that cause your body to
ovulate the eggs. They have to be
exactly timed, or it can mess up a whole lot of stuff. In the past, I have only done one trigger
shot. This was the first time I was
getting to do three. Again, another
change to our protocol from our past.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
next morning, we had to arrive for Todd’s retrieval. It was pretty cool. When you go to CCRM for surgery, they have an
underground garage that’s outside of the elements for you to park. We went through the regular pre-op stuff of
getting him changed, getting his IV, and answering questions for every doctor
and nurse in the building, including the all-loving Dr. Cowan. Once Todd was in surgery, I went down for a
final blood draw to make sure my body had properly absorbed the trigger
shots. When Dr. Cowan came out from
surgery and gave me a good report, I actually stood up to shake his hand. Instead, we somehow hugged, and it was
reassuring to know we had a doctor that we felt cared so much about our
case. I was finally able to go back and
see Todd, and he didn’t disappoint. Todd
on Propophol is always an enjoyment. We
made it home that day just in time for me to take my third and final trigger
and for both of us to get some rest.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOjkO4jAp9y97pzBGh3NSFtBdzh1GF3H2nUk0fQ1Yux7jAbBl9h1UBEmpLv9PX-beDwUXwWfNV-HDvDW1K8rViR-MyUB5fJaHnIPqdIOyPJxrKuj4awe9rNP2aJ8lV8DyZtHogiKZlPI/s1600/IMG_6311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOjkO4jAp9y97pzBGh3NSFtBdzh1GF3H2nUk0fQ1Yux7jAbBl9h1UBEmpLv9PX-beDwUXwWfNV-HDvDW1K8rViR-MyUB5fJaHnIPqdIOyPJxrKuj4awe9rNP2aJ8lV8DyZtHogiKZlPI/s320/IMG_6311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd's personal belonging box at his surgery. He was proud of his shirt. <br />
He's so romantic!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF67wLfsy_QYg17FdZdY5qQ8XwQoHiPWotXPVBRKGL9JPYgMlKxnnzdWwaKzKx_wDVeyrjnW2zjo7jFPSgVV2a_Vz4LI7M9-pH6IhDEJobHogdEnB79xH5J_puUwDftLbB2H9j4JYbTJo/s1600/IMG_6313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF67wLfsy_QYg17FdZdY5qQ8XwQoHiPWotXPVBRKGL9JPYgMlKxnnzdWwaKzKx_wDVeyrjnW2zjo7jFPSgVV2a_Vz4LI7M9-pH6IhDEJobHogdEnB79xH5J_puUwDftLbB2H9j4JYbTJo/s320/IMG_6313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Op...a little nervous</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJidk4MYhQdJDpKX0yzbpgbdL-zE0nAwQLP9I47KGr7xfyNfZ1GFdiII3X6oy4QRGCXYTkdJxprICClwEQt1aNnwtMPCPbIl6UJCk_GcTvcnCH0f3ILuXDbstmVA_IOSDV_eiQjyaMJ9k/s1600/IMG_6319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJidk4MYhQdJDpKX0yzbpgbdL-zE0nAwQLP9I47KGr7xfyNfZ1GFdiII3X6oy4QRGCXYTkdJxprICClwEQt1aNnwtMPCPbIl6UJCk_GcTvcnCH0f3ILuXDbstmVA_IOSDV_eiQjyaMJ9k/s320/IMG_6319.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-Op...not a care in the world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzAMbxriGZe4Cb04SKcSdh1gZkxXF_Et8Yk1VJP1kh__PnT0Xda1eQkzLhmrdE_Ob3qMWVrWa-gyJ4qVoXvCVTkAbr1nvsAdpDYdU300vwn_DClhLrfQ1x5IgLrszEC6dpacYNTmuHFE/s1600/IMG_6325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzAMbxriGZe4Cb04SKcSdh1gZkxXF_Et8Yk1VJP1kh__PnT0Xda1eQkzLhmrdE_Ob3qMWVrWa-gyJ4qVoXvCVTkAbr1nvsAdpDYdU300vwn_DClhLrfQ1x5IgLrszEC6dpacYNTmuHFE/s320/IMG_6325.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a homemade ice pack requires a Target sack, a ladle, and some patience.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Saturday
was the day of truth. We headed to CCRM
knowing we still didn’t have our decision made.
We had just decided to “wing it.”
The retrieval order was just like Todd’s, only this time, they didn’t
make him go out into a waiting room when I went into surgery. Instead, he was able to go to my post-op
room, sit in a recliner, and was brought ice packs and warm blankets. Livin’ like a king! A while after retrieval was complete, an
embryologist came out to talk to us and tell us that they had retrieved 11
eggs. Now, this may sound like a massive
miracle, but we knew they would retrieve more eggs than we had
anticipated. The real question was how
many were mature. At that point, we were
supposed to make a decision on the extra cycles, and I know the embryologist
could tell we were still torn. She asked
if we would like for her to call us when they knew the maturity, and we were so
relieved. That would give us a much
better picture of what we were dealing with.
We loaded up and headed back to the condo for more rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A
few hours later, the call came. With
hearts beating, we answered and listened as she politely told us that seven of
the eggs were mature. SEVEN! Not five?!
We were told to <b><i>hope</i></b> for five. Nope, our God had shown His hand and blessed
us with seven mature eggs. We were
elated. Confidently, we told her to move
forward with just this one cycle. At
that moment, we <b><i>knew</i></b> that God was telling us to trust Him. It would take more faith for us to stop at
this one cycle than to continue adding more and more cycles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On
Super Bowl Sunday, they called to tell us that six of those mature eggs were
able to be fertilized. What a huge
relief. But now the real wait began…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBriSaQ3a3Ev7xix7mXyIP4a6Wpi1oIgqgLW2CBUgOzVzcsaNoB6A_GJBs1iD_ydHVQvc5Za4SU9IOVQtmJuA77t-V8nPxtTELbNeyNG4R_ERLYmxvdE4mvFpL3MXJaWJZMwH83L4IeIY/s1600/IMG_6367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBriSaQ3a3Ev7xix7mXyIP4a6Wpi1oIgqgLW2CBUgOzVzcsaNoB6A_GJBs1iD_ydHVQvc5Za4SU9IOVQtmJuA77t-V8nPxtTELbNeyNG4R_ERLYmxvdE4mvFpL3MXJaWJZMwH83L4IeIY/s320/IMG_6367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-70504812958340398752016-02-19T17:37:00.003-08:002016-02-27T14:46:26.740-08:00Whew!<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We are home from Colorado!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh, wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just jumped about 16 steps ahead of
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been absolutely delinquent, and now
you have no idea of anything going on with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we decided to take a break this summer from treatments, I took it a
little far, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s go back a few
months…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>October</u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We took a long, amazing weekend
and went to Estes Park, Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
the most rejuvenating weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent
a lot of time outside and really took in the beauty of the mountains and the
trumpeting elk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you, these
elk are one majestic creature…until they trumpet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds like one of those large straws that
you can swing in a circle to make it whistle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The exact same noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men
make it to attract the females.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are everywhere,
though, and it’s really a sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
truly love Estes Park, now! We love it so much that we took 437 pictures in 2 days. You think I'm kidding...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We start the trip by seeing how organized my amazing husband is. He helped me immensely by planning the logistics of transportation and lodging for us. He even labeled his folders. Be still my over-organized heart.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYe5pQojvbmf8m9xOcBeRyueq9_nGTWkmef7-0jdDPtD2IBKkADYzcel6NIfSim-SQtQykQ0qmb7GhjwfmSkdO2k49KCbhcNcBS8A8XZujUvvcrfE_D2gB1urJOAUlelPS5Q43lCL9rw/s1600/IMG_4732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYe5pQojvbmf8m9xOcBeRyueq9_nGTWkmef7-0jdDPtD2IBKkADYzcel6NIfSim-SQtQykQ0qmb7GhjwfmSkdO2k49KCbhcNcBS8A8XZujUvvcrfE_D2gB1urJOAUlelPS5Q43lCL9rw/s320/IMG_4732.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Colorado was obviously one of God's best pieces of work. We just fell in love with Estes Park. I cannot wait to return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Of the many wildlife we saw walking very closely in town, my favorites were the chipmunks and elk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And what is vacation without some selfies?! Honestly, we were hoping to get one good enough to frame, but can you tell it's windy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I heart wind.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We ended said amazing weekend
with a 9.5 hour visit to Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In infertility treatment terms, that means we
went to the mecca of IVF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This clinic is
in the top 5 in the nation, y’all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
decided that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so we went for the longest
day of procedures, labs, classes, and meetings that we have ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And let me tell you, these people are
thorough!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We took an IVF orientation (that
we could have taught by now) and met with our nurse, Dr. Schoolcraft, the lab
CCRM uses, and the business office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had an ultrasound with Doppler completed, which means they were able to measure
the blood flow to my uterus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty cool
stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had 13 vials of blood drawn,
while Todd had a measly 4. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
I also had to have a hysteroscopy and HSG, both of which are very uncomfortable
procedures for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I even took proof of my blood vials and made sure to get a picture of Todd pouting before his blood draw.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Meeting Dr. Schoolcraft for the
first time was an interesting feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was so nervous to talk to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must
admit, he’s much more down to earth than I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took plenty of time to answer our
questions, and he answered them in a way that made sense to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then, we were off to meet Todd’s
urologist, Dr. Cowan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t forget that
name because if you or your spouse ever need an urologist, you should strongly
consider flying to Colorado for this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seriously, it’s been discussed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is something about this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have met urologists before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four to be exact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Number 5 was our guy, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Cowan is one of those guys you would like
to invite over for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has this
wonderfully quirky style about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
actually hugged him at one point, but that’s a story for later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And because we needed to entertain ourselves while at the doctor, more selfies. I swear, we aren't this self-involved. It was really funny to us.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We wrapped up the weekend by
having dinner with a friend that I have known since kindergarten and her two
daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had actually not seen each
other since high school, but when she saw we were headed to town, she invited
us out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s that sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was great to catch up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, her two daughters were conceived via
infertility treatments, so she just gets it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As you can tell, our first trip
to Lone Tree, Colorado, for our one-day workup (ODWU) was a success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was permitted to be a part of a
study at CCRM for our cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to
participate, I was required to take 3 acai supplements daily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sent the supplements to me, and I started
them at the end of October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one
of the first changes to our protocol that Dr. Schoolcraft made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>November</u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we left there, we were told it
would take about a month for all of the test results to be complete and for Dr.
Schoolcraft to call with our plan of attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On November 9, we set a plan to have Todd come to my office to take a
conference call with me to hear what the great doctor had to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I miscalculated the time zone
differences, and Todd missed the call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The short of it was that he said that if we
are not ready to move on to egg donors, we should consider his Family Building
Plan (FBP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the FBP could
take up to a year and was out of the budget we were willing to spend at this
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I make that decision sound so
easy, but it literally took us over a month of tears and prayers and analyzing
to come to our conclusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We informed
our nurse that we would be moving forward with a single cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had no idea what this decision would mean
in the near future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>December</u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We received our medication
protocol and saw that I would be on testosterone, Viagra, and clomid sometime
throughout this cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd said to me,
“You’re going to be horny, hairy, and cranky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s one heck of a trifecta!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On Christmas day, I started
testosterone gel (which later changed to patches) and estrogen pills (called
Estrace).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fully expected to feel
changes from the testosterone, but there was nothing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On cycle day 16 (CD16 for you TTC
enthusiasts), I added Prometrium tabs twice a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was hands down my least favorite drug I
have taken in all of my six IVF cycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would rather have progesterone-in-oil shots (the ones that hurt the
worst) every day for those 10 days than to have to take that medication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just gross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all I will say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I did these medications until my
cycle came in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
considered my “priming” month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
never had a priming month before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I basically
just took birth control pills before we started a cycle, so we were very
excited to have so many new drugs on our protocol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were blood draws at the beginning and
halfway through the month to make sure I was absorbing the medication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, it was pretty status quo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My moods were not too terribly
different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a successful start to
our final cycle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I will try to write soon about
the rest of the cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just don’t like
having such long entries, as it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Happy Weekend!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-21492485767390286602015-08-04T15:40:00.002-07:002015-08-04T15:40:55.895-07:00The Rain<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Several
weeks ago, I arrived at work, got out of the car, and headed towards <a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/09/this-is-alley.html" target="_blank">my#favoritenotfavorite alley</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
barely sprinkling so I made the decision that I did not need an umbrella. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 10 steps into my walk, the Heavens
opened and the skies came flooding down on me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I squealed like a little girl and quickly
began to run for the door, carrying all of my bags that have earned me the
beloved name of “bag lady” at work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ran as fast as I was able to, not realizing what I was doing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I could think about was getting out of the
rain.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I realized
that morning that infertility is just like rain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dream about getting out of this phase of my
life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I plan and plan and plan how I'm
going to get out of it the quickest.<u1:p></u1:p><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I know deep down is that enjoying the
rain can be quite a life lesson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rain helps
things grow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Infertility helps me to
grow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told myself that morning that when
infertility was really feeling like a downpour, I should remember to stop and enjoy
how it feels to be able to dance in the rain and enjoy this time when I am
growing so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Not two
weeks later, the craziest thing happened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I turned the corner for the last stretch of
my drive to work, the rain started. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
pulled into the parking lot and sat, thinking about if I should carry an
umbrella. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I whispered, “God, help me to learn
to enjoy this rain.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed out of my
car, grabbed my many bags, and began to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">slowly</i></b> walk into the building,
letting the rain fall all over me. As I entered <a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/09/this-is-alley.html" target="_blank">my alley where I have receivedso much bad news along this journey</a>, the rain began to pick up its intensity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t speed up my pace, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I relished in the feel and the smell
of the rain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as I neared the
end of the alley, the rain began to lessen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was amazing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at that
moment that I smiled, realizing that even when things get harder, God is always
in control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And can I just tell you how good the rain felt?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that day was going to be a good day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yesterday was my due date. It was the day that we
thought we would give birth to our son. I have been waiting for it to come for
months, anticipating how I would react to the day. That morning, I asked Todd
if he remembered the significance of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not surprisingly, he had not forgotten. I spent my drive to work in
tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I spent several moments
that day in tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I even had the opportunity to take a pregnancy test
with a small amount of hope that being “2 weeks late” was going to be the next
page in the story that God is writing for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(I am never late, so this was quite a phenomenon for us.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t turn out exactly as we had
hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was imagining how we would get
to surprise all of our friends and family with the miracle news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, the negative sign on the test gave
me another chance to show my God how faithful I am becoming that He truly is
holding us close to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My heart longs to be a mother. My body physically
aches at times from the repeated losses. I was afraid that yesterday was going
to be a complete mess of a day for me if I didn’t focus it correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I reached out to someone I knew that
would be able to comfort me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent my
evening at dinner with one of my dearest friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cuddled with my husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the tears that did come and go
throughout the day, I learned to dance in the rain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that someday, this rain will end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trusting God for that does bring me peace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Here we are this summer, enjoying the rain with our two favorite girls. Yes, we were wearing shower caps for part of it. No better way to enjoy rain than being silly in it.</em></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_ou3O_mzbfera9KSdGXaajrzJDpmCBkyHuEHof3FDC893AkFE7v5gAE-Jgn6QdD_bTegkqshHJCM7Ui-yjPusm0vs3C9PEp-PinP0qB_S3jBy7s7SJ3c6xQqN__z6YwxIsMeaAxoHA/s1600/P5230729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_ou3O_mzbfera9KSdGXaajrzJDpmCBkyHuEHof3FDC893AkFE7v5gAE-Jgn6QdD_bTegkqshHJCM7Ui-yjPusm0vs3C9PEp-PinP0qB_S3jBy7s7SJ3c6xQqN__z6YwxIsMeaAxoHA/s320/P5230729.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RZjqx9q3sLw9uwlwtV3XtDvDZX_qjR85m8oGMOOm6iieOY27eok8ro5IIm3rIzgzuH6kOiZZf1TvftQ1u3O3g_O6OGVPOdeXJNcPeV3hDtrh0xXCNP44q2OhsN2X0Ib8Lh5oM5A7-DI/s1600/P5230734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RZjqx9q3sLw9uwlwtV3XtDvDZX_qjR85m8oGMOOm6iieOY27eok8ro5IIm3rIzgzuH6kOiZZf1TvftQ1u3O3g_O6OGVPOdeXJNcPeV3hDtrh0xXCNP44q2OhsN2X0Ib8Lh5oM5A7-DI/s320/P5230734.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpm1uBU0r8we1-gut9vW3VC9T6ZSZ50uZDcSLnmnfxrZNQOpQrM28_a7v_-ESDS3lfzmUjKzNQ-FJANaH3s71vFzdhTo7xzT4WuhFw7IPqI8AKhD-7Sutc14kcqVDUyH6DIwsQqZ3zww/s1600/P5230741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpm1uBU0r8we1-gut9vW3VC9T6ZSZ50uZDcSLnmnfxrZNQOpQrM28_a7v_-ESDS3lfzmUjKzNQ-FJANaH3s71vFzdhTo7xzT4WuhFw7IPqI8AKhD-7Sutc14kcqVDUyH6DIwsQqZ3zww/s320/P5230741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<em>This is the view I had one morning at a lake house we rented. Instead of locking up inside the house, my dad and I enjoyed each other's company...and the rain...from the back porch.</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2otmt9__0sJLWiOl4wjJCNtFmtc0OkN98_4qmEOAv-DGs3g1kUA8-K3sdnbcJh8_hjTJipWShox2cUpCV5hvpd2wmCE1F8Qy52WgS3-QBxIWPv2yMwiBwdtqjpAimHGGOvH86IDY7MXY/s1600/IMG_3529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2otmt9__0sJLWiOl4wjJCNtFmtc0OkN98_4qmEOAv-DGs3g1kUA8-K3sdnbcJh8_hjTJipWShox2cUpCV5hvpd2wmCE1F8Qy52WgS3-QBxIWPv2yMwiBwdtqjpAimHGGOvH86IDY7MXY/s320/IMG_3529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-56746970163394955672015-07-17T12:59:00.001-07:002015-07-17T12:59:14.203-07:00My Submission for the Bloggers Fertility Conference
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzztAb919xKkokR9nhZrXdGCOW5ARUO0Vir4WDbaG6yx0kMunlblgYqIQvTR3ibNnA2KrPoBVgyD_AvhPgg4IOKe6kNKHwU2BkT_5IHFxq2cgkDGhE3SpWNv2h2EDrubVutRNJT4tRqc/s1600/laura.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzztAb919xKkokR9nhZrXdGCOW5ARUO0Vir4WDbaG6yx0kMunlblgYqIQvTR3ibNnA2KrPoBVgyD_AvhPgg4IOKe6kNKHwU2BkT_5IHFxq2cgkDGhE3SpWNv2h2EDrubVutRNJT4tRqc/s320/laura.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am super excited that I was able to participate in this online
conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many wonderful
bloggers on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you get a chance, follow
along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is so much great
information being shared by these ladies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is <a href="https://missconceptioncoach.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/day-3-of-the-bloggers-fertility-conference/" target="_blank">my submission</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://missconceptioncoach.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/day-3-of-the-bloggers-fertility-conference/">https://missconceptioncoach.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/day-3-of-the-bloggers-fertility-conference/</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJr2QNonTMciUqUBA-lfuXJdkM6JWdlZ44u2lqtbM6lRrtHna1uZ_YcH6f6Na0VEpiXESA_uy1qqcHFSsFQ-VIsnfFXj4EETawphvBbmFlFwiCjBMMKV0YqDTElGNrgkut2gGoY1EnQx0/s1600/fertility+conference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJr2QNonTMciUqUBA-lfuXJdkM6JWdlZ44u2lqtbM6lRrtHna1uZ_YcH6f6Na0VEpiXESA_uy1qqcHFSsFQ-VIsnfFXj4EETawphvBbmFlFwiCjBMMKV0YqDTElGNrgkut2gGoY1EnQx0/s320/fertility+conference.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-45836767720332314182015-07-09T12:07:00.001-07:002015-07-09T12:07:06.167-07:00Online Fertility Conference - Starts July 13th<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I am honored to be participating in an
online Fertility Conference starting July 13</span><sup><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">. I hope you will join me in following each of the entries from these awesome bloggers.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD65KuBB-flDaLSfXzbE0pwn4Dk9smr9AQtt1d-cZGIW3OzDn1u-UiORkw-Q0u7JrJjdJKQ1l04Dvpunkn9C9X4PiMfb3j2NnEMtHxzHWxjpmy2HQpDV0QcKWHBegyO2NNzo-Ev0fKwY/s1600/fertility+conference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD65KuBB-flDaLSfXzbE0pwn4Dk9smr9AQtt1d-cZGIW3OzDn1u-UiORkw-Q0u7JrJjdJKQ1l04Dvpunkn9C9X4PiMfb3j2NnEMtHxzHWxjpmy2HQpDV0QcKWHBegyO2NNzo-Ev0fKwY/s320/fertility+conference.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">P.S. I haven't written much lately
because I have been giving you all a break from reading my blog after the daily
Cycle 5 posts. Plus, I have been working on a couple of other projects when I
get a chance to write. I will be back very soon, though.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Just so you know, there is no real
update on Colorado or CCRM. We are still waiting for all of our records to
arrive at their office. We are still planning to go out there for the full-day
of testing sometime in August. I will keep you posted.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Happy Little Friday! (Sorry I stole
that, Dayna, but it's so catchy...kind of like burns my biscuits, huh?)</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-21297246983983739202015-06-26T14:09:00.001-07:002015-07-02T09:33:58.317-07:00“Have you ever considered adoption?”<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Have you ever considered adoption?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adoption? What is that?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No, in all seriousness, yes. We have considered
adoption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have also considered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural
conception</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clomid</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Femara</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">timed-intercourse/medicated
cycles</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IUI</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IVF</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural-cycle IVF</i>,
and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mini-IVF</i> (is there
a difference in these last two?).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have eaten a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">clean
diet</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">tried the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">PCOS diet</i>,
and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">juiced</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">acupuncture</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">massages</i>, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yoga</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have taken <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Metformin</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pregnitude</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fish oil</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Co-Q10</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pre-natal vitamins</i>,
and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">folic acid</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(In all reality, we have been swallowing over
20 pills a day since we started down this road.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would you like your first 28 shots in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the thigh</i> or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the stomach</i>
because the following 63 shots will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
your rear</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or if you’re lucky and your doctor doesn’t make you take the
Progesterone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shots in the rear</i>, do
you want<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">patches</i> or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">suppositories</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of, do you want Estrogen as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shot</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cream</i>, or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">patch</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you want <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ICSI/IMSI/PICSI</i>
or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">petri-dish
fertilization</i>?<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: dark2;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One embryo</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">two embryos</i>, or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three embryos</i> at
transfer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have looked into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">egg
donors</i>,<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sperm donors</i>, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">embryo donations</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did you know you can get eggs and/or sperm from a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">known donor</i> or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unknown donor</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s not even mention the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eye color</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hair color</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">race</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">religion</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">intelligence level</i>,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sexual orientation</i>, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">183 other options</i> on those sperm and egg
donors that you have to make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genetic testing</i> or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">luck of the draw</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you want updates via <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phone</i>
or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">email</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Don’t even get me going on what happens if you
miscarry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can have your miscarriage
in the form of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chemical D&C</i>,
or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">surgical D&C</i>.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have researched <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fostering</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">adopting</i>, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">foster-to-adopt</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We realize you can adopt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">domestically</i>
or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">internationally</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can get an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian
baby</i> (because we are) or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">non-Indian baby</i>
(because we don’t look like we are).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">open
adoption</i> or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">closed adoption</i>
decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In many of these cases, do you want <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a boy</i> or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a girl</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are you set on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a baby</i>,
or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">would you like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">an
older child</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way, don’t forget you need to pay for this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">borrow</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fundraise</i>, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finance</i>, or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pay cash</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whew, my brain hurts.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, have we considered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">adoption</i>?
Yes, amongst a few other things. It’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just</i></b> not that easy.
“Just relax,” though – we’ve got this under control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and biology PSA coming to you – adoption isn’t what people
do to get pregnant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are just <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i></b> of the decisions that someone
with this disease will face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us
will have additional decisions; some of us will not have to face all of these
decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can promise, though, that
all of us have, at one time or another, considered adoption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyone else ever notice that infertility can feel like a Chinese food
buffet with all of the options laid out before you?…and many of them are unclear
as to what they really are?!</span></i></b><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*************************</span></em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am doing a <a href="http://www.amateurnester.com/2015/06/infertility-link-up-4.html" target="_blank">link-up with Lisa at Amateur Nester</a>
for this blog entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go check-out her
blog if you’re in the mood to be encouraged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you don’t like being encouraged, well…I’m sorry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amateurnester.com/2015/06/infertility-link-up-4.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.amateurnester.com/2015/06/infertility-link-up-4.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-52182091044887833442015-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-17T06:00:01.030-07:00IVF Cycle 5 – Shot Count<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpvyivbmXF_r9KHCPbNAGlcheLCEI5vI3eIw9pWpM4_o1e4_0AIRw0hRTW1KzmQK59so9XNAwl4AeNzXj9wSjk7OW2Kw7q-wfUohh4Nocy9BEbbqVdbqNYyjXVqpmYmylSR4slBp69TQ/s1600/shots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpvyivbmXF_r9KHCPbNAGlcheLCEI5vI3eIw9pWpM4_o1e4_0AIRw0hRTW1KzmQK59so9XNAwl4AeNzXj9wSjk7OW2Kw7q-wfUohh4Nocy9BEbbqVdbqNYyjXVqpmYmylSR4slBp69TQ/s320/shots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It may seem strange that I always like to post my shot
counts on my blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">However</i>, if you have ever had a consult with a new RE, you know
that one of their favorite questions pertains to what kind of shot protocol you
have done in the past and the results of those cycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I use my blog to review my shots
before said consultations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, isn’t
it nice to be able to appreciate how many shots an IVF patient endures each
cycle?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><o:p></o:p> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the record, cycles are easier on the shot protocol when
they stop right after retrieval.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaving out Progesterone is nothing short of
a blessing from God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/4 evening – Gonal-F 450IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/5 evening – Gonal-F 450IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/6 evening – Gonal-F 450IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/7 evening – Gonal-F 375IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/8 evening – Gonal-F 375IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/8 evening – Menopur 75IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/9 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/9 evening – Gonal-F 450IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/10 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/10 evening – Gonal-F 375IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/10 evening – Menopur 75IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/11 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">13.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/11 evening – Gonal-F 300IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">14.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/11 evening – Menopur 75IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/12 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">16.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/12 evening – Gonal-F 300IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">17.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/13 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">18.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/13 evening – Gonal-F 225IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">19.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/13 evening – Menopur 75IU</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">20.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/14 morning – Ganirelix 250mcg</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">21.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5/15 evening – Trigger Shot!!! – Ovidrel</span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-13757127463836197672015-06-16T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-16T10:08:47.210-07:00IVF Cycle 5 – Calling Colorado - Consultation with Dr. Schoolcraft<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wednesday, June 10, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First
of all, happy birthday to my dad and my multiple friends with birthdays today!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday,
I received an email from Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where Dr. Schoolcraft works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said that Todd and I had officially
completed our registration information and were set for our consult with Dr.
Schoolcraft on July 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as I was reading
through one of the 35 pages of information they had sent me (I’m not kidding,
y’all), I saw a note where it said that once you had completed steps 1 and 2 of
registration, you could be put on a cancellation list for a potential earlier
consult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I checked my notes, and sure
enough, we had completed steps 1 and 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I dropped them a quick reply to put us on the cancellation list, and in
a matter of minutes, I received a call saying he had a cancellation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for last night</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ecstatic!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We agreed we could make it work, and we set
the appointment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Soooo,
we talked to Dr. Schoolcraft last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, I was nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have had
these consults so many times, and I still get nervous about all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worry that we will constantly try to talk
over each other since we are on speaker phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I worry that I will forget to ask questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worry that I won’t have the right
information prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I love
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time we have a new call, we
get new information and new hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
didn’t disappoint last night, either!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr.
Schoolcraft talked us through our previous cycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, he said he would be willing to let us
cycle with my eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He, also, said that if we are going to
consider donors at some point, he thinks an egg donor will be the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I specifically asked him why he didn’t think
we needed to replace the sperm, and he said that with Todd’s history of
conceiving 3 children, his sperm should be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even asked if the vasectomy being so long
ago could cause the sperm to deteriorate, and he said it wasn’t an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y’all, you cannot understand the relief this
gives us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I tell the story, I tear-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, God has come through for us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are willing to move on and discuss an egg
donor <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at some point</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moving on
and discussing a sperm donor is a much trickier subject!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
have a lot of work to do before we can go see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to gather records from 2 different
doctors, which is not as simple as just calling and requesting the
records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several other details
that have to be worked out before that can happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, we are discussing and praying about
if this is the direction we want to continue to head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, at some point, we will head to
Colorado for a day of testing, meetings, and a procedure for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hello, dear anesthesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am
excited for this new hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, if only
I can finish building my direct line to God, so I can see what He would like us
to do next…</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-35700162516341012072015-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-16T10:08:30.510-07:00IVF Cycle 5 – Going “Home” - Consultation with Dr. McKinney<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thursday, June 4, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
met with Dr. McKinney yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a little strange walking into their office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told Todd that I felt like I was going home, but to an abusive home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They aren’t abusive people, but IVF is
starting to feel a bit sadistic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr.
McKinney spent an hour with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some
point during our visit, both of her nurses found us to hug our necks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice to feel love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did tell Todd that I felt famous in a place
I didn’t want to be famous, though.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
had to break the news that we had cheated on her with Dr. Ahlering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, she understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that if we wanted to look at other
REs, she wanted us to consider Dr. Bill Schoolcraft in Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_24517850/reality-show-personalities-bill-giuliana-rancic-guests-at" target="_blank">Anyone follow Giuliana Rancic?</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(By the way, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/12/living/health-giuliana/" target="_blank">I love this article about her and her struggles.</a>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had actually looked into Dr. Schoolcraft
before we really got into IVF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has some
of the best success rates in America, so I wanted to know if he would be an
option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, I thought his prices
were too high; throw in the cost to travel to Colorado last-minute, and we
ruled him out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to think that I
wouldn’t be able to quit IVF without trying Dr. Schoolcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I learned about Dr. Ahlering last year,
I changed my opinion to be that I wouldn’t be able to quit IVF without trying
Dr. Ahlering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this is God taking
us full circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, Todd and I
will do our research and discuss this option.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr.
McKinney also suggested that if we are ready to consider moving onto donors,
she would suggest we pick an egg donor and fertilize half of her eggs with
Todd’s sperm and half with donor sperm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Truthfully, our hearts are not ready to move onto donors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If you
have ever seriously faced that decision, you’ll understand how it’s not an easy
one.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All
in all, it was really good to see Dr. McKinney and her staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I may joke about feeling too
comfortable there, it really is nice to feel like we’re home, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I had to do IVF anywhere, I would want it
to be with Dr. McKinney.</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-26366586369632086492015-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-16T10:08:18.591-07:00IVF Cycle 5 - WTH with Dr. Ahlering<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tuesday, June 2, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday
was what we lovingly call our WTH appointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the appointment where the doctor reviews the cycle with you to see
what went wrong and tell you their suggestion for moving forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was our fifth WTH appointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, they are all the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Well,
it looks like the embryos just weren’t a good enough quality to survive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not really sure what caused that, if it
was the egg or the sperm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can try
another round with your eggs and sperm, but I would suggest starting to think
about using donors.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
always go into these appointments hoping that the doctor will say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> is what caused the failure and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> is what you should do next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They never do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only silver lining to this appointment is
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none</i> of the doctors charge for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tomorrow,
we will meet with Dr. McKinney (IVF cycles 3 & 4) to see if we can get her
to be more decisive on a next step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have my fingers crossed that she will give us a solid medical opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
problem is that I don’t believe there is a solid medical opinion to be
had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These doctors have no idea what
will work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What works for patient A does
not always work for patient B even if their numbers are all the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, none of these doctors <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i> telling their patients that they
are going to need to fork over thousands of more dollars for what is basically
an experimental treatment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Honestly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fine, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miracles happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe in a God that could make me
pregnant in any way he wishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still
struggle with worrying about these decisions we are facing, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worry that I will not be comfortable with
giving up on my biology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know that
everyone says you will never look back once you decide to use donors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that’s really only something that
someone who has actually decided to use a donor understands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stepping off that ledge still isn’t easy.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for the worry, I make a daily
effort…sometimes multiple times each day…to give my worries over to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know He can handle this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know He will handle this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know that my future will not look at all
as I had dreamt because my present is already drastically different than my
dreams.</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I know that He
will take care of us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank
you, God, for being omnipotent.</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-85976319614436438582015-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-16T10:08:01.966-07:00IVF Cycle 5 - Game Over<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friday, May 22, 2015</span></u></strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our
cycle came to a close yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shawnie
emailed to tell me that we had lost our two remaining embryos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t really know how to describe what I
felt when I read that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in shock
because I thought our two embabies that were left were doing pretty well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I immediately stepped out of the office and
headed towards <a href="http://makingmoviesjealous.blogspot.com/2014/09/this-is-alley.html" target="_blank">our dreaded alley</a> to call Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through audible sobs,
I tried to tell him what had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally,
he told me to come home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s devastating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Five
times we have tried this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, five
tries wouldn’t be nearly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
this, it’s more than we probably should have done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is probably time to throw in the towel and
do something different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
got home to Todd yesterday, and we curled up on the couch like we always do
after a failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not too long after, he
asked if I wanted to get out of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seemed like a great idea, so we headed for the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our maiden voyage on our new
boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great way to kill some
time and just be.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9KLSFW4WovLbeKs9aXBY17gkvTsUnpR28c8IIYRAd9k_LsyLr6yuhnQ-f8gXyZMfT3CB4S0YsqkhHCdljxfKWLXvfPTLkJpmZmR8imOcxQXpNxlQHPbkQrU_bsec2wWEppkhpnAcPwQ/s1600/boat+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9KLSFW4WovLbeKs9aXBY17gkvTsUnpR28c8IIYRAd9k_LsyLr6yuhnQ-f8gXyZMfT3CB4S0YsqkhHCdljxfKWLXvfPTLkJpmZmR8imOcxQXpNxlQHPbkQrU_bsec2wWEppkhpnAcPwQ/s320/boat+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1MGqO3Ch84Y3KUekxRMOVSuFnfwbyl91sqihBb2HoHSPb5zgcKD6bRyQXzQRJ8qPP4fk2tMBSUAupCnPzSRkn99RDpOSP0oTq-YhxD4zZLIkF86ZZmaskXIRkX2uLaATVCYLDDf-pgc/s1600/boat+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1MGqO3Ch84Y3KUekxRMOVSuFnfwbyl91sqihBb2HoHSPb5zgcKD6bRyQXzQRJ8qPP4fk2tMBSUAupCnPzSRkn99RDpOSP0oTq-YhxD4zZLIkF86ZZmaskXIRkX2uLaATVCYLDDf-pgc/s320/boat+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
posted these pictures today on Facebook with the caption “Maiden Voyage – I
could get used to these evening boat cruises.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had thought about saying “When life gives you lemons, go to the lake,”
but I knew people would start asking questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just wasn’t ready to talk about it, yet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s
funny how people present themselves on social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd and I are both smiling in this picture,
and it probably seemed that we were having an amazing day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Albeit, we do love to be on the water and are
thoroughly enjoying our new boat, you couldn’t see through our sunglasses that
we were both holding back so much pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
passing of another failed cycle is another step closer to having to change the
course of our dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When
we made it home, Mom had dropped off a homemade strawberry-on-strawberry cake
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a good mom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
morning was hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a lot</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel kind of like I’m in a Twilight zone,
and I’m not really living through all of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel numb one minute and devastated the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just really emotionally tired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now,
I have to pull myself together and put on a happy face for the girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They arrive tonight.</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-17001974376132827122015-06-12T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-12T06:00:00.716-07:00IVF Cycle 5 – Fertilization Report & Embaby Update<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IVF Cycle 5 – Fertilization Report</span></u></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sunday, May 17, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
received our fertilization report via email at 9:15am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was impressed with it arriving so early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We retrieved 7 Oocytes (eggs), of those 7, five were mature (M2s) and 1
was almost there (M1); 6 total. Of those 6, 2 fertilized and 4 of them did show
evidence of fertilization but were slightly behind. We will continue to monitor
their progress and will update you in two days (day 3).</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
layman’s terms, this is a decent report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Obviously, we were hoping for all 7 to fertilize, but that’s
unrealistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they are saying here
is that 2 are doing pretty well, 4 are doing decent, and we have lost 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will just pray, pray, pray for the 6 that
we have remaining.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
trip home felt considerably longer than the trip there, and we actually made
better time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were both exhausted and
just ready to be off the road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To
give you an idea of what Todd has been through recently, here is his schedule
for the last 2 weeks:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
3-7:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buffalo, NY work trip</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
8:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frisco, TX personal trip</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
9:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Searcy, AR personal trip for Kaleb’s
graduation</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
10:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got home at 4am and were up at
7am for church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent 4 hours at
church, lunch at my uncle’s, and dinner at my parents’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a bit exhausting.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
11-14:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Austin, TX work trip</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May
14-17:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Louis personal trip for IVF<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are
you exhausted <em>for him</em>, yet?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I am!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway,
we did watch two sermons by Steven Furtick on the podcast app on the way home
from St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s an excellent
pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you haven’t heard him, I
promise that you’re missing out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
man really rocks my faith-based world!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">******************************************<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IVF Cycle 5 – Embaby Update<o:p></o:p></span></u></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tuesday, May 19, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
received an update on our embabies today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here is what it was:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have 1x 6 (2) and a 1x 9 (2) embryos. The first number represents
the cells and the second number represents the grade. We will keep an eye on
them and see how they progress. You will receive another update in a couple of
days.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After
a few rounds of emails with Shawnie, I found out:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 38.2pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2
of the embabies are still growing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 38.2pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
goal for cell division is 6-10 cells on day 3, so we fall in that range for
both embabies.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 38.2pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
grading is to describe the fragmentation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The scale is 1-5 with 1 being the best, so a grade of 2 is approximately
a B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering I was a straight-A
student my entire life, I’m having to learn to handle receiving so many Bs and
Cs in IVF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 38.2pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4
of our embabies have been lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
wasn’t sure if they arrested or just didn’t cleave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what that means right now, but I
don’t really want to look into it any further.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At
first, I was so sad that we had lost 4 of the embabies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After emailing with Shawnie, I was feeling
much better about the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
truth is that we only need one embryo to make it through this entire process of
dividing, freezing, thawing, and transfer.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God
can do great things with one embaby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
can do twice as many great things with two embabies!</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-48083178458306664062015-06-11T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-11T09:26:53.337-07:00IVF Cycle 5 – Egg Retrieval & Tourism<strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Saturday, May 16, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today
was quite eventful.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0mALnzVI22oy6oTrXbCQJ9nHRDZWFOhvviZV4bGRp92nnsMh1ecC2Daz4EVaW37pzBXSoWrFltCGamYuI69_3Z0TQCo1_Yngs_mqUy0T1Xrk2ca590Y4WKpEXFOq7GrxGUhx2ZdbFwU/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0mALnzVI22oy6oTrXbCQJ9nHRDZWFOhvviZV4bGRp92nnsMh1ecC2Daz4EVaW37pzBXSoWrFltCGamYuI69_3Z0TQCo1_Yngs_mqUy0T1Xrk2ca590Y4WKpEXFOq7GrxGUhx2ZdbFwU/s320/30.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our game faces. Much different than yesterday.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JTxa2Bsy_FYXGv6Q5JRHsZ8dQluf7RzBbc3PGwiZfCJ_3XDQaXDpiQNLuea7-7SXmolM9t5aBsWVE28Yvwdpbf5IShj5vu7IfxALV2Z91ZwGlliquCZwrgoObRSouHK0cNfKXNK6XiU/s1600/31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JTxa2Bsy_FYXGv6Q5JRHsZ8dQluf7RzBbc3PGwiZfCJ_3XDQaXDpiQNLuea7-7SXmolM9t5aBsWVE28Yvwdpbf5IShj5vu7IfxALV2Z91ZwGlliquCZwrgoObRSouHK0cNfKXNK6XiU/s320/31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MCRM & my trusty egg socks - I always wear these on egg retrieval day!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
arrived at MCRM at 8:30am for my retrieval.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mW3uwIMmEtgU4Qa3zc0-TnWw4C8I7dQgYiEgTEuF_JUxlh-vr-bxRXtBtI-z_-0AIySdMfO0IATyjiJijmuY3ZW2UwGmQ5Daps76n46znoxsLiqkC9fU6CPJVA9rBSC_PUdS65jxuuo/s1600/32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mW3uwIMmEtgU4Qa3zc0-TnWw4C8I7dQgYiEgTEuF_JUxlh-vr-bxRXtBtI-z_-0AIySdMfO0IATyjiJijmuY3ZW2UwGmQ5Daps76n46znoxsLiqkC9fU6CPJVA9rBSC_PUdS65jxuuo/s320/32.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like taking pictures of the lobbies, so I will remember what they look like.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before
the procedure started, I ran into the embryologist in the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him about the embryoscope technology
they have where they place the embryos inside and don’t remove them as often to
view them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s supposed to help
maintain the quality of the embryos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
informed me that there are only 6 spots available for each cycle in the scope
and all of the spots were full for this cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was devastated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chose to
come to Ahlering for state-of-the-art technology, and now, we were missing out
on two of the major forms of state-of-the-art technology that he offered –
nanoselection beads and embryoscope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wasn’t a pretty start to the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
much talk with Shawnie and Dr. Ahlering, I started feeling a little better
about our cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
was taken into the procedure room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
allowed me to wear make-up and my tshirt, which were just two things that were
strangely different from Bundren & TFC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The anesthesiologist started my IV, and I drifted into la-la land.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
first thing I remember when I awoke was that the counter on the wall was
telling me we had retrieved 7 eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wasn’t surprised at all as that was the exact number I had told Todd I thought
we would retrieve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
was moved to a wheelchair and taken back to the exam room to recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t allowed to lay down, and I had some
of the worst nausea of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
informed by the anesthesiologist’s nurse that Dr. Ahlering had chosen to do a
uterine biopsy; no wonder I had so much pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I realized that Shawnie and Dr. Ahlering were too busy to speak to
either of us after the retrieval, I made it my goal to get out of there and
back to the hotel as fast as I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was seriously unpleasant to have to sit up straight for the entire recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m used to being allowed to lay in a
hospital bed and relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lied to the
anesthesiologist’s nurse about not feeling nauseous or having pain, so we could
be released.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Todd
quickly got me back to the hotel, loaded me up with pain management, and tucked
me into bed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few hours later, I awoke, and we decided we were tired of being cooped up in the hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to go see St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is the rest of our day in pictures:</span></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaujbHuh3Sp9E4dRC1dGp0R7yyTYDhhX9xpyYdr2KBKiKkhnzsUKYSenoeKHE2aZ6t0BQZp2ry0Hrjs_eWjiO-T1LryvhgLYHkLHTPc1j_68bIjgNKkPniu0bE64WgYzs3JBQYYMKBAY/s1600/33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaujbHuh3Sp9E4dRC1dGp0R7yyTYDhhX9xpyYdr2KBKiKkhnzsUKYSenoeKHE2aZ6t0BQZp2ry0Hrjs_eWjiO-T1LryvhgLYHkLHTPc1j_68bIjgNKkPniu0bE64WgYzs3JBQYYMKBAY/s320/33.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The rotunda in the courthouse was beautiful!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTdtojYzn4JwCuk7KVM0tR-oGcaCkF9ck9uFk0gpLivuDWT_YMbUVJKBIuXLXX0RqOxoHakCOXh8YZf8x9C_4nMB2a-EAXtiNG-rG1_JZ7hdJ4w9QOzpOepiw0m2R1p3RPoan2_D5uoQ/s320/46.jpg" width="240" /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmB1en02k5TyQqF4TXYDNiSIoq1xKCfrB7hGdf26gHqGdlyBPLKVRWF9GuQMI8TJ-xcQTJgBXe6Z473DX5lMT9AcEFq0utvm6bMn6ysNfHVcAN_dKwG9On1dEr2totEGiGBl8U7-FaXc/s1600/47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmB1en02k5TyQqF4TXYDNiSIoq1xKCfrB7hGdf26gHqGdlyBPLKVRWF9GuQMI8TJ-xcQTJgBXe6Z473DX5lMT9AcEFq0utvm6bMn6ysNfHVcAN_dKwG9On1dEr2totEGiGBl8U7-FaXc/s320/47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Headed to the arch</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jLBtzq-4KEup5ufrFH2d-tDHzDzeGwQOaWbllSAw5qD6LKHm9QmOpVhFL-OOdSY9QE95UVJ1_mkZxkeIBizOv3uirYJlOuHB_y-GFNAoOqQptauEILhuIJLpbqPaj-KvSsazLAuLTFc/s1600/48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jLBtzq-4KEup5ufrFH2d-tDHzDzeGwQOaWbllSAw5qD6LKHm9QmOpVhFL-OOdSY9QE95UVJ1_mkZxkeIBizOv3uirYJlOuHB_y-GFNAoOqQptauEILhuIJLpbqPaj-KvSsazLAuLTFc/s320/48.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Waiting in line to enter</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnxYUKR8MCZW-ILDQZXbjX06QjsagsEln6sP_7R0a20pypIuHp68Mx0NYG6JTulPybJi5eB2JKCnbV8343o-5QMQAaHPpz_iWsOWkTC1ASJqEjysq_qAzQpfemVFswVFHCmOG2MHD5sI/s1600/49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnxYUKR8MCZW-ILDQZXbjX06QjsagsEln6sP_7R0a20pypIuHp68Mx0NYG6JTulPybJi5eB2JKCnbV8343o-5QMQAaHPpz_iWsOWkTC1ASJqEjysq_qAzQpfemVFswVFHCmOG2MHD5sI/s320/49.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This arch is amazing!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS1OzIh6szrJ8Hql7OqeIbXLgAW6J2H1FN2MwLVQJchMuk1W9sSMwtICUZ5xwSNnGVQN_mD3hCBpWtrdQV3eG7UO8VmJM4x068oBIaWrIeXroQOG-7jcuQrd26PkFz32HbS6FsezcZI4/s1600/34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS1OzIh6szrJ8Hql7OqeIbXLgAW6J2H1FN2MwLVQJchMuk1W9sSMwtICUZ5xwSNnGVQN_mD3hCBpWtrdQV3eG7UO8VmJM4x068oBIaWrIeXroQOG-7jcuQrd26PkFz32HbS6FsezcZI4/s320/34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the top of the arch</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJng_ifQC3YAC7DDrIUNLn7wnP2HPGvI2P0zOXlOjQxfV1fpg51UinJKldt8zquHVMZwaBo8gLjZ5hBVm1X4Ovv2Efuu7rHTy5Xa-CZq73ehyphenhyphenGAoPt5zVnBxUkkuQ2gFxCe78FpYiRos/s1600/37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJng_ifQC3YAC7DDrIUNLn7wnP2HPGvI2P0zOXlOjQxfV1fpg51UinJKldt8zquHVMZwaBo8gLjZ5hBVm1X4Ovv2Efuu7rHTy5Xa-CZq73ehyphenhyphenGAoPt5zVnBxUkkuQ2gFxCe78FpYiRos/s320/37.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like to think he's dreaming about our embabies that are being made while we play.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki8XuRrnYVeRB2OVU6tEA_lVhifOhQHn4qm6x9m8v-iV8nvdeIuLxzgW1aYe7UDkhTHwCKhQmWQCLbTv8EfI8SrmneM1tPZSroxnMcjJRe_bUtoW7GqLpZcZMWo54Bxpm7arJy5puYlY/s1600/38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki8XuRrnYVeRB2OVU6tEA_lVhifOhQHn4qm6x9m8v-iV8nvdeIuLxzgW1aYe7UDkhTHwCKhQmWQCLbTv8EfI8SrmneM1tPZSroxnMcjJRe_bUtoW7GqLpZcZMWo54Bxpm7arJy5puYlY/s320/38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoLi9ZvHbF70r4mJlBqvGEhF3BLSxbFflfkNY2AkGbahScmJqTKuB3OooJPgihPvuBJ0lyqwAJYuGxm7LU7cm_EJJX3CThph591rtbYvXmO9U5sIFLRjBqBon6XVjH-VaNy8fF_H3k0Q/s1600/42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoLi9ZvHbF70r4mJlBqvGEhF3BLSxbFflfkNY2AkGbahScmJqTKuB3OooJPgihPvuBJ0lyqwAJYuGxm7LU7cm_EJJX3CThph591rtbYvXmO9U5sIFLRjBqBon6XVjH-VaNy8fF_H3k0Q/s320/42.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the 360 Bar & Restaurant overlooking the Cardinals' Stadium</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixO04HGfh5W-GqPGAF7J6TYLxvEdZ4MkMblycMq4zxUY6J7nx7cH3TaFJwyW9rRPXyzuF0drVgry4vh-6Qt89IKq-FIdbTyC-DJ9r4uZGmyGGlFH96iOSRZOY8omB8HViXWKQpxzAzw1g/s1600/43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixO04HGfh5W-GqPGAF7J6TYLxvEdZ4MkMblycMq4zxUY6J7nx7cH3TaFJwyW9rRPXyzuF0drVgry4vh-6Qt89IKq-FIdbTyC-DJ9r4uZGmyGGlFH96iOSRZOY8omB8HViXWKQpxzAzw1g/s320/43.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Headed to dinner with our Tulsa friends that are also in town for a cycle!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By
the time we got back to the room and into bed, I was exhausted and considerably
uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good to be back in
bed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(AFTER-THE-FACT
ADDITION:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner, I started having
pain in my left thigh for some reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
later found out that there was a possibility that the Progesterone shot they
gave me was administered directly into the thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told it would be in my right buttocks,
where we always give my Progesterone injections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, that thigh hurt for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">days</i>!)</span></span></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246140337621495393.post-51780543822866955082015-06-10T06:00:00.000-07:002015-06-11T09:26:17.633-07:00IVF Cycle 5 - TESE (Todd’s Retrieval)<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><strong><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Friday, May 15, 2015</span></u></strong><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
morning was a relaxed morning for me and a nerve wracking morning for
Todd. We had a long breakfast at our hotel and took our time getting
ready to arrive at Dr. Ahlering's office to meet the team for the first time in
person. I've been talking to these people for months via the phone and
email. I was excited to finally get to meet them face-to-face.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
was a little nervous for Todd, as well, because they had informed us they would
not be allowing him to have general anesthesia. I was quite frustrated
with this "after the fact" change of plans, but there wasn't much we
could do about it. I gave him his Adivan and hoped it would relax him
enough to make this procedure go smoothly.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExaSowN5RuXaQo_JlqEcDP-NwX0GLK3did51CYYvAK0N7RLRbDelOSjfaxd5ycEfq213-GveogpPBPjkRvW9OJCLi1ixgXx4A-zHk7sB5atxGz1VnREMcrFeVQPUtHHRULwee1r3cB88/s320/21.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our game faces</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shawnie,
our IVF coordinator that I have emailed with no less than 100 times, came to get
us from the waiting room. She took us into an exam room and told Todd to
just pull his shorts down to his knees. We were both so confused.
In the past, he has always been in a sterile surgical room, and I was never
allowed in the procedure. Not today. As 4 others flooded into the
room, I realized that I was suddenly a part of this process. Six of us
total in such a small exam room made for quite a cozy environment. The
urologist gave Todd a numbing shot, performed the procedure, and left the room to
check the specimen. Unfortunately, he returned a few minutes later to say
they needed more. They went back in for a second time and after another
inspection, decided they had enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
some point, I asked the embryologist that was also in the room when he would be
using the nanoselection beads on Todd's specimen. (Remember, the
nanoselection beads are what they throw in with the sperm when they spin
them. The bad sperm have a protein in them that attaches to the beads and
causes them to sink, leaving the strongest still swimming. We had already
paid $500 for these beads for this cycle.) Well, the embryologist
informed me that we would not be using beads because all of the sperm would
stick to them. What?! Again, last-minute information that somehow
isn't passed along to us in a timely manner. Before I paid for the beads,
I was told the embryologist had approved us using them. Frustrating, but
we'll survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then
came the next surprise. We needed a checkbook to pay the urologist.
I didn't have the right purse. Todd's was at the hotel. Luckily,
the hotel was just on the other side of the highway. I ran back over
there, tore apart his briefcase, tore apart the car, and returned with no
checkbook in hand. Fortunately, we remembered that we had cash on us from
Todd's most recent purchase...a boat. That's another story for another
day. Anyway, in what looked like nothing less than a shady drug deal, I
paid our urologist in multiple crisp $100 bills. It was strange, but
quite funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrgiKVRl6628d35eUSF8NSIFSP-3YvuK9UxFggK6x7eXj_La7It8jo4i6IybfHMjMxVPB8zusb3Sx-AiyVwhXBMToRC0z7IH1KJn2SPVN14sYkKjEf4ykkJ2CN7KXSFWbGU0RTgOZSk4/s1600/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrgiKVRl6628d35eUSF8NSIFSP-3YvuK9UxFggK6x7eXj_La7It8jo4i6IybfHMjMxVPB8zusb3Sx-AiyVwhXBMToRC0z7IH1KJn2SPVN14sYkKjEf4ykkJ2CN7KXSFWbGU0RTgOZSk4/s320/27.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from our hotel parking lot to MCRM - literally across the highway</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
anyone that knows me personally, you know that the change in nanobead news and
the rush around town to track down a checkbook would have usually put me in a
tizzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much about my attitude and calmness has
been different this cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m loving
it!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before
we left, Dr. Ahlering stopped by to shake Todd's hand and tell him he was his
hero. I felt a little star-struck since I have been talking to him on the
phone for almost a year-and-a-half, and he's spoken so highly of by so many
women in our situation. I was glad we got to meet him before my retrieval
tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
grabbed lunch at a pub next to our hotel before heading in to let Todd rest,
doctor's orders. He was cracking me up with his antics.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihtzXY8UD8VbXaj674pZ0xZWDNQbCsAi2MStSFL954EDWDsS87k-spNY-E8UNcOXUaFDn_2Wkfzi-MHmka6KD8wFqLvjOGeuvHc9lLMcniBIUoVb8VZfo-PIgmFtYT5eaIw4h5tVVLK4/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihtzXY8UD8VbXaj674pZ0xZWDNQbCsAi2MStSFL954EDWDsS87k-spNY-E8UNcOXUaFDn_2Wkfzi-MHmka6KD8wFqLvjOGeuvHc9lLMcniBIUoVb8VZfo-PIgmFtYT5eaIw4h5tVVLK4/s320/24.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cleaning off the food he dropped. Todd on Adivan is hilarious!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXtbzBmspJg8IBUkSNBIwWNtErZ2plWjPXNdrxxWvf8GSRA_1JKXeDwcqGPhKAlJzTWaRIMWy2gLJ5v6VN8Nblfa58bKn2vaJ2QTxXD0kWnAw104y5cBr7_-diNq_wu41byS2v6mId-U/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXtbzBmspJg8IBUkSNBIwWNtErZ2plWjPXNdrxxWvf8GSRA_1JKXeDwcqGPhKAlJzTWaRIMWy2gLJ5v6VN8Nblfa58bKn2vaJ2QTxXD0kWnAw104y5cBr7_-diNq_wu41byS2v6mId-U/s320/25.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Todd, what are you doing?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm having ice cream with a friend."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then,
this...</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTR3cM2jq273__3EDbzsZoHe0mboMeuR84NmiEFx71h74v3Cr9V9KHaNMmRRnSq7y2dB4Wb8QNwsIWyMchVyi2gTY9sPwDcXTuwvUpAqQjLilxKzElICl7qTMquGsjtxTly54cYmfyfA/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTR3cM2jq273__3EDbzsZoHe0mboMeuR84NmiEFx71h74v3Cr9V9KHaNMmRRnSq7y2dB4Wb8QNwsIWyMchVyi2gTY9sPwDcXTuwvUpAqQjLilxKzElICl7qTMquGsjtxTly54cYmfyfA/s320/26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So peacefully sleeping</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Around
5:30pm, he awoke and asked what time we had to be back at the doctor for my
procedure. I informed him it was tomorrow morning, and he looked at me
with a very confused look. Apparently, he thought he had slept for 14
hours!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
spent the rest of our evening in bed watching TV. I ran back to the same
pub to pick-up dinner and stopped off downstairs for more ice cream. It's
been such an awesome, relaxing day together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Todd
is asleep right now, and I feel wide awake. I'm excited to see how
tomorrow goes. I've been praying that we get good quality eggs. I
know we won't get very many, but we just need one embryo to make a baby.
If I was posting this realtime, I would ask for prayers. Can't hurt to
say a prayer after the fact, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy
Friday!</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
Laura | Making Baby Provencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08111753121977376281noreply@blogger.com8