Trial Transfer

Yesterday was our trial transfer and it went great!

L and I met up at the RE's office for the appointment and got some chat time, which I always love, while were waiting.

Then the Dr. came in and did some trial transfers...Yes. Not one. Not even two, but 3 trial transfers. And he was rough. It was more than slightly uncomfortable and definitely more painful than my past transfers or trial transfers have been. I think they thought ahead on that, though, because before the transfer they had me take some ibuprofen. It worked alright til it wore off. Last night I was ready for some more. I've also been spotty since then. Ick.

The nurses said we could transfer either the 25th or the 27th, depending on the embryos. If we transfer on the 25th, they will be 3-day embryos, 5-day on the 27th. I don't know which to hope for, honestly. I've only ever transferred 5 or 6 day embryos and I'm not sure the qualifications of transferring a 3-dayer. I guess my only experience with 3-dayers is hearsay, and usually it's because they were afraid the emby wouldn't make it to day 5 if they didn't transfer it then, I think. So I'm torn. Do I hope for the 3 or 5 day transfer?

After the appointment, L and I went to lunch! Yummm! We went to Mi Cocina. I told her my funny story about having Mexican food before my screening appointment back in 2011 in El Paso. We had a laugh about it. No Mexican food before doctor appointments! While we were at lunch, she gave me a really sweet gift, I really love it!

(A collectible measuring spoon set that has really cute/sweet sayings on each spoon, and an angel in the hollow of the spoon - because I like to bake, Godiva chocolate - mmmmm, and a wine glass that says "wine is cheaper than therapy" which relates to my family and the multitude of therapies we visit each week for the boys, and my love of wine and wine glasses)

I love the bag, too. She's got me pegged! Thank you, L!!

We did take a selfie pic, but I really look like a giant next to her... I'll post it, but y'all need to know I'm NOT this huge! haha She's standing tucked under my arm or something, and hiding next to me, and I'm standing closer to the camera than she is! (pfft)

Thanks for reading! Next appointment is a monitoring appointment on the 18th! Til then, have a great week!

Go!

Christmas morning for a surrogate....

And we're off!

Oh sheep! Really?

My title is a little different today. But maybe you'll understand when you read my post.

OK So alllllll this time without a blog, we have been waiting on me. On the witch. Aunt Flo. Alright, this is a blog that talks about everything that comes with childbirth. We're adults here. My period. There.

This has been a long wait. Seriously. Forever. There were days when I worried DH and I had screwed up some how. There were days when I thought I was definitely going to start soon. I had every symptom of PMS imaginable. Oily, pimply skin? Check. Need for chocolate? Check. Headaches? Check. Soreness? Check. Bloat? Check. Moodiness? Oh yeah, check that one off. Well she didn't come on her own. A couple weeks ago I called the clinic to find out what they wanted to do, and they put me on progesterone to get things going. I took it for 10 days, and then I was supposed to start within 10 days. Well, you know... Aunt Flo doesn't like due dates. She made us wait longer, of course. The entire time, I've been PMSing.

On Monday, I spotted a teeny bit. Thought for SURE she'll be here Tuesday! By Wednesday morning I had grown tired of analyzing my every PMS symptom and wondering if I were pregnant or waiting on period still. I purchased a pregnancy test. Knowing pretty full well I wasn't, based on everything. But still, they say you take a test, your period starts. No sooner had I purchased it and was walking out of the store that I got a text from L asking if it's possible I could be pregnant. I told her it wasn't likely but that I did buy a test to make sure. I took it as soon as I got home. Thankfully, stark white negative. So we had nothing left to do but wait.

Wednesday afternoon, spotting was a little more than on Monday. YES! She is DEFINITELY on her way.

Thursday- I woke up singing the Hallelujah chorus. She had arrived. I called and scheduled my appointment as soon as they opened.

Today, Friday... I went to the appointment and had my baseline sonogram. Where the doctor pronounced my uterus beautiful, and could he have it's number to give other couples ... for next time? Not kidding. He asked me how many times I wanted to do surrogacy, and I said my usual, 'Til my uterus falls out!' answer. And then he asked if he could give my information to other couples once I was ready to start again.

Then I had a meeting with the nurse. She showed me a page with a list of days in October. With notations next to several of them. Halfway down the page, the notations stopped. So I asked, what happens here? (pointing to where the notes stop). She said that that day when the notes stopped, I'd have blood tests and an u/s to see if I was ready, and then I'd start progesterone and transfer in a few days (depending on the embryos at that point). Note--- ALL these dates were still in October. The 31st was at the bottom of the page.

She's talking... and it hits me, She's saying we're transferring on October 25!?!?

And now this was when I actually almost said something else... but corrected to "Holy Sheep!" before anything bad came out.

Here I was thinking I was holding us up from a November transfer, we'd likely be somewhere in December before we transfer, etc. And they're telling me now, on Oct. 4, that we could be transferring in 21 days? (Provided the meds and monitoring go well.)

So yeah. Meds arrive tomorrow. It's a non-injection protocol.

I think L was pretty shocked to learn the date, too! So now starts all the excitement!

On to insurance stuff pretty quickly now. Pray, send awesome thoughts, wish us luck, what have you. It's ON!

I might try and post a pic of the meds tomorrow when they arrive. The Fed Ex guy will think he's Santa for how excited I may be.

Can't forget!

I just realized I never updated here about Miss Molly!

The week before Labor Day weekend, Katie called to tell me they were coming to visit on Labor Day weekend! I was SUPER excited. I think my whole neighborhood heard how excited I was!!

They got here on the Thursday night before LD, and stayed til early morning. We really enjoyed spending time with them and loving on Miss Molly!

Here are a few pics!

Miss Molly getting some lovin' from mommy when they first arrived.

Jack, receiving his gifts with a smile!

Miss Molly in her new outfit from us!

Me and sweet Molly

Miss Molly chewing away on her new toy

Photobombed!! (and a pic at a really bad angle haha)

Sweet baby girl

Spending time with Shane

Jack enjoying his parents while Molly is occupied

Snuggles

Play time!

I love watching these two together

I'm pretty sure this was her first time ever sitting up!

Playing with Shane

 

 

Some Legoland fun!

Snuggles with Micah

And Shane

Playdoh!

The best part of the weekend? Snuggling Miss Molly, myself!! 

I so enjoyed their visit and it makes me so happy that they came to see us!

Micah is so enthralled with our "add-on" family, too. He wrote about Miss Molly in his journal this week...

Thank you to Katie and Family for coming to see us. It means the world that you think of us and keep us updated on you all, and that you came to see us on a weekend you could have done anything else! 

We love you!

Waiting...

After a frustrating few weeks, the clinic seems to finally be getting their stuff together. They've really been a scatterbrain from the start. My records were apparently faxed to them several times, yet mysteriously they never got them. I sent them my psych evaluations and she forgot. They send me to 'screening' that wasn't really a screening, see last post, had to be reminded that they needed my husbands bloodwork, and even managed to fumble things with IM via e-mail. They need to work on their organizational skills and short term memories!

The donor did her retrieval on the 9th, I believe they got 6 eggs. Unfortunately IF was unable to come in and do his part, because he had minor surgery that same week. They froze the 6 eggs and will fertilize them before we do our transfer, from what I can tell. The nurse can't even keep it straight that they only have eggs and don't have embryos.

I quit pumping the weekend before my boys started school, and only pumped once after that weekend. I've dried up pretty well, but still haven't gotten Aunt Flo yet. So the nurse called me in a prescription for progesterone pills. I'm taking those the next few days, and am expected to get Aunt Flo within 10 days of the last pill. Hopefully it does it's trick and we can get started soon.

Really that's all we are waiting for. Contracts were done and signed a few weeks ago.

From what IM has said, if everything looks good on day 3 of my cycle, we will go ahead and get started. It's a non-injection protocol- I'm not sure whether that excites me or not. Sticky patches all over my midsection or one and done shots every day? I'm used to the shots, though, so I'll have to get used to the patches. I'm curious to see what I like better after having tried both.

Anyway, so that's my 'nothing's happening still' update. I hope to have more to update you with soon!

Say what?!

So screening was supposed to be set for Monday at 10:30, right? Not so much.

I get there and fill out all those forms, get with the nurse and do basic vitals, weight, etc. and they lead me to an exam room and say the Dr. will be in in a second. The Dr. comes in a few minutes later and says to join him in his office. Now... I'm not one to rock the boat, but I'm supposed to be having a pap and blood work done... and I'm fairly certain paps aren't done in fancy offices ;) So I'm wondering whats going on during the short walk to his office..

We get in there and he asks the usual questions about my history, about his protocol, the donor's cycle and how many embryos to transfer.... and then he sends me home.

Say what?!

Now, this part, I actually knew and questioned the nurse on when she scheduled my appointment. I asked her if I needed to be on a certain day of my cycle, or on my period to come in for screening. She said no, that since I'm not the donor, it doesn't really matter if I have a period or not. Like I said, I KNEW I was supposed to be on a certain day of my cycle... so when I asked the doctor and the coordinating nurse who was in that day, they said I needed to call back when I start my period for an appointment on Day 3.

Where is the disconnect here?!

I put the boys in childcare. I drove to their offices, taking the tollway because it was the easiest [quickest] route. And then proceeded to waste 30 minutes on someone else's dime. For nothing but a 5 minute chat with a doctor.

It didn't sit well with IM, either. Hopefully we'll hear back tomorrow on the disconnect.

In the meantime,


Happy 6 months to Miss Molly! It's gone by so quickly and I can't believe how big she's getting. I will come back and add photos later today.

It is my last 'official' day pumping, too. I will be only pumping when it hurts not to for a little while and for shorter times. It's kind of bittersweet, but I'm ready.

More soon.
Have a wonderful day!

Set?

Just wanted to post a quick update and let you know that we have 'set' my screening appointment for this coming Monday at 10:30!

We are working on contracts, insurance and all the logistics so that they can be in place and ready to go whenever we are.

Donor is set to retrieve mid-September! They will freeze the embryos following her retrieval, and after that comes our cycle and transfer.

In other news:
I am still pumping away over here, all set to wean beginning August 21. Last week I was approached by a family member about where they could find breastmilk for a baby their daughter/son in law are adopting really soon. They didn't know I was still pumping... I was pleased to offer them  my last two weeks (plus weaning time) of milk.

I love that I have done this for 6 months. I love helping my family out. And I love that I will- once all is said and done- have helped 2 babies locally and countless preemies through the milk bank.

But am I ready for weaning? You bet! What am I going to do with the 4 hours I gain back every day? I'm not totally sure! I certainly hope I'm a little more productive around the house, though!


That's all for today! Have a blessed weekend!

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson