Today begins our IVF journey.

To quote a much overused quote...what a long strange trip it's been. After my husbands vasectomy reversal in January, we tried each cycle to have a baby. Each month we discovered that we were unsuccessful. Finally we opted to have a semen analysis done in order to see what we were up against.

We did the sample at home, following the strict guidelines set up and drove it to the lab on a Thursday. By Monday, my OB/GYN called to see if our surgeon gave us the results. I told her no, and she asked if I wanted her to give them to me. I agreed, and she told me there were no swimmers. Not 1. This is not good. I really wasn't anticipating this.

We did finally hear from the surgeon with the same news, and he wanted to meet with us. We put that off though. I think the shock of the whole thing was enough for now. We did finally decide to see him, and he determined that after seeing how my husbands vasectomy was done to begin with, he is not sure that he would be able to successfully redo it. He refered us for IVF.

Today we had our appointment with The Center for Reproductive Technology. We arrived at 1:05...late as usual for me. They took my weight, and blood pressure, and we sat in a consultation room. The doctor talked to us about our medical histories and our chances. Since I am a relatively young healthy female, and my husband is almost as healthy, we have a 90% chance of IVF success. A 20% chance of twins which has my husband very excited.

We then met with the nurse, who really told us nothing. We did meet with the financial manager. She was great. She outlined the cost. We are looking at around 15000.00 for cycle 1 with everything included. I am not going to get my hopes up for a successful round 1, however; we will freeze any excess embryo's for future use, which will save a lot of money in the long run.

Oddly enough, this all cost us 450.00....

Words are expensive :)

Good night...
Pj

The wonder of it all...

It's been a while since I've posted, but truly not much has changed. We are still trying to have a baby. Though I went to a preconception visit with a highly recommended OB/GYN today, just truly a meet and greet. She did a standard information gathering and a quick internal and declared me perfect. That is at least one good thing. Now we are going to get a semen analysis and see how the swimmers are. If there are issues with them, we will end up with intrauterine insemination. I am hoping that we can just keep trying the natural way. I have started taking FertilAid and Fertile CM, I will let you all know how it goes. Oh, and I found that in cycles that I work the night shift, it adds two days to each portion of my cycle. Weird huh?

I am still hoping to take ACLS in the next few months. If I can get that, I might pick up some per diem ER work at a critical access hospital, and get myself some ER experience while waiting. I really want to work ER in a level 1 trauma center. We have had so many nurses leave, that there is a lot of extra time available. So, I am working a lot lately. Hopefully it will slow down, but the money is good while we are trying to buy a house.

I am starting a running program. Attempting to get into better shape. I have let go of the scale, that damn thing never moves. Now I just want my clothes to fit better and maybe to feel comfortable in some summer clothes. We shall see.

I suppose that is all for now. Not too much exciting new.

Disappointment

Another cycle has come to an end, and we are not pregnant yet. Being fully aware that in any given month the average couple has a 25-30% chance of conceiving is not a comfort. I really need to stop stressing out about this, and let it happen if it is going to, but that is so much easier said than done.

I worry because I know that the odds are stacked against us after paying $10,000.00 for a vasectomy reversal. I worry that it just won't happen. i think if it doesn't happen, we will still have a lot of fun adventuring, but I will have to figure out how to let go of this.

In other news, my dog gets his stitches out on Saturday, and I believe they will have to go right back in. The first set I took out after 10 days, and the wound was still open. It was restitched, and in my professional opinion it hasn't closed, but we shall see. It's in such a horrible spot (that flap of sking that kind of hangs between the back leg and the belly). It's such a high action, low blood flow spot. We shall see.

I am hoping to be able to take my ACLS cerfitication in the next few months and begin really preparing myself to move into the Emergency Room from the Surgical Floor. I wish that there was an ACNP program offered online. The only one requires you to work in certain states, and I cant commit to that until I know what is going on with us for the next few years.

I am starting to feel like a pessimist, which I am not. So on the bright side, with a lot of hard work and research, I have been successful in raising our credit scores by 100 points EACH in less than 4 months. It is amazing. I would highly recommend www.creditboards.org. The people are so helpful, and there is some invaluable advice.

Well, I must sign off. My husband rode his bike to work, and blew his tire. So I have to go get him.

Babydust to all who are trying, and keep hugging your bullies :)

It's the waiting that sucks

Anyone who has tried to have a baby, on purpose, can probably relate. It's all about waiting, waiting for the right time, waiting to test, waiting to see if martha rears her ugly head, and then waiting again. It really sucks.

It also seems that those around you are dipped in fertility juice, especially the ones who don't want kids. I am hoping that we are not in that group that try for 5+years.

On the upside, if it doesn't work out, we are only 2 years away from an adventure. Once my stepdaughter graduates and figures life out, we are going to hit the road with a travel nurse company and do some adventuring. I imagine my husband can work on his master's degree and we can find little nooks in the world we never knew existed. He has traveled a bit, but I have not.

I was hoping to take a photography class starting on Thursday. I traded work on Thursday (a day shift) for a night shift tonight so I could make the first clas. As luck would have it, the class is full. That is what I get for my procrastination. Oh well, I can spend the next 8 thursdays doing something.

I'm off to the gym, and then a nap.

As always...remember to hug your pit bull :) And if you don't have one, make room for one. http://www.pitbullrescuecentral.org/