And we're off...

Our bags are packed, we’re ready to go!!! Those of you who have been following me for a long time might remember a special charm our donor family gave me before our first FET. A necklace with a charm that said hope, which she wore for her IVF cycle and I subsequently wore for Ian’s FET. Though I’m not particularly superstitious, I do feel like there is a reverence and importance attached to tradition and faith (and okay a little luck might be mixed in there as well!). So I’ll be wearing that hope charm again for this FET, this time with my angel wing charm in remembrance of Lily and Ian’s birthstone. It’s a symbol of all that brought us to this transfer and the hope we hold for the future.

Thank you to everyone for your encouragement, prayers and support as we go into this transfer. Our flight will be leaving early tomorrow morning, and transfer is set to occur Thursday afternoon! I loved this quote when I saw it on Pinterest and feel like it’s appropriate as love is really the thing that’s gotten us through all of the whirlwind ups and downs of the last few years and given us strength in the darkest days. The love we have for Ian and the embryos waiting for us is what gives us courage to move forward in spite of the past. 

It's a date!!!

Thankfully my lab work and ultrasound went well this morning. My uterine lining is up to almost 10mm so everything is a go for our embryo transfer next week!!! We’ll be flying out early next Wednesday and transfer will take place the afternoon of Thursday, March 14^th. In terms of medication protocol I’m continuing with the current nightly Lupron injections and Estrace pills until Saturday at which time we’ll be adding in Doxycycline twice a day, Medrol once a day and the dreaded Progesterone injections once a day until transfer. Not going to lie, I’ve been wincing at the thought of those Progesterone injections since the big box of meds arrived. Although I do remember in the past when I had to do them that once I was into the routine it wasn’t as bad, but ugh, I do recall how much they hurt and how tender the injections sights get after repeated daily poking. After the transfer I’ll continue just the Estrace pills and the nightly Progesterone injections until the pregnancy test.

A week out I’m feeling more positive about our delay in the cycle. I know I would have wondered if it didn’t work out whether it was because we needed that additional week to plump up the uterine lining and the estradiol levels, and now I know we’ve given it our best and hopefully our little embryo will find my uterus to be a lovely hospitable home and decide to stick around for the long haul. We were disappointed that we had to change our original length of time while in the Northeast. When we called to change our flights the cost was substantially higher to leave on Sunday vs. Saturday, so unfortunately we’ll get far less time to spend with our donor family. But with the already additional cost of changing the tickets, the extra monitoring appointment today and the uncertainty of whether we’ll need to do more treatment cycles in the near future, if this one doesn’t work we just couldn’t justify the higher expense.

Also, for those of you who have experienced loss, you’ve got to check out this post by Brooke. It really resonated with me as I’ve had so many of the same feelings lately. I’ve seen and heard several people recently talk about how people make too big a deal about pregnancy and that it’s such a normal process, but for those of us who have coped with the loss of a baby it is not. Unfortunately, it is a process that is full of fear & worry, and I wish so much that I could be one of those people who didn’t know all that could go terribly wrong, who could be so nonchalant about eating, drinking and being as physically active as I’d like while pregnant. But those days are long gone for me. I know this is a tight rope act of walking between hope and fear, and although I’m ready to balance this possible pregnancy as best I can, I wish that others could understand the courage and strength it takes to carry a baby after loss. It is a constant battle between your fear of the past and your attempt to embrace this life you are carrying with joy. It is far from simple.

So off we go next week to pick up another of our donor embryos and potential newest family member. It’s exciting and anxiety provoking all in one, but I’m trying my best to focus on the positive and hold hope for what may be to come. One step at a time, as I’m sure I’ll be reminding myself of frequently in the future! 

Change of plans...

Just when we thought things might go smoothly with this cycle, we were reminded that we have to be adaptable to change. At my scan this morning my uterine lining was measuring at 7.45mm, and the local clinic said they typically prefer to see 8mm or higher a week before transfer. That combined with an estradiol level of 194 (200 or higher preferred) lead the clinic in the northeast to decide it would be best to push the transfer a week later. It’s all disappointing, but if it leads to a successful cycle then it’s a small price to pay. We’re looking into changing our flights for a week later, and although that will cost a bit, it’s still less than another cycle if this one isn’t successful. We’re trying to trust in the process and hope this will lead to positive news down the road.

So the medication protocol has changed just a bit for the next week; they’re having me continue the nightly Lupron injections of 10 units, continue the Estrace pills three times a day by mouth, and now I get to add the fun of ½ Estrace pill twice a day vaginally. Fun times! All of this in the hopes of increasing my Estradiol levels and thickening the uterine lining. I’ll return to the local clinic in a week to see where things stand, and hopefully we’ll then be able to move forward with transfer the following week.

I think the change in plans hit me harder emotionally this morning because it’s another reminder that even if we try to do everything right we are not in control and the uncertainty of it all is so unsettling. In addition, it’s just another frustrating piece in the many steps that we have to go through to even attempt to conceive. It’s so unfathomable that the majority of people simply have sex to conceive!

I’d forgotten how intense and emotional infertility treatments can be. I felt such a spectrum of emotions throughout the day. Initially I was sad things weren’t going as smoothly as hoped, then later in the day angry at how much we have to go through to have a child, and then this evening I felt grateful. I was reminded of the connections and relationships we’ve made along the way because of infertility and the world that was opened up to us as a result through an email from one of our previous clinic coordinators. It was a reminder that other couples are just starting out in a long, intense process that we are all too intimate with, and that we can be there to offer encouragement and support as others did for us when we were beginning the process of embryo adoption. I was also reminded throughout the day of what a miracle my son really is, the crazy long ride we went on to welcome him into this world and our family was all worth it. And maybe, just maybe, the end of this cycle will lead us to welcoming another member to our family, and if not, it will hopefully strengthen us as a family and help us to cherish each other even more.  

Another reminder to attempt to let go of those things that I can’t control…

In completely unrelated news, those of you who know me IRL know that I love to cook and am a complete Pinterest addict. That being said, several friends have encouraged me to start a cooking/food blog and I’m finally finding bits of time here and there to put this together. It’s definitely still a work in progress, but hopefully it’ll get it a bit more polished in the near future. So if you’re looking for some food inspiration or want to check it out, hop on over to A Dash of Delicious! 

Cycle updates & request for toddler traveling tips…

So far things have been progressing smoothly with this current treatment cycle. I’ve been continuing with the nightly 20 unit Lupron injections, stopped the BCP’s on the 9^th and went in for my first ultrasound and lab work this morning. The clinic said everything looked as it should at this point in the cycle, so next ultrasound and lab work are scheduled for two weeks from now and I received my new medication protocol for the next couple of weeks. I’ll decrease to 10 unit Lupron injections starting on the 15^th and add Estrace into the mix. With the exception of my Lupron induced insomnia, things are moving forward well; the lack of sleep is rough but all worth it in the end if the transfer is successful.

We purchased our tickets for our flight to the northeast for the transfer at the beginning of March so everything is definitely becoming a bit more concrete! We’re flying out on March 6^th, the day before our planned transfer, and staying in the area until Sunday March 10^th so we’re able to relax and spend a little time with our donor family. As I mentioned previously, Ian will be traveling with us so if any of you have tips on flying with toddlers please send them our way!!! He’ll be 20mths old at the time and thankfully we were able to get a direct flight both there and back so total flight time will be about 2½ to 3 hrs. We’re leaving early in the morning both times, so although he’ll be waking up earlier than usual for us to catch the flight, we’ll arrive in time for his usual nap since there is no way this kid will sleep on the plane!

Emily, a friend through the infertility/loss blogging community, wrote the most beautiful encouraging words this week when I so needed them. As I sat there in the morning already feeling exhausted from the Lupron induced insomnia I’ve been experiencing this past week, I cried as I read her beautiful words. Take a moment to stop over; you won’t be sorry you did and you’ll likely walk away feeling a little bit more encouraged and strengthened as I did. Thank you Em for running this marathon infertility journey with all of us and lifting us up as you do it! 

Focusing on positive thoughts and cycling on…

I’ve had a hard time recently deciding if and how much I wanted to talk about this treatment cycle on my blog. There are several in real life (IRL) friends and family who read this blog, so it is not a place where what I write will remain secret. So much is taken away from couples who have to undergo infertility treatments. If things go well with this treatment cycle, I’m torn between my fear which tells me to be cautious and my excitement that tells me to cherish the pregnancy and enjoy it, both of which will likely win at times. If it does result in a pregnancy, I know we won’t disclose to everyone IRL until at least 12wks into the pregnancy, if not longer, and because of that I was very torn about sharing at all on here. I want the excitement of sharing the news with others when we’re ready and in our own way and time. Also, if for some reason things don’t go well or a miscarriage occurs I don’t want everyone knowing about it. So please know that I’m trusting those of you who do know us IRL and hoping that you’ll be sensitive to this.

I’ve completed all of the pre FET lab work and procedures at the local clinic in this area which will be doing all of my monitoring. The ultrasound, mock transfer, and saline sonohystrogram all went smoothly. I begin my injections on February 3^rd with a possible FET occurring on March 7^th (yikes…right around the corner)! I’ll be starting nightly Lupron injections February 3^rd  (only a week from today), my last BCP will be on the 9^th, and the first lab work & baseline ultrasound will be February 13^th. Then, pending the results of that, I’ll receive instructions on when to begin the Progesterone injection, Medrol, Estrace & Doxycyline and will go in for a lining check on February 27^th.  This next month is going to fly by in a whirlwind I’m sure, and I’m anxious to see the results that await us. Until then, moving forward with hope, a grateful heart for those people I do have in my life, and focusing positive thoughts towards those things that I can control and attempting to let go of and accept what I can’t. I saw both of these on Pinterest today and felt they spoke to where I’m at in this moment.

And just because I can't resist sharing this gorgeous face, a recent one of the little man...

Preparing for donor embryo FET #2 and life happenings….

It’s official. I’m back on the birth control pills, and no, it is definitely not in the hopes of preventing pregnancy. It never fails to make us laugh…the very pills that prevent pregnancy are the ones we begin taking in preparation for infertility treatment that will hopefully result in a pregnancy. The irony of modern medicine!

We’ve been in talks with the donor clinic in the northeast that did our FET with Ian, and we are planning to attempt to move forward with an FET sometime in February or March of 2013! This will be with embryos created at the same time as Ian so hopefully we’ll be adding a biological sibling for him to our family. So the appointments and preparations begin already…a reminder of how much work goes into conceiving via the assistance of reproductive medicine. I’ll be meeting with a local RE later this month to do a saline sonohysterogram and mock transfer and already had loads of blood work drawn last week. They’ll be doing all of my monitoring here until we’re ready for the actual transfer at which time we’ll fly out to the northeast.

It’s definitely exciting to think about the possibility of another child, but it also brings up a lot of fear and uncertainty as well. On the plus side, since I’m currently staying home with Ian I’ll have plenty of time to focus on trying to keep stress levels down and will have time for all the necessary appointments that come with a high risk pregnancy if things go successfully with the transfer. On the other hand, pregnancy and all of the fears that come with it given my past experiences are a bit overwhelming to think about. Also, Ian can be such a handful himself at times. Some days I wonder what the heck we’re doing thinking of adding another child into the mix, but then I’m reminded of all the unknowns that come with this. Will we have to do multiple transfers? Will I carry to term? Etc, etc and the list of worries goes on and on…okay, maybe not doing such a good job of keeping the stress levels down. I’m already telling myself, one day at a time… I have a feeling I’ll be reminding myself of that frequently in the future! It’s really hard knowing I was so diligent about being healthy during both of my pregnancies and yet still had unforeseen complications. I can’t help but think we’re due an easy pregnancy this time around, but I also know far too well that doesn’t mean that will happen. I know that life is far from fair at times.

Conceiving through embryo donation/adoption has become so “normal” to us, but I’m often reminded of how little the general population and even other couples who have undergone infertility treatments know of ED/EA. It’s another reminder to me of how incredible it is that we have a child through this form of infertility treatment. And along with that we have an amazing donor family with whom we are so thankful to share an open relationship. Another part of this process for FET # 2 that’s exciting and a bit overwhelming to think about is that we plan to bring Ian with us on the trip so he and the donor family will have the opportunity to meet in person for the first time! We’ve shared pictures and emails from the beginning, but for them to meet each other in person makes me feel emotional now just thinking about it. The thought of actually taking him on a plane is a bit intimidating as well. My mind tends to take off and begin worrying about every little detail. See, I already need to be reminded one day at a time!

Happy Holidays to everyone, I’ll leave you with this hilarious picture of Ian and Santa this year. He was definitely not a fan! We were invited to a local North Pole play date of parents who have adopted or undergone infertility treatments and they had a wonderful Santa who was available for pictures. He was incredibly sweet but alas, Ian was not having it this year…

Maybe next year he’ll be more of a fan. Really it’s totally understandable at his age that a strange man with giant beard and a bright red suit is a tad scary! 

Updates & Christmas shopping...

Life continues on at a dizzying pace set by the busy toddler that is at the center of my world. Ian is very active these days and definitely keeps me on my toes.

It struck me the other day while bored with the current toddler led activity that I should enjoy these little moments where bouncing a ball on the floor or opening and shutting the cupboards are entertainment enough. So for now I’ll try to step back from the moments of repetitive activity and realize that really they too are but fleeting moments. And someday sooner then I’ll probably expect this little toddler of mine will be grown and no longer wanting his momma to be in all of his business.

We just had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with our families and are starting to feel the chill in the air as we prepare for this year’s Christmas festivities. If you’re looking for Christmas ideas, I’m hosting an online Stella & Dot trunk show for my dear friend Tiffany. Swing by and check out some of their fabulous items!!! They have beautiful jewelry as well as some great accessory items like iPhone covers, scarves and wallets. I love their charm collection & plan to put that on my wish list this year!

I’ve also recently become a Thirty-one consultant. I love their products & am so excited to be able to share them with others! If you’re not familiar with them check out my page. I’m currently hosting an online open house party so you can swing by there to take care of some of your Holiday shopping as well!