In Vitro Fertilization

When we got back from Spain, we had some big decisions to make.  For the past several years, Paul and I have been struggling to get pregnant again.  We had been meeting with a fertility doctor, taking tests and trying to figure out why.  The tests came back showing there was nothing wrong with either of us, which was great on one hand, but also frustrating.  With nothing wrong, there was nothing for us to 'fix' in order to get pregnant.  Over the past year or so we had tried 5 IUI's--Intra-uterine insemination.  Each time was unsuccessful and disappointing.  We had tried one last time--the 5th time--just before going to Spain and we found out there that it too didn't work.  So we talked about other options.  I will be honest that there were times when I just wanted to give up and say that we had one kid--who was pretty amazing--and we could be okay with that.  But then there were times that I would cry and feel like a failure or that I wasn't giving Glenn siblings, or whatever.  I thought maybe we should just adopt because for whatever reason, we weren't having more of our own.  But Paul felt like we hadn't done ALL that WE could do.  So when we got back from Spain, we met with the doctor to see what we needed to do in order to start In Vitro Fertilization or IVF.

The first step, after ultrasounds to confirm that there were no cysts on my ovaries--I had to do that with every IUI too--was to take some birth control pills.  They needed to regulate my cycle and be able to make things happen on certain days.

I also started taking a lot of vitamins and supplements.  They were to help me produce good-quality eggs...and to keep me healthy in general.

Then at the beginning of July, I had to start taking other medication by injection.  The morning I was supposed to start, I was pretty nervous.  Glenn was there with me the whole time, getting the camera to take pictures even!  He kept saying, “I’m so excited for you, Mom!  We’re going to have a baby!”  I was so grateful to have this little cheer leader with me!  I don't know how well it would've gone without him!

These were the needles I had to use to inject the medication into my abdomen.  I did one shot in the morning and then 3 in the evening!  Needless to say, I got good at sticking myself!

(This picture was taken a few days after I finished the shots, but it showed that I did bruise a little bit.)

I even got my own sharps container because of all the needles I would use!  I just never thought that would be a thing in my life.  Crazy!

Then on July 13, I had to take another medication. This was to tell my body when to ovulate.  The medications I took by injection were to get my body to produce more than one egg.  They wanted my body to produce several, thus giving us a better chance of fertilizing at least one to then be put back inside of me.  

I had had some blood work done again--after the 5 unsuccessful IUI's and it indicated that perhaps my egg count was low, especially for a 29 year old.  According to this test, my doctor estimated that I wouldn't produce more than 5 eggs.  I wasn't expecting 5, but I was hoping for at least 1!

July 15 was the egg retrieval day.  I was excited and nervous at the same time.  It wasn't a hard operation, but I would be asleep during it because it would be uncomfortable for me.  I'm glad Paul was there with me.  They wheeled my bed back to the operating room and my doctor retrieved all the eggs that my body produced.  And guess how many there were?!  20!!  We were totally shocked!  As I was waking up the doctor told me she got 20.  I couldn't believe it, and apparently, I asked Paul several times if I had heard her correctly.  "Did she say 20?"  "The doctor got 20 eggs?"  "Was that 20 eggs that she got from me?"  I couldn't believe it!  Having 20 mature eggs is a lot more than 5!!

I was sure glad this part of the process was over.  I no longer had to give myself shots morning and night.  During this time my body gained a lot of water weight.  I felt very bloated and uncomfortable for most of July, even after the retrieval.  I had never really swollen up before, but I did most days and I couldn't button up my pants, etc.  It was kind of miserable and uncomfortable and I felt really fat!  I had gained about 20 pounds in water weight--no fun!

Over the next seven days I got calls from the laboratory, telling us how many of the eggs fertilized and how they were doing.  So out of the 20 mature eggs they got at retrieval, 19 of them fertilized normally.  Of the 19 eggs, 7 continued to multiply and develop.  So by the end of the week, we had 7 embryos that were viable for pregnancy!!   Again we were completely shocked and excited!  This was way more than what we thought would happen.  I was a little overwhelmed at the thought that I could have 7 more children!  I was hoping for just one more and now I could potentially have 7 more!  Woah!

I was then given about a month off to give my body a break from some of the medication.  All the embryos were frozen and I would try to get my body back to normal.  I had to start taking estrogen and progesterone during the month of August, however.

Then on August 20, I was ready for the transfer of the embryo into my body!  I had to take a medication that morning before the little procedure.  

Then it was off to the hospital!!

They had taken pictures of all the embryos together and then again of the one that they would be transferring that day.  It was amazing to think that this tiny, tiny clump of cells that didn't look like much could become a human being!!

After the transfer, it was the waiting game.  

I had to go in to the lab every few days to have my hormone levels checked by blood draw.  (It's not the best picture of me, but I had to do it in the morning, and sometimes I'm not my prettiest in the mornings.)  ;D

Finally on August 28 at 5:55pm, I got a phone call from my doctor's office.  I had gone in that morning to the lab again to take the pregnancy test and then had to wait all day for the results.  I nervously answered the phone, not wanting to hear the bad news...Instead it was good news!!  I AM PREGNANT!!

I was overjoyed and could barely talk to the nurse who gave me the news and some things to do/not do.  I hung up the phone, immediately started to cry, found Glenn and told him, then we called Paul who was still at work.  After many years of waiting and trying and hoping, we were finally pregnant again!!

I took a home pregnancy test too--not really to make sure the results were accurate because they blood work is more accurate, but to have something to show the positive result!

When we found out we were pregnant with Glenn, we made a shirt that said, "I HAM PRAY GO NET."  We had thought of another saying, but hadn't been able to use it--until now:  WHERE EGGS PECK DING."  So I again made another shirt for this pregnancy.

I continued to see my fertility doctor for ultrasounds the first several weeks.  They were monitoring things and making sure everything was okay.  It is such a miracle to watch this little clump of cells continue to divide and grow and develop into a human!  

I also had to go to the lab every few days to check my hormone levels.  That continued throughout my entire first trimester and I think a week or two into the second.  We had to make sure my body would take over making enough because it wasn't a natural pregnancy.

In November I "graduated" on to a normal OB/GYN!  I had taken my last hormone medication on October 29 and I was excited about that!  I had blood work on a couple more times, and then that too was done!  (My poor right arm was tired of getting pricked over and over again, multiple times a week!)

After visiting with my new OB/GYN, she determined that we would have an early ultrasound--at week 16.  That was just before Thanksgiving.  While we were there--all 3 of us went--we found out the gender!  We are expecting a girl!!

Initially Glenn was disappointed--he had wanted a brother.  But that didn't last long!  He is so excited about baby girl and to be a big brother!  Paul and I are both overjoyed and grateful that this final process has been a success.  It's been a long road and we are so happy and so grateful that our prayers have finally been answered!