Grape Soda Club

Grape Soda Club

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Appt today

Went in today to check on my progesterone levels after adding the prometrium to my menu :)  I took prometrium before I dropped the kids off at preschool and then I went straight to the Dr's after that.  I haven't felt as extremely drowsy as I did the first time I took it on Tuesday night but I still get a little loopy.  So, by the time I went in I was starting to feel it.  I was around the corner from costco so I decided after the blood draw I'd go over to costco to pick up a few things and to ride out my weird drowsiness.

The rest of the day was fine.  Got the kids from school, had them finish what was left of their lunch (which was most of it), nap time, I was still drowsy/tired from meds so I just relaxed and watched a couple episodes on hulu.... I hate moving around when I feel loopy.  I felt lazy, but it's better than bumbling around haha.

My doctor's office called me with the results and they said my estrogen and progesterone levels look good and to continue my meds as I have been.  So it looks like the prometrium is doing it's job :)  I go back on Tuesday to recheck my levels.

On another note, when I was down and out about the prometrium thing I prayed for comfort and understanding.  I was just needing a feeling of support.  The next day a friend stopped by with a sonic drink.  She had no idea what was going on.  I know it's just a sonic drink- but to me- it was reassurance that I was being looked out for.  Later that evening an old friend contacted me about her infertility journey and wishing us luck on ours.  She mentioned about reading through our old blog about all of our infertility struggles and successes and how she has found hope in that.  It seriously brought tears to my eyes because this journey has just been so crazy.  I so appreciated her contacting me.

Today was a great day.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Quick update

Took the prometrium last night and then a little while after I took my progesterone shot... and holy cow.. drowsy city!!  We'll see how that continues to go.  It better be all worth it!!

Anyways, this morning, I called conception pharmacy (where I get all fertility meds) and I needed to order new progesterone in oil shots.  The last time I ordered my month supply it was like $300 just for those.  This was back in October.  Anyways, I told the woman I was pretty sure my insurance wasn't going to cover it.  I asked if I could only order a few instead of the full month so I didn't have to pay so much money.  She ran it through insurance just incase and she said that insurance covered it and it was $10... What?? I was like.. "you're kidding!"  She even ran it through a 2nd time.  She said in October it was run through insurance but not covered so it might've changed over the new year!  I'm still in shock.  It's a tender mercy, that's for sure.

I know it wasn't like thousands of dollars saved.. but if IVF works, I'll be on the shots for a long time and that will add up very very quickly... so it could turn into over $1000 just for that but now.. if my insurance covers it... It really relieves a lot of financial stress.

God is good.  I am beyond thankful and we are beyond blessed.  Still crossing fingers! 5 days past transfer...

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Transfer and other things

Friday was our transfer day!  We had to be there at 6:30am.   Instructions upon leaving home:  empty bladder, begin drinking 1st water bottle and finish at arrival, check in, start 2nd water bottle.... feel like you have to pee your pants.. haha.



Anyways, we got to the clinic and checked in.  Maybe around 7am we got called back, saw our nurse, vitals, took ibuprofen, took a valium, Jon got his fancy suit, I got the gown.. woo!  Then we headed back.  We got our pictures of our snowbabies.  Both hatching!  This is a good thing.  Transfer went really well.  I guess I don't have a whole ton of description.  The same ol same ol... Then, Dr. G said that he wanted me back in on Tuesday to check my estrogen and progesterone levels.  The last 2 FETs they didn't check me at all until the the pregnancy test.  With Alton and Ashlyn's IVF they checked me a few times before the pregnancy test.  So, it makes sense.. just hoping it will help my odds.



Today I went in for my blood test and it came back saying my estrogen levels are good but my progesterone levels aren't as high as they want them to be.  I'm already an emotional mess.  So everything is heightened and I make a big deal about stupid stuff.  It's just what happens when you are on tons of estrogen!  Ha!  Anyways, they're putting me on prometrium (pill form of progesterone) and then still do the progesterone in oil shots.  Then I'll be back on Thursday to check up on it again.  I guess I'm so upset about all of this because it starts the questions of "Am I doing the shots wrong?  What else is wrong with my body?  What can I do different?...."  See? Stressful.  Anyways...

The bedrest was good.  It was nice to see Jon with Alton and Ashlyn having fun.  Jon did so much to help and kept us together this past weekend and I'm truly thankful for his willingness to be on this crazy ride with me!  By the end of the weekend I was so done with laying on the couch.  I'm doing fine now.  No real symptoms.  Some cramping here and there (I think.. who knows...).  The two week wait is so hard.  It's just a rollercoaster.  You have no way to control anything, no way of knowing if it was successful, there are usually no symptoms during the 2ww anyways so no matter what happens- there's no way of knowing unitl the blood test.

Today after I got the news about adding the prometrium to my already large list of meds I was so down and out.  I was getting frustrated with all the little things.  For example, whenever Ashlyn got a little crazy (upset because she didn't have the right color of something) it really got under my skin more than it should have.  I had a lot of mom fails this afternoon.  I just have to pick myself up and be better tomorrow.  It's really hard not having Jon here in town.  There are just times that you need a moment to check out and tonight was one of them.

Anyways, not trying to be all depressing over here :)  It was just a rough day.  I still have hope, but man it's hard to keep hope alive after the last 2 failed FETs.  Crossing fingers!

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

And.... it's 2016

So much has happened.  I haven't kept up with this blog like my original intentions.  Not that surprising... Oh well.

There has just been so much that I've been keeping track of for the kids and myself.  Then Jon is traveling still every week so weekends are crazy too- trying to get in a lot of daddy time.

Super simple summary... did a 2nd FET and it failed.  I was pretty shocked to be honest.  The first one we did back in August I didn't even bother getting an at home test.  I just knew.  The 2nd time I got an at home test and I was like 90% sure that it was going to be positive.. it wasn't.. but it's not over until the beta blood test... and it was negative.

I didn't want to crawl back into my dark little hole and we didn't have a long waiting period this time around (last time we had to wait for tons of blood work and then we were going on vacation back in October...)

Anyways, we decided to do a 3rd FET.  We met with my doctor to hash everything out.  We decided that it would be best to put in 2 embryos (trust me, my heart skips a beat every time I think about it).  There's a chance that only one will take, that both will stick or none.  We decided to not test the embryos.  When we first did this- we had no reason to test them (or the extra $$$ to do it).   All the testing would tell us is if the embryo is viable- if it would even survive.  We didn't care about genetic things- if we got pregnant on our own it's not like we could really control that.. so if we had done it- it would just have been to see if the embryo was good or not.  So... there's a chance that these frozen snow babies aren't viable.  But, it's too risky to test them.  Reasons why we are choosing not to (and doctor recommended against it) A- do they survive the thaw?  B- would they survive the testing?  C- Is there any long term damage?- no one really knows that last one.

We started meds back up the day after Christmas.  I had been on birthcontrol for just a little bit- they called it a "holding period"... where I wasn't going to be on birth control for an entire cycle so that we could start everything before the new year but not have it fall during the new year because the IVF lab closes for like a week.  So... here we are... and our 3rd FET is on FRIDAY!  I'm trying to go into this with confidence and a positive head.  It's hard.  Everything in this world comes at you hard.  "Maybe I'm not supposed to pass these crazy genes of mine on."  "I already have 2 kids- why should I have more?"   The list could go on forever.

We went to the temple over the break and we have been praying about it for quite a while and we both know that the decision we've made (to do it again and to put in two embryos) is right.  Whether the outcome is what we're hoping for or not.

Bring it on Friday.  I'm coming with my lucky socks that I wore to the twin's IVF.  Didn't wear them the last 2 times... thinking I should this time :D