IVF Diary Part 1

 Thursday May 27, 2021: 

I finally finally started my cycle! Woohoo! 

Right away, I call to make an appointment at ART for our pre-IVF baseline. I'm just so excited one that I finally started, and two that my cycles weren't 50 days apart this time. I literally. When talking with a friend, I think the thyroid medicine might be helping regulate my cycle! Anyways, appointment was made for 7:45 on Friday! 

Friday May 28, 2021: 

Go into my appointment at 7:45. Blood work first, then ultrasound, and meeting with the nurse. We go over a few different things, I end up having to get blood drawn again. Everything on the ultrasound looks good, and now we waited on blood work to see if we would be able to start. We scheduled the next steps, which is a saline ultrasound and fasting blood work for me, and blood work and analysis for Brandon. 

Our biggest prayer was that my thyroid levels would come down and guess what? They did! We get the news to go ahead and start birth control/blood thinner shots for Saturday. While on the phone with the nurse, she also lets me know that she will have an approximate calendar for me.  This calendar will include dates of appointments, and approximate date for egg retrieval and transfer (Should be early July). 

I get my prescription for the birth control and take it to Adam's Drugs Millbrook. Well Millbrook calls, and they don't have it and would have to order it. I asked if they could see if Pine level or Montgomery had it, and luckily, Pine Level had it in stock! 

Saturday, May 29th

Thursday June 3, 2021: 

Today was saline ultrasound day! And as it was prayed: EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT! 

I also got our approximate calendar. I am going to have to take the birth control a little longer than expected. Then the approximate time for retrieval, etc is for mid-end of July! I am hoping and praying this will be the best birthday present EVER! Unfortunately, we thought that last year would be too, so it is difficult thinking that this is such a similar timeline to 2020 when our IUI was successful on my 29th birthday, and learned we miscarried the first day of school. We have to continue to focus on the positive! 

Friday June 4, 2021: 

Blood work was completed for both Brandon and myself! We will be waiting on results for a while because mine were sent to LabCorp. Hopefully Brandon's will come quicker! 

Saturday June 5, 2021: 

We are now on the second week of lovenox and birth control. So far, I have only had a few of the side effects including low grade fevers and stomach aches. Praying week 2 won't show any side effects. 

Monday June 7, 2021: 

So if you have been following our journey, months ago we had someone that donated around $3,000 worth of medication to us! This was such a huge blessing! Today, I get the quote for the medicine in my email, and it is only $1,800ish. Wow, this bill should have been around $5,000, but isn't, thanks to a wonderful family that wanted to pay it forward after they had gone through IVF too and a God that provides! 

Also on Monday, I got some of the bloodwork results from Friday, June 4th. It scared me to death when the nurse called. Most of my bloodwork was fine, but I had a few things that were higher than normal. First was something with my liver and second was my fasting sugar. Now, I have added another supplement to take; ovasitol. Now this is a powder that you mix and drink with any non-carbonated drink. Brandon's bloodwork came back good as well. 

Also, I spoke with a sorority sister today that is also going through this process. Crazy thing, is we almost have the exact same schedule! Literally, our retrievals are approximately the same week. I thought that was neat that we would be going through everything at similar times. 

Tuesday June 8, 2021: 

Brandon goes to south for an analysis. I leave for Kids Camp with our new church home, Journey. Journey has been such a blessing the past months. I have jumped into working in the children's ministry, and Brandon is getting everything going to be on the security team. 

Sunday June 13, 2021: 

Today is our 6th anniversary. I am just so overwhelmed today, thinking about the fact that we should have had a child by now. We should have had this little front room filled with nursery things, but it isn't. And it just breaks my heart. 

Also Brandon has been sick all weekend! Praying he gets to feeling better soon! 

And, I am pretty sure this Ovasitol is making my stomach super upset. It doesn't have a taste, but drinking it three times a day seems like a lot. 

We also begin week 3 of birth control and lovenox. This week, I only take it until Wednesday, take a break, and then start again at the beginning of next week. I am having to take it longer than the normal protocol. Still praying for side effects to not be bad. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 in a few weeks for another update**

Prayer Request for now: 

-Minimal side effects from medicines

-Strength, Faith, Hope

-Pre-Cycle appointment on June 29th to go well 

-Brandon 

What happens next: 

Continue meds

Pre-cycle appointment with IVF nurse on June 29th 

IVF Baseline once my cycle starts again