IVF Diary Part 3

Saturday July 10th: 

Tonight is the first night of STIMS! We are so excited to finally get started with the process! We are continuing to pray for the follicles to grow and grow, and create many many eggs to retrieve! 

Wednesday July 14th: 

Today was my first follicle scan at the doctor's office.  I was excited to see what all the medicine had done over the past 4 nights. At the appointment they measured 9 follicles growing slowly. Now, growing slowly isn't bad because you don't want 1 or 2 to get bigger than all the rest. You want them to grow together. I was a little disappointed. I would have thought that there would have been more! As I was upset and talking with Brandon this morning, he gave me the best reminder, that it only takes 1 to make a miracle! We are praying our 1 or 2 may be in that 9! The nurse didn't call until 4:00 with bloodwork results, etc. So my medicine amount will stay the same, and I go back on Friday at 8:15.  

Dear God, 

I thank you for the follicles/eggs that we have growing Lord. Please forgive me for doubting that it may not be enough. I pray that we continue to look to you as we journey on through the IVF process! Help us to put our hope and trust in you with every step! We love you and pray for great results on Friday!  AMEN

Friday, July 16th:

Today was a  much better ultrasound! She measured 12 follicles total that were growing! All I can do is praise God for seeing even more follicles growing, and praying they continue to keep going! 

Dear God, 

We thank you for the follicles that are growing right now. We are just so thankful! I pray that everything continues to grow and that the medicine continues to work as we take it for many more days! AMEN 

Monday July 19th: 

Today was follicle check #3. I got to see all my follicles growing on the ultrasound as there were 14 on EACH SIDE! Now, not all of them are near the size they are supposed to be, but I thought it was pretty cool to watch the progression of them from when I had my first ultrasound to now. I have had some cramping still as I continue to take the medicine. And today I felt super bloated too. So I wait on the nurse to call me this afternoon. They finally call around 3:30, and she says I have to come back tomorrow for another check. After another check, we will decide if I will trigger Tuesday for a Thursday Retrieval or Wednesday for a Friday Retrieval. 

If I have a Wednesday trigger, I will have to take my STIM meds for one extra day. Now, we know these meds are expensive, but let me tell you what happen today with trying to order one extra day. So most of the Gonal-f or Follistim cost between 300-500 depending on dosage, etc. We sent to a different pharmacy than normal, and I had to call the doctor back to tell them that I couldn't do that. The pharmacist said it was going to be over $900. So I went back to my normal Fertility Pharmacy and got it for $450. The cool thing about the Fertility Pharmacies is that they will over night your medicine for free to you! The one we use happens to be in GA, and they have never missed a next day delivery. 

Now we wait to see what tomorrow brings! I am so ready to know for sure what day our retrieval will be! We continue to pray that it is super successful, with lots of eggs retrieved and lots of embryos made! 

Tuesday, July 20th: 

In being honest, I was super worried this morning! However, God has come through again and again showing his power! So, I didn't end up needing the extra meds I talked about yesterday! I also didn't end up needing one of the trigger shots either! 

Dear God, 

Thank you for your faithfulness Lord! We pray right now for a successful retrieval, fertilization, and transfer! We pray for our future child that is being made! That we will be able to see him or her in April of next year, Lord! We know all of this is possible through you and we just pray that you guide the doctors, and watch over us through this next week of exciting, but scary events! We thank you that we are able to do a fresh transfer! We thank you for the doctors who have already been there to help us so much! I am just in awe of all of this coming together! I thank you for sweet Brandon, and him being by my side every step of the way through countless shots, and medication! We love you and are so excited for what this next week may bring! In Jesus name, Amen. 

Retrieval Set: 07/22/21 @ 10:45 AM 

07/24/21- Katey turns 30! 

Transfer Set: 07/27/21 @ 12: 00 PM 

All in Birmingham at the ART Fertility Clinic! 

LET'S DO THIS! There will be a part 4, you probably won't see it until September! But all of this was too exciting not to share with you all! Please be in prayer for: Egg retrieval, fertilization, embryos, transfer, for my body to work as it should, and for Baby Owens to be healthy and make it 9 months so we can meet him or her! We love you all and are so thankful for your prayers! 

-Katey and Brandon 

IVF Diary Part 2

Monday, June 28th

There really hasn't been an update since the last blog. Tomorrow is my appointment with the IVF nurse from Birmingham. After the appointment I will be able to order my medicine that is needed, and just learn more about the specifics of the process. I pray that it goes well, and I'll update Part 2 of the blog tomorrow after the appointment at 9:00. 

Tuesday, June 29th

I had my appointment with IVF nurse. We talked on the phone for about 45 minutes going over my calendar, medicines, procedures, financial, and consents to sign. First was the calendar. We set up the suppression appointment for next Wednesday July 7th. At this appointment they will be doing blood work, and making sure the birth control did its job. However, this is the point in the process where many couples journey gets cancelled. So I ask that we pray for everything to go just as it should. As long as everything goes well, I will start STIMS on Saturday July 10th. All of my meds were ordered today and they should be here this Friday. 

We went over how to mix the medicines for the shots. And other medicines that I would potentially have to take during the process. We also went over all of the medicines I am currently taking to make sure nothing would counteract. Everything there was good. So now we just wait for next week and go from there! 

Monday, July 5th

Today is my last day on birth control! Wednesday is the big appointment that I have already explained in the last date of the diary. I am just feeling super nervous about it. My nerves have been way worse than normal. I am so thankful for my little prayer team that I have been sending out messages too. These women have been so encouraging, and prayerful on mine and Brandon's behalf! They have kept me uplifted over the past month and I am so grateful they are there for us! (INSERT: please don't be offended if you are not in this group and reading this. The blog is a great way to keep up with everything too! 

Prayer for Today

Lord, I pray that you would calm my anxious soul. Give us peace about our appointment on Wednesday! I pray that my levels be where they are supposed too, no cysts, and that the birth control did what it was supposed to do. Help us to stay positive and know that you are in control of this situation! We thank you that you have paved a way for this so far, and we can't wait to see what happens with the rest of our testimony. *AMEN*

Wednesday July 7th

As of 9:00, everything looks good. My ultrasound was perfect, and now we just wait on the bloodwork results. We are waiting to see what my estrogen level is. We are wanting it to be super super low! 

As of 2:00, we have the go ahead! STIMS START SATURDAY!!! 

Please be in prayer, that my follicles grow into many many eggs! I probably will not publish part 3 for a while! We just ask for your prayers! Thank you all for the prayers you've already said! 

Dear God, Thank you for letting your plan fall into place! We praise you for our numbers being good, and for my ultrasound being perfect! We could not have made it this far without our hope in you! We continue to trust in you throughout the process, and thank you for the others that are interceding for us! In Jesus Name, Amen.