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