i just sat down and wrote out the checks for dr's/lab/surgery center. wow. i have my first week's worth of meds ready, and i'm just waiting at this point to start the whole process. i'm so excited/overwhelmed/anxious/worried/positive/ & negative all at the same time. the hardest part about dealing with infertility is wanting something more than anything in life, and not knowing the outcome...if you will get what you want in the end or not. UGH! it took me a while to get to the point where i could even decide to go ahead with IVF. i feel like it's sort of my last chance...and if it doesn't work out, then i'm afraid i'll be devastated. obviously, if it does work out, i'll be more than ecstatic. with so many things going on in our lives, i decided that life is too short to worry about the outcome. so...i called my infertility specialist--at nashville fertility clinic (whom by the way are AWESOME), and said sign me up, i'm ready.
after the decision is made, you go there to attend a class that explains the entire process: intructions on giving yourself the injections, and all the other meds that go along with it, billing/costs, tons of paper work, and of course labs for all the pre-req's.
once we start the process, which should be in the next few days, my nurse will give me a calendar of what to do on each day. i will call on day 1 of my cycle, then start a round of anti-biotics (eliminates all bacteria), birth control (for ovary regulation), and 2 different types of injections (lupron--to regulate ovaries and prevent ovulation during stimulation- & FSH--to stimulate growth of ovarian follicles). then on day 38, i'll go in and have the egg retrieval done (which is done as an outpatient surgery & under anesthesia). the next day i'll start steroids (medrol-to decrease inflammation after egg retrieval), and antibiotics (tetracycline-to prevent infection after egg retrieval), and a whole new set of IM injections (progesterone in oil)...these are the fun ones, given in the hips, every day for over 2 weeks. the ones someone else (meaning clint, or someone else, if he can't do it!) has to give me with an inch & a half needle :) i'm thinking he's a tiny bit nervous about that! not gonna lie...so am i. *clenching teeth*
***thanks to all my new friends who have given me the good advice on these shots***
i can then test on day 53 of my cycle. this WILL be the longest 53 days of my life!!!
~~LLC
I got behind a couple of days traveling, but I seriously will come give you your shots every day if you need me to. Or if Clint needs me to! My last day of work is next Thurs and then I''m unemployed for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine the range of emotions you're already feeling, but I'm still praying for you both. Hang in there, my fantastic, brave friend!