Our miracle RAINBOW BABY BOY arrived 8/2018

1st IVF = BFN
2nd IVF = Baby A, born May 2015
3rd IVF = Miscarriage at 14 weeks
4th IVF = BFN
After we paid for 5th IVF, positive pregnancy without IVF!

Because the important moments in life just don’t fit in a status update! I started this blog when I was training for my first ½ Ironman, (70.3 miles) to record what I hoped would be growth and progress but ended up being a huge learning experience. Although fitness is one of the key ingredients to a happy life, it certainly isn't the only ingredient. My blog has evolved to document growth, progress and setbacks in other areas too. From my surprise proposal in Rome and wedding in the fall of 2013, to Mom's devastating stage IV cancer diagnosis and death 2 weeks after I found out I was pregnant. Who knows what shape it will take, but thanks for being along for the ride.

Friday, September 23, 2016

IVF #3 Underway!

Today is the day! I start my Menopur injections tonight! 



I had an appointment at HRC Fertility in Newport Beach last week for a Sonohysterogram. This was to make sure that when/if we have embryos, that they are going to a good home. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but my uterus "looks great" and I was given the all clear. This was the last test needed, and also hopefully the last unexpected cost. This imaging, which took about 15 minutes, set us back $640. Because it is considered diagnostic, it was not included in the IVF package price.

Although both the procedure and the price were uncomfortable, I left the appointment feeling hopeful. The nurse said it is hard to tell for sure (because the follicles are small and suppressed right now), but it looks like I have 3-4 eggs on each side. This was encouraging to me because for my second IVF egg retrieval two years ago (which resulted in Baby A!) I had 10 retrieved, 8 of which were mature. So if I really do have 8 this time around, we're not that far from where we were, in spite of my AMH level now being .2 instead of the .4 that is was in 2014. For those of you not familiar with IVF or what the medications do, they help each egg think they are the dominant "main" one, so that they each grow large enough to be fertilized. There are no medications, unfortunately, that grow additional eggs. The meds just help utilize what we have.

The following day, I went in for a baseline ultrasound and blood-work to check my estradiol level. Again, everything looked great. I took my last birth control pill on Monday and start my injections tonight! My dosing is 525 IU of Menopur, which I will remain on for six days. I am supposed to inject the medication at the same time every evening. I chose 8:30pm, since she is always asleep before 8pm.

I have three appointments next week to monitor the growth and progress of the follicles: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all at 7:30am. Fingers crossed! I'll update you in a week.

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