Saturday, October 31, 2009

The countdown begins!

I don't have the guts/ balls/ovaries* ( delete as applicable) to get a ticker , but I do have a schedule and it starts tomorrow.  The legal documents are signed and delivered, the donor is on BCPs, she passed all her tests with flying colors and is given two big thumbs up for motivation and personality by the egg donor coordinator.

These are the highlights -it is a bit more involved than this - especially on the donor end.
  • After two weeks of boob busting BCPs ( but no mood swings, thank you very much!) I start taking Lupron tomorrow, November 1st. Yippee! Never have I been more happy or grateful to stick a needle in my tummy! It's been about six months so I hope I remember what to do. But just in case I don't, the clinic has a handy dandy video to help me.
  • On 11/12/09 I go into the clinic for a baseline ultrasound and bloodwork.
  • 11//13/09, donor takes FDA tests. Stimulation is contingent on those tests being normal. 
  • 11/14/09  I start Estrace, baby aspirin and decrease Lupron. 
  • 11/17/09 the lovely donor starts her Gonal F pen to stimulate her ovaries. Sometime after this she starts her FSH medication.
  • 11/20/09 and  11/27/09 I go in for another u/s and b/w
  • Thanksgiving day I look at the tofurkey and thank my lucky stars!
  • Donor takes Ovidrel ( trigger shot)
  • Donor goes in 34- 36 hours after trigger shot  for egg retrieval ( around 11/28/09)
  • Lovely  donor eggs and lovely donor sperm do a happy dance with the aid of ICSI and nice embryologists.
  • 11/29/09 I start prometrium, PIO, and a Zpack.
  • Day of  5-day blastocyst (embryo ) transfer - December 3rd, stop Lupron and go for broke!!!
  • 12/13/09 pregnancy test!!!
So there we have it!
I am also very aware that IVF with donor eggs and sperm does not equal pregnant, and pregnant does not equal a healthy baby, but I am going to hope and pray for the best and am feeling excited and optimistic.

breathe, breathe, breathe!

And thank you, all of you for the cheers and the support. It means so much to me:) xoxoxoxoxoxx

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

ICLW redux - the story so far! With Happy Go Lucky Plans and News!

Hello again, ICLWers. This is only my third  month doing it after taking a long break - for no particular reaaon -  and I am looking forward to it! Here is my updates version of "Tireegal's TTC life" after  Ira Glass' "This American Life".

act i. ambivalence, therapy, soul searching, envisioning, money worries and woes, family drama, baby postponed till a later date ( 5 years)

act ii. decision making, temping, IUIs, clomid, anovulation, low ovarian reserve, age, more family and life drama, IVF attempt number one aborted after no response to heavy meds ( 1.5yrs)

Intermission
(Heavy servings of gingersnap lattes, carbohydrates, shoe throwing, anger, misery, therapy, blaming, acceptance, adoption research)

act iii. donor eggs on the table, bcps, starting Lupron tonight for trial cycle, picking donor, baseline u/s and b/w on Friday ( 1 month)





act iv. more delays, including  one fibroid to be removed, one egg donor down for malaria, second egg donor down for emergency kidney surgery, third donor chosen and on the way. Scheduled to start Lupron November 1st. Estimated day of donor egg retrieval November 28th, estimated  day of five day transfer December 3rd!!!!! Yippee!!!!

Credits and acknowledgements :
my honey Susan, therapist, dogs, cats, supportive friends and bloggers.

Commence freak-out about where to put the babies ( I know they go in my uterus, silly - I am talking about apartment accommodations!), how many there are going to be, how to keep afloat financially,  how Susan is going to continue to go to school and get sleep, etc etc etc. You get the picture.
Freaked out but excited!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

And now for the awards ceremony! thanks to Noodlegirl and Fran!





Thanks to Noodle Girl for nominating me for this award.

I have been nominated for awards before  ( thanks, BWUB! and Clare ) but I had to ask for blow by blow instructions on how to post the award to my blog ( thanks Lara) . I seriously need to go to Blogging Boot Camp / Basic Training!

So, here are the rules that accompany this esteemed honor:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award - yup!
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog - yup!

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. http://peanutnoodle.blogspot.com 

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know. Here goes.
There are lots of things you don't all know about me- unless you know me in real life. Hmmmm.
1. When I am concentrating I bite my bottom lip.
2. I always wanted to be an actress and a singer - Julie Andrews was my first role model - no it didn't really happen.
3. I went to an all girls boarding school for the last four years of school. And no, that did not turn me gay! I was already way gay!
4. My family never had a tv when we were growing up till I was sixteen. It was a black and white tv with rabbit ears that had belonged to my Nanna and poor reception and we put it in a bedroom in the attic so you had to make a real effort to watch it.
5. When I was 12 my family moved into a house that had been owned by Amy Johnson's family. She was the first woman to fly single handed from England to Australia in the 1930s and was the British contemporary of Amelia Earhart. She disappeared while on a routine flight over the Thames in England after doing lots of very dangerous and difficult long distance flights.
6. After I got my drama degree in Wales, I spent a summer busking in a duo - I played clarinet and my partner in crime was a pot head who played guitar and harmonica. We used to net about 20 quid a day each on a good day.
7. After that summer busking in Wales, I took Welsh lessons at the local college and learnt to speak it reasonably well.

That was kind of fun - and I only covered the first 24 years of my life!

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
http://cindysblog-bangheadhere.blogspot.com/
http://www.dontlicktheferrets.com/
 http://twomorechicks.blogspot.com/
http://www.stirrup-queens.com/
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/
http://thepitter-patter.blogspot.com
 http://anofferingoflove.wordpress.com/

And now for my next award!!!!!

Thanks also to Fran, for nominating me for this one! I love to be over the top! It appeals to my dramatic nature!



Rules

1. You Can Only Use One Word
2. Pass this along to 6 of your favorite bloggers
3. Alert them that you have given them this award
4. Have Fun!

The Fun Part



1. Where is your cell phone? Table
2. Your hair? Straggly
3. Your mother?  Feisty
4. Your father? Dead
5. Your favorite food?comfort
6. Your dream last night?stressful
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? Fulfillment
9. What room are you in? Sitting
10. Your hobby? Beach
11. Your fear? Meaninglessness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
13. Where were you last night? Bed
14. Something that you aren’t? Relaxed
15. Muffins? Raspberry
16. Wish list item? Baby-House
17. Where did you grow up? England
18. Last thing you did? sipped
19. What are you wearing? comfy
20. Your TV? Cougartown
21. Your pets? Abundant
22. Friends? Nice
23. Your life? Busy
24. Your mood? Anxious
25. Missing someone? Susie
26. Vehicle? Matrix
27. Something you’re not wearing? Bra!!!
28. Your favorite store? Hardware
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Recently
32. Your best friend? Susie
33. One place that I go to over and over? Memory
34. One person who emails me regularly? Susie
35. Favorite place to eat? SimpleGourmet
Recipients:


7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.