Moving on to IVF...

I have been putting off blogging about the last IUI, mostly because I have been too heart broken. Kenny's count was at an all time low. The other problem with the infection cleared up, but his count hasn't gotten better, it has actually gotten worse. I looked up the chances with his count and they are about 2.5%. Not good odds at all. So, now the Dr. has told us that our only chance for conceiving is IVF (in vitro fertilization). Before you even ask, because I know you were going to (some already have)...No, I am not worried about higher order multiples!!!! IVF at my clinic has a little over a 50% success rate, (the Dr. says we have a little better chance because we have male factor only) 25% twin rate and 0% chance of Triplets. This is because when you do IVF the Dr. only puts a certain number of embryos in the uterus. If you only put two, you can only get two babies at the most. So what went wrong with Octo-mom? She didn't have a wonderful and smart Doctor like I have. Her Dr. implanted 6 embryos (two of which split into identical twins), well above the norm, which is 2-3, 3 being the number they transfer for older woman with unhealthy eggs or low ovarian reserve, or if after fertilization the embryos are of low quality.

My biggest worry, other than it not working, is the price tag. The financial coordinator called me this afternoon with prices and I almost fell out of my chair! Added to the thousands that we have already paid we could own a small island! But, a baby is better. If there was ever anything that was so worth the money it would be this. Becoming a Mommy is my number one goal. Everything else is secondary. We will have to cut back our spending A LOT, but I don't mind at all. We will obviously have to finance...unless anyone out there has about 13 grand they would be willing to part with:p

The process...

Step 1: Birth control
BIRTH CONTROL! Yes, you heard me right. I will have to be on Birth control for a cycle before they start to stimulate my ovaries. This is kind of the calm before the storm. They want the ovaries to be calm for a cycle because they are going to get their butts kicked in the next cycle, that is, if ovaries had butts to kick. It also helps to time things so that we can start the next cycle at a time that is convenient for the us and the Dr. At the end of this cycle they will give me a drug called Lupron, which will keep my body from releasing any eggs, which I will be on until they are ready to retrieve my eggs (a self administered daily injection of course)

Step 2: Stim Start
This is the start of the stimulation phase. During this time I will take daily hormone injections called gonadotropins which will stimulate my ovaries to make lots of follicles, rather than just one. At the end of this cycle they will give me progesterone in either an injection or vaginal suppository (never thought I would prefer a suppository) which will make the uterine lining nice and thick for an embryo to implant itself in.

Step 3: Egg retrieval
This is by far the hardest part of the process. The eggs have to be harvested surgically in an operating room, under anesthesia. Basically the Dr. will use a sonogram to guide a long thin needle through the vaginal wall, pierce the follicles on the ovaries and draw up the fluid and egg, which are contained in the follicle.

Step 4: The embryos
The embryologist will inject a single sperm into the each mature egg. (we are paying an extra $1,200 for this procedure, usually they just combine them in a dish and let them fertilize, but since we have low count, we are doing this process known as ICSI). The embryos that make it will then be transferred 3-5 days later. If we have extras, which I am REALLY hoping for, they can be frozen and used at a later date. This would be our only opportunity to have more children, because I will not do this process again. I may change my mind down the road, but for now I only see myself doing this once, unless we don't conceive, then I would do it again as soon as we could afford to.

Step 5: The Transfer
This is similar to the IUIs that I have done in the past and involve a catheter through the cervix, they then transfer the embryos into the uterus.

So there ya have it. Our next step in this crazy process of becoming parents. There have been so many tears shed already, and I know there are more to come. IVF is a long, painful process, both physically and emotionally, but I think I am ready. The Birth control cycle will more than likely be in August and IVF in September. If I seem crazy over the next few months you can be sure it is either emotions, or hormones, or both. It is going to be a long hard road which may, or may not lead to a baby, but we had to try it. We are out of options and want a baby so desperately. If you are reading this and have children go into the other room and give them a big hug and kiss. You are blessed and don't ever take it for granted. Please keep Kenny and I in you prayers. XOXO

Follicle Scan/blood work

Today I had blood work and a follicle scan. I only had one mature follicle, which was a little disappointing because last time I had two at this point. I did have LOTS of smaller ones. The 3 largest were 19mm, 14mm, and 12mm. Last time they were 19mm, 18mm, and 14mm (18mm is considered mature, only mature follicles will release an egg) I felt a lot better about it after getting the results of my blood work. Last time I was about to ovulate and had the IUI done the next day. This time I was not quite ready, which is why the follicles are not that big. So, I will do my HCG trigger (a shot that releases the eggs form the follicles and makes them grow) tomorrow night and will be inseminated on Monday. I am PRAYING that it works this time! The bad news is Dr. Storment is going on Vacation this weekend, so I will have to see a different Dr. this time. I just knew I would ovulate over 4th of July weekend!