My Second IVF Journey Starts TODAY....

psalm 113:9
"He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children."


I'm sure that most of you reading have never had to deal with Infertility, Praise God for that.  But for those of you reading who have been there or are there....my heart goes out to you.  May God bring peace as he walks WITH you during this troubled valley.  He promises he will never leave us.

Today starts my second IVF cycle (first one was in July 2007 which ended up with a heart breaking miscarriage).  I feel like it's important to start this journey by explaining what really happens in an IVF cycle.  A lot of people just assume the worst with IVF.  But we are normal, everyday woman that just want a baby and have exhausted all other options.  I am a Christian, a wife, a mother, a daughter and a sister.  I'm any one of you.  I'm allowing the Lord to work though my prayer life and my doctors to help us build our family.  We serve a big God and I believe that he allows us to do pretty amazing things.  I will not put God in a box and tell him how to give me my children.  I will follow HIS lead.  We've adopted and received from God, we've done fertility treatments and received from God, we are fostering soon to receive from God and we are once again doing fertility treatments to receive from God.  I refuse to tell God how to "heal" me and I refuse to give up on him.  He knows my heart and he knows my desires I am thankful for an all knowing God who is ALIVE and walking with me.

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This is IVF broken down;

*Cost of ONE IVF cycle - $8,900.00 (No Insurance does NOT cover a penny)
This does NOT include the meds which can be anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.  (I'm blessed that my meds will on the lower side.  I do not require a lot of stimulating because of my age and the fact that my eggs are good quality).

*Typical IVF Time Frame;
21 days of Birth Control Pills  - this helps to calm your ovaries before they are pushed to their limits producing eggs.
10 days of a shot called Loupron  - this puts your body into a medically induced menopause.  Again, this is to calm your ovaries before they are pushed.  It is a shot that you give yourself in your stomach or thigh.
10 - 14 days of "Stims" x2 a day  -Stims are a series of shots that make your ovaries work overtime producing as many eggs as they can.  Everyone stims different so that is why there is a few flex days as to how long a certain person will stim. These shots are given 2 times a day and go in your stomach or thigh.
TRIGGER SHOT - this shot is given at an EXACT time of day (usually around 9:00pm).  It's given when your eggs are ready for harvest.  You have the egg retrieval EXACTLY 36 hours after this shot is given.
Egg Retrieval - this is done 36 hours after the trigger shot.  You are put under in an out patient surgery type place (usually on site at the clinic).  Egg retrieval is when they go in and get your eggs out.  If all goes well you want to have about 10 or more eggs.  
Egg and Sperm Meet - this is the romantic part.  Your eggs are put in with your husbands sperm and if all goes well...your babies are made in this dish.  Pretty darn cool if you ask me.
Progesterone  Shot - this is a HUGE shot of thick progesterone that goes into your butt.  Yes it HURTS very badly and makes you VERY sore.  Not fun.  You do these shots for 7 days - once a day.
Egg Transfer - This takes place 3 to 5 days after Egg retrieval.  Depending on the quality of your embryos you will be told to have 3 day, 4 day or 5 day transfer.  At this time you also decide how MANY to put back in.  This is a BIG decision.  The usual number is between 1 and 3.  We will most likely do 2.  
The Two Week Wait - this is the least painful part physically but the most painful part emotionally.  This is the time where you sit and wait and pray that all your money, time, effort and love worked.  There is no guarantees after ALL of this, that you will be pregnant.  And even if you get pregnant that you will carry to term.


*That pretty much sums up an IVF cycle.  I will also mention that I didn't add in the fact that once you are at the stim phase you are at the doctors office about every other day getting blood work and an ultra sound to monitor your progress.  This adds MUCH stress not only because your life revolves around driving an HOUR each way to get to the appointment but also you are waiting after the appointment for your doctor to tell you your new drug dosage and give his input on how things are looking.

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I'm sure a lot of you might have questions...so ask away.  I'm an open book.

Today begins day ONE of my birth control pills.  So for the next 20 days I will not have too much to post.  But once everything gets started I will be doing a daily journal of our progress so you can follow along. I will include some fun pictures too....good times! =)

Thank you all for your support as we travel down the road to TWO more children.  We have our next foster home study on Feb 25th and so far so good, we are moving right along.  Hopefully not to much longer!!!!