New Beginnings

Clint and I decided to create a blog in order to help us process some of our thoughts and emotions as we go through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). We also thought our friends and family could use it to keep in touch with us throughout the process.

As background:

2 years ago, Clint and I decided we would try to start a family. Like most people, we thought we would conceive right away, particularly since we both come from relatively fertile families. We thought that if we had trouble, it would be on my end because my brother and I were both the products of Clomid. Nonetheless, we tried diligently for about 1 year. I became concerned so we went to see a gynecologist in the office where I had been seen since I was 13. He suggested that before we went poking about with me, that Clint be tested. Unfortunately, his test did not come back with very good results. He was crushed, particularly so because the gynecologist did not offer very much to be positive about. Nonetheless, he referred us to a local Bloomington urologist. This urologist examined Clint and was very kind and helpful. He referred us to the premier male infertility specialist in the state of Indiana, and went so far as to make an appointment for us the very week he made the referral. Needless to say, we hold the local urologist in very high esteem so if you ever need one, let us know and we'll give out his name and location.

The specialist in Indianapolis suggested that Clint have surgery to eliminate 2 large veins in his system and to determine what, if any, sperm making ability he had. So, this past December Clint underwent very serious surgery that involved cauterizing those veins, removing some fatty tissue and have a bilateral testicular biopsy. It took him three very long weeks to recover from the surgery but he was a trooper.

About 4 months after the surgery, the specialist started talking to us about options other than natural conception. We decided to use a fertility group located in Carmel and started meeting with the excellent doctors there to examine me. They determined that we needed to use a procedure called IVF with ICSI (in vitro fertilization with intro cytoplasmic sperm injection). This essentially entails hyper-stimulating my ovaries, harvesting the eggs, aspirating sperm from Clint and physically inserting the sperm directly into the the eggs. This would also mean that Clint and I would undergo surgery at the same time.

In July it was determined that my uterus was well positioned to begin the IVF procedure. So, on I began daily injections of a drug called Lupron. Lupron essentially threw my body into menopause, suppressing my ovulation and all hormones associated with it. After a week or so of the injections the office took blood to ensure my hormones were sufficiently suppressed. Then, on August 1, I began my twice daily injections of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) in addition to continuing the once daily injections of Lupron. The FSH made me feel very hyper, aggressive, and crazy. It reminded me of being 16 years old wanting to drive very very fast with the top down, eating cheese fries and toilet papering houses. Not that I ever TP'd anyones house when I was 16, but it made me feel like I wanted to.

I didn't really mind the shots other than 1) I had a u-shaped pattern of track marks and bruising around my belly button, 2) my belly felt very swollen and uncomfortable, 3) I felt like I had to pee all the time from the pressure of my growing ovaries, and 4) the FSH is ridiculously expensive (think $700 per 60unit tube--I went through 5 tubes) and not covered by insurance. yeah.

After 5 days of the FSH I had blood work done to see where my estrogen level was along with an intrauterine ultrasound to see how many follicles my ovaries were developing and their respective sizes. They both the ultrasound and the blood work to determine how much FSH to give me and when to schedule the retrieval. From August 5 through the 13th, I went up to Carmel every other day for blood work and an ultrasound. Finally, I was told this past Monday that I would receive my hCG shot on Tuesday night and the retrieval was scheduled for Thursday morning. The hcG shot is a deep tissue shot in the upper hip that essentially triggers my ovaries to send those developing follicles into overdrive. A very sweet Doctor friend of mine agreed to give me the shot. She did a great job and I had no bleeding or excessive pain.

Currently:

Clint and I both had surgery bright and early Thursday morning. They retrieved 18 eggs from me and a very good tissue sample from Clint. In fact they were so happy with the tissue sample that they did not tap his left testicle. This is very good for him for 2 basic reasons: 1) he was worried that they would not find ANY sperm and we would have to use our backup donor sperm, and 2) his recovery will be shorter.

Yes, I did say donor sperm. We thought long and hard about whether or not we were going to use any as a backup in case they could not find any sperm from Clint Initially, Clint did not want to use any. Over time, and with the help of counseling, he realized the chance they would not find any sperm from him was relatively small (20% ) but he would love any child as his own. Therefore, we agreed to have a vial as backup, both sincerely hoping that it would not have to be used. In the end, we were blessed and did not have to use the donor sperm. Telling my husband that they got a good sample from him was one of the happiest moments I have shared with him to date.

In fact the sample was better than either one of us expected. We learned from the biologist yesterday that of the 18 eggs retrieved, 15 were inseminated, and 10 were showing signs of fertilization. Clint was so happy and relieved to know they found enough sperm to inseminate 15!!!

They will continue to monitor all the eggs this weekend. I am scheduled to go up to Carmel tomorrow for transfer of the best 2 eggs at 9:30 am. However, they will check on the eggs at 7:00 am. If they are at a particular stage of development, they will leave them alone and the transfer will be postponed until Tuesday morning. I don't really understand this stage very well but I basically understand it is better to implant a blastocyst, which is further along in development, then an embryo. Nonetheless, if things are not progressing as fast as they want, they will go ahead and get the embryos in my body on Sunday. Either way, we won't know until tomorrow morning at 7:00am.

I'm not done with drugs by the way. I started this morning taking something called endometrium, which looks like a Monistat Suppository. Its a tablet of some type of hormone that is supposed to assist my body prepare for handling an implanted embryo, to make sure that I get certifiably pregnate. I have to take it 3 times a day through my first pregnancy test at the end of this month. I don't know if it was the drug or the fact my body is still sore from the retrieval surgery but my first dose this morning made me incredibly crampy. So, I curled up on the couch for an hour then took a nice hot bubble bath. I feel much better now but I'm still going to take it easy today. I need to prepare my body for the baby/ies I'm going to receive later this week.

Once the embryos/blastocysts are transferred to my body I have to be on strict bed rest for 2 days. I swear I am going to honor this directive to the T. See, I'm not the best patient. I'm too much of my father obey the request "take it easy" very well. I was supposed to take it easy following the retrieval surgery Thursday but I'm not doing so well with that one. I walked around a lot Thursday afternoon/evening and went to work on Friday from 7:15am to 6:00pm. I also walked from my office on College to the First Christian Church on Kirkwood and Washington and back, which was probably too much walking for me. I think my mother wants to strap me down to a couch and only let me up to go see the doctor. But Clint and I have gone through too much, and we have too much at stake for me to play fast and loose with the implanted embryos/blastocysts. I don't want to risk anything, so I will only get up when absolutely necessary!!!

We are so blessed to have great friends and family to help us out. My parents chauffeured us on Thursday and my mom will drive me again for the transfer. They also brought dinner over for us last night, cleaned the kitchen and even emptied my dishwasher. My mom is also going grocery shopping for me this morning. She doesn't want me walking around too much, pushing the heavy cart or lifting the grocery sack. My parents are great and I think they're getting the tiniest bit excited about having a grandchild/grandchildren. My friend Chelsea is being a dear too. She came over Thursday night and made Clint and I dinner. She is also going to hang out with me later today and when I'm on bed rest too.

That's the other thing. I mentioned we have 10 fertilized eggs and that they're going to transfer the best 2 later this week. Given my health and age, the doctor thought the likelihood of us having twins is around 60%. That information is blowing my mind. In 1 year, we have gone from the probably of not having any children at all, to the possibility of having 2! CRAZINESS!! I would be ecstatic to have just 1, so 2 would be out of this world amazing.

I just don't quite know how to express my thanks and appreciation to all the people who have supported Clint and I through this process and who helped make it possible. I also don't know how to express my gratefulness that we have achieved so much. A simple thank you is insufficient, but for once, this lawyer is at a loss for more appropriate words.