IVF Update

We met with the RE today to go through the consent signing process, get our protocol calendar, and make our initial payment. We sat down and answered questions like "What should we do with your frozen embryos if you both die?" and "You understand the risks of Ovarian Hyperstimulation, Ovarian Cancer, Multiples and IVF Failure rates?". Fun stuff. Basically, we decided with any worst case scenario, we were prepared. We understand the risks, we are ready to take a chance and we understand that it isn't a sure bet.

The embryo questions were pretty straight forward. The only option I didn't like for any of the embryo decisions was "dispose of the embryos". I think this is the point where it hit me. We are making babies here. It's not just a scientific experiment to see what happens, a failure of nature that occurs in my womb every month, but a miracle that takes place in a small petri dish in a lab. We (and the embryologist) are helping God along and creating life. Heavy stuff. I don't know at what point I would consider it a "baby" but as soon as those cells start dividing, it is human tissue, and a potential life.

It's starting to sink in. I never thought we would get to this step. IVF to me was for women who were older, or had major medical issues, or something. It's hard to believe that we are ready to take this step now, even though with our combination of problems it is about our only chance of having a baby. We have a 50% chance with IVF with ICSI, and our chance of multiples is about 30%.

We also got our Protocol schedule. I will take my last BCP on Saturday (good riddance! I am blaming them for my current bloated/fat feeling) and go in for my first u/s on Wednesday. On Thursday, if everything is clear, we start Stims. I will be doing 225 on the Follistim pen for two days, and then drop down to 15o after that. The RE is afraid of hyperstimulation since it happened last cycle of IUI.

Stims should be about 9 days, with Egg Retrieval approximately August 10th. We also will do 2-5 days of Ganirelix to prevent premature egg release.

There are other drugs (antibiotics, aspirin, prenatal vitamin and extra folic acid supplement) too, but not as important. We also got a copy of the egg retrieval/embryo transfer procedures, but they are too much to worry about right now.

I'm ready to get started! I guess technically as soon as we started the BCPS, we were doing an IVF cycle. Somehow, I think it will feel more real when I start sticking myself with needles.