6 Weeks

5 Weeks & 6 Days

There is my little peanut!!!! And I mean, ONE little peanut!!!! Implanted in the right place, the right size, all looks good so far!!! I'm sooo happy :) For those who are ultrasound illiterate, The white "bean" in the middle of the black area is the embryo, and the white area in the top of the black space is the placenta, the black space is the amniotic sac. Yay!!!

Sorry I didn't get to update yesterday, I had my ultrasound and went straight to work, and didn't get home until 10PM, when I went to bed! So today I am 6 weeks pregnant!! Pregnancy symptoms are minimal, I've cut meat out of my diet a few days ago and haven't had a bit of nausea since. I am still getting protein, not to worry, I am drinking protein drinks for breakfast, eating greek yogurt, and beans in tacos and burritos :) I think it's crazy I can eat a Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito from Taco Bell no problem, but a turkey & cheese sandwich will make me sick... oh well!

I asked my reproductive endocrologist (at the fertility center when I had my ultrasound yesterday) when I should schedule my first OB appointment for. He said that I will see him again in two weeks for another ultrasound (yay!!! Its scheduled for 11:45AM Wednesday Feburary 1st), and I can set up my first OB appointment for the following week. So exciting!!

6 weeks: 188.6lbs (-.2 lbs)





5 Weeks

I officially had my last early morning blood test today at the fertility center!!! My hCG level today is 821, a good healthy number!! Pretty much what I was expecting. My regular nurse called me today with the result, and told me that it isn't necessary to do anymore hCG tests, so now my FIRST ULTRASOUND is scheduled!!! Ahhh soooo excited!!! It is in 6 days, on Wednesday, January 18th at 1:45pm. The doctor wanted it scheduled for Monday, but they were booked until Wednesday. I will be late for work, oh well! This is way more important!

I just looked it up... I had my first ultrasound with Emoree at 6 weeks & 1 day. I think I got to see the heart beating at Emoree's 1st ultrasound, not sure. I may or may not be able to see the heart beat at this u/s, It may be too early at 5 weeks & 6 days. Either way, I will be able to see HOW MANY embryos there are.... definitely hoping for just one healthy, sticky bean since I have a unicornate uterus, and I'm single parent with one child already!

If you know me, you know I have a bargain shopping addiction. Well, I had BabiesRus $5 off reward coupons that were going to expire tomorrow.... so I went and bought bottles :) I bought two 3pks of Playtex Ventaire Wide bottles, in 6oz & 9oz. They were on sale too, so I got one pack for $3.20, and the other for $1.71 with my rewards coupons!! Yay!

Another thing I'm going to start posting is my weight gain/loss so I can track it each week/month w/ pregnancy. I know in the last week I've lost 2-3lbs (way to go increase im metabolism, considering I haven't been sick, just sometimes nauseated). When I was pregnant with Emoree, I lost 11lbs in the first 4-5 months, then gained 15lbs in the last 3-4 months for a grand total of +4lbs at her birth, lol. Considering she was born at 3lbs 15oz..... so anyway:

Week 5: 188.8

3 Weeks & 5 Days

I took two HPTs today... and well, a digital test says it best:

YAY!!!!!!!! So excited!!!! For all good measure, here is the 1st test I took this morning (the Clearblue Digital was second):



There is a faint line there! This is what sparked the need to take the digital test today :) This is an Equate brand test. I think I got my first BFP (positive HPT) at 12 DPO when I was pregnant with Emoree too!

Since Ovulation day was December 22, 2011, this makes me 3 weeks & 5 days pregnant today. Baby #2 is due September 13, 2012!!!! This means I will most likely have an August baby :o) Ahhh so overwhelmingly excited!

I decided to let Emoree tell Grandma that she is going to be a big sister today. We went to AC Moore's and I bought stuff and made her a t-shirt:

Emoree is excited too! She has been talking for awhile about wanting a sister (she doesn't realize she could end up with a brother, lol). I already bought yarn today (a pretty unisex peach color I have been looking at for months) to crochet a baby blanket. Now to pick a pattern I like!

I go Friday for the blood test to get my hCG number, and then I most likely go back 2-3 days later for another blood test hCG count. From what I remember last time, first ultrasound (performed by the fertility center) will be in about 3 weeks to see how many embryos... hahaha. This also means I continue on the Prometrium suppositories for the next month or so... fun!

I will update again with my hCG count on Friday!!!! Stay tuned over the next several months.... for my journey through a high-risk pregnancy and birth!

Day 21: The Two Week Wait Starts

I had my second IUI today at 1PM! I had 9 million sperm injected into my uterus! The procedure was again quick and painless. So the two week wait begins!

I am positive I ovulated between 8-9AM this morning... because after that point I have had awful cramping in my lower abdomen. I had to take tylenol when I got home from my IUI and take a two hour nap, feeling much better now.

I picked up my "intermittent FMLA leave" papers from work today and took them to the fertility center with me today.. better late then never, right? I didn't even think I'd need them until all that happened this week.. Regardless they told me they will be calling me next week for more info to fill out the paperwork, and it can take 7-10 days before they submit them. I'm not too concerned about it, as long as it gets done.

Now starting tomorrow until about 8 weeks of pregnancy I get to take prometrium twice a day. Sure, they look like basic capsules... they are not. They are a progesterone supplement used as a vaginal suppository twice a day (again, thanks to my lack of natural hormones). Progesterone helps with implantation of the embryo and helps with embryo growth, helping to prevent miscarriage.

My next update will be in a week or so... not much to say during the two week wait except waiting patiently and making myself crazy wondering if I am pregnant or not!!



Day 20: 12 million, when it only take one!

I just got home from my first IUI! Easy, painless, and quick. I signed a paper explaining the motility, count, etc... They told me they like to have at least 3 million active sperm post-wash, and my little sample had 12 million! Woohoo! Another little interesting fact I didn't know before, aparantly the sperm sample I was using was frozen on 4/3/2006, I noticed that on the paper I signed. Anyhow, I thought it was interesting :o)

Easy and quick, they did the procedure it took less than 2 minutes. I didn't feel anything. Next they set a timer for 5 minutes for me to stay laying on the table, and told me to relax and for the next two weeks to treat myself as if I am pregnant. :o) They also told me I could stay as long as I liked, I think I stayed laying down for maybe 8-10 minutes before I left.

Next IUI tomorrow at 1PM! Then the two week wait begins...

Day 19: I can hardly contain my excitement!!

Day 19 is a good day!! I went in at 7AM for my usual, now daily, bloodwork and ultrasound. I got follicle measurements today!!! I have 19mm, 17mm, 13mm, and two smaller ones. EEK! The doctor looked at the ultrasound screen and said, "Well it looks like you pull the trigger tonight!" I almost bounced off the table with excitement!! The probability is that the 19mm and *maybe* the 17mm would release an egg, since there is still 24-36 hours or so for it to mature to 18. I got my phone call at 1:18pm today, so glad they didn't make me wait all day!! My estrogen level is 1,114. That sounds crazy to me!



Here is the super exciting part... My IUIs are scheduled!!!!!!!!!! I do my trigger shot tonight between 6PM-12AM. I go in for my first IUI tomorrow (Day 20) at 3PM!!  At 2PM tomorrow I have to call the Andrology Center to start thawing my donor sperm, that has been sitting there frozen for more than 4 years! My second IUI is scheduled for 1PM on Thursday (Day 21). The reason I am having two IUIs done on consecutive days is because I am using frozen sperm, and that is standard practice of the fertility center I am going to. If it was fresh, it would be one IUI.

If I haven't already explained it, IUI stands for InterUterine Insemination. The procedure takes all of 1-3 minutes. They insert a small catheter through the cervix directly into the uterus, and inject the sperm! It is painless, but can cause some cramping. After it is injected, they have me lay on the table for 5-10 minutes before leaving. That is it! Then it is best practice to "take it easy" for the rest of the day.

One hour before my scheduled IUI procedure the Andrology lab thaws the sperm, and also "washes" it. During this process they put the sample in a test tube and then a centrifuge, which seperates the sperm from other fluids. They then take the sperm and add liquid media on top, and then the most active sperm swim up into the media. The final sample contains just the most active sperm. Right before the IUI procedure, they will tell me the sperm count and motility of the sample.

I am going to do my Ovidrel injection tonight at 7PM. This shot "triggers" ovulation to occur, usually about 36 hours after the shot. With the times that my IUIs are scheduled, The first will be 20 hours after trigger, and the second will be 42 hours after trigger.

I have hope that this will be it!!! After this comes the "two week wait" before the blood pregnancy test, scheduled January 6th. I will probably post a small update tomorrow and/or Thursday after the IUI(s). Fingers and toes crossed the I get pregnant!

Day 6: Monitoring + etc.

First thing I've got to say is I don't know how all of you "normal" women deal with having a period every month. It can seriously GO AWAY now! 6 days is too long!

Anyway, after 3 days of Follistim at 75IU I went back in for ultrasound and bloodwork monitoring this morning. The doctor didn't say anything during my ultrasound this morning, but I did peak at the computer before I left and saw my uterus lining was about 10 mm, and the other measurements were just of my ovary, not of individual follicles, which I must admit I am a little disapointed about. He said I would most likely be coming back in 2 days, but to wait until I got the phone call this afternoon to see what the bloodwork said.

So I got the phone call, and my estrogen level was 60.2 which is a slight increase and a teeny step in the right direction, but no LH response, which my initial reaction was it is a little early for a LH surge anyway. They decided to up my Follistim to 100IU for 3 nights, and they want to see me back in 3 days (on Saturday) for bloodwork and ultrasound, which will be CD9.  I really, really hope I get SOME kind of follicle measurements on Day 9... or I may be a little heartbroken. My boobs have been sore, my lower abdomen has been cramped, I really felt like the Follistim was working appropriately so I was really suprised to be told to up my dose.

I did my injection of 100IU of Follistim tonight hoping and praying that I will not have to buy an additional vial. I've also been scowering the internet for similiar stories and blogs from women who have been in the same spot as me and I probably shouldn't have because now I am more anxious, worried, and a little discouraged. There are some really sad heartbreaking stories out there. I vow that I will not look up any more information on the internet about estrogen levels, LH surges, or follicle growth.

Hopefully I will have a better update on Saturday...

Who is my Dad?



Luckily, I haven't been asked this question yet by my 3.5 year old. She isn't really old enough yet to get the concept, though she does see other kids' dads at her daycare/school. I know this question will come soon enough, and as much as I want to say I am ready and prepared to answer this inevitable question, I know it will knock me off guard the first time I hear it. It is all about age appropriateness, and I'm as prepared as I can be :o)

So what brought me here? I've always wanted a child much more than I was ever interested in dating. I've dated a guy, and I've dated a few women. The right person hasn't stumbled upon me yet, and I'm not out there looking because it simply isn't a priority of mine. My priority is being a Mom because that is what I have always wanted to be. I'm the girl at 17 that bought baby clothes and put them away in my cedar chest with hopes and dreams to one day put my baby in them, and those dreams all came true when I had Emoree.

I did a good deal of searching to find the right donor for me. I decided to go with an anonymous donor from a cryobank because a: I did not want someone else to have any legal rights to my child(ren) and b: the cryobank I chose is very selective and only uses donors with stellar medical histories. The donors are honestly screened for any disease or genetic disorder you could think of. The donor I chose was the closest match I could find to my own physical characteristics, and apparantly I made a good match since anyone and everyone tells me Emoree looks exactly like me.

So what do I have to show my child(ren) when she/they get older? I have a 13 page physical/behavioral characteristics profile of the donor, a complete medical profile, a picture from when he was 18 months old, and an audio interview clip of his voice as an adult. There is no identifying information to try and find him, not that I have an interest to. However, when my child(ren) are old enough, there is a donor/sibling registry online that makes it possible to maybe find a sibling or donor, but that decision will be my child's and I will support them in whatever decision they make.

My opinion of donors is a positive one. I know many others see them as people just trying to make a few bucks, but on the other hand that donor gave a part of them that allowed me to have a family.

If this cycle works and I do get pregnant, Emoree and baby #2 will be full-blooded siblings. I bought 4 vials when I was trying to concieve Emoree, and only used two the first time to get pregnant. The other two vials (when using frozen sperm, the fertility center I go to uses two vials per cycle in two consecutive IUIs to increase the chance of pregnancy) were kept frozen and I have been paying storage fees of $360 a year for the last 3 years. If this try doesn't work, I don't know if I will try to concieve again. The donor I am using is not in the program anymore and there are not any vials available to purchase... so here is to hoping that the first try makes it happen!

All Journeys have a Beginning

It has been awhile since I have been here, but I now have a purpose for this blog :o) Yesterday, I had my first appointment with my Reproductive Endocronologist to start the journey to concieve baby #2. I waited anxiously in the waiting room to be called back, thinking about my 3 year old daughter whom I had just dropped off at daycare/school. I had concieved Emoree with the help of this same fertility center just 4 years earlier.

Finally, my doctor appeared and welcomed me back. We went to his office and he asked me about Emoree and her birth. Emoree was born at 33 weeks & 4 days via c-section because my water broke and she was breech. Turns out, I have a unicornate uterus (a uterus is generally shaped liked a heart, of which I only have one half of, one fallopian tube, and one ovary), in addition to Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) so the mere fact that I was blessed with Emoree is a miracle in itself. So what nerve do I dare to ask for another miracle? Because I believe that I can make it happen.

Despite my medical history, my doctor says that I am his easiest and most easy going patient. I went in there, knowing exactly what I wanted, and how I wanted to do it. After all, I have been through this before. My protocol is cycle stimulation with Provera, and Ovulation Induction with Follistim Injections and Ovidrel trigger shot w/ 2 consecutive IUIs (intrauterine insemination). However, I'm getting ahead of myself now :o)



My doctor wrote me out a check off list of items I need to complete before I can start Provera in one week, on 11/23. I assured him whatever I needed to do I will get it done.
1. Social Worker consult
2. Infectious Disease bloodwork
3. Consent forms

The social worker consult would be anyone's biggest concern. It really wasn't a big deal at all in the end. After a game of voicemail phone tag yesterday, I finally was able to set up an appointment with the fertility psychologist for today at 3PM. The reason for this step is because I am using donor sperm to concieve, just as I did with Emoree but 4 years ago this consult was not required. I will address this is greater detail later. Anyway, a visit that she said would normally take an hour took only 20 minutes, and I was cleared! She asked me questions about my family support and about how to address Emoree's and baby #2's questions about the donor w/ age appropriateness. It was a very quick and easy visit.

Step 2. The infectious disease bloodwork was no big deal. As soon as I left the fertility center I walked down the hall and got my blood drawn, 4 vials. Very easy and another check off my list.

Consent forms was easy too, because I had signed all of those forms before when I went to concieve Emoree. I signed to decline genetic testing, I signed to decline CMV testing (which I later checked the donor's medical profile and his was negative, so there is no concern), I signed that I understood the risks of me NOT being immune to chicken pox (I had them when I was younger, but didn't build an immunity so I could get chicken pox again), and finally the consent form for ovulation induction and IUI. Check #3 done!

What was not listed on my "check list" that I also needed to have done was a visit to the GYN for a papsmear :-/  That appt is scheduled for 11/22.



I also talked to the financial advisor at the fertility center. The total for the cycle tests, observations, and IUI is $2200 plus the cost of medications. This was also not a suprise to me, and I already have it all in savings.

So here is the start of my journey. This blog will cover the ups & downs of my infertility experience, the two week wait, and here's hoping to the journey of my high risk pregnancy and birth. I hope you enjoy the ride! My next appointment at the fertility center is scheduled for 11/23 at 7AM for bloodwork and baseline ultrasound to start taking Provera to start my cycle!