August 25, 2012

Since December of 2011, we have worked to save money. Mind you, Travis’ business did not get paid until April this year – and he is making less since the company is paying back the money we paid for the lawsuit. It has been super frustrating. I have been baby hungry for the past two years – and it doesn’t help that I’m 31 years old now. I had always thought I would have my family before I turned 30. I don’t know why I thought that, I just did – maybe because my mom had her kids by 30.  But, being 31 and childless, is scary because there is an increased likelihood of having a child with disabilities when you have children after 35… I work with people with disabilities in my professional life, I don’t think I could do it both professionally and personally. Besides, I’ve seen what it has done to marriages – and quite honestly, it scares me.  I told Travis this in June – I asked him for a date. When could we expect to do IVF, if at all.  We decided we would be able to pay to start a cycle in September 2012!  Yes, that is next month. Technically, we would be starting in about 12 days.

In order to prepare to do so, we have done a lot of work looking at our finances, paying off credit cards, saving money, not spending as much, the list goes on and on. But we did a lot of preparation physically as well. We have both been poked and prodded… me more than Travis… We did what seemed like a million blood tests. Travis had a semen analysis, and I had several ultra sounds – this way we could make sure everything was functioning the way it should be. Our final “test” was to go see a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor.

We got the referral a couple of weeks ago, and I called to schedule an appointment right away. I was told the soonest the MFM could see me, was mid-September. I made the appointment and got off the phone and immediately started to cry. That would be another full month before we could do IVF – and the phone rang. They told me the doctor was in the following afternoon, which was unusual for him, and asked if I could make it then. I told them I would be there! Whew!

The MFM was extremely nice. We waited for quite a while before our appointment – I think we sat in the waiting room for an hour before we went to the office. Eventually, the doctor came in and met with us, and paid full attention to us. We discussed my medical history (the blood clot really), and the process of IVF, and he informed me I would need to begin taking a drug called Lovenox daily, beginning September 1^st. This is a blood thinner, and would hopefully keep me from clotting throughout the hormone therapy and through a hopeful pregnancy. It is an expensive drug, so we are lucky to have insurance to help pay for it (until the beginning of the year when we would need to hit our deductible again). He then told me he would love to see me throughout my entire pregnancy – which made me feel really good. He was very nice and Travis and I both enjoyed seeing him. I think if we get pregnant, we will definitely see him. It would be nice not to have to explain the blood clot again!

We went to Harmons the following day to pick up the prescription. 3 giant boxes of injectable medication – yup, I will be giving myself daily shots before the hormone therapy, through a pregnancy, and between 6-8 weeks after giving birth… That’s almost a full year of daily injections! Bleh!  Actually, I guess when you’re closer to your due date, they change the Lovenox to Heparin, which is a twice daily injectable. That would allow me to have an epidural if I wanted/needed to. Yay for shots!  I start them a week from today. I’m nervous about it, but I guess if it gives us the intended results we want – I’ll go for it!