The Journey Begins!!!

I have so much to say to explain my background that I will put it in 2 posts; otherwise, you will be sick of me before you even get to know me!!!

Welcome to my “Taking Chances” blog. I feel like each month I have to try to take chances with fertility b/c the prize is so grand and worth it in the end!!!

I was one of those girls growing up that couldn't wait to get married and have babies. I grew up with four sisters and great parents, and I always knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps with a large family of my own.

I met my husband the first week of college and we were pretty much inseparable after that. We married in July of 2005. At that time we had decided that we would wait until our 2 year anniversary to start trying for a family.

After seeing two of my sisters’ struggle with infertility I began to get very nervous. I was able to persuade him to start trying in December of 2006. That was 14 months ago and today we are still trying. In the past couple years I have had very irregular periods. After about 11 months, being on Clomid for 3-4 cycles, and the spermies being normal, my OB-GYN decided it was time for me to see a fertility specialist.

After researching a couple doctors I decided to use my sister’s specialist, since she was able to get pregnant through IUI with his help and he was the least expensive. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my insurance doesn’t cover ANY infertility costs. Talk about a real bummer. But we knew whatever we paid would be worth it so we made an appointment.

We did our consult in October 2007. My doctor at that time thought that I should have a HSG procedure. We did that the last week in October. HOLY COW, I could have never even imagined the pain I would experience. My other sister who is also having problems had already had this procedure done, she told me that it hurts when the dye is there but that is only for a few seconds and then you just feel cramping. Well I have severe cramping the first day I start my period, so I was thinking no big deal. I am so glad my hubby was able to be there with me b/c I could barely stand afterwards. They found out that one of my tubes are blocked, so she kept having to inject more dye to try to blow through the blockage. I was in the most pain I had even been in in my life. I kept thinking I know it has been over a few seconds and why is she still going. And then she wanted me to move around and cough, I was thinking “are you kidding me?” Anyhow, when it was finally over she explained the blocked tube and that we would still be able to try IUI we would just have to wait for the months that the eggs were on my good side. The funniest part is that after she was done, I practically fainted, yet all I wanted to do was poo. I think I shocked the nurses, but I mean when you gotta go you gotta go. My poor husband had to hold my head up while I was in there b/c I was so faint. Sucked then, but pretty funny now to think about it. He must love me A LOT!!!

So the doctor had told us after the HCG procedure most women get pregnant w/in three months. I really wanted to believe it, however, my sister had had the procedure more than 3 months before I did w/ no blocked tubes & still no baby for her. I was never but willing to try it out for a couple months.

By December I was ready to start IUI. I just couldn’t wait any longer. We did our first cycle of IUI on New Year’s Eve 2007. I was so excited and nervous. J, my husband, was quite humorous when talking about all the colorful porn mags they had for him to choose from while doing his part of the procedure. The nurse explained everything to us and we left feeling quite hopeful. I am the type of person that builds myself up so much for things, and then usually gets let down when they don’t happen the exact little perfect way I had imagined them. B/c of this, my husband kept having to remind me that it might now work the first time.

Anywho, the two weeks after that were awful. I am impatient as it is, but to wait for something like this just really sucked. I thought about it the most when I was sitting on the pot peeing for some reason, but that is a lot for me b/c I have a small bladder. The two weeks were finally up in the middle of last month and I went it to get blood drawn. I had been experiencing a lot of cramping but it seemed different than usual, my normal remedy of 3 Aleve wasn’t working. I also had very sore boobs. I had already told myself, I was getting ready to start my period, but thought I better let the nurse in on what was going on. She then went on to tell me that those things weren’t always bad, and that as long as I wasn’t bleeding then it could be good. I left the doctor’s office so confused and full of false hope. I mean I had already told myself that it wasn’t going to be this month, but then she gave me hope which was VERY scary.

I DIDN'T WANT TO BORE YOU TOO BADLY, SO I WILL POST AGAIN TOMORROW W/ THE REST!