Green Light

Anna must play the game "Red Light, Green Light" at school because she comes home talking all about it.  For the past month we have been going through tests trying to get our green light to start the IVF process.  Yesterday we got our green light!

I had my umpteenth ultrasound done yesterday, and although we were hoping for the ovaries to be clear of any cysts, that was not the case.  We knew it could be a possibility because of my history, but it turned out that the ovaries are still covered in tiny cysts.  My doctor called it poly cystic ovarian syndrome tendencies.  I guess I don't meet the major requirement to be diagnosed with the syndrome, so they call it a "tendency."  He also said he saw some scar tissue, so that could explain why I am still in pain.  Most of this news doesn't matter too much because we are already doing IVF, but it gives the doctor more of an idea of how much medicine to give to stimulate ovulation.  The pre-screening IVF tests have been very informative.  It's like a treasure hunt; what will they find out this appointment??  Hopefully that was the last piece of negative medical finding in this process.

So what's the plan?  Basically we are jumping head first into this process and learning as we go what is required of us.  This weekend I start the first step which is birth control pills.  I am on those for 3.5 weeks to give my ovaries a rest and get on the cycle my doctor wants me on.  Since I do have a hormonal imbalance with the ovarian cysts, I'm hoping the birth control will help keep that at bay.  It seems funny to go on birth control to have a baby, but it's all part of the process!

On April 29th we officially begin ovulation stimulation.  This is when the real fun starts.  We will become pros at injections and managing my medicine schedule.  Any nurses out there want to volunteer to come live with us for a couple of months to help administer thick, oil like shots every day?  Just kidding; I know we will get the hang of it quickly!

Then around the first and second week of May they will harvest hopefully lots of mature, healthy eggs, turn them into embryos, and transfer them back.  After that we hope and pray that one or two of the embryos does its thing and implants.  Then we wait some more for either a positive or negative pregnancy test.  If it's positive we continue with shots and close care for the first trimester at the clinic.  If negative then we continue on with another cycle after some recovery time.

We have heard that IVF is full of crazy emotional and physical ups and downs.  I would like to say we are ready for the roller coaster after months of tests and procedures, but I don't think I can honestly say that until we are in the thick of things.  I do know that we are incredibly thankful for our health and our beautiful daughter, so that makes it easier to move into this process with nothing to lose.

Thank you for your encouragement through this!