Adventures in Baby Making

Starting Over... I Wish It Were Easier!!

2009-04-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ok so I know I have not updated this thing in a few months... they have been hard!! As I am sure you can tell (def by the lack of super amazing ultra sound posts) our IVF did not work. There was no reason for it. The doctor was actually just as if not more shocked than I was. The IVF was PERFECT on paper but for some reason it did not work. After a month of crying and a couple of months of praying... Michael and I (and God) have decided that we are going to start fostering children in hopes that it leads to adoption. We start our 7 week classes next Thursday. I will try to keep everyone updated as we move along. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!! Love to All... Kacey!!

2009-01-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created byMckMama. You can head over to her blog to read whatshe and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well it is that time again!! Time to relive all of the exciting things that I absolutly did not do this past week!! This list isn't too long but worth it none the less.

The first thing that I definatly did Not do was leave the Christmas tree still standing in the livingroom. I know who would ever let an undercorated from December Christmas tree still hang out in their living room?? Definatly NOT ME!!

And on Friday after my Fertility appointment I in no way went to the mall to Destination Maternity to try on clothes!! As if that was not enough I did Not put on the 7 month "pretend" belly to see what I would look like preggers!! That totally was NOT ME!!

And there is no way that I made The Sgt watch the Miss America pagent with me and take this picture when he fell asleep directly after the Swim Suit Competition. And he is Not bundled up like an Eskimo outside in Alaska because I did Not have the heater off when it was 30 degrees outside while I am Not having hot flashes like a 50 year old women going through menopause on this new medication. Ha, Ha that was sooo NOT ME!! Poor Sgt!!

Doctor's and Pizza

2009-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Fertility and Women's Health Center

Well had another RE appointment this morning. I started Lupron (10-units) (the Lupron is given so that I will not prematurely ovulate) last Sunday. I had to give myself a shot% f that every night this week at 8pm. Today I went in for BW, to check my hormone levels and make sure they are not out of whack and an US to make sure there were no cysts and that my follicles looked good!! And I got an A+ everything looked great!!

The US Room

The US Tech Keeps Up With The Seasons!!

My Beautiful Uterus!!

So after the US I talked with the nurse and we set up a medicine schedule!! I get to start my Stim Meds on Sunday!! The Stim Meds are to make my follicles big enough to mature and retrieve!! I will take 1 Follistim shot (150IU) at 7pm and 1 shot of Menopur (1 amp) at 7pm and then 1 shot of Lupron (5 units) at 8pm. I will do this Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday night and I will have an appointment Wednesday morning at 9:45am to check on my follicles and make sure they are progressing. At that point they will determine whether to increase, decrease or keep my Stim meds the same based on follicle growth. I am praying that I am a fast stimmer and that I will have nice big fat follies!!

Yes We Are Pizza Hut People!!

Now for the Pizza... I will be ordering in just a few short hours for our weekly Pizza and Beer night with the Dobsons!! It is such a great way to relax and ring in the weekend!! I can smell the cheese and pepperoni already!!

100 Things...

2009-01-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

I borrowed this from INfertile Myrtle. Feel free to borrow it. If you play along, leave me a comment so I can see your list. Bold whatever you have done.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen and Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Wordless Wednesday - Bible Study

2009-01-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

Bachelor Talk Tuesday

2009-01-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Bachelor Talk Tuesday!! I know that I am a couple of weeks behind but this is when the show starts getting really good!!

So let's recap last night's episode. Stephanie got the first one-on-one date with J. They went to the beach and Jason had a huge surprise for her... her daughter. How sweet was that, he brought her daughter to her on her daughter's birthday!! After the beach he took the two girls to Legoland!! All in all they had a good date, Jason was able to see how Stephanie interacted with children and they were able to enjoy a nice lunch while Stephanie's daughter played in the water fountains. At the end of the date Jason gave Stephanie the rose!!

The group date included Jillian, Kari, Melissa, Naomi, Nikki, Shannon and Erica. They went to the "Keep-a-Bust Foundation" to make molds of their busts to be sold at auction for the charity foundation. The date went well... everyone seemed to have a great time. A few of the ladies were even able to get in alone time with Jason, which is so beneficial, the more alone time they get the better chance they will have at getting a rose!! The individual rose at on the group date went to... Jillian. She really seems to be keeping the Bachelor's interest very well!!

The Second one-on-one date went to Natalie. J started the night off by bringing her $1,000,000 in diamonds, a necklace and a bracelet!! Then he whisked her off to Vegas in a private jet where they went on a helicopter tour and to dinner. Needless to say Natalie only goes so deep and Jason did not give her a rose which sent her home. As she was leaving she told Jason that a few of the girls were not good women which started so much drama at the rose ceremony!!

Molly (The Grounded One)

Mellisa (The Super Cute One)

Megan (I Just Don't Like This One)

At the rose ceremony Jason did not give roses to Erica and Keri and insisted on keeping Megan!! I do not like her at all and I think that her true colors will show through before too long. As for who I do like I am really leaning towards Molly and Melissa, but it is still early and things can change.

Tune in next week for episode 3 of the Bachelor!!

2009-01-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

Please pray!! It is so amazing how close we (women with infertility) become during this time in our lives. And right now there in an amazing woman who needs your prayers. Click on the icon below to read Kelly's story...

Not Me Monday

2009-01-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama.You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone elsehave not been doing this week.

It's Monday... and you know what that means... time to talk openly and honestly about all of the things that I did Not do. Nope Not at all did I even think of doing the following...

I absolutely did Not wait until January 18 to take down my Christmas decorations.

And I so did Not forget to buy and extra large tub for the Christmas Tree that is defiantly Not still standing in my living room!!

And I certainly did not talk The Sgt into redecorating his office which did Not cause him to miss the entire NFC playoff game!!

And Last but Not least... I did Not forget to give Cyndi Lauper a bath that she so desperately did Not need because it has Not been almost 2 weeks since she had one!!

Check back next Monday to find out what all I did Not do this week!!

New Rug, Old Chair

2009-01-18T16:19:00.000-08:00

Friday we found a great find... a new rug for the nursery. We are not "actively" decorating the nursery, but we have an idea of what we want and if we come across great pieces that we can't pass up we get them.

So this is the new rug...

Well we decided that since we have finally found a rug that we like (I know what you are thinking... but boys can like purple too... we will down play it if we have boys!!) we should recover that unsightly chair that is in the room to match.

The Offender...

Soooo we went by and saw the Upholstery man in town and he let us take home his sample books...

Then we sat down to find a swatch that would match the rug... and the walls...

And the winner is... Lime Green, or Citron (that is what is on the swatch)!!

I love it!

We are dropping it off tomorrow and we it comes back I will post pictures!!

Guilty

2009-01-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

I feel so guilty at this moment. I had signed up in early December to help with the Children's Choir program at my church and tonight was the kick of party. I just can not seem to make myself go. The thought of being around a hundred tiny children is overwhelming. I just don't think that I can be there and not cry. I feel so guilty though because I know that this is for the children and I am putting myself first. I did let the director know that I would love to help make the costumes or decorate for any of the performances, anything that keeps me out of direct contact with the children. Am I making a wrong decision for not being there??

Thank The Lord It's Friday!!

2009-01-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well after a long hard week I am finally going to kick back my feet and relax. My Hubby comes home tonight from a week away and we are heading to our friends for our weekly Pizza and Beer Night. I just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend!!

Love,
Kacey

2009 Word of the Year!!!

2009-01-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

My word for 2009 is HOPE.

HOPE - It seems like such a simple word. Just four tiny letters. But those letters, those small insignifigant letters create one of the most powerful and amazing words that I know.

The definition of HOPE is:

a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life.

Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.

That is amazing to me, Hope is the belief in a positive outcome, I love to believe that all I need is to believe! It is just so simple and easy. Just believe, just have faith. No matter how bad it gets, how far down the latter we fall, even when it seems that there is no chance of a positive outcome or when all of our resourses have been exahusted, we still have something, we still have Hope!

One of my favorite songs is Our Hope Endures ~ by Natalie Grant, It is so powerful. The song talks about suffering and still holding on. It talks about standing your ground when the world around you is crumbling.

Our Hope Endures ~ Natalie Grant

Versus 1 ~
You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here
Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

Chorus ~
But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How can Hope not be my word this year with all that I have to be hopeful for??

My Hopes for 2009:

To accept what God believes is best for my life!!
To be blessed with pregnancy!!

To have a healthy pregnancy!!
To have healthy baby(ies)!!
To have a most fulfilled and loving marriage!!

Whatever you choose as your word this year. Always remember that it starts with HOPE!!

Love Always, Kacey

Things I Need to Take Care of...

2009-01-05T09:08:00.001-08:00

Well Michael headed to Baton Rouge this morning to teach Drug Recognition and Alcohol Recognition Classes at the State Police Training Academy this week. I will be all alone until Friday!!

I decided last night that since I would have the house to myself this weekend, there are a few things that I need to take care of...

Take Down the Stockings...

Put Away the Christmas Presents (finding a place is the problem!!)...

Take Down the Christmas Tree...

And Put Up All of the Other Christmas Decorations (there are so many)...

Not to mention that I still have Christmas Lights up outside!!

Hopefully between my IVF Orientation tomorrow night at 6pm and Bible Study Wednesday night at 6pm I will find time to attack this list of to do's!!

P.S. This does not include the normal house hold chores that I have neglected lately!! Oh well, at least I will not be bored!!

2009-01-01T19:36:00.000-08:00

Michael and I just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to all of you who have been there for us in the past year and who will be there in the years to come. You help us more than you will ever know!!

We also wanted to wish everyone a

Happy New Year!!

New Year's Eve 2008

Michael wouldn't take a serious picture to save his life!!

Yi Chou... The Year of The Ox - 2009!

2008-12-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

This is MY year... I just found out that 2009 is the year of the Ox. I am was born (the first born) in the year of the Ox, so wouldn't it be fitting that my first born also be born with the Ox!! Maybe it is a stretch, but at this point I will take any thing!! A few tidbits about the Ox:

People born in the Chinese New Year of Ox, 2009 will preponderantly have the below mentioned traits in their character:

Leadership qualities, dependable, great organizers, loyal, patient as well as strong and responsible. They are also some of the best people one can have as colleagues in the work place as they are believed to posses strong work ethics and display their creative side as well, especially when it comes to decorating their home.

Since the people born in the Ox year are also trusted to be reliable and logical, people generally turn towards them for suggestions and guidance. Their honesty and eye for details also helps them to prove their worth both in the workplace as well as in their personal lives.

However there are a few negative traits associated with the character of the Ox that also is reflected through the people born in the ox years. Attributes like being narrow minded, stubborn (my husband would agree), with low public relations skills and also very far from being emotional are generally associated with people born in this year.

I thought I would also dedicate this thread to my Top 10 resolutions... not that I make or keep resolutions. Maybe I will just call them wishes or goals that I would like to see happen in 2009!

1. Get Pregnant

2. Love Unconditionally

3. Be a Support for My Husband!! (just like he is for me!!)

4. Exercise More (not to loose weight, just to feel better, especially if #1 happens!!)

5. Learn to Love What I Have and Have What I Love

6. Not Take Anything for Granted!!

7. Organize My Craft Room

8. Finish the Nursery

9. Finish the Addition on the House

10. Give Birth to at Least 1 Beautiful Healthy Baby!!!!

Just Want to Wish Everyone a Safe and Happy New Year! May this year bring you all of your dreams and keep you safe!!

Love Always,

Kacey

Betrayed

2008-12-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well this week started out in royal form!! We were supposed to have started our first cycle of IVF this week, but much to my surprise we were put off yet again! This time however I have lost all faith in the RE. At my last appt he told me that we would begin this cycle with no Lupron, that I would not have to take another month of BCP and that we would start stims on CD3. Well all of the was apparently him talking out of his rearend because we are still doing Lupron, I am starting another month of BCP and we are not starting stims until the last week it January!!

I know that he probably thought that telling me something was better than saying "I don't know" but he was wrong. I don't know is an acceptable ok answer to a question that you don't have an answer to. Giving an IVFer fasle hope is like putting penut butter on a rat trap. Lure him in and then snap his neck. False hope feels about the same.

After I got back from my appt yesterday I realized that the "wait" is not as bad as the nurse made it sound on the phone, but there is more than the wait that is killing me. Now I have no hope. For the first time since we were diagnosed as "Infertile" I can not seem to grasp hope. The same RE that filled me full of crap at our last appt is the one that told me "I will get pregnant". Will I?? I mean everything else he has told me has been wrong, so is he wrong about this??

I really want to believe that I will get pregnant but this RE has betrayed my trust. My trust in him and his medical staff and his ability to get me pregnant. I know that you are thinking, "Can't you find a new doctor?" We could, I have looked, but Michael doesn't want to. And we have already put too much time, effort and money into this doctor to go somewhere else. I will just have to deal and keep praying that God can work inspite of this doctor!

New Cycle Protocol:

Start BCP (Nuva Ring) - 12/31
Start Lupron - 1/18
Start Stims - 1/25
Possible Egg Retrival - 2/5
Possible 3day Transfer - 2/8
Possible 5day Transfer - 2/10
Beta Test Results - 2/20

2008-12-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

Merry

CHRISTmas!!

We are heading out in just a little bit... as soon as I get off of work!! We are heading to another state to visit my mom. Tonight we will be eating well and watching a Nativity Story. An amazing movie that I reccommend to everyone. I hope that you all have an amazing Christmas. Keep your families close and remeber the true meaning for the season!!

Love,
Michael and Kacey

2008-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

There are women that become mothers without effort,

without thought, without patience or loss

and though they are good mothers and love their children,

I know that I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics, or money

or that I have read more books,

but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.

I have longed and waited.

I have cried and prayed.

I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation

are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.

I will take time to watch my child sleep,

explore and discover.

I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child,

knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him

and that I am not waking to take another temperature,

pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.

My dream will be crying for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense;

that God has given me this insight,

this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see.

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to

or a child that God leads me to,

I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.

I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter,

neighbor, friend and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment as I have been betrayed by my own body,

I have been tried by fire and hell many never face,

yet given time, I stood tall.I have prevailed.

I have succeeded.

I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me,

I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort.

I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.

I listen.

And even though I cannot make it better,

I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immerse power of another hand holding tight to mine,

of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth

and when life is beyond hard.

I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.

I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes I will be a wonderful mother.

Author- Unknown

Have a Happy Period...

2008-12-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

I found this on my fertility site this morning. I was going through some of the old posts and found this. It is so funny and so true!! I hope you enjoy...

This is an actual letter sent to Proctor and Gamble from W. Aarons, Austin, TX, regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph . . .

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your Always Maxi Pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuardCore(tm) or Dri-Weave(tm) absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, whiteshorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from "the curse"? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my "time of the month" is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call "an inbred hillbilly with knife skills". Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-hygiene Division,you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers' monthly visits from "Aunt Flo". Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, and out-of-control behaviour. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants...which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: "Have a Happy Period."

Are you f***ing kidding me? Does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak, there will never be anything "happy" about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Kmart armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory. For the love of God, pull your head out, man!

If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like "Put Down the Hammer" or "Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong", or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull sh**. And that's a promise I will keep.

Best Always,
W. Aarons
Austin, TX

What God Meant for Me...

2008-12-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

This was shared with me by a user on a fertility website that I am affiliated with I really puts my fertility journey into perspective and has helped me through a few very though times...

I am a religious person and my faith in what God
means when he gives people certain challenges
has kept me going through this ordeal.
What do I think God meant when he gave me Infertility?
I think he meant for my husband and I to grow closer,

become stronger, love deeper.
I think God meant for us to find the fortitude within ourselves
to get up every time infertility knocks us down.
I think God meant for our medical community to discover medicines,
invent medical equipment, create procedures and protocols.
I think God meant for us to find a cure for Infertility.

No, God never meant for me to not have children.

That's not my destiny, that's just a fork in the road I'm on.

I've been placed on the road less traveled,

and like it or not, I'm a better person for it.

Clearly, God meant for me to overcome my devastation,

my guilt and my sorrow in order to develop more compassion,

deeper courage, and greater inner strength
on this journey to resolution and I haven't let Him down.

Frankly, if the truth be known, I think God meant

for me to build a thirst for a child so strong and

so deep that when that baby is finally placed in my arms it will

be the longest, coolest, most refreshing drink I've ever known.

Making the Past the Present...

2008-12-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

Ok I wanted to give a little history of our infertility journey. Michael and I saw a urologist in May and found out that his count was low and referred us to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE for short). We immediately made an appointment as soon as we found out. Our initial appointment was scheduled for July 24. When we got there we didn't have to wait for the nurse to call us to the back. As we walk down the halls we are engulfed by the hundreds of baby photos that line the wall. I was met by a flood of emotions; I didn't know whether to cry with envy or hope. The room, which I expected to see a cold paper covered exam table with stirrups, had a beautiful round wood table with elegant high backed chairs. We gave the nurse our preliminary information and waited only moments before we met Dr. Storment, he was very nice and professional. He walked us through some of the routine test that would be run and the possible outcome solution scenarios. Because I am just like a 5 year old waiting for Christmas to come, I had already had most of the tests done. We went over Michael's semen analysis. The urologist who first read us the test results made them out to be hopeless; Dr. Storment however, led us to believe that the test looked very promising. We had a few preliminary tests done at the hospital to make sure that my fallopian tubes were not block. Everything checked out fine and we were able to move forward with an IUI -- intrauterine insemination. This is performed by threading a very thin flexible catheter through the cervix and injecting washed (live, motile) sperm directly into the uterus. The best part of the IUI is the price. It is only around $2000 total.

We had our one and only IUI done on September 21, 2008. The procedure was virtually painless, more uncomfortable than anything. The worst part was the two week wait (2ww). It was cruel and unusual punishment. And at the end we were severely disappointed with a BFN (big fat negative). The pain was intense and severe and somehow Michael got me through! However, I decided that I wanted to go straight to InVitro Fertilization (IVF) - It is when they retrieve my mature eggs and fertilize them with Michael's sperm in a lab and then transfer the developed embryo straight in to my uterus so that all it will have to do in implant. Just do the biggest and baddest in hopes for a BFP (big fat positive)!

We started all of the preliminary test for IVF, blood tests and a mock transfer all fun and enjoyable. All I know now is that I do not have HIV or Hep C!! I started taking BCP's (Birth Control Pills) to suppress my ovaries on October 9. When I went back in to the doctor to start Lupron they found a 32mm active cyst!! They started the Lupron so that it would reduce the cyst. I went back on Halloween and they said that the cyst was still there and that on top of that the Lupron made it worse. I actually ovulated while taking BCP and Lupron (suppressant!) They said that because of this they would have to cancel my cycle. Talk about a blow to the heart!! I was miserable for several weeks! Thank God that I have such wonderful friends and family or I don't think that I would have made it, it was a rough few weeks!!.

They put me on a new BC - the Nuva Ring on November 6, and had me come back in after a month and (drum roll please)... the cyst was gone!!! December 4 I put in a new Nuva Ring and I am currently waiting until my next cycle in a few days and we will start over in January with a new Antagonist (they don't use Lupron) IVF protocol.

Hopefully be the end of January I will be Pregnant!!!

My First Post

2008-12-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

My First Post... it is like loosing your first tooth or getting your first car, you're still learning and you're not quite sure what is going on. You just close your eyes, say a little prayer and hope for the best!

I stated this blog a few months ago when Michael and I were first diagnosed with Infertility. I planned to blog about every step of our journey and then life got in the way and I have not had the time. I am still trying to figure out all of the ins and outs of blogging but hopefully I will get the hang of it soon. I am always open to tips and suggestions. If you know how to make my page better please let me know.

I am still dedicating this blog to the process of getting pregnant and as soon as I can I will make posts about the past treatments and appointments that we have gone through.

I would like to say thank you and I love you to all of those who support Michael and I during this time. It is hard and stressful, this disease that they call infertility. But it is people like you who keep our faith strong and moving foreward! Keep us in your prayers!!

Love,
Kacey and Michael