Here. Have some lingo. You're welcome.

Oh my gosh.

I feel like such a virtual slacker. I haven't posted anything on this blog of mine for weeks. Well, at least a week.

So, I had my transfer on November 15th. We got a call that morning saying the fresh embryos didn't make it to day 5, so we transferred two frozen embies. The actual transfer process went smoothly, then I was on modified bedrest for 24 hours. After those 24 hours, I kept my feet up and did my best to take it easy. Thankfully, the transfer was on a Thursday, so I had the whole weekend to chill. It was quite nice.

After the transfer, I went into a phase of the IVF process called the [dreaded] 2 week wait, or 2WW as the experienced call it. Thankfully, for me, it wasn't a full 2 weeks. Since one of the embryos was 5 days and the other 6 days old at the transfer, I had a bit of a head start. This is the waiting period before I was allowed to take a pregnancy test. My first blood pregancy test or "Beta" is scheduled for this Friday, November 23rd. That will get a baseline of the hCG in my system. The 2nd Beta will be on Monday the 26th. If the hCG level at least doubles between those tests, then I am officially pregnant.

But, wait.

They do say it's ok, for us impatient types to take a home preggo test, or to POAS (pee on a stick), as they say, before the Betas. IM and I are both too anxious, so I POAS this morning and got a...

BFP!!!!!!!

That's another fun pregnant person acronym that means Big Fat Positive.

So, I'm pregnant. It will be confirmed with the Betas and I'll have my first ultrasound next week to see how many of the little boogers stuck.

I'm so thankful to God for His hand in this entire journey, thankful to you friends for all your prayers and support, and thankful to my hubs for his support, shot giving, and putting up with my hormones. This is just the beginning. We have many more milestones left before we introduce the beautiful babe(s).

Just for fun, here is the picture of the embryos after the transfer. The arrows are pointing to the little blob. Have a great day!

Let's Make This Quick...

Friends!

I'm sorry I have been absent. I have been SO busy recently.

Let's back up to 2 weeks ago. I got a scare. I received a letter in the mail from my insurance company saying my OB is not going to be in network staeting in December.

Say, what?!?!

Thankfully, I had an appointment the next morning for blood work. I asked him why he was breaking up with me. As it turned out, it was a mistake by the insurance company and the letters were sent in error. *whew*

Now, as you all know, I've been on Lupron (belly shot). I learned that the purpose of that is to suppress my hormones so that I don't ovulate. I've also been on Delestrogen (bum shot) to increase my estrogen from the baseline that the Lupron suppressed me to. My first estrogen blood test came back at a level of "19." The next one was "297," but they were really looking for 300+. My last one was "333." They increased my Delestrogen after that bc it wasn't rising enough. That was a huge BUMmer. ;) The shots are painful enough at the lower dose, raising that dose has been brutal.

Fast forward.

IM has her egg retrieval TODAY. She has one good egg and we are praying it holds up during retrieval, fertalizes nicely, and grows over the next 5 days.

The embryo transfer is scheduled for November 15th. That's less than a week from now!! I received my new calendar and I won't even go into detail. I have 3 new meds today, progesterone bum shots every other day (huge doses), and 2 more large estrogen bum shots.

I also had to quit caffeine.

Holy Fat-pants.

Well, all.

As you may know, I've started my Lupron injections. They really are just tiny needles and a small dose. They don't hurt at all...but, I still can't bring myself to administer the stupid junk to my own abdomen. I have a friend who does them at work and my husband does them at home. I'm such a wimp. :/

I promise that I will do it myself before my next post. Promise.

So far, I don't feel much different. I've been a little concerned about headaches bc of my history of migraines, but it has been surprisingly easy. I have at least 2.5 more weeks on the Lupron, then I start all the other craziness that isn't even on my calendar yet, Estrogen, Ovidrel, Progesterone, etc...of the three I just mentioned, two are injections and one is an "injection." Google it.

Speaking of birth control. ;)

I take my last BC dose on Monday. Thank goodness too, bc I haven't filled out my clothes this "nicely" since I left the hospital after giving birth to my own little bundle. Every time I start to beat myself up for not going to the gym, I just remember how much I'm going to vomit during my first trimester. So, I guess it's ok to store up a little extra cushion before we pull the trigger on this business.

Speaking of trigger.

We only have 3 weeks until our projected transfer date. Crazy! I have a bum shot and blood work this coming week, two bum shots and another blood test the week after, and then a bum shot, blood test, and lining ultrasound after that.

And just for fun, here's a link to the instructional video of a Lupron injection administration. Enjoy!

I hope you al have a super fantastic week. :D

Pain in my...

Wow.

In just over 4 weeks, I'm going to (hopefully) be 2 weeks pregnant. A surrogate is automatically 2 weeks preggo at transfer.

Last week, I received my huge box of meds. It was unbelievably overwhelming. There were 4 different types of injections, progesterone, different prenatals, among other things. I also received my packet that contains agreements, instructions, and another calendar.

I start my first injection this Thursday. It is a subcutaneous Lupron injection. This means it had to be administered either in the outer thigh or abdomen. It's just a small insulin needle and has to be done daily. I will continue the birth control for just another week. I'll also be taking the prenatals and something called Dexamethasone daily by mouth. I have 4 arse injections with big needles between now and the 6th as well as 3 blood tests...friggen vampires. The bum shots are 1.5" needles. There is no way I'm administering those myself.

So, after about 4 weeks of this mess, I will be heading to St. Louis for the embryo transfer. That is the light at the end of the tunnel. Above all the shots and meds and raging hormones, I just pray the transfer is successful.

Among all of the surro business, I have a lot of new stuff going on at work. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the amazing offer that kept me from pursuing a different career path. This new role has been such a wonderful ride. The things we have been working so hard on will be coming to fruition over the next few weeks. I think the combination of that and the meds will make for a whirlwind of a month.

The encouragement from you all has been mind blowing! I hope each of you are having a fantastic weekend. :)

Just Weeks!

Happy Saturday!

I know I just wrote last week, but I thought that you all would be curious to know that we have dates! 

And even if you're not curious...you're already here, so you may as well keep reading. ;)

I will start BC this week, then on the 17th, I will start the injectables. IM will have her last egg retrieval the week of November 5th, and the transfer will be the week of November 12th.

I guess I should also mention that I had a nightmare about the bum shots the other day. The needle was HUGE and I was all alone and had to do it myself. I was trying to figure out how in the world a needle that size was necessary when I woke up. I have a feeling there are more needle nightmares to come.

This entire process has been so easy. I want to thank all of my friends and family for the prayers, and my hubs for being so supportive. You all are amazing! The encouraging messages I get are so inspiring.

I hope you all are doing well! We will be knocked up before you know it. Then, I can turn to my blog to whine about how sick I feel, all the gross foods I'm craving, and how I can't sleep at night. That will be fun, right? Ha! Just kidding. ;)

Counting Eggs Before They Hatch

My, oh my, what a couple of weeks can do to a person. I hope you all had 2 wonderful weeks!

I'm going to start back exactly one week...

The intended mother spent the week before last in St Louis near the clinic. It was finally time to retrieve her eggs. In case you don't remember, this is the first of two egg retrievals. She had been taking her fertility meds to prepare for this for over a month...Last Sunday was "go" time.

The clinic retrieved 4 eggs. They observed them for a few days to see how well they developed and then rated them on a scale of 1 - 5 with 1 being the best. On Wednesday, the 4th was determined unviable. The remaining three were rated 1, 2, & 2. Those were observed again until Friday. Friday afternoon, IM sent me a text saying that the clinic notified her that one of them was ready to freeze.

Crazy, right? Freeze it, then use it later. Modern science is just plain nuts.

Friday evening, my husband and I met with the IPs at an attorney's office and signed the final copy of the contract. IM was so sweet and it looked like she was afraid we'd back out.

The fertility clinic said that I will start my birth control the first week of October, and the fertility meds a week after that.

So with everything signed, fertility meds in the mail, and an egg in the freezer, this is well on it's way to becoming a reality. In mid-November, we will all go to St Louis for the final retrieval and transfer. Keep those prayers coming. IM and I pray for this future baby everyday.

Ready, Set...

Good Saturday, All!

I hope no one minds my posting every other week. There is not enough action for good posts and I'm keeping really busy otherwise. If you do mind...bite me. ;)

Some of you saw my Facebook "check in" at my obstetrician's office. We are starting to get the process going. I went in for blood work and an ultrasound. There were 12 blood tests to run for infectious disease. That is totally reasonable. It's great to know that IM, IF, and I were all thoroughly tested before they perform the transfer. The ultrasound was a "fluid ultrasound." If you're creeped out by medical stuff or girl parts, stop reading. I thought when I went into the office that it would just be a simple "take a peek" kind of ultrasound, to make sure I have all of the equipment to carry the kiddo(s) and to check that nothing is broken...I was right, and wrong. I was right about the reason. I was wrong about it being simple. It involved a catheter, syringe, and saline solution. I'll let you Google the logistics...

Now that we have that out of the way, Let me give you The News. You may remember from one of my first posts that we had anticipated a January transfer. This date was calculated based on IM going through 3 egg retrievals. Well, since the 3rd retrieval would be after the New Year, IM would have to pay another $3000 deductible for the last procedure. So her and I talked, and we are going to nix the 3rd retrieval and go forward with 2. That means that we will now have a transfer in mid-November. Almost exactly 2 months from now!! I will start cycling with her very soon. My OB gave me the birth control and I'm just waiting for the go ahead from our Dr. in St. Louis. Oh my cow this just got real, friends!

Needless to say, we are all very excited to get this show on the road. As long as this transfer is successful, I will be knocked up before the Holidays. Keep us all in your prayers!

Have a great week, or two, and I will keep you updated!

Oh mi...

Oh my, my friends.

I missed a week, didn't I.

Not much has happened, surrogacy-wise, but I have been keeping very busy otherwise. Here is a snapshot of my last 2 weeks:

It rained in Oklahoma...finally!
I have started my new role at work and I love it.
My toddler has developed an aversion to naps on the weekends and shies away from any real sleep at night.
I finished books 2 and 3 of the Hunger Games series.

And of course, let's get back to the reason we are here: surrogacy.

Last week, I had to start coming off of my migraine medication, as instructed by my OB. After almost a year working with a neurologist trying out different medications for my chronic migraines, we finally settled on this med which has worked very well for me. I cut my doses in half last week and had my first migraine in 2 months. During this entire surrogacy process, we have hit little road blocks such as dropping the fee considerably and being unsure my insurance would  cover the pregnancy...this migraine is the first time I had any doubt I was strong enough to do this.

Dramatic, right?! *Sigh* I just remind myself of my background, tighten up the bootlaces, and move forward. There's no stopping us.

Last on my blog agenda for this week: a shout out to my husband.
If you are friends with him on Facebook, head on over to his page and let him know how awesome he is for being so supportive. He has given me permission to not only carry another person's baby, but he is going to pick up ice cream at midnight, rub my feet, listen to me whine, and commit to countless other "husband of the pregnant woman" duties in order for this lovely couple to have a child of their own.

I hope you all have had a great couple of weeks. :)

A Day Late.

Good evening and happy Sunday!

I'm afraid I'm a day late without much to say. I even posted a promise on Facebook to have a post up by midnight Saturday to try for the whole "accountability" thing with no luck.

On a non-surrogate note, the job I took with a former employer was trumped by my current employer taking notice of my potential. I made a "deal" with God in the past to always give Him the glory for the blessings in my life, so I'd like to publicly thank God for the amazing opportunity I have been given in my career. I recognize that my gifts are given by Him and I never want to take that for granted.

Now back to the surrogacy. My intended mother sent me a text photo of the box of fertility meds she has just started. I have to say, better her than me. Although I do not have to take the birth control and 3 types of fertility meds, I will get to share one of the medicinal experiences with her: a fertility med via buttocks shot. Oh yeah. I learned that I will have to give myself a shot in the hiney. I can't say I'm super excited about that one. So, if you're a local friend of mine and happen to be a nurse, hit me up. I will need you for a month around December. :P

Since I'm out of new surro news, let's play a "what if" game. What if both embryos "take?" This means I will be carrying twins. For those who do not know me in person, I am 5'1.5" (that half inch is dear to my heart, do not try to take that from me) and 95lbs. My OB has convinced me that I can carry twins, safely, to term. I think it would be crazy fun, and crazy to carry twins. I'm curious to hear your thoughts  on this.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Try Me.

Hey friends!

This week was less eventful than last week, it seemed anyway...

On Tuesday, IM and I met face to face. It was fantastic! Previously, we had done everything through our OB and over the phone to keep emotions from getting in the way of our decision-making. I think it was a good decision. She is a wonderful person and I'm so excited to be working with her. The next step is to meet up with our husbands.

Another big "thing" that happened this week is that I accepted a job offer with a previous employer. I am SO excited and I know it's the right decision. The biggest problem this has posed on the surrogacy side of things is that I lose my disability benefits. That being said, the contract had to be adjusted which is always a pain in the arse.

And then there's Chick-fil-A. Lol! Did you see this coming? I guess with my previous two posts, it's pretty obvious my stand on gay marriage. So, I don't have to go into this? Ok, I do just a little.

I support CFA's right to Free Speech and I think the Cities that tried to ban CFA from setting up shop made a terrible mistake. CFA is donating money to prevent the 1.7% of Americans who consider themselves gay (or so I read that stat somewhere) from getting married. In my opinion, as a Christian woman, the Christian company would be better off investing that money in organizations that promote love, or feed children. I think that would be the kind of media attention that can bring people to Christ. That is all I have to say about it, and I prefer not to have a debate on this page. :)

I'll end this week's surrogacy's note with a little statement brought up to me by a friend/family member. I'm interested to hear thoughts on this. I expect as I continue through this journey I'll come across more people that have "things" to say about it. Here's this person's take on the situation (summarized):
Have you ever considered that people are not able to have children for a reason? As in God's will?

*Sigh* Use your imagination to figure out what was going on in my mind. This was my reply:
"Yep. We could think of it like that. But if good parents can't have kids, why can abusive parents have kids? Maybe my giving this girl a kid is part of God's plan. It is also giving me something. I'm getting an amazing experience."

Do you know what this person's response was??
Not a damn thing.

Have a great week everyone!!

And so it begins.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

This week has been more active than I anticipated. I was afraid I'd be on this blog once a week, boring you with tales of my toddler-induced insanity and chronic exhaustion-by-work. Not this week, friends. :)

First, the intended parents visited with an attorney. It seems that process will be pretty smooth since IM (intended mother) and I have really already hashed through a lot of the details on our own. We have locked down things such as fee, number of embryos to transfer, the fact that we both agree that reduction (essentially aborting one embryo if both take) is not an option, and what will happen if I end up on bedrest. Of all the difficult things to discuss, getting straight answers and a written proof of coverage letter from my insurance provider has proven to be the most difficult task so far. **Not shocked**

Oh, and then there was that hour this week where my IM seemed to freak out a bit. It wasn't unreasonable. She just mentioned that we may need to put it off for a little while. Considering how far we had come together and how much information I had given her to this point, that really threw me off. So I asked her about how long she was thinking. A month for work reasons, I get. But 6 months because you're still not sure...I'd be on the road to that gay couple. She came back after about an hour and said, let's do this, and scheduled her appointments. I guess it was the surrogate version of cold feet.

Around midweek, IM went to her appointment at our OB and got the "go." She has started birth control to regulate her cycle and will start fertility meds soon. The clinic even sent her a calendar, which was creepy/neat. Her projected retrieval date is 8/22. That is to retrieve her eggs for you boys out there. ;)

All in all, things are moving smoothly. If everything runs on schedule, my Dr will knock me up around January. That should be interesting in itself, right??

You're Going to What?!

Welcome, friends!! I'm sure it was a bit of a shock to see my announcement on Facebook. A woman wanting to carry a baby for another couple is not something you hear every day. I was excited to see all of the amazing supportive people in my life. I also received a lot of (valid) questions. So, let's just go back to the event that led me to make this crazy decision...

It was totally Elton John. All you need is love...
And Neil Patrick Harris.
These men are obviously not having little bundles on their own. Bundles of money? Of course. Bundles of chubby, sleepless joy? Not a chance. They had surrogates.

Now, I have select family and friends who would argue against what I was going to do next, but I have seen enough messed up (very messed up) hetero households to know that "orientation" itself does not make a good or bad parent. End rant. So I went my husband (who has been amazing) and then to my OB and told him that I want to be a surrogate for a gay couple (using an egg donor, I refuse to use my eggs). My OB was supportive, but honest. Because of Oklahoma's strict laws on surrogacy, he said he doesn't see many gay couples. He asked if I was open to helping any couple and to that I answered, "Of course. I don't discriminate." :)

That convo was about 2 years ago. Since then, I had my tubes tied and my OB contacted me about a potential match who didn't follow through. A little more than a month ago, he contacted me again with a couple who is a perfect match. This is the beginning of our journey.

The next step for us is to get the contract drawn up. You can't even imagine the things we are going to have to take into consideration and put into writing. Obvious protections to make sure she doesn't run off and leave me with a baby or that I don't run off with hers. But also things like what if I become ill...as in too sick to continue the pregnancy. Terrible, right? I just pray we make good decisions and that the contract will never have to be used in that way.

After the legal paperwork is taken care of, the IM (intended mother) will start working on getting her cycle in sync with the clinic we are using in St. Louis.

This is far as I know now. This is such a learning experience for myself, Matt and the IPs (intended parents). Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I'm excited to see what our future holds!