Friday, March 02, 2012

On Infertility: The IVF Process Part VII

While I'm traveling Down Under I thought I'd post some excerpts from my IVF Journal. After the first one and a half rounds didn't take, it took us several months to muster the courage to try again. We allowed ourselves enough time to grieve the loss of an expectation, which is much the same as grieving the loss of anything, really. We knew it would be our last try. Since we had no frozen embryos left over, we needed to start from scratch. I couldn't find it in me to journal about the entire process again, but much of it was the same. All but the outcome, that is :). Thanks for reading along!
We did it! (Again) 9/17/2011

A quick update for the journal. We did another round of IVF, and this time…it worked! I’m actually pregnant! After our blood test in the morning we ventured to Ruth’s Diner to see if those famous Mile High Biscuits could distract us even for a bit. When we got home I went straight to bed to sleep off the anticipation. Brad started on a manly project in the bathroom shower to keep his mind occupied. Around noon I woke up, checked my phone 12 times to make sure I hadn’t missed a call, and tip-toed into the bathroom for what seemed like the umpteenth time already that day. In an instant I heard my phone ringing from the bathroom and didn’t even attempt to pull up my pants as I ran back into the bedroom. 

I sat on the bed, pants twisted around my ankles, took a deep breath and answered my phone. It was the nurse calling with good news. Is this a good time? she asked. Um, yes, I laughed nervously. As her next few words trickled out of her mouth and into my ear I honestly gasped. After several seconds of silence I quickly responded, Really?! Are you sure?! How do you know?! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She chuckled and said, oh, I know. And you’re definitely pregnant Gina. She continued, I’m going to give you a second, and then I need you to grab a piece of paper and a pen to write down some important information. Her tone was kind, but firm. As if she had done this a million times before and didn’t want to lose me in bewilderment before she had a chance to finish her job. 

Shock beyond belief rushed over my body in a wave of chills. Brad, who was by this time sitting next to me on the side of the bed, fell straight back, both his hands over his face. I couldn’t see his expression, but I didn’t need to. The whole paradigm of our lives just changed in a single instant. I was pregnant. What we had once thought impossible, was now reality. We were going to be parents! I have never prayed so hard and so fast in all my life.

We hugged and cried, did a little happy dance, and hugged and cried some more. Who are you going to call first?! Brad insisted. We split off into separate ends of the house and started making phone calls and sending emails and texts like crazy. It was surreal; a moment you only get once in a lifetime. 

3.31.2011 Another Egg Retrieval Day! We look tired, I think we were
This round we utilized acupuncture along with IVF, I loved it! And I believed it helped emotionally as well as physically.
9.5.2011 Transfer day #2! Yes, we take a handheld shot for just about everything :)
Two embryos from round 2, don't tell me you don't see the resemblance ;). One of those is our baby girl!
9.6.2011 Just a cute one of my mommy and me. She came to visit during my bed rest days.

5 comments:

Alex said...

amazing.
i still remember the call we got from our geneticist. they had basically told us meg had down syndrome (after blood tests and ultra sound) and as a result andy and I thought we were probably done having kids.(2 in a row, something had to be wrong.) And then we did amnio and she called with the results. I made Andy answer because I thought I was going to throw up and then she told him meg didn't have down syndrome. what a feeling. I will never forget that moment. I could have kids! Everything was ok. The relief was overwhelming.

Congrats again Gina. Thanks for sharing this personal journey. I am so happy!

Anonymous said...

:))

Jana said...

What a beautiful, inspiring story!! Thank you so much for sharing this.

Elizabeth Madsen said...

Getting your phone call was one of the happiest moments of my life. Thank you for sharing all of the special little details of your amazing journey. Love you!

Unknown said...

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