Velcro Thoughts :)

Sorry guys...I wrote this on Saturday, but things have been so hectic that I never posted it.

Today was the big day! It came so quickly. It was six short months ago when I first felt called to begin this amazing journey and it has been a whirlwind of events since then. Taking more medications and having more tests done than I can recall, doing all we can to raise money to pay for this procedure (they still need your help!), fighting an insurance company for the right to maternity care, and being blessed every step of the way with a growing friendship with two very amazing individuals. It has been more incredible than I could begin to describe.

The past few days have been filled with detailed instructions. My schedule was a prenatal vitamin in the morning, an antibiotic at lunch, an progesterone injection after work, another antibiotic at dinner, and a steriod at bedtime, all while wearing four estrogen patches every day. This morning I had to take a valium to keep my muscles relaxed during the procedure and drink about 20 ounces of water. Kimberly and Chris had even bought fancy Fiji water for me to drink. Apparently things are much easer to see on the ultrasound if I have a full bladder, which is not the most pleasant experience when they press down on your stomach. After having some bloodwork done when I first arrived to the office, Kimberly and I left the boys in the waiting room and were taken to the procedure waiting room. We put on footies, and I changed into a hospital gown, while Kimberly put on scrubs. At some point, we realize we must have looked like a nice lesbian couple trying to have a baby.

The coordinator of the program came back and told us they had two A+ grade embryos that they were going to implant, and even gave Kimberly her first "baby" pictures. It looked like two clusters of circles. They took us back to the procedure room, pressed on my full bladder, told me I needed to wait 15 more minutes because my bladder wasn't full enough (!!) and sent me back. The second time was more successful (and just a little bit more uncomfortable). We looked up on the TV monitor and we could watch the guy pull the embryos from the petri dish into the catheter tube. Then the catheter tube was placed inside me and the embryos were "shot" out. I had to lie on back for 15-20 minutes and then I was sent home to rest.

We take the official pregnancy test on the 29th!!! Please pray for Kimberly and Chris's two precious delicate embryos inside my body, pray for our battle with the insurance company, and pray for the Tissots as they are still trying to raise money to pay for this procedure.

Countdown to Embryo Transfer-16 days!!!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Not too much going on. We kind of had most of March "off" as far as meds and tests. Right now I'm starting back up the estrogen patches and go back in for some more bloodwork and an ultrasound on April 10th. Then it will only be about a week before the embryo transfer!!! It has come so quickly. I am so very excited but also nervous that it won't work. I am trying not to let that bother me because it's all in God's hands, but I really don't want Kimberly and Chris to go through any more disappointments on their path to parenthood. Just keep the prayers coming--specifically, that my body will accept these foreign embryos and nurture them as though they were my own.


In the meantime, Kimberly and I have had quite the time. I started having pain in my wisdom teeth around mid-March so I decided to have an urgent surgery to have them removed before I get pregnant. Otherwise, I would have to suffer through the pain because the meds for the procedure could hurt the baby. The surgery went well but I haven't done too well with having gaping holes in my gums for food to get stuck in. I was pretty sure that I was not supposed to do exploratory surgery with a toothpick to remove food particles, but I couldn't help it. Needless to say, I brought on a lot of unnecessary pain and scolding from my surgeon. Now I have this neat syringe to do the trick without any sharp objects needed.


Kimberly, on the other hand, has had a much worse time of things. She had an allergic reaction to a medication that has sent her to the ER twice with trouble breathing. Luckily, the medicine is on its way out of her system, but not without blistering her skin as it leaves. Her skin looks as if it has been scalded and is now peeling. The doctors expect it to be a couple of weeks before it is completely out of her system. She has been a real trooper...


The insurance company denied our appeal. Now we request a hearing. It doesn't look promising, but we are still hopeful. Pray hard. If not, we will have to do the prenatal care uninsured.


To end on a high note, we have raised almost $200 on Ebay selling items to help pay for the IVF. We will be listing some more items soon as more gets donated, so keep checking. You can just sign onto ebay and type in the search box "help a couple have a baby." Also, let me know if you have any items you are willing to donate to the cause.


Also, here is the link to our TV appearance--a little embarassing for me, but I think we did a pretty good job for amateurs!


http://www.yourcarolina.tv/ycvideo/entry/work_friend_surrogate/


Love you guys! Thanks for all the support and kind words you have sent my way!