CCRM

National Infertility Awareness Week

April 25, 2016

The hardest thing about infertility for me was feeling like everyone was moving forward in their life while I was stuck in the same place, wanting that same thing that everyone around me was getting. I watched one of my friends have 1 then 2 then get pregnant with her 3rd before I had Berkley – and we had started trying just shortly after they did. It was heart wrenching. At times it felt almost unbearable but I got through it. One step at a time, one needle, one appt, one test result at a time. I was thinking the other day how many shots I have a gotten since I started IVF and how many blood draws? I would say a conservative guess is 2oo – 250 shots at home and 50-75 blood draws. It sounds like a lot! And it WAS/IS a lot. But its not near the worst part of it. Its the waiting and wanting and longing and not understanding part.

If you are struggling with infertility here is my advice:

Let the comparison go. If you can stop comparing yourself and your timelines to everyone else your life will be somewhat easier as you go through this.
Get off of social media if you are really struggling. Seeing 5 different “I’m pregnant” posts every time you log on is not helpful on your already wounded heart.
Don’t let it define you. I let it define me. After we lost Cade I had to figure out a way forward. I started having panic attacks but once I came to the realization that yes, I had gone through hell and wasn’t out of it yet, but I still am talented in other areas and can focus on those instead. I essentially had to talk myself off the edge of defeat every.single.morning. when I woke up. What are you good at? What areas do you excel in? What are you passionate about? Make your infertility your side-gig vs. your main gig.
Get connected. Other women who are also going through IVF are literally my best friends. I text with them almost daily. It is so refreshing to not be alone in this.
Get healthy. Eat right, exercise. Put your best food forward each month or round. It’s literally the one thing you can control in all of this.

If you think there may be an issue but aren’t sure:

Be an advocate for yourself. How many months has it been- what tests have you done? My original OB/GYN told me there was nothing wrong and was upset when I asked for a referral to a specialist. It took almost 1 more year to actually get pregnant with Cade because my situation ended up being complex and I ended up needing surgery.
If you think you want to talk to someone go ahead and make the appt. NOW. CCRM typically is booked out about 2 months for a consultation and that wait can be terrible in itself. If you get pregnant or change your mind you can always cancel your appt. but better to get it on the books.
Do research. Success rate vary WIDELY depending on your clinic.

Praying for you all!

March 11

March 11, 2016

Two years ago I was in a hospital bed anxiously awaiting the birth of our first baby. Our first son. I had NO idea what was about to happen in just 2 days. March 13th is Cade’s second birthday. After the events that happened earlier this week I wanted to cancel all of our plans but I am feeling much better. One of the reasons we moved back to KC was to be around family and that’s exactly what I want to do on Sunday. Not only was Cade our son but he was a grandson and a nephew. I want us all to just hang out and remember/celebrate that little boy who literally flipped our world upside down in so many different ways.

I think the thing that has rocked me the most this week is all of the feelings that I keep just under the surface bubbled up on Monday after I talked to my nurse. I couldn’t sleep at all on Monday night. Tuesday and Wednesday I tossed and turned and worried all night about me & about some of my friends going through IVF at this very moment (4 super dear friends- all within like 6 weeks of each other!!). I also got contacted by a couple this week who lost their 4 1/2 month old to SIDS and they have been weighing heavy on my heart.

Tuesday morning I had tentatively planned on taking a sick day. I’m pretty sure miscarriage = sick, right? But I woke up, I put my game face on. I had a super productive day and just kept thinking how I am so lucky, so blessed to be Berkley’s mom at this very moment. She is my little anxiety pill 🙂

She is ELEVEN months and I just can’t get over her sweet little face in this picture. We are busy planning her bumble bee (“B”) themed party! I cannot believe ONE is right around the corner.

Snow, ice, hysteroscopy – oh my!

December 18, 2015

We drove into Denver last weekend. I told Adam on the way that I was just as excited to get here as I was as if we were going on a beach vacation. I couldn’t wait to see everyone! We have been bouncing around, having dinners, catching up on the gossip we have missed out on. It has snowed a ton but still been so much fun bopping around to all of our favorite places. I went into CCRM yesterday to regroup and get poked & prodded. In typical ‘Emily form’ things did not go quite as planned. Meaning, that this ‘well planned’ trip that I purposely planned around my cycle dates and CCRM’s availability all went out the window because I was FIVE days late. So the hysteroscopy that has to be done between days 5-12 got bumped so we are actually just staying out here longer to knock it out. Kind of annoying but not the worst thing in the world.

Being in there yesterday definitely made me do a reality check. It’s true what they say- that you kind of forget about the process once you have a baby. To be honest, I think I was so delirious from grief last round that the details are very vague to me. All of the testing that I was able to do went totally fine but I walked out feeling sorry for myself. Getting like 8-10 vials of blood taken, a reality check discussion with the doctor where we talked about chances of success (which are pretty decent- but if it doesn’t work then the chances drop dramatically after that). We are just going to transfer 1 again. I honestly don’t think I could mentally handle a twin pregnancy. And then the punch to the gut as I handed over my credit card to pay $1200 for the diagnostics for the day 😉 Ugh. IVF is just miserable. With that being said, everything looked great and if the hysteroscopy comes back normal that we are all set to move forward whenever we wish. Definitely NOT immediately. I decided that while I was in the waiting room. I got an overwhelming feeling of “oh crap I’m not ready yet”.

I’m so excited to celebrate Christmas this year with Berkley. If I don’t blog before then, have a Merry Christmas!

CCRM Consult

December 1, 2015

Say what? Yes I know. I set up this appointment in early October. Lots of questions now that I would be out of state. After setting up the appointment (which wasn’t happening until late November) I had a lot of weird feelings. The all-too-familiar stress that settled in my gut. The thought of shots, the heart wrenching waiting for results feelings, excitement, etc.

Then November was here and my appointment came and went so quick. You know how you build things up in your head? Well I was pretty much on the phone with them for 10-15 mins max. I asked a lot of questions like how does it work being out of state? How many times will I go to CO? Do I need an RE or OB/GYN or both in KC? Etc. etc. Full disclosure here. I LOVED Dr. Brown. She was with me through getting pregnant with Cade and right after Cade died until I got pregnant with Berkley. She cried with me (a lot) and was just on my team. She went to bat for me to get by their “6 month rule”. Anyways, she moved to Vermont and I so I had my consult with Dr. Minjarez which I have always heard great things about. I have met with her a few times in Dr. Brown’s place and just felt like we never ‘clicked’. But you don’t need to click when it comes to spending tons of money. I know she is a great doctor. Anyways, this is a long-winded way of saying that she is also leaving CCRM!! She has been there forever but is moving to Cali. So as of this afternoon I now am under a third CCRM doctor. The good news is my nurse is still my nurse. She probably doesn’t remember me but I remember her and she is great and on top of it. And I trust her. And at CCRM you talk with your nurse tons more times than your doctor. You need to be with a good nurse. Did you hear me CCRM ladies? Make sure you like and trust your nurse.

So what’s my plan? My plan is to go out in December get my diagnostics done. CCRM makes you re-do a lot. Hysteroscopy, 3-D ultrasound, blood work. Pretty much the whole thing for just a transfer. Assuming they go well then I will play it by ear as far as scheduling something in 2016. Am I ready? I think so. What is holding me back? Well…. my pregnancies are VERY nerve wracking. They are high-risk. I know too much and its tough mentally. I also know so many other people that I feel pretty connected to that are still stuck trying for #1. I want them to do this before me. I want them to experience this before I (God willing) experience pregnancy for a third time.