The Next Step

It's been a long time. We haven't heard a word from the adoption agency about any prospects. We are a bit disheartened by that and getting to be frustrated with the agency we are working with. We thought when we stopped infertility treatment two years ago, that adoption would be much easier because all we had to do was wait. No drugs, no doctors visits every other day, no raging hormones. We thought we would get picked and bring home a baby and it would be so easy. Boy, we were wrong.

Shortly after we got home after the failed adoption, we decided that we didn't just want to sit around and wait anymore. We decided to be proactive and put our eggs (no pun intended) into as many baskets as possible. We just want a baby, we don't care whether he/she comes through adoption or through pregnancy. So, I contacted a new doctor that one of my friends recommended to me. He has been great and we are really happy that we changed doctors. We had an unsuccessful IUI (intrauterine insemination) last month. We were pretty disappointed because I responded so well to the medication this time, as compared to two years ago. The doctor was baffled. I am getting really tired of hearing "You should be pregnant by now, we just don't know why it hasn't happened yet."

So, we decided to jump into IVF (invitrofertilization). I had surgery a month ago to prepare my body for the IVF. Then I started daily Lupron injections a week and a half ago. Lupron basically shuts down your pituitary gland to stop it from producing hormones so that we can control my body with the drugs. People were telling me to prepare for instant menopause. It really hasn't been too bad yet, I've only had a few hot flashes. Today, I had an ultrasound to clear me for my stimulation drugs. The stimulation drugs are what cause my ovaries to grow lots of follicles (hopefully). So, today I got to have three shots in my belly. Let me just say, I hate shots.

Here is a picture of all the drugs that I will take this month. So, far the side effects I've had are hot flashes and being very tired. I am also a pretty emotional person anyway, but I cry at the drop of the hat. My poor husband is going to have to deal with a crazy woman this month.




I'll go to the doctor pretty much every other day for blood work and ultrasounds to watch my follicles grow and then in about 10-12 days I'll have an egg retrieval. Then three days later I'll have an egg transfer.

I know this is a lot of information, and some of you may not find it very interesting. However, before we started this infertility business I knew nothing about any of this. I never knew what some people had to go through to have children. I just want everyone to know what we are doing.

Please pray for us. Pray that my body won't fail us again. Pray that the drugs will do what they are supposed to do. Please also continue to pray for our potential adoption. We would love to be able to experience both adoption and pregnancy as ways to grow our family.