Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Infertility



What is the first thing you think of when you hear that word?
For Doctors it is the inability to get pregnant when trying for a year or if over the age of 35, trying for 6 months.
For those in the middle of it, the word is the sound of hopes and dreams being crushed.

Let me walk you through our journey…
Oct 2011 – With only months left in my Masters program, and Thomas just landing a job after being unemployed, we decided to take the plunge. I mean really, it shouldn’t take long right? People get pregnant all the time on accident, right?
Dec 2011 – Yay! We are past the 3 months we were supposed to wait after being on birth control! Passed that milestone. Check.
Feb 2012 – Start acupuncture in the attempt to get our hormones level correct without taking meds. Just in case. I mean it can’t hurt right?
Apr 2012 – Our first chemical pregnancy/miscarriage. So confusing. And sad and yet we are doing something right! Keep pressing on!
Jun 2012 – Time to step up the game. Started taking my temperature every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Sep 2012 – Nothing is happening with the temp. So starting with the LH test (AKA the urine test).
Oct 2012 – Technically considered infertile. But it has only  been a year right? Keep going strong!
Dec 2012 – Learned about embryo adoption. Definitely something to consider.
Jan 2013 – Chemical pregnancy #2. Something is clearly wrong. Time to get the Dr’s involved. No more temp and urine tests.
Feb 2013 – Started testing – everything is ok.
Mar 2013 – More testing – everything is not ok. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! (sung in the voice of Dory from Finding Nemo)
Apr 2013 – Really praying about embryo adoption.
May 2013 – Different testing – even more wrong than anticipated. Oh and by the way, the Cystic Fibrosis gene is suspected to be a possibility. You should get more tests done.
Jun 2013 – Starting to think embryo adoption is our main plan of action, but let’s get the Cystic Fibrosis thing taken care of.
Jul 2013 – Meet the Dr’s at the Gyft Clinic to talk through our journey to date including what to do for the Cystic Fibrosis gene testing. HOPE. The sweetest word ever.
Next step – Seeing what the next round of tests this next month tells us. It seems to be on the up and up though.

Hope. As I posted here, Hope is a powerful thing. It allows us to get through times that are the hardest. And yet that glimmer of hope can place a smile on our face. Some times a tentative smile, some times a full blown grin. Because for some of us, although we have been labeled as infertile, it means we are one step closer to having a wee one in our arms. And that my friends, is reason to smile.