Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The Start of InVitro, The End of Infertility (we pray)

Now that my hiking adventure is over, next up... 
InVitro!

I know it has been a little while since I have talked about it, but mainly because it has just been a waiting game for us.
I will be explaining what we are about to embark on, but before I do that I want to ask you for a few things.
  1. We are not going to be blogging play by play. We are letting this be an "us" thing. Thank you for your respect in that.
  2. Although I will be explaining everything in semi total detail, I will be keeping time frames out of it, for the most part. We will be starting this, this summer. So there is your time frame :)
  3. Please do not ask us about if we are pregnant or not until the end of September. (unless for some reason we cannot start when we think, then we will need a month longer then that.)
  4. The reason we would like a little wiggle room, is because I want to tell you in a fun way! So if you ask me ahead of us telling our families, you will ruin the surprise of me telling you! 
  5. PRAY! Above all else pray. regardless of if we succeed the first time around or not, I will definitely keep you posted about that. However we just really need your prayer for wisdom, relaxation, and no stress. It is amazing how much stems with NO STRESS.
So here we go...
 You all know about our struggles up until now
The two halves of our story are here: Part 1 and here Part 2.
So from the end of part 2, we have healed from the surgery and now we are on to the ACTUAL IVF part. Eek!

The IVF Process for the Kucera's:
  • Initial meeting with Dr Murrain at the Gyft Clinic where all aspects of IVF or more specifically ICSI (the type we are doing) is covered. That was a crazy meeting. (Apr 2014)
  • Blood draw to check Mica's hormone levels since it had been a year (Jun 2014)
  • Sonahystogram and Injection (Yes, Thomas gets to give me all the shots!) Training (Jul 2014) 
All of these lead up to the actual process. (If I skip days, nothing is happening that day)
  1. Go on birth control for numerous reasons.  - To regulate my hormones, to allow my body to "relax" until it needs to be ready, so the Dr's can semi predict when the whole process will take place.
  2. Stop birth control on the agreed upon day.
  3. 3-5 days later, my cycle will start and that will be the start of the whole process!
  4. Day 1 (of cycle) - Call the Gyft Clinic
  5. Day 3 to 7 - Go in for blood work and an ultrasound. Start injections that night between 5-7.
  6. Day 8 & 9 - Go in for blood work and an ultrasound. Wait for the nurse to call about what injection to use.
  7. Day 10 to 12 - Go in for blood work and an ultrasound. Wait for the nurse to call about what injection to use. Any day now they will say all is well! Take injection #2!
  8.  35 hours later - Retrieval Day - Thomas and I go our separate ways. The embryologist goes with Thomas to get all of his little swimmers that are needed. I get consciously sedated and my eggs are taken and then put into a petri dish to relax. Hours later they are joined by the little swimmers.
  9. At this point we will be getting daily phone calls to tell us how many embryos we have and what their score is. Yes, my children will be getting scored in life from the very get go.
  10. Either on Day 3 or Day 5, it will be transfer day. Basically at this point they will be transferred into me to give me a chance to be pregnant and them a chance to live.
  11. I have to rest for 4 days. That means not leave the house, not walk tons of stairs, and definitely not do any situps for 4 long days. 
  12. And then we wait... and wait... and wait... and come up with fun ways to tell you all that we are expecting.
  13. And then we find out that we are expecting.
  14. And then we tell family and friends and the blog in the fun way that we want to. 
  15. And then we have a baby and our 3 year long dream becomes a reality. Of no sleep. And loving this little one with everything in us.
  16. The end.