The 23 Enigma

Last week I mentioned stress coming down on us at this phase of the pregnancy. Many wished for us to have some relief. Well, it didn't come immediately as we were in the hospital last Saturday to treat the second kidney stone Kristina had developed.

Tick-Tock

It has been a stressful week. We had our one-year old SUV break down over the weekend and had to be with loaners for five days. Granted a loaner vehicle is better than no vehicle, but it did throw a curve in our routine. More details would be just complaining...

What To Expect

I thought I would add a quick note about the upcoming tests for success. It is already a tough week with the anticipation of the results being either one way or another. Kristina and I can both feel the stress of it.

Needles, Needles Everywhere, Nor Any Drop To Drink

Yesterday was the “suppression check” appointment for our IVF cycle. Again what this means is the doctor draws blood to measure Kristina’s estrogen level to be sure her ovaries have “gone to sleep” so that her body’s natural process doesn’t follow the normal pattern. The reason being, we want to control the timing of ovulation and stimulate as many follicles as possible.

E.T. – not the movie

So, a quick update about the Embryo Transfer, which took place two days ago. There isn’t a lot to say other than it is the second pivotal point of the process. We know very little, and there isn’t much more to do than just wait…and continue with the shots.
 

We did place two embryos inside Kristina’s uterus. I say “we” but really the doctor did that; I just stood by, kept my hand on her shoulder and smiled a lot.

Visceral...what?

Okay, I admit I actually had to google that one to get the definition.  For those of you who don't know the actual definition (which probably only includes me and my sister) that is:  

Of or relating to the viscera. Relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect: "the voters' visceral fear of change".

I only pasted that because I had it up in Google, and because it helps clarify the origin of my emotions which are, yes, visceral.

The Merchant of Venice

I cannot help but consider Shakespeare’s play as I review my thoughts about meeting with the urologist yesterday. He explained how he would extract the “pound of flesh” from me while under a local anesthetic. Further, like Bassanio, my doctor will have to select the correct box in order to win the prize. Fortunately, my doctor is not limited by choosing only one vessel.
 

Adjusting The Sails

The purpose of this blog seems to change as more time passes. At first it was technical and details of the medical procedure. However, it has become a lot more about the emotional stress of life while going through the IVF process.
 

Not Exactly Serendipity

There has been a significant event that has potentially threatened our IVF process. For reasons of confidentiality, I cannot explain the problem here. But what I will say is that this is stressful and heart-breaking. At times when hurdles keep springing up before us, one cannot help but wonder in superstition. Is the universe trying to tell us something?
 

Drowning in Dishwater

Stress comes from unmet expectations, I frequently say. I did not expect the vasectomy-reversal to fail. That has been stressful. I did not expect the IVF to be such a complex process. That has been stressful too. However, I really didn’t expect to have to buy a new dishwasher. (It’s peculiar how little inconveniences can create so much stress atop the other).

Day Six: The Classroom

Today was an overwhelming day. On the schedule was the two-hour class on IVF from the Bennett Fertility Institute. Prior to that, Kristina had to have an ultrasound to measure the size of her uterus, and the doctor counted the number of potential eggs to be harvested. Eighteen, which is a bit above average; so we are optimistic on that count.
 

Easy Weekend – Busy Week

I implied in my last post that things would get busier on Day Three. Well, we swallowed a few pills (anti-biotics and hormones) but nothing that was too trying.

Step One

Kristina and I decided before we got married that we would have a child together. It’s probably an important discussion to have prior to one’s nuptials. However, there were some hurdles to overcome, and because of those obstacles we kept this decision secret from nearly everyone.