The Results are in!!

We are happy to announce that an addition to the Wood Family is expected in late August!!  Eric, Mikayla, Gavin, and myself are overjoyed and very excited for the next several months.  We have been very blessed that the in vitro process has been very smooth and without complication and with a POSITIVE result.  We thank everyone for there prayers, well wishes and thoughts.  I will continue to post updates and new pictures and will keep everyone up to date :o)..

Love to all.. and From our family to yours, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


p.s.  Thank you soo much for the wonderful christmas cards.. This year I have not sent any out and I am sorry for that ~ but please know that all of you are in our hearts and minds not only during this time but throughout the year!

A nice night

Tonight we spent the evening at Eric's grandparents house to celebrate an early Christmas.  It was a nice night with dinner and conversation.  We were surprised that his grandfather, who has been diagnosed with alzheimers, has gotten much worse since the last time we saw him about two months ago.  It is a very sad time for his family as they watch this strong man start withering both mind and body.  But, it was a nice night being able to talk with his grandmother, aunt and uncle, and cousin.  We do not get together nearly enough.

As for us, the kiddos are getting excited for Christmas and our trip to Louisville later in the week.  I hope the weather will allow for save travel!!  Our wait for the BIG news is almost done.. It has been such a mind game over the past two weeks.. Trying to think if I am feeling any different, what each twinge means, and really is it possible that this has actually worked.  But the wait is almost over so I am trying to relax and to go with the flow.

I hope everyone is getting ready for a fun filled week with Christmas!

Love to All!!

Michelle

The wait is half over...

5 more days until test day...  I think I have kept my calm pretty good and have tried to stay busy to help the time pass...  I really don't have any signs yet one way or the other, but I am very tired.. 

I am sorry to say that I am not baking alot of cookies this year.. maybe just a batch or two...

I hope all is well with everyone and everyone is enjoy the last few days until Christmas is in full swing..

Love!

Still Waiting....

Just checking in to say Hello!!! 

It has been a lazy weekend for the Wood Family..  Watching movies, football games, and Gavin's Basketball game and practice.  I love lazy weekends!!

I got a brief word from Jessica that Chris arrived safe and sound to his family in New York.. We are thankful that he is safe and will be enjoying some family time for the next couple of weeks. 

I think today I will try to figure out what I am going to bake this Christmas.. Does anyone have any new recipes??

Love to all!

The process has been completed.. Now the WAIT!!

We transfered two wonderful blasts today around 2:30pm.  It was a very fast proceedure that went as well as we wanted.  Now we just wait until the 21st for the pregnancy test and then about 2 weeks after that if it is positive then we will do an ultrasound to make sure there is a viable fetus.  It has been an amazing journey but we are glad we are at one of the final stages, which is really one of the first stages, but you know what I mean..

I'm off to bed and will update soon!

Love!

Stepping away from Google

For the past 3 months I have spent relentless hours googling different things about infertility, IVF, embryo transfers, medications, embryo grading, the dreaded 2ww (2 week wait for pregnancy test), symptoms, and almost everything else that anyone can think of.  Today I am proud to say that my name is Michelle and I'm a googling addict and I am stepping away from the computer not really, just feel I have educated myself enough to be at peace. 

So hopefully this blog will soon turn from just an update on our IVF journey into more of a life and times journal of our crazy family down in Northwest Arkansas.  I believe we are at peace that we have done all that we can do and now it is up to what is ment to be.  I know that if it is ment to be then it will be, nothing more and nothing less.  Oh how wonderful inner peace is... You might have to remind me of this over the next few days and weeks!  I am sure I will have a relapse of anxiety and fear, but for now peace.

Love to all!

One More Day

At around 1:45 tomorrow we will be pregnant until proven otherwise... Such a bold statement, but that is going to be my mind set during the next few weeks.  Fertilization report today showed:  4 grade 3 embryos, one has stopped dividing and has demised.  We are thankful for the remaining 4 and hope to implant the best 2 tomorrow.  It would be wonderful if the other 2 make it to cyropreservation (freezing for possible future use).

I am looking forward to a few days of rest after all is said and done. 

Nothing too exciting tonight..  I am tired, anxious, nervous, and excited!

Love to all!

Update

Tomorrow is set for Embryo Transfer!!!  I have called every morning to listen to a report that lets us know how our 5 embryo's are doing and how they are growing.  There is a number rating system that is used every 24 hours to rate the growth.  At the clinic that we are using, the numbers range from 4 being best and 1 being poor.  Here is how our report has been:

24 hours after egg retrevial:  4 at grade 4
                                           1 at grade 3

48 hours after egg retrevial:  3 at grade 4
                                           1 at grade 3
                                           1 at grade 2.5

Eric and I are very pleased with how our little embryo's have faired thus far.  Of course, it could change at any moment.  We will both be glad when the 2 best are chosen and transfered back to where they should be.  We will find out at noon today the time of our proceedure tomorrow, then I will go on bed rest for about 48 hours or so, just to lay low and given them a chance to settle in. 

This has been a very wonderful and stressful process full of the unknown, which unfortunately will continue for a few more days.  I have tried to give up all control and be at peace knowing that we have done everything that we can do to acheive our goal of growing our wonderful family.  So today and for many days to come I will try to stay at peace with a very hopeful heart!

Love to all!

Fertilization Report

Out of 19 only 5 fertilized.. Being a Sunday I am unable to call the clinic for answers and very nervous about why only 5 fertilized.  We shall see, it only takes one so that is what I am holding onto at this stage of the game..  Will have another update tomorrow..

19 eggs!

Eric and I arrived at our appoitnment this morning at around 8:00 for egg retrievial.  Everything went well and they were able to harvest 19 eggs!!  That is a wonderful number although some will probably not make it I feel as if this gives us a good running start.  We find out tomorrow how many were able to be fertilized and from there it is a waiting game on how they all do.  Today we have made a big jump in adding to our family!! 

Embryo transfer will happen either on Day 3 (Tuesday) or Day 5 (Thursday).  The goal is to have a 5 day transfer so that the embryo is ready to implant into the uterine wall immediately.  Rest assured we are only transfering 2!!!  The rest will hopefully make it to the freezing stage so that we can have a few extra tries incase this is not ment to be this go around. 

The hard part of this  journey is just beginning ~ THE WAIT!

Love to all!

It's Trigger Time

Today was another ultrasound and blood test which showed that I am READY for egg retrieval.  I am finished with many of the hormone shots that I have been giving myself over the past few weeks!  I will give myself a final "booster" hormone injection tonight at 11pm.  The next step is the egg retrieval proceedure that is scheduled for this Saturday at 8:15.

More updates to come... Love to all!

Manic Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  As for us, we just lounged around the house, put up the Christmas Tree(s), ate, shopped, and thought of all of you! 

Today started with a drive to Tulsa for ultrasound and blood work.  I have been on stimulation medications now for 6 days.  The ultrasound was very interesting... It showed several follicles on each ovary.  I know that the right ovary has about 14 alone.. (Usually there is only 1 follicle per month) The doctor did not share the number for the left, but I am guessing it is probably around the same.  This is GREAT news along with my blood results that are right in line where they need to be.  One thing I do not understand and being in the medical field myself, is the lack of the "personal" touch.  It is very sad the way some clinics just herd you in and out and do not take time for questions, or details.  I hope we offer a different type of service for our patients.

Anyways,  my next appointment is Wednesday at 8:45 in Tulsa and I am very thankful that Eric will be able to ride with me!!  I should be close to egg retrieval by this weekend and by my calculations it should take place either Sat, Sun or Monday just depending on the next Ultrasound.

We are getting very very excited!!  Always keeping a realistic mind, but  this whole process is very amazing other than gaining 10 lbs, shooting myself full of hormones, and not fitting in my size 8 pants that I fought so hard to get into regardless of the outcome!!

Grow Follicles Grow

In a few days my ovaries should look like it is trying to pop jiffy pop popcorn.  Today started the stimulation phase of the IVF process, which technically is the first day of "official" treatment.  I have been on medication to suppress my ovaries into a menopause like state but today I added two more injections for a total of 3.  Two injections in the morning along with a steroid oral medication and then another injection in the evening.  The stimulation injections start a process that will produce several follicles in each ovary (usually only one is produced a month).  I believe the goal is to have 12-15 good follicles grow in a 7-10 day time frame.  I go back for blood work and another ultrasound on Monday the 30th. 

I try very hard to add some wit and humor into the posts, but today I am very hormonal, want to cry for no reason, tired, and could snap at any moment I have nothing exciting.. Just wanted to update the newest happenings.. Love to all!!

Full Disclosure

Eric and I decided to tell the kiddos about our newest project to bring a crying, pooping, eatting, crying, nonsleeping oh and crying baby into our lives.  We figured the big box of medicines that were delivered a few days ago needed to be explained.  So, we took them out to dinner to one their favorite spots and tried to explain the complicated world of shots and medicines and why we have been making all the "business meeting" trips to Tulsa over the past few months.  They both looked at us like we were crazy took it well. Gavin had no clue what we were talking about and Mikayla's only request is that it be a girl.

The first Shot is the hardest

This is what I have always said to those I have taught as an RN to give their first self injection. Wow, it is different when I had to give my first shot to myself. Who knew it was such a ordeal! Double checking the dose, making sure I remembered to use alcohol on my skin at the injection site, saying silently You CAN do this 1,2, 3. Then it was done, the first one!

Eric and I have shared with many people our journey to have a child of our own. We have learned over the past several months that it will be close to impossible if we do not use modern medical technology to aid in this journey. We both have had fertility testing and multiple doctor's appointments. We have been given diagnosis's and choices. Really choices is not the best word, a better way to put it is - a choice. One choice to be exact - in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Eric and I have started our IVF journey. It is a relatively new medical proceedure (30 years old) that is known for the term Test Tube Babies. We understand that this type of medical intervention is not for everyone and some have different views regarding religion and personal beliefs; however, this is for us and we are very excited that there is hope.

As the title indicates, I started giving myself hormone injections yesterday, Sat. Nov. 14th. The whole process is full of different medications to be taken at different times depending on the day of the month and depending on results from various blood tests and ultrasounds. If everything goes as planned, the entire process will take about 4-6 weeks.

It is our choice to share this exciting time with our family and friends. As with life, we can not predict the outcome of this journey. What we can do is to stay positive and ask for your positive vibes and prayers through this time.

A Tree with Many Branches

Our last name is often confused by adding an (s) to the end. Not a big deal at all, but my reply is always "We are just one Tree". But really we are much more than that. Our family is a small beautiful tree that has limbs that continue to grow and flourish as each season passes. It is amazing how our relationship and our children grow. I can not imagine my life any different.

My husband Eric and I are very blessed to have found eachother and we often recount those early dating years.... Always wondering where we would be now if we have never had met. We never linger on that question too long. Knowing that both of us would have survived if our chance encounter had never happened, but never really wanting to take the idea further than that.

Mikayla is 11 and is blossoming into a very wonderful person. She is calm and sometimes quirky and really doesn't know how fabulous she really is. She is our reader, our source of imagination, and our "old" soul. Her ability to adapt and to learn is something to be admired. She is smart, athletic, musical, and creative.

Gavin is 8 and such a sports lover, not so much a reader, and our cuddlier. He is very compassionate and empathetic and we hope that the harshness of the world never changes him. The way he lights up a room is amazing!

I hope that this blog will document some of the happenings in our lives and we will be able to share with our family and friends a little view into the Wood(s).