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).