Playing catch-up

Ok so here is the official first infertility post. I'm going to use this as a timeline of events leading up to now so that everyone knows my story and what we've gone through.

·      June 12, 2010- Wedding!!!

·      July 2010 Faint Positive HPT!

·      August 2010 Miscarriage at 5wk

·      September 2010 start tracking ovulation with OPK. Realize that I have a perfectly normal cycle and ovulate every month right on schedule.

·      October 2010- June 2011 Continue charting and using OPK while reading every fertility book I can find! No BFP…

·      June 2011- Appt. with Ob/Gyn told that "I'm young and totally fine, have more sex and maybe lose weight” I leave the appointment very discouraged!!!

·      June 2011-August 2012- Continue trying on our own. Feeling very frustrated, exhausted, and miserable!

·      August 2012- First Appt with RE! Blood work and sonogram. Husband has sperm analysis. Everything checks out!

·      September 2012- more tests, sonogram shows possibly Premature Ovarian failure as well as cysts on ovary.

·      October 2012- HSG- Not Fun!! And Clomid challenge- result= very moody and dramatic. Slight breakdown in a yoga class; very embarrassing!

·      November 2012- HSG showed that left ovary is missing and left fallopian tube in a hydrosalpinx. Discuss options with Dr. and decide to have a surgery to remove left fallopian tube. 

·      Thanksgiving 2012- Prepare for surgery the following week.

            Surgery goes well!

·      December 2012- Follow up appt: told that although surgery went well, right fallopian tube shows signs of a previous infection and have damage. Encouraged that IVF is best route. Dr. Says that we have a 50-55% chance of success with IVF.

            After a long discussion we decide to move forward with IVF! We Purchased an ATTAIN two-cycle package for $19,950!

·      Christmas 2012- Share news with our families and get excited for potential new baby!

·      January 9, 2013- Prepare for cycle to begin and discuss time off with employer. I am told in a discussion that I will no longer be fulfilling job duties if I take as much time off as I need. Will most likely lose my job. Husband and I have long discussion and decide to postpone IVF for a while, to build back up our savings account and try and find Husband a new job with better pay.

·      January 11, 2013- what would have been start of IVF cycle leaves me heartbroken.

·      January 17, 2013- First meeting with Sisterhood INF.  Decide to start leading the group.

·      January 26, 2013- Open refund check from ATTAIN and start crying. I was still holding out hope that we would change our mind and proceed with cycle.

·      January 30, 2013- Start INF blog to share my story. 

So pretty much where we are now is that my husband is up for a promotion in his job in June. He doesn’t want to take it and it probably wouldn’t be a noticeable pay increase anyways. Our goal is to get to a place where we are comfortably living on one income so that if I lose my job to due to all of my Dr appts we can still survive. He has been working with a trainer for over 6 months to get in shape to join the Air force. He is hoping to support us while also insure that in a few years he can go to grad school and pursue his passion of international relations in a government agency.

I am currently co-leading an Infertility support group called Sisterhood INF. We are based out of a local church and hope to give support encouragement to women struggling with infertility, as well as find comfort in God’s word and Grace.

I’m trying to keep my spirit up and hope the time between now and when we actually start an IVF cycle is short. 

Please Contact me and share your story! I'd love to hear and give advice or just support to anyone willing to share!