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Initial Consultation @ IVF Florida
C & N had a formal consultation with Dr. Daniel Christie at the clinic on April 18. He confirmed that Nikki's egg reserve level (AMH) was too low to consider using traditional IVF methods. He was pleased by the research C & N had done about donor egg IVF and discussed the process and statistics. He shared that the process usually takes between 3-6 months depending on the circumstances as well as the time needed to do all initial testing. -
Choosing a Donor
After reading, rereading, and discussions ad nauseam, Courtney & Nikki made a choice for a donor. She had a child of her own, and she was 25 years old. Although she wasn't a proven donor (donated before), they were confident with her ability to provide them eggs. The only concern was that she didn't have regulated periods, but a call to the clinic calmed our fears by sharing that they could work around her issues. -
Good News
We learned our first choice donor had accepted. We were ecstatic. The donor team let us know that we would wait for her cycle to begin and the initial testing would begin. -
Another Stinkin' Procedure (Sonohysterogram)
I had to endure another painful, intrusive procedure to ensure that my body was capable of carrying a child. Keep in mind that I had carried and birthed my son nearly 20 years ago, so the test was definitely necessary. The test was horrible, and it was confirmed that I had cervical stenosis (Google it....or don't! TMI!!!). Other than that, I was in great shape and could definitely carry a baby to term just as I had 20 years ago! -
Can C & N Be Parents?
One requirement by the clinic is for the potential parents to be screened via a psychological evaluation using a counselor who specialized in infertility issues. We met with a local counselor here in KC, and she was impressed by our open communication and all our research into the process, the possibilities, and the future. -
Bad News...
C& N found out (after a month passing us by) that their egg donor cancelled before she ever even began. They were at least grateful that she never started tests and wasted some of the funds, but this meant back to the drawing board. -
God's Plan; a Better Choice
The donor team offered a donor who wasn't available before, so over the phone, C & N reviewed her information.
God had definitely had a hand in this because this donor was two years younger, and she was a proven donor (meaning she had donated successfully before). -
A Bump in the Road
C & N learned that the clinic hadn't cryo-preserved Courtney's recent deposit before he sailed off into the ocean blue. They completed an unnecessary analysis and threw the rest away. WHAT? This would be a huge setback later in the story thanks to the Zika virus scare in Central and South American countries. -
Another "Small" Problem
While reviewing paperwork from a recent test, Nikki discovered the words "cervical stenosis" which indicated a hardening of the cervical tissue. Fear set in. Would this interfere in the transfer? -
And the Winner Is...
Courtney had to advocate for another deposit since the clinic failed to understand our previous request. The clinic even waived the fee! A win for C & N...for now. -
Baseline U/S
This fun, intrusive procedure was verifying that Nikki's ovaries were calmed after the cycle and there were no concerning issues with the reproductive organs. Fun! :-O -
Birth Control? To get Pregnant?
Indeed. Nikki began the birth control pill (bcp) on this day in order to maintain control of her cycle. The donor had already begun her bcps. The show was finally beginning! -
The Miracle Worker
Nikki was terrified of the trial transfer (where they do a mock transfer and measure the fun stuff for IVF--cervical opening, uterus, etc) because of her cervical stenosis and all previous painful procedures. Dr. Christie shocked her when he managed to do the entire process in less than five minutes with no pain and only a slight moment of discomfort that was expected. He truly is a miracle worker! -
DEIVF Calendar -- It just got real!
We were given the first half of our DEIVF calendar on this day. We saw hope getting brighter in the distance! -
No! No! No!
The joys of military marriage ... C & N are at the mercy of the United States Coast Guard. Nikki learned that Courtney would be getting underway for drills around September 1, right around the time for the transfer. This could mean she'd have to do the transfer without him....needless to say, this was not good news for any party. Stay tuned..... -
Thank You, Jesus!
C & N's insurance covered all but $46.10 of the Rx costs for Nikki. What a gift! Amazing! -
Just a little shot...
Nikki began her Lupron injections. Her first one she gave to herself in an office building bathroom. Cool, right? Surprisingly, she was brave, it happened seamlessly, and it didn't even hurt! -
Bye Bye Bye!
Nikki's last BCP! The Lupron injections continue... -
Side Effects
Nikki experiences the worst migraine ever in her history; her medicine that normally takes them away failed her. It was a long, long 48 hours. She remembered why she was doing this; it helped get her through. -
Suppression Ultrasound
Nikki had a suppression ultrasound to check that her reproductive organs were no longer operating thanks to the lovely Lupron with its many side effects. The u/s revealed a small cyst, but everything else looked good. Bloodwork revealed normal levels, so it was time to begin the estrogen patch...
