The science behind it

These are the actual embryos that were transferred! Baby boy A and Baby boy B! 

Step 1) after a ton of preparation and medications the egg donor has her eggs retrieved from her ovary. The egg donor we used had 28 eggs retrieved. 

Step 2) IVF: where the sperm is injected into the egg and the fertilization takes  place. 18 eggs had made it and 13 were fertilized. 

Step 3) embryo grows for a few days, multiplying in cells. By day 5 it is now a blastocyst. 7 of the fertilized eggs made it to the blastocyst stage. 

Step 4) one tiny little cell is removed from the embryo for genetic testing. This determines which embryos are graded highest. They look to see if all chromosomes are normal and which embryos are healthiest for implantation. Of the 7 sent for genetic testing 6 of them came back with a AA grade (perfect little embryos).

Step 5) embryos are frozen until time of transfer! 

Step 6) 2 embryos are thawed for a very short amount of time and are injected into the uterus through a very small catheter. 

Now that the embryos have been transferred I will be on strict bedrest for 2 days while the embryos do there thang! 

At this point we just sit back and pray for the little guys to stick!! I will start taking pregnancy tests on Thursday, but probably won't get a positive test result until Saturday. I will have my first blood test done next Wednesday (9 days post transfer). 

Prayers are much appreciated!! 

Telling the kids momma is going to pregnant

Today we told our kids about this incredible journey we have been on since November. Rather then type much today I will just share this video instead. Enjoy!! 

My uterus is an overachiever

I write to you this evening from the comfort of my bathroom. Between the set up for my injection, the injection it's self, and of course the butt rubbing and heat after, I find myself spending a lot of time in the bathroom these days.

 I am currently at the peak of my medications. I take 2 prenatals, aspirin, Medrol, doxycycline, progesterone, and delestrogen currently. Which is funny since I'm not a fan of medications unless absolutely necessary. I usually like to go the more natural/ holistic route. 

Ok enough about the medications! Let's get to the monitoring appointments!! Since my initial medical clearing in Portland back in April I have had numerous local monitoring appointments. The reason for this is to make sure I'm progressing the way I should without me having to go all the way to Portland just for a few blood draws and ultrasounds.

I had a big appointment 2 weeks ago that was to measure the lining of my uterus. After only two doses of my delestrogen my lining was at 11.2!!! For an ideal transfer it needs to be at a minimum of 8. With 3 weeks left to go until transfer this was incredible news. I knew my body was prime for making babies, but I had no idea my uterus was such an over achiever. 

With everything right on track I will be heading to Portland on Saturday!! It's crazy to think that after having the last 7 months to prepare that the time is finally here!!

Tomorrows blog post will be all about Dave and I telling the kids what's happening! I am going to see if I can post a video on here. 

Now that my butt is toasty warm and the medicine has hopefully spread through the muscle, I'm going to blow this popcicle stand and head downstairs. Pretty sure I just heard Dave come home from the ice cream run I sent him on! These hormones have me craving food more then my pregnancies did!!

The big box of overwhelming medications

With my transfer date right around the corner I figured I should probably take the time to fill everyone in on the last few weeks. Rather then putting it all in one blog I will spread it out. I PROMISE to write a blog everyday until my first beta test (blood draw pregnancy test!) 

This surrogacy thing is a process to say the least! It is a hurry up and wait game. 

After returning from Portland it was a lot of waiting around. I decided to take Cora on a vacation back to Wisconsin while I had the chance. Once I'm pregnant I will not be able to fly for the 1st and 3rd trimester. While we were in Janesville I received my first draft of my legal contract!

Side story: after posting my first blog post on Facebook I had found out that my best friend growing up, his wife was also a surrogate! Small world.!

While home I was able to compare contracts and talk with her a lot about the process as she was a little further into it then I was. She also let me watch as her husband did one of her IM (intramuscular) injections. Through this whole process the IM injections have been my biggest fear. It was very helpful to watch and see that it was really no big deal. 

Legal was quick and easy. I corrected a few things I wanted changed in the contract and sent it back. The intended parents (IP's), Shannon and Steve accepted and we all moved forward. 

When we returned back to Colorado I was greeted with "the big box of overwhelming medications" on my door step. Being the organized person I am I of course opened in right up and organized it. 

I had originally planned for Dave to give me my injections. The first shot I started was called Lupron. Lupron, aka the menopause drug, is administered to basically quite down my ovaries so we can use other hormones to fake my body into thinking its pregnant. After being anxious all day for my 5pm injection, I was all set up and ready to go! I went to the living room to get Dave and he was napping with both kids so clearly I couldn't disturb him. I decided to go give it a shot my self (no pun intended). I rolled my shirt up, cleaned the area, drew up the medication into the needle, and injected it into the little pouch of fat I have on my stomach. Piece. Of. Cake! It was so so easy. I had zero pain at all. My children now fight over who can give me my shot at night.

In the upcoming week i will post about my other medications (including my first IM), my monitoring appointment, meeting Shannon and Steve for the first time, telling Jack and Cora (my children) about what is happening, and my upcoming trip to Portland! At that point I will be all caught up and ready to give you the day by day. 

I apologize I have been sucking at life lately

Sorry for the delay on a new post! I have so much to share with you all and have just not had a chance to do so!

I have left you all hanging about my recent trip to Portland. It went great!! I had all my tests and everything couldn't have been more perfect. The big thing they are looks for is polyps, cysts, and fibroids. I had none which is great! They also checked the blood flow to the veins in my uturus. Which also was prime.

Lastly I had a mock transfer done. This was exactly what they will do the day of transfer minus the embryos obviously. 

I got the all clear and was moved into the next step of legal.

For the last few weeks I have been on birth control to align my cycle and the egg donors cycle. So other then that  I am just enjoying the calm before the transfer. We are finishing up contracts and as of now I will be starting all my lovely injections April 11.

My transfer date is May 16!

Let's get this show on the road!

I have my plane tickets booked and appointment scheduled at Oregon Reproductive Medicine next Friday! I am so excited! It is the last huge obstacle before the actual transfer.

I learned today that I didn't have quite enough blood drawn a few weeks ago so tomorrow I go back again the have one more vial taken. 

Dave had all his blood work done this week and passed everything. Yay for no STD's hahaha.

As far as legal goes we have signed our initial documents. We won't finalize our contracts until after I clear my medical screening. This has been confusing to me because the fertility clinic won't clear me to start my hormone injections until after legal is done. I guess I see it from both points but I'm just ready to get this show on the road! 

Shannon (the momma) and I were talking today about how amazingly smooth this entire process has been. It is just so reassuring to me how perfect everything has happened and how perfect our God is. Everyday with this process is a reminder that this is his plan for both my family and theirs. It's so comforting to know we are in his hands on this journey.

The stork

Blood work is completed and my first official surrogate selfie has been taken! The phlebotomist did an awesome job. By the end of it though I could barely feel my fingers. 

Dave called the VA yesterday to make an appointment for his blood work. I was over listening his conversation with the gentlemen on the other line. Dave was trying to explain what he needed this blood work for and the guy didn't understand what a surrogate was. Dave says " no, my wife IS having baby but it's not mine. It's not hers either. She is the stork, the person carrying the child for another couple. I was laughing so hard listening to his explanation. I'm so proud of him for being so supportive of all this. 

I should hear from the attorney we have chosen to finalize my end of the contracts in the next few days. Other then that I'm just waiting to go to ORM. The next few weeks shouldn't be to eventful.