Kate & Nate: Parents In Waiting: *Sniff Sniff*

Monday, January 31, 2011

Sniff Sniff

On Friday I started sniffing Suprefact 5 times a day, as well as taking low dose aspirin. That means that in 3 weeks we will be in Calgary! I'm so excited; it almost feels like we're planning a vacation. Of course at the same time I am terrified, but I am really trying to stay positive instead of letting that fear take over and stress me out. I listened to an IVF relaxation CD last time we cycled, and I think I will begin using that again soon to help.

On Thursday night I was actually really looking forward to starting the Suprefact because it meant we were finally starting this cycle... However, I had forgotten a couple of things. One, it tastes really really bad. Anyone who has ever had to use nasal spray of any kind will know what I mean. It's kind of like squirting some very potent perfume up your nose and no matter what you drink/eat, the taste remains. Ick. Secondly, taking anything 5 times a day, especially something you have to squirt up your nose, is a pain in the ass. I have alarms set on my phone to remind me, but it always seems I need to take it when I'm right in the middle of something or with someone. All in all not a big deal; just things I overlooked in my excitement. I have gone through much worse than this (and will again I am sure) on our quest to become parents. The good news is that in a couple of weeks I will get to reduce it to 3 times a day, which is no big deal at all.

Now I'm looking forward to starting the needles, which I am sure I will change my mind about shortly as well. Hah.

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Our Story

My name is Katie (Kate), and I'm 29 years old. My husband Nathan (Nate) is 33, and we've been married for 7 years (together for 12).

We tried unsuccessfully for 6 years to have a baby. We have had 1 natural conception that resulted in an early miscarriage in 2004, over 6 failed IUIs, a successful IVF that ended in the missed miscarriage of twins at 7 weeks in 2009, and an unsuccessful FET.

I suffer from PCOS which contributes to our fertility problems. I also have scarring on my one fully functioning right ovary. There is a small piece remaining of my left ovary, which was removed during a laparotomy to remove a large ovarian cyst in 2004. Thankfully nothing seems to be wrong with Nate.

Finally, in March 2011, we were successful in conceiving a beautiful baby boy and are due in November 2011. This blog is a record of our IVF journey, pregnancy, and eventually life with our little miracle.

Definitions

The world of infertility uses a lot of acronyms. So for any friends or family who will be following along on our blog, here is a list of the most frequently used:

RFP: Regional Fertility Program, the fertility clinic in Calgary

b/w and u/s: Blood work and ultrasound

PCO or PCOS: Poly-cysytic-ovary or Poly-cystic-ovarian-syndrome

IVF: In-vitro fertilization (involves egg retrieval, and fertilization occurs in a petri dish. The fertilized embryos are then transferred back into the uterus 3-5 days later)

IUI: Intra-unterine insemination (no egg retrieval; a catheter filled with sperm is inserted into the uterus via the cervix to help maximize the chances of fertilization)

FET: Frozen embryo transfer (Often after a "fresh" IVF cycle, the remaining viable embryos are frozen. During a frozen cycle, these embryos are thawed and placed inside of the uterus)

DPR or DPT: Days post retrieval or days post transfer. Most women know when to take a pregnancy test based on days post ovulation (DPO), but when doing an IVF, this period of time is measured by the retrieval of the eggs and the transfer of the fertilized embryos.

HPT: Home pregnancy test