How our Journey Began

So everyone has been wondering where our fertility journey began…  Rather that explain it 100 times I decided we would start this blog and update it after our dr appointments… I met Melissa in 2006 and in 2007 we decided we wanted to start a family.  At the time we were living in Texas. We found a fertility dr and started the process of IUI also known as Artificial Insemination. After spending a thousand dollars on medications (our insurance covered the procedures) we did two cycles both with a negative result.  Giving up hope for the time being we ended up moving to Kentucky when the company Melissa was working for closed. At that time I went to work for a bank’s call center in Kentucky we had great insurance and I had high hopes that we could try again. However the insurance company would not approve me to use the fertility benefits because I was not “declared infertile” my only problem was that I had a same sex partner. And I guess to them that was not a valid problem. So knowing that paying out of pocket was out of the question since it runs about $10,000 every time you try we tried not to think about it and knew it would happen when the time was right. We spent a year in Kentucky and then headed back to Las Vegas!!! After we got to Vegas we did about 2-3 more cycles of IUI and STILL NOTHING!!!! But soon after getting back to Vegas I went back to work for the same bank that declined me fertility coverage in Kentucky. I decided to find a new Dr and see if they could figure out what was wrong and why IUI would not work… After explaining to my new gynecologist the issues that we have had the last few years she ordered several very painful tests they found that my “tubes” are not round and smooth. They are jagged and full of fluid. This not only explains the reason I could not get pregnant but also posed a HIGH risk for an ectopic pregnancy (where the egg implants in the tube instead of the uterus and if not caught can be fatal to both mother and child) So I was sent to a fertility specialist with the recommendation that my tubes be removed and that pregnancy must be achieved thru IVF             (In vitro Fertilization) Knowing that my insurance declined me before I decided to call them one more time. Much to my surprise they approved me to use my fertility benefits. This time I was approved because I had a “valid” issue with my tubes that would not allow me to get pregnant naturally. The fertility dr saw no reason to have my tubes removed because according to her there was not very much fluid in my tubes and that everything should be fine. Taking her advice we moved forward with IVF. We went thru our first IVF cycle in May of 2010 (transferring 2 embryos) with high hopes we waited for our results. The day finally came and the results were negative. Trying not to appear to let down (of course I was) I said let’s do it again. So in July we did our 2^nd cycle (again 2 embryos) with another negative result!!! I lost all hope and did not want to do it again. The shots were insane!!! It even got to where it hurt to walk, sit, lay, because I had knots the size of a softballs in my butt!!! Knowing that our fertility benefits had a lifetime max and that we were quickly approaching the end of them. We decided to do one last try in August and use the last 4 of our embryos. A total of about 257 shots later (the total from all three cycles) The waiting game started again and seemed like forever!!! This time I caved and bought a home pregnancy test. I took the first test and I thought I saw a VERY faint line. So the next day I took another then another!!! Each time the line got a little darker!!! I wanted to tell everyone!!!! But I knew I couldn’t!!! I waited till the blood test came back and this time it was positive!!!! So excited I tried to call mom (she has to be the first to know…right!!) So holding in my good news I called her and got no answer!!!! I called again and again!!! No answer I had to hold my news in for 2 hours waiting for her to call me back!!! Once I was able to tell her I knew it could now be announced to everyone else… Everyone was super excited!!!

                     

The next thing we had to wait for was to find out how many embryos took…. A LONG 10 days later we went for our first ultrasound… I think Melissa about fainted when the dr said all 4 embryos took!!!  Knowing that there is still a high chance of miscarriage in IVF patients we were monitored very close. At about week 7 we found that one of the embryos was not developing at the same rate as the others and by about week 9 it disappeared all together.  It was not considered a miscarriage because it never developed in the first place. So its triplets for us!!!! As of right now they are all doing great and we are having 2 boys and 1 girl. We think we have names picked out but you never know it could change. As for now its Kristner Zane, Ashlynn Presley, And Hunter Thomas. I am now at 25 weeks and they say they are going to deliver me between 34-35 weeks (as soon as lung development has occurred) I will update our blog after each of our appointments with pictures and ultrasounds starting Monday. Hope this answers most everyone’s questions just let me know if you have more!!!