We found out our first embryo transfer failed just before Thanksgiving. We were so confident it would work that we booked flights to see both our families, in hopes that we could tell them we’re pregnant in person, so it was quite the let down. There was always a chance it wouldn’t work, but theContinue reading “When challenges arise, you can pivot!”
Category Archives: Fertility
Transfer, waiting and results… oh my!
The week leading up to our first embryo transfer was filled with excitement and stress, the latter of which is not ideal. Everyone tells you to reduce stress before a transfer, which makes feeling stressed all the more anxiety-producing. Let me explain. We were excited about our transfer and, quite honestly, very hopeful that itContinue reading “Transfer, waiting and results… oh my!”
It’s a long road to embryo transfer
The process leading up to an embryo transfer is different from that leading up to an egg retrieval. There is far less monitoring (yay for flexibility) and there are different medications to take. Our fourth retrieval was in September and we had two trips planned during October, so we weren’t sure if we’d have toContinue reading “It’s a long road to embryo transfer”
Going with the flow: the process continues
After only getting 1 potentially viable embryo from our first round of IVF, and talking with our doctor, we decided the best thing to do would be to do another retrieval in the hopes that we could get more potentially viable embryos. Since my fertility will continue to decline as time goes on, we didn’tContinue reading “Going with the flow: the process continues”
My first retrieval became a reality check
By the time the egg retrieval procedure came around, I felt bloated and uncomfortable from the medications and I was ready to be done with it. Because of Covid, no one was allowed in the facility with me so Ilan had to wait in the car. It wasn’t my first time under anesthesia, so IContinue reading “My first retrieval became a reality check”
A rundown of my egg retrieval process
Our doctor started me off with a relatively high dosage of Gonal-F/Follistim at 375iu daily to stimulate my ovaries, alongside 40 units of low dose HCG daily. These are both given as subcutaneous injections (under the skin) in the lower abdomen near the belly button. I’m not sure what the normal protocol is but myContinue reading “A rundown of my egg retrieval process”
The inevitable health insurance battle
I’ve battled health insurance many times over the last five years so I knew insurance for fertility would be no different. It’s always a struggle, even with good coverage, and I was prepared for the fight. My insurance through my job didn’t have any fertility coverage at all but Ilan’s did, so our first stepContinue reading “The inevitable health insurance battle”
So what exactly is IVF?
When it comes to causes of infertility and their treatments, there are a host of situations that may occur and I won’t pretend to be an expert. It’s incredibly complex. I can, however, shed some light on the basics of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) for those who may be unfamiliar, based on my own experienceContinue reading “So what exactly is IVF?”
Fertility after cancer: realistic yet hopeful
When my husband, Ilan, and I began talking about starting our family in the fall of 2020, we knew we might run into challenges. With my history of breast cancer and choosing not to freeze my eggs before treatment, we knew that my fertility may have been negatively affected by the chemotherapy. We decided toContinue reading “Fertility after cancer: realistic yet hopeful”
Introduction
Welcome! Throughout the fertility portion of my blog, I’ll be sharing my journey over the last year with you retrospectively. I considered writing a blog many times before but I didn’t actually start writing until October 2021. At some point in these posts, we’ll catch up to real-time and I’ll be sure to let youContinue reading “Introduction”
Still Rising 