It moves so quickly now!

Just 3 days ago we weren't even sure if we'd still be going this cycle. Today, my IM tells me that she has 7 follicles growing! :) She's a bit worried because she usually has more like 13 but she's only on day 4 of stim meds so I think she still has some time to grow a couple more. There's also the chance that some were hiding. Not every follicle will have an egg in it. There's the chance that some will have none, some will have one, and some will have 2. There's no way of knowing how many eggs there will be until retrieval day. And of the eggs that there will be, not all of them will fertilize. I'm still really optimistic about the whole thing. :) All it takes is ONE embryo to make a baby and there's a good chance we'll have more than that to work with.

Tomorrow I go for another bloodwork/ u/s check to see if my lining is getting nice and fluffy. It will be the first u/s since doubling my dosage of estrace so it should have gotten thicker.

It's still a GO for this cycle!

I found out yesterday that we're still on for this cycle! :) My IM started her stimulating meds last night (to produce lots of eggies). She said that she normally "stims" for 9-10 days and then the transfer is 3 days later (after egg retrieval). That's about 12 days away! The clinic gave me a window of Feb 10-15 for a possible transfer, but it all depends on how long my IM stims for.

Either way we're SO CLOSE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think I could possibly be more excited right now. =)

I went in for monitering this morning (bloodwork and ultrasound). My uterine lining is at an 8, which is good for this point. I'll be upping my estrace dosage to make my lining even thicker and fluffier so that the embaby(ies) have a nice home to burrow into. :)

WOW!! We might still be on for February!

I got word via email this morning that I am NOT to take my provera on Monday because my IM started her period yesterday. So, we might just be able to continue with this cycle! She goes in tomorrow morning for bloodwork and ultrasound to find out for sure if we can continue.

I can't believe how close we are *if* we are able to continue with this cycle! :) It might only be a couple weeks away!

Our patience is being tested

Yesterday I got word that our transfer is being bumped back now. My IP's somehow got pregnant naturally (only their second time conceiving the old fashioned way in 8 years!) Unfortunately my IM is loosing the baby. It's considered a chemical pregnancy, since it's so early. :( I feel awful for them.

Our transfer is now being bumped back, but we're not sure how long. I have to start my med protocol all over again next week. I'll be stopping lupron Sunday night, but continuing my estrace and starting provera on Monday. Then I should have another AF next week after I stop the provera (5 days on that), then I start bc pills again to synch up with my IM's cycle. Then sometime after that I start the lupron again.

Whoever said surrogacy requires patience was SO RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

Eventually it WILL be our turn. Eventually we'll wake up and there will be no more roadblocks.

Getting closer....

I'm now on half the amount of lupron I was to begin with and I'm also taking estrace pills twice a day to help build up my uterine lining. I had my first monitering appointment last Friday, and my second one was this morning. Everything is looking as it should at this point. At my monitering my blood is checked for estrogen and progesterone levels and my uterus is checked via trans vaginal ultrasound (yep, a weenie wand! lol).

The time is flying by faster than I imagined it would, now that we're well under way.

Just waiting for my IM to get her "cycle" and then we'll have a better idea of an exact date of transfer. :) She'll have to take medication to stimulate her ovaries to make lots of healthy eggies.

Also, I'm getting my life insurance in order before transfer. I have someone coming on Saturday to discuss my options. I know, I know.... I should have already had life insurance, but at the age of 26, that's not something I really think much about. But I have to have it in place (it's the only smart thing to do) for the surrogacy, God forbid anything happen to me, James will have some sort of safety net to fall back on.

I'll update again when I have some exciting news. :)

Started Lupron last Thursday

Woo hoo!!!!! I'm finally doing it! The first night I froze up a little bit, even though it's a very small needle for the lupron, but let's face it... it's just not natural to poke ones' self with a needle. Anyways, I pinched some flesh on my tummy area and after about a minute I slowly shoved the needle in. It wasn't bad AT ALL!

In the surro world this is referred to as getting "Loopy on Lupron" because it can cause some pretty bad mood swings (the lupron essentially puts someone in a state of menopause, making it easier for the Dr. to coordinate our cycles). I wasn't feeling strangely at all until the following evening when I was making dinner and I had a bit of a break down over something completely ridiculous and cried for about 15 minutes. Since then, I've been much better. I can tell when I'm starting to get "edgy" and I have to remind myself that it's just the lupron, it's not really me... so I take control of myself.

I only have two more days of BC pills! Yay! I'm not sure how long I stay on the lupron. I go on Friday for monitering (bloodwork and ultrasound) to see how things look and then from there I'll hear what the rest of my protocol is.

The PIO (progesterone in oil) shots look SCARY. Those ones have to be done in my butt/hip area and the needles are thicker and longer than the lupron needles. Ouch. If I can't do it myself James will be doing it for me. Not sure when I start those.

My IM also started lupron (last night) so we're really rolling now! =)

Getting all our ducks in a row

This is so amazing. It seems so real now. I've been working out, eating healthy, and started taking my pre-natal vitamins. I start lupron in 2 days! I have to poke myself either in my tummy or my thigh. Decisions, decisions...

I'm going to make a visualization board to help with the power of positive thinking.

And I made this today... I know we don't have a date set in stone yet, but I couldn't resist making this cute little ticker. It's perfect because on the surrogacy message board that I'm on, everyone transferring in February are referred to as "February Love Bugs".. so our theme is all hearts and bugs. :)

WE HAVE DATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow I can't believe all the good news I'm getting today! I just got word that I'll be starting lupron on Jan 10th (only 8 days away!)...and possible transfer of Feb5th-Feb10th!

I'll be going in for bloodwork and ultrasounds throughout the cycle to check my hormone levels and to see that my uterine lining is building up properly.

I'm just STOKED to finally FINALLY have some dates! It's all been a huge question mark the past few months.... ahhhh sweet relief to KNOW something now. =)

*HAPPY DANCE*

OMG I'm going to (hopefully) be pregnant in about 6 weeks! I'm sooooooo excited for M and A! =) =) =)

2008 is already bringing GREAT news!

2007 was a pretty rough year for everyone I know.. and I just had a feeling 2008 was going to be MUCH better.. but I didn't expect to have such awesome news already!

I just got word from my IM that RMA approved us to go ahead WITHOUT doing a mock cycle!

The GS nurse from our clinic is getting our schedule ready TODAY and is ordering medications!!!! WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!!

This is really going to happen.. and hopefully today I'll find out WHEN instead of being in the dark like we have been for many months now.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!