Avleigh's Journey

Deciding to adopt an embryo is a very exciting process. Once we got to the point of preparing our cycle for the transfer is when things really got real! You hear stories of IVF journeys and how much medicine and injections it takes to prepare the body to accept the science behind this little miracle. It starts off somewhat simple with oral hormones and antibiotics. The extra estrogen actually did my body really good. I had more patience than normal and was actually able to relax at the end of a day. The relaxing part is totally out of character for me! 10 days later we had our ultrasound to check on the lining of my uterus and labs to check my hormone levels. The lining looked good but being I’ve been through so much fertility and monitoring over this last year they knew we should let it continue to thicken and push out the transfer day a few more days. I left the office that day with the remaining schedule, my injections, and a mixture of emotions. Excitement, fear, eagerness.

That next Sunday we began our progesterone injections. The first dose we did twice that day then the rest would be daily thereafter. Now, you hear injections and most peoples stomachs turn. Especially when someone is administering it themselves. I’ve done plenty of injections over the years. From small short needles in the stomach to the longer needles in the hip. What I had not yet experienced was that huge 1.5 inch needle in the hip on a daily basis! When I tell you my butt looks like a pin cushion it is no understatement. I have a nightly date with the heating pad to help soothe my rear. The things women are willing to do for the family they love!

Transfer day quickly approached. We had mom take Alyssa to her MRI appointment as Jacob and I headed to the fertility clinic’s surgery center. On the ride there, I could feel my anxiety rising. My baby was going to an extremely important appointment without me and I’m going in for the procedure we all have been patiently waiting for. Thoughts and and plenty of prayers for this to work to finally give our family what we all have been longing for. On the way there I take the prescribed valium to help with this anxiety and to help me relax to have a comfortable procedure. Now, I’m a person that doesn’t typically take much medicine. I will power through a headache or rest when I’m just not feeling well. It’s something that my poppa used to always say… let your immune system do its job. When we get there and I put my feet on the ground outside of the car, my world was spinning! I sat there for a few seconds before even attempting to stand up. It was as if I would’ve been drinking for hours while sitting and not realizing that I was drunk until standing.

The next few days I did nothing but rest. Alyssa was a trooper and got through her MRI. Now we wait for not only Alyssa’s results but also the results on if the transfer was successful. During this wait you feel every. little. thing. and wonder could that be a symptom. My tastes quickly began to change, the moods were awful and boy was I exhausted. Could this mean success or just the additional hormones I’m injecting into my body. It’s definitely way too early to be having pregnancy symptoms.

The following Tuesday Alyssa had a follow-up with her orthopedic to review her MRI results. The very good news was no surgery! The bad news was she has a very small break on her patella. Now things could be much worse. Her treatment is to keep that leg straight in her knee brace and to follow up in two more weeks. Another piece of good news is she’s showing signs of healing fast!

Once a transfer is complete you would typically do the bloodwork to check the hcg and progesterone levels 10 days post transfer. This is when they confirm the success of the transfer. Because Alyssa was supposed to be in Flordia for National Championships for gymnastics we had our pregnancy test appointment scheduled on day 7 rather than day 10. Never thinking her accident would happen and we wouldn’t be going to that meet. The morning of day 7 I just couldn’t help myself. I took that home pregnancy test. I took a quick glance at that test and thought to myself “it didn’t work” when I only say the one line. I went on with my normal routine of weighing myself and grabbing my clothes for the day. When I looked back at that test that second line was there! It was light, but it was definitely there. That helped me go to that appointment with confidence. They quickly took my blood and after waiting a few hours the clinic called me with the results. We are pregnant!

With the experiences that we recently had it give me such hesitation to be so publicly open at this stage. That’s the biggest reason most people keep this part of process private is the fear of how to handle it “if” something goes wrong. We had follow-up labs to make sure our levels are increasing appropriately (they are!) and then an ultrasound two weeks later to check on the little embryo. I think our whole family will breathe a little easier once we can hear that sweet little heartbeat. With signs from Avleigh and lots of prayers to god, I have faith that this is it! This little dragonfly has been following me around for the past week. From the back yard, to the front yard, in the garage and even in the house. I’m listening Av! And I love you!