Eggs in a Basket: Monitoring Levels from Afar (Updated)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Monitoring Levels from Afar (Updated)

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(UPDATE) dr. v is going to work me in for an early sono and a one-day-earlier blood draw/beta on thursday morning.
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last october, we were preparing to start a fresh IVF cycle and decided to cancel b/c my FIL had become gravely ill and was not expected to live. i can't say he recovered from that illness b/c he's been hospitalized since (nearly 6 months), but he did improve some. over the last several weeks, his health has begun to decline further, and he's now been labeled terminal and we've been told his one remaining lung is simply failing (he has only one lung thanks to an auto-immune response to the agent orange he was exposed to in 1968 and 1969 during the vietnam war). two days ago, he simultaneously requested IV pain meds that he controls (pump system) and signed a DNR. the pain meds (all narcotics, that is) depress the respiratory system. you can see where this is going...

my DH is already headed for the homeland. my DD and i will follow shortly. i am hoping to delay our departure until after my next beta, which is friday morning. but, in the mean time, i did get permission to travel and did ask about getting an early sono to see what we can see (and to move up the beta as well).

prayers and positive thoughts on all fronts are greatly appreciated!

1 comments:

Dawn said...: I was afraid that this was what's up. We're thinking of Josh, you & Livie and the whole family and wishing you much peace as you make the journey and see your mission through.

I'm glad Dr. V got you in earlier. I know you could use any peace of mind bolstering you can get as you embark but please remember that it's early. I know you know this but I also know that sometimes a friendly reminder is necessary. Trust Dr. V's advice here which I know will be "I don't usually do this until 7 weeks so set expectations accordingly". I'm so happy you're getting an early glimpse of your inhabitant though!

Let us know if we can do anything at all to help y'all out! We'll sure miss you while you're gone.; March 18, 2008 1:41 PM

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Journey Recap

08/04 Get Married. We already know that we're facing IF treatments to start our family.
08/04 thru 11/04 Think about IF treatments with excitement and awe. We actually spent most of our time joking around about how we'd have multiples.
11/04 Start the IF Roller Coaster - First doctor tells us to pursue a method of treatment that we know won't work for us. He knows it, too, but insists on 2 or 3 consultations before finally referring us to another RE. We wasted about 2 months with this doctor. The only thing he did for us was tentatively diagnose me with PCOS based on cluster of folicles he saw on my baseline sono.
01/05 Change doctors and start first IVF stim cycle. This cycle was HORRID. Dr put me on too high a dosage of folicle stimulating drugs, changed my schedule multiple times, ok'd me for travel, un-ok'd me for travel 2 hrs later (I was already on the plane), moved my retrieval up 4 days, retrieved 28 eggs, transferred 3 8-cell embies, got a positive pregnancy test, had low beta HCG numbers, but he told me i was definitely pregnant, 2 weeks later i wasn't pregnant according to a msg on my work VM, doctor told us none of the embies survived to blast/none were cryovacked, found out a week later that one embie had made it to blast and was on ice. Deal with severe OHSS during all this (no support from Dr. Nurse from another clinic provides urgent care help for this part of the disaster).
05/05 Change doctors AGAIN. This time, we are at Texas Fertility Center and we'r seeing Dr. Vaughn. We are VERY happy with this move. We start prep for FET cycle. I have a very sad/negative attitude, sure it won't work, just doing it to make hubby happy/keep him off my back about another fresh IVF cycle.
06/05 Transfer goes well. I leave the hospital with an incredibly euphoric/sure feeling that this was it.
07/05 Spotting. Ultrasound shows two pregnancy sacks, but only one has a baby in it. We lost a twin. We FREAKED...we thought they'd transferred the wrong kiddo. Turns out that the bug split, but her twin didn't implant correctly, and we lost her.
08/05 Finally exit the first trimester and allow myself to feel happy and excited. Gain weight like crazy.
09/05 thru 01/06 Enjoy an incredible pregnancy. Love every minute of it (ignorance is bliss). Around week 28, i develop high BP, headaches, and blurred vision. 2 weeks later, I start developing shooting pains under my right breast. I chalk it all off to work stress and bad eating habits. By week 32, my BP was coming up too high. Demanded weekly checks. Doc agreed for 3 weeks, and then released me to be on a normal prenatal exam schedule. I didn't trust this and got my BP checked weekly at my gym. Week 35 I feel bad, get my BP checked, and after 2 normal checks, it skyrockets. I go to the Dr and am diagnosed with severe preeclampsia; liver and kidney damage, high BP, bad headache. I'm induced that day, but the bug's not born until 2 days later in an emergency C-section. Lost 4 liters of blood, crashed repeatedly for about 16 hours, recovered, went home, found out I had a dangerous UTI that cultured with hospital grade bacteria (bad. very bad. could kill me and the bug). I go back into the hospital 2 more times and then end up pushing meds through a hep lock at home for 10 days before I finally get the all clear.
01/06 thru present day Enjoy mothering the most amazing little person in the world. I love every minute of it and feel incredibly blessed to be here!

Blogs I Like to Read

these are blogs i read nearly every day. i don't know these people. i read their blogs because i can relate to the writers, and i learn a lot from them. not to knock Resolve or the friendships i made in the Resolve support group i found in austin, but i wish i'd found these blogs, or some like them, about 3 years ago.