Fabulous Portland!

Hey Everyone,

Well it has been a busy summer, which is why I haven't had much time to blog as much as I would like. Between play dates, vacation, and all the tasks that come with being a stay at home mom it has been impossible to spend time on the computer.

Speaking of vacation, we recently went to Florida with our daughters, my aunt, and her 2 kids. We had a great time visiting the beach, spending time pool side and running around Disney. I will admit, I was sad for it to end but excited at the same time. The end of our vacation meant a long drive home, unpacking, and endless days wishing I were back at the beach...but it also meant Chris and I would be flying out to Portland to visit the clinic where the embryo transfer will take place. So after 6 days in Florida our journey home was bitter sweet!

We finally made it home sweet home on Saturday July 31st at 1:00 a.m. (so I guess you could say it was Sunday August 1st). By the time we unpacked, repacked, and straighten the house up it was time to wake up and get ready to head to the airport. It was a long flight to Portland but very well worth it! We were overwhelmed by the fantastic views or Mt. Hood, the winding steep roads, and the culture. Everyone was so friendly, out going, and proud to be from this fabulous place that they call home! Our hotel was just as unique as the little shops and stores lining the roads. Furnished with a bright pink couch, and bed sheets and pillows of all sorts of bright colors (matching the center piece on the table which was a vase filled with salt water taffy) I felt like I was in a high end boutique rather then a hotel room. I could honestly go on and on about how much I love Portland and all the pleasures it brought (including the best meal I have ever had), but I am sure you are more interested in why we were there....right?

We got there Sunday evening and Monday morning we traveled .3 miles down the road to the fertility clinic (ORM) . This visit had many purposes, 1st they needed to check my Estrogen levels. For a month now I have been wearing a sticker like patch that I place on my hips, stomach, and back side, these patches supply extra Estrogen to my body. This Estrogen is helping my uterus thicken so that I am ready to carry this baby(ies). My levels were 6 times as high as they were when I 1st started these patches so they were very pleased to see that my body reacted so well. After checking my levels I met the doctor, of course...I met him while I was half naked and my legs up in stirrups but after having 2 kids of my own I am pretty used to these kinds of things. He wasted no time, and began the "Mock Transfer" and to my surprise it was painless and quick. He had a device that looked a lot like a syringe but instead of a needle it was laced with a tube (a catheter) this tube is poked into my uterus via cervix. Since this was a test, there was no actual embryo transfer, this was a trail to make sure that the path was open and easy to access. It worked well, and they didn't see any problems. After the "mock transfer" we went over any questions I had, and he also explained to me the possibility of multiple babies. There is a 1 in 3 chance both embryos develop....this scared me and made me happy at the same time. As you all know, 1 man will fertilize 1 egg and the other man will fertilize the 2nd egg and since I love these men, its hard to imagine making 1 of their dreams come true and disappointing the other(this is something I have been struggling with). After hearing 1 in 3 times both eggs develop a weight was slightly lifted, and I am seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.

Once we spoke with the doctor we spoke to the nurse who is working our case. She gave us about a 45 minute lesson and lecture on what will be happening in the next few months, most of what she said doesn't apply to me right now so it was very difficult to follow. Bare with me as I do my best to explain.

During this process I will be on a number of medications:
Desogen: birth control pills
Lupron: an injection in my stomach that suppresses ovulation
Progestrone: an injection on my back side that prepares my uterine lining for the implantation
Medrol: a steriod tablet that I will take to suppress the autoimmune system from interfering with the embryo.
Climara: patches containing estrogen which helps maintain an early pregnancy
Doxycycle: an antibiotic that clears any possible injection prior to treatment.

Right now I am wearing 2 Climara patches and taking Progestrone. I am on my 3rd pill of Progestrone and on my 7th pill I will start my period. On the 3rd day of my period I will start my Desogen (Birth Control) I will continue the birth control for a month. all this is preparing my body to have the same menstrual cycle as the egg donor. After a month I will then begin the 2 injections, plus the birth control , prenatal vitamins, and a baby aspirin (to thin my blood). If you know me on a personal level; you all know that I am cringing at the thought of shots, let alone giving myself or having Chris (2 inexperienced people) give them to me. I am very nervous about this part of the treatment but my heart is in this and I am going to do whatever it is I need to do to give these wonderful men the babies they yearn for!

Once I start on all the medicines, and it becomes more clear to me what I am doing and what I am to expect I will write more. I am getting so excited to finally progress as a surrogate, it is very real now and the farther I go the more anxious we all get. I am so thankful to my wonderful husband, Ruby and Hazel and all my family who has helped while we traveled...I look forward to our 7 day trip to Portland because Chris and I will not travel alone, we will be taking the girls, and we will get to visit with the 2 men we are working with once again (Plus for the 1st time in over 2 years I get 2 full days of bed rest WOOHOOO!). That next, and last visit to Portland cant get here soon enough, so keep reading the Blog as I count down the months until the big moment!

Thank you all for hanging in there, and continuing to read my blog even while it is sporadic! You keep amazing me! Thank again, and have a terrific end of the week!