RE Appointment

Lets start off with our morning....
The appointment was set for 11am...in addition we had to pick up my HSG film from the hospital. I woke up later then I wanted, M thought he could be sluggish(which he is usually running around like a chicken with his head cut off,) & I was an emotional wreck as it was. The original plan was to leave home by 9:15 to be able to stop & fill up the tank, then be on our way. We pulled out of the driveway at 9:40...& STILL had to get gas. (Let me remind you that all morning Im trying to figure out if my OB sent over my records.) Im completly in panic mode by this point. It took us almost a month & a half to even get in, & there is a mile long waiting list!! I thought to myself that if we did not make it on time...I was giving up.

 Its 10:40 by this point, 5 minutes from our destination, & we get a call asking if we have left home yet? (@ first, I was thinking I wrote the wrong time down) "Yes ma'am, we have. Is there a problem?" NOPE...just needed to push our apt back 2 hours! 2 HOURS!! Thats a long time to keep my farm boy happy in a big o' city. Suprisingly, M took the later apt better then expected. :) We went ahead & went & got my HSG film, then went to find the exact location of the office. Then we headed out to get some lunch at Applebees. (I NEVER get entire days with my hunny, so this was a treat! :)) After lunch we went back to the office & sat in the truck(they were at lunch,) me trying to take a nap & listening to M quietly "yelling" at Angry Birds on my phone. =0)

By 12:30, with butterflys in my tummy...we anxiously walked up to the office, hand in hand. I asked him if he was ready, & his silly self says, "What?! Im not getting the turkey baster inside of me!" ;0) Tightly holding hands, we walked confidently into an empty waiting room. Not gonna lie...it was GREAT not to see pregnant ladies all over the place!!

I checked in, & they called us back quickly. Nurse drilled us for a few minutes, then took us to the consultation office. There stood a very short foreign man,(nothing as we expected) with a very tight hand shake. He had a very big smile on his face, & was quick to introduce himself. (I thought) he spoke English very fluently.(M, not so much!) We quickly got into my reproductive history, & he showed us my HSG film(CRAZY.) We then got into the very in depth conversation...he shared the 2 options that he had for us.

#1) Metformin+Clomid+Hormone Injections = The chance of another ectopic is fairly high with this option...something I NEVER want to go thru again. And...the chances of me concieving, considering I only have one tube, is very low. But...the cost is much lower.

#2)IVF(In Vitro Fertilization) About 1% chance of another ectopic
There are five basic steps in the IVF and embryo transfer process which include the following:

1. Monitor and stimulate the development of healthy egg(s) in the ovaries.
2. Collect the eggs.
3. Secure the sperm.
4. Combine the eggs and sperm together in the laboratory and provide the appropriate environment for fertilization and early embryo growth.
5. Transfer embryos into the uterus.

Step 1: Fertility medications are prescribed to control the timing of the egg ripening and to increase the chance of collecting multiple eggs during one of the woman's cycles. This is often referred to as ovulation induction. Multiple eggs are desired because some eggs will not develop or fertilize after retrieval. Egg development is monitored using ultrasound to examine the ovaries, and urine or blood test samples are taken to check hormone levels.
Step 2: Eggs are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure that uses ultrasound imaging to guide a hollow needle through the pelvic cavity. Sedation and local anesthesia are provided to reduce and remove potential discomfort. The eggs are removed from the ovaries using a hollow needle, a procedure called follicular aspiration. Some women may experience cramping on the day of retrieval, which usually subsides the following day; however, a feeling of fullness or pressure may continue for several weeks following the procedure.
Step 3: Sperm, usually obtained by ejaculation is prepared for combining with the eggs.
Step 4: In a process called insemination, the sperm and eggs are placed in incubators located in the laboratory. The incubators enable fertilization to occur. In some cases where there is a lower probability of fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be used. Through this procedure, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg in an attempt to achieve fertilization. The eggs are monitored to confirm that fertilization and cell division are taking place. Once this occurs, the fertilized eggs are considered embryos.
Step 5: The embryos are usually transferred into the woman's uterus from one to six days later, but in most cases the transfer occurs between two to three days following egg retrieval. At this stage, the fertilized egg has developed into a two-to-four cell embryo. The transfer process involves a speculum which is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. A predetermined number of embryos are suspended in fluid and gently placed through a catheter into the womb. This process is often guided by ultrasound. The procedure is usually painless, but some women experience mild cramping.

And...to top it all off...its $15,000 PER CYCLE. =0/ So....if we did it once its $15,000....& if it doesnt work & do it again, its ANOTHER $15,000! So, needless to say, we have ALOT of discussing, $ figuring, & praying to do. (If only $$ grew on trees! =( )
**tears**

But...the day wasnt all that bad! I got a new CAR! =)