Wednesday, May 7, 2008

2 More Days!!!

WOW!!! Only 2 days left!!! I am soooo excited, I can hardly stand it. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm sure I'm ready...and yes, of course I am!!! Each day it gets closer, I get so much more excited. It's so overwhelming!!! To see how incredibly happy my brother and sister are just gives me so much excitement and happiness. To know that I am the one person that can change their lives...is so amazing!!! To know that their baby will be here because of me....wow it's just so unbelievable!!! I'm so thankful to be able to give this incredible gift to my brother and sister!!!

Now on a side note...what I'm not excited about are these fun medications that keep getting thrown at me!!! Yay!!! I won't get into details...but oh yes...so much fun!!! Between now and Friday I start 3 new ones. The great thing is...I am FINALLY done with my shots!!! I know Alysha is happy...haha!!! I feel like I have been on those shots forever!!! It's only been a month...but it feels like so much longer.

Well, Friday morning it is...9am...so keep us in your prayers as always...just please don't pray for triplets!!!

the day after...waiting for the call

Here it is: May 7th! This is the awaited date of our 20th wedding anniversary... Jeff and I have known each other since 1984. That is amazing. Of course, we didn't start dating until AFTER puberty (LOL)! We started dating in May of 1987. I was a mere 16 years old and I was able to find the love of my life and my soul mate. What a blessing this is for me. And, so many people thought it wouldn't last. They totally underestimated our stubborn streaks and how dedicated were are to our family, regardless of the storms along the way. And, let me tell you, we have had some severe storms... but, I wouldn't trade those awesome learning experiences (save one very obvious loss). I can hardy believe tat 20 years ago today, Carol was taking me to Swensen's Ice Cream in Cerritos for a bubble gum ice cream sundae, right after a totally nutritious 5 am meal of biscuits and gravy (thanks dad). I look back and I laugh at the location Jeff chose, the dresses and decorations my mother chose, and all the people who worked so hard to make the reception at my aunt and uncle's house work. What a hoot. Had I been in control... LOL! Oh, the times they have changed. So, the best gift we will receive today is the number of fertilized eggs that are in the blastocyst phase of development. This will determine the exact day (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) that we do the embryo transfer and entrust our awesome sister, Jaime with our future baby (yes, babies). I can't wait for the call, I am so excited.

Unfortunately, I am also very edgy this morning... hormone withdraw I am sure. Laughing. I am still quite sore and very fatigued. This whole process is taking a bit of a toll on me, but it is well worth it. I think even Jeff is hoping for twins at this point (freaks, all of them...LOL). We have been so very blessed to have this opportunity at another child, another precious life entrusted to our care. Again, tears fill my eyes just knowing how truly blessed we are. How, without Jaime's total insistence on carrying our child, that we would've simply adopted. Now, we have a genetic link to the future (again). Mom and Dad are so excited and so supportive. We couldn't ask for more support right here in our own backyard. They are there fr us: early morning drives to the doctor office (which is WAY past Fry Rd... huh, mom?), dad making me snacks and treats, letting us crash at their house and spend the days and evenings, feeding us while our house is under major construction, supporting our decision to have another baby, giving shots (did I mention that mom was excellent at shots?), and just being there to support us through the mood swings, the tension, the stuff that goes with fertility treatments...

OK, just heard from the doctor office and here is the scoop:
Out of the 17 healthy eggs they retrieved, 12 of them were mature enough...
of those, 9 actually fertilized and those are our embryos... 9 of them, growing in a happy medium this morning. Friday morning at 9 am is our embryo transfer. We will be placing 3 of those beautiful embryos into Jaime's ready womb... Excited and overwhelmed... what a gift. What a blessing and an answer to our prayers... I called Mom and Dad right away... then, Kellie and Jaime called us and we are gonna busy with all this news today! We have another three-way going! I better get going! xoxo

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Houston, we have eggs and sperm!

It was a very early morning, but gratitude fills my soul for Mom getting up long before the crack of dawn to take Jeff and I to Dr. K's office for procedures. We checked in at 6am and we were excited, even without coffee. Jeff went first with the urologist, who Jeff said has a wonderful bedside manner. He was in the procedure room about 45 minutes. They were about to totally give up on finding sperm, when the Dr said to check the first aspiration sample again... and miracles of all miracles: there were "swimmers." So, they had what they needed. The Dr said it isn't enough to freeze, but more than enough for today's procedures. Several attempts have created some trauma to the area and Jeff will be sore. We were elated. That was the best news. Then, I was next. I heard tell it only took about 10-15 minutes to harvest all the eggs and follicles. I got some extra trauma s they not only went in both sides vaginally, but also through my abdomen itself. When it was all done, they counted up those healthy eggs and guess what? 17 healthy, strong, ready to be fertilized eggs. We are so blessed. Jeff is napping right now, having a hard time keeping his eyes open. I already slept for a couple of hours after coming home. Dad and Cheri are doing a great job at waiting on me and taking care of me at mom and dad's... especially since my house is under total construction. Tomorrow afternoon we should have the report that says how many fertilized and what day Jaime goes in for the embryo transfer, I can hardly wait. This is so very, very exciting. I am blessed and my prayers praise God for His mercy and love. He has certainly showered up with all that we need with this procedure. Thanks for all your prayers, we felt wrapped in them like a warm blanket on a cold night, we both had peace, no anxiety, and things went well. We will have our own genetic children... so much for trying to use sperm donors.. .LOL! Please feel free to offer your comments... we would love to hear from you! XOXO