Alright, so I figured that I would start a blog about my IVF journey. I mean I visited a fertility forum belong to a mailing group, why not add a blog. I think not only could I help others but it will be a great way for me to vent my frustrations and joys, (hopefully more joys than frustrations). Well, just a little bit about my journey so far: hoepfully getting ready for round 2 of IVF. My last IVF was in July of last year. It went pretty smoothly, in fact I got a positive beta!!! Woo Hoo, so excited my first round and I could not believe my luck. Well for those who do not know betas check the HCG levels in your blood and after your first one you have to go back for a second to make sure they are rising, (they should double about every 2 days) Well my first Beta was 69.3. I went in 4 days later so it should have quadrupled but instead it dropped to 48.7. They told me sometimes this happens when you get pregnant with twins but miscarry one causing a temporary drop in levels before they start to rise again. I knew though, my body even as early as I was felt different, it felt normal. So I had a what they coin a chemical pregnancy, meaning you miscarry before a the embryo is seen on a ultrasound and before a heartbeat is detected. I was told that once my HCG levels dropped to 0 I could start right away which was something both me and Kev wanted to do. However, my husbands workman comp had other plans in store. You see we are fortunate enough not to have to pay for IVF. The fertility issue lies with my husband and is result of his injury 13 years ago leaving him in a wheelchair. Because the injury was work related anything that pertains to his injury is covered. Their lawyer decided that because they have paid for 5 or 6 attempts to two other clients that have all been unsuccessful that he was going to knip it in the bud with our 1 attempt. Needless to say we had lawyer and we got another attempt, (if this next one does not work we will probably have to fight again). So instead of starting the following month following my chemical pregnancy it has now been a long 6 months and still won't be for at least another 2. Along the way I also decided to have surgery to remove a uterine septum. This is something that happened during my own development in the uterus. In every female fetus there is a partition that get reabsorbed during the development. When this process fails to take place a septum is left in the uterus. These septums can be complete going all way into the cervix and even the vagina or in my case incomplete. Although my septum was not complete it was about 2/3 the length of my uterus so it was still a pretty good size. Now if an embryo attaches to the septum there is not enough blood supply usually to sustain the pregnancy. I have had 5 pregnancies, 2, resulted in very early miscarriages, (the most recent one and one with my first husband back in 1995) and 3 have resulted into my beautiful children today. Even though I knew I could get pregnant I felt it is kind of the luck of the draw on where my embryo decided to implant also I had all my children early as result of them running out of room because of the compromised space. Therefore, I figured why not eliminate that obstacle at least I can say even if this next time does not work or ends in another miscarriage that it is not a result of the septum.
Well that is about it for now, I think I will go get under covers and watch a good movie. It is way pass my bed time.
