You can read Part One HERE
So after a few months of deliberation Hubby and I decided that we would indeed take the path to pregnancy via IVF. The IVF we had to do is called ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection of eggs) which is basically where you take one egg and one sperm and put them together.
We set ourselves a monetary budget and also a time and mental budget. I didn’t want to get to 5 years in the future with no brother or sister for Grotbag, in debt, depressed at not being able to have another child and being mentally absent from Grotbags life. They were brave budgets but we needed to set some goal posts.
And so started the rounds of blood tests. Because I had Grotbag he had to come with me! That kid now does not shy away from needles when he has to have his jabs. He is awesome. At work I let my Boss and the team I was working in know my intentions and that some mornings when I had to have some blood tests I would be a little late for work. They were incredibly understanding and I know that I was very lucky to have such wonderful people around me.
Neil had done his bit, his sperm sample which was frozen. Men! Always the ones with the easy job!!
Two months leading up to “harvest” I had to sniff this stuff to stop my pertuarty glad from getting my body ready for my next menstrual cycle. I had to take it at the same time everyday and could not miss it by a minute or it would throw the whole cycle out. Apparently there was a small leeway that could be used but the nurse refused to tell me what it was – for my own good she said!! I remember being at a work function which was in a movie theatre and having to sniff this stuff in the middle of film. I giggle now but I was scared at what my fellow colleagues would think I was up to. Luckily no one saw!
Then came the bit I was dreading! The needles and self injecting! I have never been squeamish about needles but the thought of having to do it myself gave me chills! I remember turning up to the session where they tell you all the ‘how to’. Naturally I was on my own as Hubby was as usual working away. But in a way I was glad, some of those other Husbands that were there looked very white when talking about injecting. I actually found it very easy and my Boss at the time was a diabetic and he showed me how to do it without bruising myself as badly!
So then came the date when I was to be harvested for my eggs. The drugs I had been taking had been quite a low dose so as not to over stimulate my ovaries too much. This had resulted in my ovaries only producing a few eggs but I knew this was only my first ‘go at it’ so Dr N and I agreed to up the drugs next time round. I remember getting the call to say that I was to go in on Friday 20th June 08 for the Harvest and realizing that Hubby actually flew back to work on the Thursday. We would have to use the frozen sperm instead of fresh. I was a bit crest fallen as Hubby had booked some time off but couldn’t get any more – not even one more day! But the Nurses said that if he came in on the Thursday night the sperm would still be OK for the morning so a fresh batch could be used.
You have probably realized like I did that this meant that Hubby would not be there as support during harvesting of the eggs and also he wouldn’t be there for if the eggs were fertilized and able to be put back. I was used to doing a lot of things on my own but this was one that I thought I needed support for. Call in Super Mum! My Mum came with me to the hospital for harvesting and stayed with me.
They managed to only get two eggs that were viable but I was again trying to think positive. I only needed one!!
I came out of hospital and was told that if there were any fertilized eggs that I would be called in on Monday to have them put back. I put it out of my head and concentrating on doing something nice the next day – as this was going to be my 35th Birthday.
My birthday came around and a bit of retail therapy was definitely in order. Mum came round and so did Bling, my cousin, and we were going to shop up a storm.
That was, until I got the phone call….
