FET Consultation

Yesterday we had our FET consultation with a new fertility doctor in the same clinic. Dr. K. We liked her dearly, a bit more than our previous Dr. So that started everything off on the right foot.

I came prepared to defend nursing to the tee, but she never asked. So me and good ole' Clinton went with the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Sweet!

Here's the gist!

Because our lone embryo was frozen via vitrification instead of a 'slow cool' process, we now have a 90% chance that the little guy/girl will thaw out and survive. If the embryo does survive, it has the same pregnancy odds as if we did a fresh cycle, so approximately a 70% chance.

Thems some good odds! (What is Vitrification? Vitrification is ultra-rapid IVF embryo freezing instead of the traditional slow freezing process. It leads to better thaw, pregnancy and live birth rates. Relatively new.)

We went in thinking our embryo would only have a 40% chance of thawing out but because of this new technology it increased the odds significantly. Awesome.

The process:

Dr. K walked us through how it would work:

1. After my period starts, I would begin birth control pills for approximately two weeks.
   
2. I would then suppress my ovulation by taking Lupron sub-q injections.
   
3. Then I begin estrogen patches and vaginal pills.
   
4. THEN I begin taking progesterone IM shots.
   
5. Then I come in for the embryo transfer.

Total Time = ~1 month

Before we do any of this, we have to do the following:

• SHG Procedure - you can read about that here from my first blog.
• Trial transfer - you can read about that here from my first blog.

The SHG is completed within Cycle Day (CD) 5 -12 of a menstrual cycle and the Trial transfer is done between ovulation and your next period (the luteal phase). So the next time I get my period, I will be scheduling the SHG and get that puppy over with! If timing is right, I'll get the trial transfer over with that same cycle.

Deciding on Timing
After the appointment, Mark and I went to eat at one of our favorite Mexican places and we exhausted ourselves talking about timing for the transfer. July? October? August? We settled on......September!! September means I can still go to the work trip next year in Hawaii and I'll only be 7 months pregnant instead of almost 9 (ack). It means if I get pregnant, I will be in the glorified second trimester when I travel for Christmas. It means a due date of June or so, not the hottest month of our weather patterns and after the height of the nasty allergy season for me.

So, September it is.

Managing a Toddler while doing IVF/FET

Woo - doggy, this might be a challenging one. We don't have consistent child care, so we will likely be bringing Jonah to most of the appointments. Isn't it weird that he could participate in the making of his brother or sister? Most of the appointment times are at 7am, for blood work and ultrasound so I suspect on those days we will be waking him up super early and dragging him with us. While it sounds scary and chaotic, I know it will only be temporary and everyone in the family must 'pitch in' to get us through this part. Welcome to IVF Jonah! The doctor did say on the actual transfer day that we would not be able to bring Jonah (duh!) so we'll find someone to watch him that day for several hours.

Costs

The FET is considerably lower in cost than a full IVF cycle so we're looking at $5,000. Mark's insurance will pay for this, but if we have to repeat it, we may be looking at covering some of the costs ourselves. But I'm not going to jump too far into the future, and take it one step at a time on that one!

Emotions

Overall, I feel excited about this cycle. Sure, it may or may not work. Anything could happen. But I feel less in the 'unknown', more confident about the process and our stakes, and because I already have a child there isn't the looming 'this won't ever happen' feeling anymore. Not having that feeling relieves much of the stress I tell you. Mark is excited, less anxious than before, and is ready to start the journey come time. We're both thrilled the FET isn't as intense and overwhelming as a full IVF cycle is. If the FET doesn't work, I will be able to start a full IVF cycle the very next period, so that will be great.

I've been asking both my mom and Mark about 'having enough love for a second baby'. Both chuckled and told me this isn't a concern, that once the new little one arrives, I will realize my love grows exponentially. This is comforting to know. While I have worries about Jonah's needs, or his jealousy with a new little one, I also know I am giving him the gift of a built-in friend, a playmate, a complement to our family. Sometimes you just have to dive in feet first and hope the water isn't too freezing.

That's what jumping into motherhood feels like this time around. Shocking at first I'm sure, but warm once you get in. (maybe?)

Next Steps:

• Call "Katie" at the clinic and schedule financial consultation, SHG and the Trial Transfer

Crazy!