What a year it has been

Shannon and I got together around this time last year and talked about setting up a blog to reach other women dealing with infertility issues. Very quickly she put the plan into action. It sure has been one heck of a year since then!

When we started the blog I was "juicing" and to my surprise it was actually regulating my periods! I have always been one of those girls who just has never had a regular cycle so that was crazy. I did try to monitor ovulation but I never did get a positive OPK. I think the regularity was a good sign that I could eventually ovulate on my own but as my birthday approached, I prayed and prayed and felt God was telling me it was time for IVF but I had to take it on his time and not do what I could to rush it. I called the doctor and they said on my next day 1 to call and set up an appt for day 3 and to get on birth control for that month. That stunk because I was on day 3 the day I called but I wasn't going to rush it. So I kept monitoring OPKs and still nothing. The next cycle I called and we went to be reevaluated since it had been a year since my last treatments.

First they redid my saline HSG which hurt just as much as it did the other 2 times... They thought my fibroids were back and I was devastated! That would mean another surgery and 2 more months before I could do anything. Well the doctor took a look and said he thought maybe the nurse just got under my uterine lining and that he wasn't going to make me go through the trauma of surgery for that and if I wanted to we would continue as planned. After talking to him more we went with his suggestion.
We started injections at the end of April after an exhausting battle with the insurance and help from great pharmacy friends who got us the best deals on medicine to make best use of the last bit of insurance we had. I am truly and forever grateful to them because they saved us from having to be in tremendous debt! I budgeted for treatments with my hubby's insurance and only for the one. We really needed every dime we had.
May 4th we went to do our egg retrieval. May 5th we got the call that 20+ eggs were fertilized. May 7th we went for the transfer. May 14 we went for my first bloodwork. May 15 we were at the clinic with OHSS. May 21 we went for the pregnancy test that I thought would be another BFN, at noon my hubby answered the phone with the call that changed our lives forever: we're pregnant.
I can't complain at all about the experience so far. We have been very lucky with symptoms and complications. I think I've experienced every symptom at some point but even then it hasn't been extreme.
This year hasn't been so great for everyone and I feel guilty to be on the other side of the fence, but I truly believe everyone of you has your great year coming, I know it will! IVF isn't cheap even with insurance so I know it's not for everyone but if you can save or budget a loan, it's worth a shot. I wish all of you a great 2013 and hope you all find health and what makes you happy!

~Mrs Red

6 tips on announcing to your infertile friend your expecting!

announcing-pregnancy-to-infertile-friend
So I found this article on pinterest, and thought... This might be helpful to some... So ladies, what would you add to the list?
I've been ambushed, and I would never want anyone else to have to sit in a public place and fight back the tears while everyone around you is looking at you like you're crazy.

There is Hope!

I cant believe I haven't posted this yet. I have to constantly remind myself of this daily, but God is faithful. I will one day have an awesome testimony to share =D
So as a human , I'm not perfect but each day I aim to be more what God wants me to be and do what God would have me to do. I often fail but he is so forgiving and he pulls me right back up unto his arms. Anyways sometimes being human, (and female lol), my emotions just get the best of me.  I've been scared of the possibility not having a child because of a number of different things. My mom lost a baby to spinobefida, my grandma couldnt have a baby until after she was 30, my sister had miscarriages and lost a baby after birth (this is a complicated story), my aunt had trouble conceiving, alot of my family has endometrosis, my cycles are way out of whack all the time, and much much more (including generational curses, possibility of symptoms of different female problems and more). However I in no way claim any of these, and I speaking healing into these circumstance and I firmly believe and know that I have broke these curses and illness in the name of Jesus. Me being human, I have my flaws. Sometimes its hard for me to sit back and watch all these people get pregnant (especially people who complain about being a mother!) all the time, where I sometimes feel like it would never happen for me. I was feeling really upset back in June and having a hard time dealing with these.This all took place on June 6th, the birthday of my sisters baby who didn't make it, Hannah (keep note of this!) I was praying real hard and God spoke to me to read 1 Samuel. Now I have never been good at memorizing scripture (which I feel horrible for and continue to work on =() So, I didnt know what the story that 1 Samuel held. 1 Samuel is about Hannah (way more than a coincidence!) being barren and she poured her heart out to God. She asked God that if He give her a son, she promised to give Him back to the Lord. God opened her womb and she gave birth to a son, who she called Samuel meaning, "because I asked the Lord for Him". On that same day I also read about how Leah named one of her sons Judah, meaning "she praised the Lord". I felt a huge peace come over me when I read all of this , and I just bawled my eyes out thanking God. I know this was Gods promise to me, that I will one day have a child. The day I have a son, his name will be Judah Samuel <3 I thank God so much for his lovingness,faithfulness,kindess,forgivingness, and so much more. He did not have to save me but he did. He didnt not have to take me back after mistakes, but he did. He did not have to give me a promise of something this big, but he did. He deserves (and always has!) the glory and praise and so much more. Im so not worthy of all of this, but his love is unconditonal with an agape love. Thank you lord for your promises. Thank you for all you do! Remember there is hope. Im standing in faith of my miracle to one day occur. Thank you so much heavenly father! <3

Breaking Point

So I was doing sooo well at being stong and not letting this get me down. However in the past two days, Ive heard of at least 30 pregnancy announcements of people I know....I DIDNT EVEN THINK THERE WERE 30 WOMAN LEFT TO BE PREGNANT THAT I KNEW! I swear it is like LITERALLY everyone around me...except me. I just wish I could get to a doctor already and see what the heck the problem is and begin working on it. As long as its taking me to just do that step, Ill never even be able to work towards motherhood. Ok rant over. Hope everyone else is doing well =)