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Meet Heather!

Jan 15th, 2012
by Krissi.
1 comment

Survive Infertility and ThriveMeet Heather, My newest success story. She writes at Survive Infertility and Thrive! Read on for her inspiring story:

1. How long did you struggle through infertility? About 5 years.

2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

I remember sitting staring at that phone. I must have sat there for a long time before I got up the courage to make that call to the fertility clinic. All the fears of: “How much was this all going to cost?”, and most of all, “Can they actually help me?” were swirling around in my head. Because, as the years pass, it gets harder to trust another doctor and embark on another procedure. It gets harder to open up to trying again after repeated failures.

Four years back in 2007 I went to my first gynecologist. He treated me like a complete idiot. Just because I couldn’t remember exactly how long my periods were, or exactly how long I’d been off the pill. I was so ignorant back then. I didn’t question the doctor when he merely counted days and didn’t scan me to figure out exactly when I was ovulating. I was so sure I was not fertile on that first transfer. He drew out seven pipes filled with blood because of course everything was not lined up and ready. He made catty remarks such as “You really don’t want to get pregnant, do you?” But what did I know back then? I felt like complete shit, and was cramping like hell. The second day was a bit better pain wise. (I was a bit more fertile by then). I was in a better frame of mind and hubby took me out for breakfast. I drank two cups of coffee. What did I know about caffeine and fertility back then? Not much. But we did our best that we knew how to do at the time, and it was a negative outcome.

I took a bit of a break after that. But I used the time to get better informed. My mom bought me a book called “Fertility Wisdom” which made a whole lot of sense to me. I went to a homeopath. I started subscribing to fertility newsletters. I heard about Sarah Holland and her fertility conference and I learned a whole whack more. So in 2010 we went for our second IUI, with a different gynecologist. This guy was nice to me and did lots of scans and injections. Yip, definitely in better hands. This time I proceeded the treatment by six months of acupuncture, homeopathic tablets and a very strict no sugar, no caffeine, no dairy, no gluten diet. I landed up becoming real skinny. I wasn’t taking any chances. I listened to Circle and Bloom. I did EFT tapping. I poured myself into this. The IUI took place during SA’s Fifa World Cup and I was so filled with hope.

Again, another disappointment. This was worse because of putting in so much effort from other avenues. And to top it all off my maid’s 14 year old daughter gave birth. We were even offered her baby two months later. To say it was a hard time and a hard decision would be an understatement. Nobody should have to make these kinds of decisions. And you can imagine the effect on our marriage. Adoption versus biology was suddenly this huge issue and we had to figure it all out. In the end, after going for some EFT tapping to calm myself down and realise there were other options, and blogging through all of this, the best thing that could have happened gradually did a work in our relationship by the following year. I became more accepting of adoption and we even visited an orphanage together. My DH became more accepting of IVF and came on board with taking money out the bond to pay for it. Nobody talks much about how hard this all is, but we got through it.

In 2011, I took a different approach. I went to a different acupuncturist who was also a homeopath who had been recommended to me. He was very good. While I tried to stick to the fertility diet, I was not as strict as last time. I did eat unhealthy stuff at times, but I didn’t stress about it. I was not going to get skinny again. The doctor at the fertility clinic was excellent. I had heard a lot of good things about him. He immediately did a scan and picked up some problems. I had also been having very bad period pains and he suspected endometriosis. He scheduled a laparoscopy. He also put me through a load of expensive blood tests. They found out that my TSH was slightly too high and I went onto Eltroxin. They also found that I had antiphosholipid antibodies which could also be medicated once I got pregnant (they had the potential to kill a developing fetus! Thank goodness I found out about that!) I had the op. My mom came up and looked after me. DH even helped out. They found stage two endometriosis and removed a big nasty fibroid. It was all about “out with the old and in with the new”. We prepared for IVF.

The last month before IVF I went for a follow up appointment with Dr. R. He said I would be ovulating on Thursday, and should try for conception as a last chance. I thought this was hilarious. It was just like my homeopath trying to get me pregnant naturally. It had never ever worked before, so why should it work now? But what the heck, we tried. I went for acupuncture on that day. I listened to the pre-IUI/IVF Circle and Bloom audios. I focused on that healing path. But my mind was the next month. Two weeks later, waiting for my cycle to start so I could get going with IVF, I was still waiting. And a miracle happened. Two lines happened. As I write this I am 17 weeks pregnant. It is still very early days. But I am so glad that I persisted. I am so glad that we did not give up. I am so glad I picked up that phone. Sometimes it really does take courage to keep going. It takes courage to ask for help when you’ve had some bad experiences before.

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

I varied through different moods. Sometimes I would get depressed. Other times I would be filled with hope and strong in my faith. I think that the support from my husband and the love from my dogs did help a lot, as well as blogging, and chatting with friends. I always maintained that each failure was there to teach me something: to make better decisions next time, and it was true that I did select better doctors each time.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

Blogging through my problems has definitely been a big help and support. It is really amazing to get not only support but also information from other people out there who have been through what you have been through. I also had a friend going through infertility treatments at the same time as me which helped a lot.

I used acupuncture through both my IUI cycles and I found it relaxed and strengthened me. Particularly with my second acupuncturist, he used to look at my tongue and know exactly which meridians required assistance. He gave me acupuncture on the day I conceived. I did a fertility yoga dvd and enjoyed this one simply because it worked for a non-fit person such as myself. I have reviewed this dvd on my blog here.

I used Emotional Freedom Techniques which is like acupuncture without the needles. You tap on certain meridian points and say affirmations. This kind of thing particularly helps in fearful situations e.g when picking up the phone, facing an operation or procedure. I’ve put together a comprehensive overview of infertility emotional issues using this technique here. I also did pray a lot! And I had a number of people praying for me.

I have put together a free series of survival techniques you can read on my blog here.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Don’t give up. This journey is extremely hard, but it is often at the point where you are really ready to throw in the towel that you experience your greatest breakthrough.

Get all my survival tips here.

Blog: http://surviveandthrive.co.za

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heather.surviveandthrive

Twitter: http://twitter.com/heatherstep

Heather and her dearest hubby at 14 weeks pregnant. Their other children (i.e. dogs) are in the background).

 

Thanks so much Heather! Good luck with the rest of  your pregnancy!

Go to her blog to follow her journey into motherhood!

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Meet Crossing my Fingers!

Dec 18th, 2011
by Krissi.
1 comment

Meet Crossing my Fingers! She blogs at Crossing My Fingers But Not My Legs. Read on for her inspiring story!

1.  How long did you struggle through infertility?

We started TTC in October 2009 and the FET we did that I am now pregnant as a result was in August 2011.

2.  What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)? 

 What did I go through? What DIDN’T we go through…highs, lows, excitement, disappointments but as far as treatments, we did one fresh IVF cycle December 2010 transferring 2 embryos and we did a FET in August 2011 transferring 3 embryos.

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

After our fresh cycle didn’t work, I didn’t really know how to function. I took my time to be upset but then decided that I needed to figure out how to get back to being “me.” I had a meeting with a pastor who helped me find some peace and work towards moving forward. After that meeting, I really focused on getting myself healthy. I ran 2 half-marathons, swam in a team triathlon, lost about 40 pounds and just felt better about myself! I really think taking time to focus on how to be healthy took my mind off playing the what-if game and it lead me into my FET with a totally different attitude than I had going into our fresh IVF cycle. The same month as my FET, I was asked to help start a new organization in the St. Louis area called Midwest Infertility Awareness. This was exactly what I needed because it kept my mind off the 2ww and allowed me to use my experience to help other women in the same boat.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

Before my FET, I did acupuncture (I still am!),bikram yoga, and focusing on a healthier lifestyle. This time around, we also didn’t tell people we were going through treatment. As much as it sucked not having that support, I think it brought my husband and I closer since we leaned on each other more.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

“The best laid plans…”, right? We all had them and somehow we’ve ended up on this roller coaster ride called infertility. When we first started having trouble TTC and found out we would have to see an RE, my husband and I swore we’d never do IVF. No way could we afford it or take that risk but look at where we are now. You just have to follow your heart and do what is best for your family, not what your parents think or your co-workers but what you and your spouse think is best. You may not know which doctor is on call to do your transfer, you might open that box of meds for the first time and be totally overwhelmed (I was!) or you might have to depend on your spouse, who you swore would never stick you with a needle, to give you a shot right in the derriere but you will figure it all out! Infertility WILL make you a stronger person!

 

* As of  12/12, She is 18 weeks pregnant and due on May 13-Mother’s Day!

Thanks so much for sharing Crossing My Fingers! Check out her blog to follow her journey!

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Meet Carrie!

Dec 11th, 2011
by Krissi.
1 comment

Meet Carrie, my newest success story! She experienced a devastating loss but stayed strong and kept trying. Read on for her touching story.

1.     How long did you struggle through infertility?  

About 2 years

2.     What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

I first found out I was pregnant on June 6, 2009. It was a very unexpected pregnancy. The usual turmoil of emotions followed, between shock, fear, and uncertainty. It took my now husband and I a few days to wrap our heads around the idea, but once the initial shock wore off, we became excited.

At my first dating ultrasound, seeing that little baby on the screen made any doubts just melt away. We were in love with this darling child already.

Everything progressed normally – and on August 15, 2008 (my husbands birthday), we found out we were having a little girl.

On the morning of Sept 22, 2008, I awoke to find blood on my bed sheets. Not a lot of it, but enough to be a concern. At 6:45 that morning, we left for the Emergency room.

At almost 6 months pregnant, the nurses rushed me in and immediately hooked me up to an ultrasound machine. The only heartbeat they could find was incredibly weak. The two nurses shared a knowing look with each other and went to fetch the doctor.

The doctor arrived and told us that there was nothing they could do to save her. I would be admitted to labour and delivery. “Expect that your child will be stillborn” she said.

At 1:49pm on September 22, 2008, our beautiful daughter, Annaliese, was born sleeping.

The cause of my loss was determined to be premature rupture of the membranes, followed by an infection. The Dr cleared us to start trying again after 3 cycles. Not so bad, right? 3 cycles = 3 months – except my cycles had never been anywhere close to regular.

After 5 months and only 2 cycles, I went to the Dr again. I was given the first of many, many prometrium prescriptions to induce my period. From various blood tests, it was determined that I was having anovulatory cycles.

In December of 2009, I managed to beg and plead my way into the fertility clinic. The Dr asked a million questions and sent the two of us for a lot of tests. I was sent for an HSG later that month. The HSG resulted in me finding out that my left tube was blocked.

A pelvic ultrasound also revealed multiple, tiny cysts on my ovaries, commonly known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

The Dr suggested trying a drug called clomid which would induce ovulation. Typically only 3 cycles are recommended, so we would try 3 cycles and see what happened. After an early miscarriage on cycle 2 of clomid, we were finally blessed with a sticky pregnancy on my third and final round of clomid. It was a difficult pregnancy with severe gestational diabetes, but my little miracle, James Frederick, was born via C-Section on May 2, 2011.

3.     How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting? and  4.     What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time?
The stress of losing our daughter nearly ruined me. I would stay up almost all of the night, I turned into a very angry, bitter person. I was completely irrational, and spent a lot of time crying. This carried on for almost a year. In July of 2009, I stumbled across an Internet message board of ladies who were trying to conceive after a loss. It was so relieving to find other women who had been through what I had been through. I was able to pour my heart out to them, and they understood. Those ladies helped me come out of my darkness and I will be forever grateful for that.

The ladies that I met during my losses and infertility are some of the most wonderful women I have ever met. There’s a group of about 40 of us who are still in touch daily. Most of us have been blessed with children over the past year, and there are some who are still struggling, and a couple who have been told they are unable to have children at all. We’re like family, and any one of us would do anything for the others.

5.     If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

If I could give advice to anyone going through infertility or loss, the one thing I would recommend is to find someone to talk to. If you’re anything like me, the stress, and emotions could eat you alive if you kept them bottled away. Talk to your husbands. Find a support group with women who are going through similar issues. Sometimes just knowing that you’re not alone is more than helpful.

Thank you so much Carrie! Enjoy your first holiday with your adorable son!

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Meet Hannah!

Dec 4th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet
Meet Hannah, my newest success story! She blogs at Hannah & Sam. Read on for her incredible story!
 
1.     How long did you struggle through infertility?  
 Two years. I had wanted to start trying a couple years before that, but we were waiting for better jobs, and we wanted to buy a house. When we finally decided we were ready for a family, I was thrilled! Then, after a few months, the confusion set in. Why am I not pregnant? Is something wrong with me? Why is everyone else able to get pregnant? One of the hardest things, for me, was the extreme emotions. I would be so hopeful, excited about starting a new fertility treatment, and then hurt and confused when I still wasn’t pregnant. On top of that was the strong desire for a child. I wanted to look at cribs, hold baby blankets, and paint the bedroom that would be our nursery, but it was too painful. I was convinced I’d eventually be a mom, but what all would we have to go through? 
 
2.     What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?
 We tried on our own for a year, and then went through a year of infertility treatments. At first, my Reproductive Endocrinologist identified ovulation irregularities. So to correct that, I was on Clomid, then Femara, then Femara and Menopur (ganatrophin shots). To increase our chances, we added IUI for a few cycles. Nothing produced a pregnancy, and my doctor wasn’t sure why. She said we could try a laproscopy, an outpatient surgical procedure, that would identify whether endometriosis was present. There was only a 50/50 chance I had endo. Still, I wanted to find out. We scheduled the surgery for a couple months out, and during those two months, my husband and I went to two adoption seminars. That was a big step for us. It was the first time I allowed myself to think that maybe I wouldn’t experience a pregnancy. That was hard, and yet I’ve always believed that to parent a child is more important than having a biological connection. I left those adoption seminars a little overwhelmed, but encouraged. I needed to know that no matter what happened with the lap, I’d be able to become a mom. My doctor did find endo and removed it. A month later, after the lap, my doctor said we could just try on our own, but I was too scared to do that.  We did a femara/IUI cycle and then got our first positive pregnancy test.   Nine months later, our sweet baby boy. 
 
3.     How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?
 I cried. There were tears every month for two years. To help, my husband and I would usually plan something on our test day. We’d go to the mall, or to IKEA, or to see a movie. Something that would help distract me, but that wouldn’t require me to pretend I wasn’t upset. I also blogged and wrote out my prayers. 
 
4.     What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?
 Prayer and blogging. I felt compelled to do both. I knew God heard my cries, but why wasn’t I a mom yet? Writing helped me process what I was feeling and thinking. That’s why I first started blogging. I didn’t know if anyone would ever find my blog, but I had to write it. Then, finding a support group online was amazing. It was so encouraging to know that others understood exactly how I felt.
 
5.     If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?
 Hold on to hope. Find a support group. Also, find ways to feel like you’re still in control of your life and still moving forward. I joined weight watchers and started exercising more. It made me feel like I was in control of my body for a change, and I loved losing the extra pounds I gained during infertility. 
 
6. What does motherhood mean to you now?
On February 28, 2011, when the doctor placed my son on my chest, I couldn’t help but sob, and sob loudly. Here he was, after everything we had gone through, after almost losing hope that we’d ever get to this point. And now, 9 months later, I still look at him in awe. I walk in his nursery and am still overwhelmed by my feelings of joy and thankfulness. Sometimes I wonder if I’m living a dream, as being his mom is even more gratifying than I had imagined. This intense love and gratitude sustained me during all those sleepless newborn nights, and it reminds me now of what’s really important as my little guy throws food off his highchair tray or tries out his new teeth by biting my arm.  This child was longed for, prayed for, and is loved unconditionally.
Now, my sweet baby boy is 8 1/2 months old already!  I’m treasuring this time. (I’m also still trying to figure out how to balance everything as a working mom.)   
 

Thank you so much Hannah! Your little boy is adorable! Check out her blog!

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Bring on the babies!

Nov 20th, 2011
by Krissi.
1 comment

  Sundays are my success story days and most recently I’ve had stories that have been from women who are mommies now. But early this year, I had stories from pregnant women and I usually like to update when my success story babies are born. So, here we go…

  Sara who blogs at My (In)fertile Confessions (who was featured here) had her twins Rocco and Maximus on August 5th of this year. They most recently slept 9.5 hours through the night which Sara is very grateful for! She has adorable pictures of her little darlings. She says her boys are full of smiles now so each day is so fun!

  And Still A Guest Room (who was featured here) had her twins on August 24th. Baby boy and Baby girl are finally home after 21 days in the NICU. Their parents are overjoyed and settling into their new normal and excited to introduce their miracle twins to the world! Her blog also has adorable pics of the little ones!

   

Congratulations to the new mommies!

Please check out other success stories.

If you or someone you know has had infertility success, I would love to share your story. Please go to my Q & A format post to be an inspiration to so many and thank you in advance! ;-)

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Meet Aracely!

Nov 13th, 2011
by Krissi.
2 comments

  My newest success story hails to us this week from Aracely who blogs at Here’s to Unwavering Hope and Answered Prayers. She just had her son about a month ago on October 8th and says that motherhood is everything and more than she dreamed. Read on for her inspiring story!

1. How long did you struggle through infertility?

My husband and I faced infertility for 2 years.  We started trying when I was only 26.  I thought it would just happen for us but life had other plans. I have always been a planner so when we were ready to start trying I wanted to be carefree about it. This only lasted about a couple of months. We began using ovulation kits.  When those didn’t pan out, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the $200, Clear*Blue Fert*ility Monitor. After 6 months on the monitor and another 3-4 months trying with the ovulation kits nothing was happening. Something told us that we may have a deeper issue at hand.

2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

Once we had the suspicion that there might be a deeper issue, I made an appointment with my obgyn and told her that we had been trying for about 10 months and nothing was happening. I was glad that she did not tell us to wait it out. I was scheduled for an HSG (hystosalpingogram) which was so painful but I was hopeful that my tubes would be flushed out and then we could conceive. In the meantime my husband was scheduled for a semen analysis.

So began our diagnoses. My results came back inconclusive with one tube clearing and the other one leaking only a little. I felt so upset but was reassured by my obgyn that my tubes were clear. This was not the cause of our difficulty. My husband’s SA came back abnormal.  His dx was abnormal sperm morphology—3% (WHO method).  His counts and motility were borderline.

We were devastated but determined to do whatever it took. My obgyn’s exact words were, “I’m sorry but this road might be longer than we thought.” We felt so hopeless and my husband felt responsible.

We were referred to a fertility specialist in a fertility clinic.  We began blood work and started our 1stIUI (unmedicated)-2 scheduled inseminations for the first month. We were hopeful but were unsuccessful. I was given news that I had tested positive as a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis.  My husband tested negative. We were given 25% of our child having this disease. This was a shock and it made me scared. We were reassured that the chances were low. This just seemed like another bump in the road.

We tried IUI again but this time I requested that I be put on clo*mid so that we may increase our chances. That month I produced 3-4 eggs. We had 3 scheduled inseminations. BFN again. We decided to try once more the next month. Once again I produced 4 eggs. We had 2 scheduled IUI’s. We were determined to do whatever it took but were really hoping this would be it. Once more we were heartbroken. We met with our doctor and were informed that my hormone levels came back higher than someone should have at my age.  I had no idea what FSH levels were but was informed that my levels were 11.5.  I was only 27.  My doctor wanted to test my levels again in case it was a glitch because in his words “he couldn’t believe it.”  The second test came back better but still pretty high at 7.8. I would later hear exactly how this would affect the rest of our journey.  We also found out that I had developed cysts on my ovaries due to the clo*mid, which once again my doctor found surprising since he only sees this in about 5% of patients.  At this point, I was beginning to believe Murphy’s Law as it related to our fertility.

Every time we tried something new, we were sure this would make the difference.

We began to discuss IVF and scheduled an appointment to begin treatment. I started on a regular dosage of drugs but was not responding so they placed me on the highest dosage. My FSH levels pointed to the fact that I have DOR (diminished ovarian reserve). With all of the drugs I still only produced 3 eggs.  One was an empty follicle (that was strange), the other 2 went on to become 2 beautiful A and AB embryos. We were told that we could be “more than hopeful.” So we were. When we received our negative beta, we both cried and held each other. We felt confusion and heartbreak.  We were determined to do whatever it took.

We decided to try again.  This time I was not put on bcps. We used the highest dosages once more and I produced several follicles but when they went to retrieve them, all but 2 were empty. We were so confused. My doctors weren’t sure why this had happened. In any case, only one egg was mature. It fertilized and became a beautiful grade AB embryo. Two weeks later we received our negative beta. We were devastated once again.

Nevertheless, we felt more determined than ever to try again. Somehow, at sometime, in some way we would be parents. I felt such peace and for the first time, I surrendered.  I surrendered to God’s will and what I believed to be his promises for my life. We tried IVF for a third time and were so elated to find that this time it had worked! The amazing aspect is that we only had one mature egg, one embryo. It only took one!

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

My faith in God gave me hope, strength, and perseverance. I knew that God had called me to be a mother. He had placed that desire in my heart.  I believed that one day it would happen. I surrendered to His will and it finally happened. My husband and I also communicated our feelings. We talked a lot throughout this journey. We grew stronger as a couple because of this hardship.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

I began my blog as a way to express all my feelings, thoughts, questions, and doubts.  I also read everything I could get my hands on to learn about infertility.  Following other people’s success stories gave me so much hope. I discovered yoga and absolutely loved it, if for no other reason but that it gave me a sense of peace. I also listened to meditation CD’s during our IVF cycles. On our last cycle, I gave acupuncture a try. I had heard of all the benefits and decided I had nothing to lose. It was very relaxing. I enjoyed it. Whether or not it helped contribute to our success I’m not sure but I would recommend it as a relaxation technique. I also drank Chinese herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Never give up hope!  Love each other through the pain. Adopt a “whatever it takes” mentality. That level of surrender was what made all the difference. In the end, no matter how you become a parent, it will all be worth it.

Our miracle baby boy, Elliot is here!  The whole pregnancy was a series of miracles. I’ve not taken a single moment of my pregnancy for granted. At the end of this road, I am stronger and wiser.  God is good. He is faithful and close to the brokenhearted. He heard my prayers and has answered them.

Thank you so much Aracely! And congratulations on your son! Go to her blog to read more about her journey!

 

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Winning the War

Nov 11th, 2011
by Krissi.
1 comment

I’m recycling this post from last year! Thank you to all who have served!  

Today, on Veteran’s Day, I’m not only reminded of all those that have fought in a war to help others, I’m also thinking of all those that are battling infertility around the world.

   Throughout my struggle, there were many times I felt like I was on the front lines, arming myself with ammunition (injections) and intelligence (as much information as possible) that would help me get through. And often times, even with the best soldiers and generals on my side using the best war tactics they knew how,  I lost the battle. Some of those battles were harder to get through, grieve over and move on from than others. And, I have the battle wounds to prove it. You may never be able to see them, but they are there. Infertility has wounded my heart and left scars on my soul.

  But, even with all the losses, ultimately, I have won the war! Infertility made me feel broken but it never truly broke my spirit and I have come out the other side victorious!

  And you can too.

  Whether you achieve success through a miracle pregnancy, an infertility treatment or surrogacy, adoption or ultimately choosing to be child free, you can beat infertility and the war it can wage on your body and mind. This Veteran’s Day while you remember those that fought for their lives to help others, remember all that you are doing to fight for the lives of your future children. It will never go in vain.

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Meet Molly!

Oct 16th, 2011
by Krissi.
2 comments

Meet Molly Wohlk! She is from WI and blogs at Adventures of an Infertile Nanny and tweets under @infertilenanny. Read on for her inspiring story!

1.  How long did you struggle through infertility? 

My husband and I struggled with infertility for 3 years and 8 months before we finally conceived our miracle.

2.  What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

We started TTC in Sept of 2007 with high hopes. After charting for the first few months I realized TTC for us wasn’t going to be a breeze. According to my BBT I wasn’t always ovulating and when I did my cycles were way too long. At 9 months of TTC we decided to talk to our first FS (fertility specialist). Our first Dr. promptly started us on 50 mg of Clomid (CD 5-9) and diagnosed me with unexplained infertility. On our 3rd cycle of Clomid we finally conceived. We miscarried at 5 weeks. We were devastated to say the least and took 6 months off of TTC. After being unsuccessful by ourselves we went back to our Dr. and decided to try another 3 months of Clomid (same dose/days). We failed all three cycles. Distraught and disappointed we took another break. After once again being unsuccessful on our own we decided to switch to a new Dr. to try to get some answers. After talking to our second (new) FS she was shocked to find out we never ran any tests to determine why we were having so many issues. She ordered blood tests for me and a sperm analysis for Mr. Awesome (my husband). Mr. Awesome passed his test with flying colors but I failed mine horribly. We found out I had low progesterone and LPD. She started me on 50 mg of Clomid (CD 3-7) only to discover that my progesterone wasn’t rising enough. She upped my dose to 100 mg (CD 3-7) and we found that raised my progesterone significantly. I also started going to acupuncture once a week (I highly recommend this). When I was on my 5th cycle of 100 mg Clomid I started to blog. Although everything was going great we were still unsuccessful after 6 months of clomid. My Dr. recommended a HSG. Unfortunately our insurance wouldn’t cover it so we decided to take a break and concentrate on our finances. That was in January of this year. We started Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover to get our debt under control and after lots of talking we decided to save for adoption or IUI (after my HSG). I continued to use OPKs but after not getting good results for months, I decided to take a break from everything in April. On May 21st 2011 we found out we were pregnant with our miracle. We are currently 25 weeks pregnant with a very wiggly and healthy baby we affectionately call Bean. Bean is due on Mr. Awesome and my 10 year (dating) anniversary, January 26, 2012. 

 3.  How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting? And 4.) What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)? 

I really don’t think we could have survived almost four years of infertility without the support of our family and friends. And I know I couldn’t have survived without blogging. Blogging for me was such a great way to vent and talk about what I was going through and to connect with women/families who were going through the same thing as me. Acupuncture was another great stress relief.

 5.  If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be? 

My advice for anyone still dealing with infertility is this: hang in there and don’t give up hope, miracles happen. And as much as you hate to hear it (I know this made me want to stab people) try to relax. The month we conceived we were completely med free, no OPKs were used, and we were just enjoying life. This baby was conceived on gin/juice and romance novels while my husband and I were laughing and enjoying  each others company.

“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it” -unknown

“You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it” -unknown

Thanks so much Molly! Check out her blog to follow her journey into motherhood!

 

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September ICLW!

Sep 23rd, 2011
by Krissi.
2 comments

  Hello out there and welcome to my corner of the Internet! I am so excited that Fall is here and I’m looking forward to some fall foliage as I drive into Connecticut today for a family wedding. I’ve been writing this blog for nearly 2 years, shortly after my miracle twins were born via IVF. I also have a daughter who was my first IVF miracle and she is now 4 1/2. I recently wrote a memoir about my journey that I am self publishing and it will be out soon. It’s called Ordinary Miracles and I’m very excited about it!

  It’s PCOS awareness month and I’m having a  PCOS Awareness giveaway you should check out! (Not a lot of people have entered…hint, hint!) And there’s been lots of great information, success stories, and bloggers all related to PCOS this month, so stay around for a while and catch up! ;-)

  I wanted to link to another great site today for Fertility News Friday. The site has a wealth of info. Go to: Your Guide to PCOS. Happy Reading!

 P.S. I’m still looking for guest bloggers to share their experiences with PCOS. If you’re interested in writing a post for this blog this month, contact me at sfinfertility@optimum.net.  

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Today in Retrospect

Sep 15th, 2011
by Krissi.
2 comments

This is a post I wrote last year with a few adaptations…

Three years ago today, I just had an FET the day before and was quite vulnerable since we recently had an unexpected chemical pregnancy from a fresh IVF.  But I was also hopeful because we made the drastic decision to put 3 embryos back in (as opposed to putting the usual 2 back in on the past 4 cycles) and we were confident at least one would stick and we’d give our daughter (our first IVF miracle) a sibling.  Eleven days later, we got the devastating news that none of our embryos made it. That cycle was negative as all other cycles had been that year. More down than I had ever been through my infertility, I decided to take a much needed break…all the while wondering if I would ever be a mom to more than one child….

  Two years ago I was in the hospital at this time, overwhelmed with emotion from the birth of my twins and juggling the very precarious situation of breast feeding these tiny newborns! My heart grew so much bigger and I haven’t been the same since.  I have never felt such a leap of love ever in my life as I had that day. My miracle twins were born (via an FET that followed the above mentioned 3 month break) and they completed my family. I never knew life could be so unexpected, so incredibly fulfilling. I knew I was truly blessed.

   This year, I’m about to put my 3 miracles down to bed…and as they snuggle with stuffies and dream about tomorrow, I am amazed at how much they’ve all grown. My twins turned 2 years old today and they still amaze me everyday. I still feel truly blessed. And mostly I am fully aware that had it not been for my infertility, I would not be the person I am today, a mommy of 3, or a writer of this blog…which takes me to the reason for this post…

  Sometimes you never know where a dream can take you, or how much can happen in a year, or what direction your life will go. Hold on to the belief that you will find fulfillment in one way or another. Keep hope alive, believe in miracles and someday, you will wake up to a reality that may even turn out better than your dreams.

Happy Birthday Mia and Logan!
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