Since transfer #2 is Tuesday I thought I would give a quick update! Over the last two weeks I have had two monitoring appointments which include sonograms and bloodwork. Last cycle I drove to the CCRM office for all of those appointments but luckily this cycle my amazing case manager worked it out so that I could go to Shady Grove Fertility Frederick which is 20 minutes away as opposed to the 1.5-2 hours it was taking me to get to Tysons corner. I still had to do the lining check on 2/28 in VA but at least for two visits I was much closer to home.
With my last journey Shady Grove Fertility was the clinic that my intended parents used so it was nice seeing familiar faces for these appointments and they were awesome and gave me a copy of my ultrasound report so that I could send it right over to CCRM! On a side note the sonographer also recognized me because she has a side business where she does elective ultrasounds out of her house and she had done a gender ultrasound for me when I was pregnant with Cody.
Many of you that are not familiar with surrogacy may be wondering what exactly it entails to get your body ready for an embryo transfer. Well first let me say that every clinic is different and my protocol at CCRM is vastly different than my protocol was at SGF. Ultimately with the right combination of estrogen and progesterone your body should do what it needs to but both of those medications come in different forms and can given different ways. With SGF I had a lot more injections but with CCRM it's more pills and a few added medications such as aspirin and a steroid. The goal before transfer is a lining of 8 millimeters, so really anything above an 8 is what clinics believe works best for embryo implantation. Below is some of the medications that I am currently taking, and yes one includes a large needle that goes into my glut muscle, luckily being a nurse I feel like I have an advantage with this one!
The first monitoring appointment, which is typically 3 weeks before transfer, was after I stopped birth control and was to check and make sure that my ovaries are quiet (the GC should not be ovulating) and to make sure that my lining started nice and thin before starting estrogen. A week later I had my second ultrasound and bloodwork which was to check my hormone levels and to make sure that my body was responding to the estrogen and that my lining was getting thicker. Last cycle mine was an 8 at this point this cycle it was a 9! In addition to the estrogen that the clinic had me start I have been drinking POM juice which is supposed to help lining as well. I did check with the clinic to make sure that it was okay and they said that they had just been discussing the use of POM juice and were completely on board with me drinking it. At this point I was also told to increase my estrogen from 2x a day to 3x a day. After a week of an increased dose I had my third and last lining check, last cycle it was about 10.5 and this cycle it got to 11.6. Honestly after it gets to an 8 it is debatable as to whether it matters and there is a such thing as being too thick however I was still happy with my increase! Once my blood test results came in transfer was confirmed for Tuesday 3/5, and we could all not be any more excited! Below is a picture of the POM juice that I have been drinking, I actually think its delicious, and the second picture of two of the good luck charms I have been wearing for this cycle. One is a beautiful necklace that Emily's parents gave me when she was born with her birthstone, and the other is a real 4 leaf clover that I got to match keychains that I got the two Dad's!
We are all very hopeful for this second transfer and are going to keep thinking positive!
One thing I haven't discussed this journey is the things that you do have to give up being a surrogate. Most of it honestly doesn't bother me since I know it's for good reason and when I'm carrying someone else's child I know that the things I do impact not only me and my family but another family as well. The first thing I had to give up is alcohol, which honestly is not a big deal to me since I'm not a huge drinker. The second thing is not something I gave up completely last cycle and not something I am asked to give up by the clinic, however this cycle I have chosen to give up caffeine 2 weeks before transfer. For my last journey the clinic had asked me not to drink caffeine so I figure I will do everything that I possibly can to make this work which includes caffeine! I wouldn't say that I am addicted to caffeine but I do really enjoy a warm delicious latte or macchiato or even just coffee. The fourth thing I have to give up is something my husband is not happy that I can't do but we won't even talk about that, haha! In the grand scheme of things it's a sacrifice the two of us can deal with. The fifth thing I have to give up is being able to go on rides or do obstacle courses with my kids in the summer. We have plans to go to the science center in Pittsburgh which has a fun ropes course and last time I went I was pregnant with Emily and couldn't do it and this time hopefully I'm pregnant with a new baby! The sixth thing I have to give up is probably the most difficult. I cannot work out at all for at least a few weeks after transfer. Anyone that knows me knows that this is the MOST difficult thing for me to give up since I work out every day and not only is it how I start each day but it makes me feel healthier and happier for the entire day. Plus it gives me a reason to be able to eat donuts and ice cream haha! As I said in the beginning all of these sacrifices are completely worth the end result and I am happy to skip out on all of them for as long as I need to! Below is a picture after my last long run of this cycle, and yes I do really love running in the snow!
As we are approaching this second transfer my case manager booked me a hotel room for the night after transfer so that I can rest without having to care for the kids. It's not mandatory but it is a nice way to know that I won't try to do too much that night, plus it's a night in a hotel without my kids so I'm not complaining, however I will say Jeremy is a little jealous!
Something that I think is very important to me for my journey as well as most surrogates is communication. This entire process really is a team effort that includes both parents, myself and my family, the clinic, and of course my agency. We all need to always stay on the same page so that things can get done when they need to and so that we can all feel that our needs are heard and met. Now some surrogates and intended parents do go into a match with a more business like mind set where they don't want to have a lasting relationship and honestly if all parties are on the same page I think thats great, however it is not what I wanted. I wanted a closer relationship where we would be more like family friends throughout the journey and after. This does not mean that we will see each other every month but it does mean that we have a positive relationship and that if all goes well during the journey we do get to see each other after and our families have some sort of bond. I was very lucky in my last journey that we maintained a great relationship throughout and that we still try to see each other on occasion. Speaking of which I cannot believe that Emily will be 1 in two weeks, time really does fly when you're not caring for a new baby! Not only was I lucky last journey but I am very lucky this journey as well and I have been matched with two wonderful future dad's, I can thank the amazing matching team with my agency for that :-) We talk multiple times a week and at times daily about everything surrogacy related as well as things going on in our own lives. They are two of the sweetest and most down to earth guys that I know will make such amazing father's! Speaking of which we are all going out for a double date night to sushi tonight so that I can eat it while I still can! I forgot to even add sushi and lunch meat to the two things that I have to give up, however I don't really give up sushi I just don't eat the kinds with raw fish. I did get a sub with lunch meat the other day so that I could enjoy it one last time for hopefully a long time, however I chose poorly with my bread :-(
If anyone ever has any questions please let me know.. I really do try to be very open about the entire process, I will update again after the transfer on Tuesday, please send all of your positive vibes and baby dust our way!
