So...Where Do I Begin???

I've been wanting to start my own blog for awhile now. My friend Katie and my sister, Kristen have both been urging me to start one. I have a bunch of friends who have joined the blogging world due to the recent arrival of their new baby and to be honest, I guess that is why I have been putting off starting my own...I was really just waiting to jump on the baby blog bandwagon. But, now I'm starting this blog for different reasons, reasons I never thought.

Brian & I made the decision to begin trying for a baby in February of 2007. Month by month nothing happened and by August I really started to get nervous. I thought that it was supposed to be MUCH easier than this...don't you just stop birth control and then get pregnant? Isn't that what we were taught in 6th grade sex ed? I began research on my own, I was reading every book imaginable, taking my temperature every morning, spending tons of money on ovulation tests, and taking more notice in things that are just way to embarrassing to talk about! I did it all and still there was nothing...

In January of 2008 I decided to seek the advice of my OB. She told me that since it had been about a year that I should just make an appointment with an Infertility Doctor; that he would be able to best help us. So, of course I got right on it...I talked to a friend who referred us to the Hinsdale Center for Reproduction. My appointment to meet with Dr. Hickey was made for February 12.

Here is a quick rundown of how the past year has gone....

March 2008 - I have a HSG (hysteropalpingogram) and find that my fallopian tubes are clear. Brian has his test and we find out that he is more than fine...his count is THROUGH THE ROOF! Yes, he is very proud of that! I find out that my Thyroid is out of whack and so is my Prolactin Level, so I'm now taking meds daily to take care of them.

April 2008 - Begin first cycle of Clomid, continue to try naturally

May 2008 - First Corpus Luteum found during an ultrasound, which means we have to skip this cycle, UGH!

June/July 2008 - Begin second cycle of Clomid (enter Evil Rachel) and on July 1st we had our first Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)...this round was unsuccessful...I found that my stress level was beginning to get out of control, so I enrolled in a Yoga For Fertility class.

August/September 2008 - Dr. Hickey and staff don't have a clue why we aren't getting pregnant so we decide to throw everything we can into these next two months. I first began on birth control to start regulating my periods, then on my next cycle I began my third cycle of Clomid, (Crazy Rachel ensues) I also begin injections of Follistim daily (for 4 days) and then a trigger shot of Ovidrel the night before our second IUI. We find out that we can take advantage of my cycle timing and will need to come in again the next day for our third IUI....both unsuccessful :(

October 2008 - We find in an ultrasound that I have developed a polyp...could this be why nothing is working??? Surgery scheduled for Nov. 6.

November 2008 - Surgery goes fine, everything looks great...Dr. Hickey tells Brian & my mom and dad that the next thing to be in there will be a baby...wow was he ever wrong...We find out that on my next Day 3 appointment that there was a lab error and that I will need to come back in the next day to redraw my blood. My estradiol was 36, my LH was 17, and my FSH was 40. Let me tell you for those of you who aren't aware of what these numbers mean...that FSH of 40 is VERY BAD. So, I go in the next day and the redraw my blood...only to find out that it was not lab error. My FSH on this day is now 41. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

December 2008 - The month of December is really where the floor just fell out from beneath me. We come to find out that I am in Premature Ovarian Failure. The FSH level was that of a 50-60 year old woman going through menopause. The only options left are Donor Egg or Adoption....WAIT! Hold up...I'm 29...menopause?...ovarian failure...WHAT!!!!

At this point of my story I really need to stop and thank my friend Katie, my mom & dad, my sisters, and of course my husband Brian. I couldn't have gotten through to this point without each and every one of you. Thank you for always being there for me when I need to cry, or scream, or just wonder why me. Thank you for always understanding.

So, that brings us to...

January 19, 2009 - Donor Egg Consult...Brian & I both decided that this was the best option for us at this point in our lives. We also decided that because I am very lucky to have 3 beautiful sisters that we would ask one of them to be our donor.

February 5, 2009 - We had a Milazzo Family meeting and we asked my little sister Mackenzie to be our donor. I couldn't ask for a more loving and understanding family. Mackenzie said yes and we will forever be indebted to her for this gift.

So now here we are March 13, 2009, I feel that I have written too much in this post already. The Donor Egg talk is a bit of a process so I will write about it more tomorrow.