The Game is On!

As I wrote on Monday, I had an appointment at HCR at 11:30am on Tuesday morning. Brian & I met there because they wanted to see him as well. We both had blood work taken and then I had an ultrasound. After the ultrasound, it was Brian's turn. They needed a sample from him to freeze. We were confused about the freezing, we thought we were going to use a fresh sample when the time came. They explained that they freeze a sample to have on hand just in case Brian is out of town or he is sick or if he is unable to produce that day. They said that they don't want to put Mack & I through all of this and then when we get to the day we can't do it because there is no sperm. Man, I would have hated to be the couple that caused them to realize they need back up sperm! We definitely appreciate the caution, but we should have no problem using fresh that day! :)

Yes, I document EVERYTHING!
Here are Brian & I and our matching gauze.

Dr. Hickey told me that everything looked good and that we would just wait for the blood work to come back before I started my Lupron injections.

On Wednesday, Sue called to let me know that both of our blood work results looked good and that I'm good to go to begin my injections. When I got home from school the HUGE box of medications was on our doorstep...check out the pictures. Also, here are some pictures of my first day of injections...notice the huge smile on my face...you think I'm excited to begin this process??? Um...yeah I think so!!!

Big Box O' Meds!

Even The Tripster can't believe how big it is!

All of the Meds...and yes, another cooler!

Some of Mackenzie's Meds and Syringes
actually even more came today...

My Meds and Syringes..

First Day of Lupron!!!! Measuring out 10 units...

Right Before...

During...

Done!

Sue also told me that Brian & I need to begin our antibiotics. We need to take them twice a day (with breakfast and dinner) for the next 10 days. Mackenzie will begin her 20 pills when she begins her injections. Sue prescribed antibiotics to make sure that none of us get sick while we're going through all of this. She wants to make sure we all stay healthy!

Mackenzie & I have an appointment at 12:45pm on Tuesday, June 30th for her injection Teach. To make sure that their patients can give themselves shots, HCR requires you to come in for a Teach, which is just where they show you a video about how to inject yourself and then the nurse makes you do it in front of her so that she can make sure you don't freeze up. Mackenzie is nervous about giving herself the shots, so we decided that we would go together. I'm pretty sure that she'll be fine once she realizes that the ones you give yourself don't hurt. I think she will realize that the subcutaneous shots are actually pretty easy to give yourself because the needles are so small. But, it is okay if she gets too nervous and just can't do it. If she has any problem at all I will be there to learn how to give them to her. We all know that I have no problem shooting up! haha! Brian has already had the teach for the intramuscular injections, obviously, because he has already had to give them to me. So, he will be the one to give them to Mack as well. We are thinking that it might be easier for her to come live with us for the 10 days of injections, but we'll see!

Today I made an appointment to begin seeing a Fertility Acupuncturist. I have heard from many other girls going through fertility treatments who have found acupuncture to be very helpful. Not only for the treatment aspect, I think that it will help me with the emotional/stressful side of the process we are currently going through. The acupuncturist is actually able to individually treat me as I am going through the Donor Egg process. She is able to plan her treatment according to what I am doing on the medical side and help to assist it. I start on Sunday, so I guess I'll let you know! I am very excited.

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Thursday, June 25th, Brian turned the BIG 2-9! We went out to dinner to Traverso's with a huge crew of people. It was a great time. If you can believe it though, I only got this one picture from the evening! What the heck was I doing! Sorry!

Happy Birthday Love!

If you look back to the picture of the big box of meds sitting on our front step, you will see a smaller box sitting on top. Brian received a birthday present from my Aunt Malo and my Uncle Ba. When he got home he was very excited to open it! Inside was a St. Louis Cardinals hat signed by Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter...Brian was beside himself, he loves his Cards and just couldn't believe the thoughtfulness from my Aunt and Uncle. Thanks Aunt Malo and Uncle Ba! Brian LOVES the hat, it is already proudly displayed in the house. You guys are the absolute best! Thanks for thinking of Brian on his special day! We love you!

Trip is helping Brian tear the tape off the box!
What a good helper!

Pretty cool, huh?

Have a great weekend! Love to you all!

A Date is Set!

Quick rundown of our weekend...

Saturday - Our friends, Tim & Steph Bea, just bought the dresser to go in their baby room; so they enlisted the help of the 'Hoe to get it from Babies R Us to their house. Afterwards, they treated Brian & I to a great dinner at Houlihan's and then we picked up Trip and headed back over to their house. Trip hadn't gotten a chance to play with their Wheaten Terrier, Maggie, yet. Here are some pictures of the girls running around the backyard together.

Best Buds!

Who invited CrazyTown?? I am worn out!!

Sunday - For Father's Day, we went over to my parents house for a cookout. The Witkowski's came too. It's nice that we can all get together for the day rather than have Brian & I (and Trip) bounce back and forth. It's nice to actually spend the whole day with our dads. We had a great day and I'm pretty sure my dad had a great Father's Day. I mean, he did get NASCAR tickets from Brian & I...it had to be a good one, right?

me & my daddy-o

One would have thought it was "Trip's Day" not "Father's Day" when you look at the pictures from Father's Day. Just about all of the pictures on my camera from Father's Day are of Mackenzie, Lizzie, & Trip...

I mean seriously...can you imagine what it'll be like when there is an actual baby in the family?!

Fertility Focus...

Mackenzie had her Day 3 appointment today, which came earlier than expected...we think her body wants to get this moving too! ;) I received a call from Mack & Mom around 8:15am. They were already on their way home - it was just a routine blood draw and ultrasound. Nothing out of the ordinary and no news was given. The only thing was that Sue put Mackenzie on birth control. The b/c makes it so that they are in control of her cycle; they can make sure it doesn't do anything silly while we are in the middle of the process. The conversation wasn't very eventful so we hung up just thinking that we would wait to see what Sue said after Dr. Hickey reviewed the results.

Not a half hour later, I received a phone call from Sue. They need to see me tomorrow morning (11:30) for an ultrasound. Everything is starting to happen and it is starting to happen pretty quickly. All of our meds have been ordered and should be delivered to me tomorrow. I will begin my Lupron injections tomorrow. Mackenzie will be on birth control for 21 days - up until July 12th. After that point she will begin her injections as well. Of course I left my post-it (...don't worry Katie, you know I don't dare use a generic brand...haha!) at school today, so I'm trying to remember all of the exact dates Sue told me. I'm not 100% sure of the dates for when she'll begin her meds and injections but I do know that it looks like her aspiration (the egg removal) will occur on July 27th.

AND....

THEN....

the transfer will occur on JULY 30th!!!! AHHHHH! Seriously we are only 38 days away!

I have a feeling that the next 38 days are going to be pretty emotional. Mackie and I already had a hard day today...it is amazing how alike we truly are...I think that we both had a breakdown today because we just can't believe that it is actually happening....and happening soon.


Mackenzie,
Brian & I can't thank you enough for this special gift you are giving us. You have no idea how truly special you are. I know that this is a bit of an overwhelming process, but please know that we are here with you. In NO WAY are you doing any of this alone. I am so lucky to forever have a special piece of you in my life. Thank you for granting us the wish to one day have children. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. I love you so much.
Love, Rachel

The Season of Babies!

Our good friends, Renee & Alan Myers, gave birth to their beautiful baby boy on Thursday night!

Jackson Reed Myers was born on Thursday June 18 at 9:05pm, he weighed 6lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 inches long. His mom & dad, Renee and Alan, couldn't be any more excited that he is finally here!

Here he is! The newest White Sox fan to enter the world!

My sister, Kristen & I went out to Hinsdale Hospital to visit with the Myers Family and to meet little Jackson. He just might be the cutest newborn baby I have ever seen!

me & Jack

Jackson's Mom, me, & Jackson!

Krissy & baby

Proud Papa with his boy

Congratulations Alan & Nay! We are SO happy for you!

Congratulations!

Sorry I'm so late on the post about the weekend! Here it is finally!

Saturday was a pretty full day for us. First we had Tim & Stephanie Bea's Baby Shower.The men were invited too, so it was Brian's first baby shower ever. I'm pretty sure he loves them now! :) My mom and Mackenzie came too, so of course we had a lot of fun! Here are a couple of pictures from it...

Me, the Mommy-to-be, and my Momma

Brian & Steph

Mom & Brian

me & the pretty Mack-a-tini

Brian & Tim

Mackenzie got creative with the baby clothespins!

Aunt Rachey can't wait to meet her "nephew"!!!

soon enough they'll be known to someone as "mom and dad"

Right after the Bea's shower, Brian & I went home to scoop up Trip and head over to the Witkowski's for Eric's graduation party. Eric graduated from Eastern Illinois University. Congratulations Eric!

Dad & Kevin getting ready to play Beer Pong
Kevin went and changed his shirt so that they would
both have on "zone shirts!"

a great picture of Brian & Momma

Brian & his Momma

What is a party without beer pong?

Eric, the graduate, and his girlfriend, Sabrina

Trip is wiped out from all of the partying!

I love my girl!

Everyone loves the sleepy party animal!

Sabrina, Kristin, & Eric

We sure had a great weekend! Now two more pictures I couldn't resist posting...

Brian & the Tripster watching TV

my baby is getting so big!