Week in Review

This post is going to be pretty random. Since I haven't posted in a week (...and thank you for the many of you who have told me so!) ... there is lots to update you on both in our social lives and in our fertility life!

Saturday, June 27th...Brad & Megan's Block Party...

The boys...

Cesar, Eric, Brad, Greg, and Brian

Party Animal, Trip and her new friend Kaia

Krissy in her pretty dress!

I love my sister!

Me & Megan

Already practicing...Trip in one arm and a baby in the other!

B & M

Corey, Greg, Me & Eric

Sunday, June 28th...Acupuncture...

Acupuncture went really really well! I absolutely loved it. Ayesha, my acupuncturist, and I talked first about my infertility history. She has treated many women with Premature Ovarian Failure so she was very positive about how acupuncture can help. She told me that right now we'll work on assisting me with the Donor Egg process, but that after I have this baby we will work on getting my FSH level back down to a reasonable level (the cause of the failure) so that I will be able to have my next baby naturally. At that point, I just could have cried, she said what I wanted to hear, and truthfully, if I would have known that acupuncture could help with that then I would have started it much much earlier!

Ayesha put needles in all different parts of my body, on my head, forehead, ear, right arm, stomach, and my legs. Then she left me in the room for about 25 minutes to rest - I think it took me about 2 min. to fall asleep! Then before I left she put an "ear seed", which is a small needle attached to something that resembles a bandaid, in my ear. She said that it should help me to manage my emotions in the next week - it should take off the emotional edge. I think that it helped, but I definitely found myself pushing it harder at times! My next appointment is today at 1:30. I'm excited for the relaxing nap, Trip got me up way too early this morning!

Tuesday, June 30th...Mackenzie's Teach...Sorry no pictures...I forgot my camera!

Mack's Teach went really well on Tuesday. I know she was nervous about the whole thing, but she did awesome. First Dr. Hickey needed to see her to do a physical exam and to also take some cultures. I believe he also took blood and did an ultrasound. Everything looked good, but they found that her body is fighting the birth control and she developed a pretty big follicle (which obviously shouldn't happen on birth control - you shouldn't ovulate). So, in order to keep an eye on it, they want to see her again next Wednesday. It didn't seem like too big a deal and not a surprise because this is Mackenzie's first time on birth control, so her body might just be trying to fight it off. They will monitor her though and everything should be fine.

After her check-up, Amy (one of our nurse's), Mack & I went in for the self-injection Teach. It was a TON of information. Amy went over the three (yes, three!) injections that Mackenzie will have to do in her stomach. Of course it couldn't be easy...each of them are administered differently! One of them uses a pen-like injectable (kind of like an Epi-Pen) another one is a straight up syringe (easy!) and the third uses this thing called a Q-Cap which is used in order to mix sterile water with a pill before it is injected. She will take Follistim (which stimulates her follicles - FSH), Menopur (which is both FSH and LH), and the last is Ganirelix (which prevents eggs from being released prematurely). It was a bit overwhelming, but Mackenzie did wonderfully. She asked questions and was really committed to understanding process. After Amy taught her about each of the injections, it was time for Mack to give herself a shot. This was definitely when her nerves turned on. For about a minute and a half, Mack would go to do it and then just as it got to her stomach she would pull it away and say "I can't do it". After some encouragement from Amy and I and after we both started chatting (so the focus wasn't solely on Mack and her stomach!) Mackie gave herself the practice shot! And, just like I said, Mack said that it didn't hurt. She agreed that giving blood hurts more. We had success! Now we are just waiting until about July 16. That is when Mack should begin her shots. Her last B/C pill is on July 12, she should get her period any day after that, she'll go in on Day Two of her period and then she'll be okayed to begin the injections. From that day forward...Mackenzie will have to go in to the doctor...EVERYDAY until the aspiration. They will do an u/s and blood work each of those days in order to determine how much of the medication she will need to inject. She will be VERY closely monitored.

Oh! I forgot...the last shot she will take is the intramuscular injection that Brian will have to administer. That shot should most likely be around 11pm on July 25th - Brian will inject Pregnyl into Mackie's butt. This injection will trigger her follicles to ovulate. They will do this exactly 36 hours later, so this is the one shot we have to be EXACT on. 36 hours after the injection, Mackenzie will have her aspiration.

Right now all of the dates are just guesstimates, it all depends on how are bodies react week to week (me) and day to day (Mack).

Friday, July 3rd...Day Three Appointment...Me

Went in for my Day 3 appointment at 8:15am. As usual, I had an ultrasound and blood work. All was good. Nothing was happening on the ultrasound screen, so we know the Lupron is doing its job of shutting down my ovaries. Dr. Hickey gave me the okay to begin my intramuscular injections of Delestrogen. Brian will give me this shots on Fridays and Mondays. I will continue the Lupron injections (stomach) daily. They have also added a baby aspirin to my daily med taking repetoire. I am getting to the point that I'm having a hard time keeping track of what pill when...

Let me give you the low down of my med schedule....
Wake Up...Levoxyl (thyroid) water, empty stomach
Breakfast...Antibiotic (staying healthy through process) take with a MEAL - I learned that the hard way this week at work - yuck!
6:30pm...Lupron daily, Delestrogen 2X/week, Baby Aspirin
Dinner...Antibiotic
Bedtime...Bromocriptine, 2 prenatal pills

Seriously...the only spot left is lunch!

My next appointment is Friday, July 10 at 8:15. I will begin my weekly check-ups to see how my lining is doing.

Friday Night, July 3rd...Kevin's 22nd Birthday!

It was party time once again at the Witkowski's house. Here are some pictures from the evening...

Me & the Birthday Boy

Corey with Tripsy and Creepy Brad

It only makes sense that Kevin blow out his candles on a Beer Pong table!

Brothers!

Mackenzie & Chacal

My Girl!

Mackie giving my sweetness a kiss!

our kids may be born with cankles, but they will for sure be cute!

The boys...

Brian & his Mom

The girls...

Saturday, July 4th...Arlington Race Track...

Every 4th of July we head out to Arlington Race Track with my sisters and my dad. Mackenzie had to work so she wasn't able to make it this year. My mom is always out of town for our union, so we always spend the day with my dad doing what we all love to do...gamble! We had a great day at the track. Brian & I came out the big winners with Krissy right behind us. Liz and Dad didn't have the luck this year. Dad was right though, the Exacta is the way to go, it paid off for me a couple of times! In the 10th and final race there was a horse named "Tripp of Steel", so of course you know I had to bet on her! She came out of the gate in front which is NEVER a good thing. But, she kept up the speed throughout the entire 1 1/6 mile race and ended up killing the rest of the field! I can't believe no one else bet on the Tripsy girl!

The annual "Walk up to Arlington" picture!

There is the Tripsy horse!
Doesn't she look just like my Tripsy???

Lizzie is really excited for the race to begin!
...or maybe she was just tired of losing!... ;)

The Tripster in the winners circle!

So there you have it...the Witkowski week in review! Next week I'll be better about posting so that it isn't so long!

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!