Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Ducks in a Row

I'm really bad at keeping up with this whole writing thing.  Sometimes I'm also really bad at just keeping up with this whole life thing.

Right now I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row so that hopefully I can have the frozen embryo transfer done late this summer.  In my traditional manner, this has lead to lots of lists making.  Lists for doctor visits I need, people I need to call, money I need to save. 

I started by scheduling a mammogram.  At age 42 and never having had one I'd been getting some grief from my doctor's office and I figured my reproductive endocrinologist would require one before doing the FET anyway, and I was right.  Thankfully, everything came back looking great.

Next, I called the fertility clinic to get specifics on timelines, price and protocols.  The price has, of course, gone up over the years and lucky me, my insurance now no longer covers any of the medicines either.  So, there's that.  Then I found out that they no longer offer the option of doing a natural FET.  I was a little disappointed as I had been considering that as a possible way to ease my worries about possibly developing another blood clot.  Instead, the only option is a medicated FET, although at least it is a protocol without birth control pills. As for timelines, it sounds as easy as calling about two and a half months before I want to do the FET and they will get things going.

Due to my history of having a blood clot, the clinic requires me to get a clearance letter from a hematologist.  So, I guess I'm not the only one worried about pumping estrogen into my body.  Good to know my fears aren't unfounded.  I had seen a hematologist back in 2010 after my miscarriages but he's since retired so I tracked down a new one and just had an appointment with him last week.  Things seemed to go well aka he didn't tell me I was completely crazy for wanting to do the FET.  He said so long as I stick with the Lovenox injections from the time I start taking the meds until either the cycle is done or six weeks after a pregnancy I should be fine.

So, two down, one more big one to go and that is another pap test.  My follow-up in November came back great so I'm hoping and praying my next one, scheduled in May, is the same because, of course, if it's not then best laid plans and all.  Since my ob/gyn has been on an extended medical leave I finally decided to just go ahead and find a new one.  After six pregnancies it's a little hard to imagine seeing someone else but at this point I don't really have a choice.