What to post after all this time? I seem to be really bad about posting during breaks, huh? Sorry about that. Hopefully, some of you are still checking.
Michael and I had a great trip to Alabama and Florida for Thanksgiving. The time flew by. Being with my nephew made me both happy and sad. Don't get me wrong, I was never sad to be with him. He's awesome. But late at night, thinking of never having a little person in my house asking me to play Hi Ho Cherry-O every 5 minutes made me sad. Seeing the world through a child's eyes sounds so cliche, but my heart swelled every time Carson would see something and yell "Hey guys, LOOK - it's the MOON!" I never look at the moon with wonder anymore. It's nice to be reminded. I'm thankful for every moment with him.
I think the sadness comes from the fact that I am still having a hard time accepting that I may never be a mother. I guess part of me has to remain hopeful since we are doing another IVF cycle. I have to think it's going to turn out well - but history isn't exactly on my side. If IVF doesn't work, that's it. We're done. have to be hopeful, but realistic. That's a tough balance.
I'm going to an endocrinologist on 12/12 to see about all this thyroid stuff. Cindy (my step-mom) is coming with me. She has all kinds of crazy theories, so I figure I'll just unleash her on the doc. ;-) No, it will be helpful to have another set of ears - and she'll probably think of tons of questions that I would have meant to ask, but didn't. In preparation for this appointment, I've been trying to get my medical records (past thyroid tests) to take with me and in doing so, I found out that VA is not a "right to know" state - meaning I have no right to get my own freaking medical records. Can you believe that? They'll send them to another doctor, but not directly to YOU. Unreal.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Love Those Stirrups
So I had my annual Ladies Exam today. I had asked my fertility doctor if he could do it since I was there all the time anyway. I was hoping to avoid assuming the position for yet another doctor. No dice.
I kind of forgot where I was going. An OB office. Every woman in the place was pregnant. And not just pregnant. They were all rubbing-their-big-bellies-looking-blissful pregnant. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long.
The nurse who weighed me and took my blood pressue asked me what form of birth control I was using. I just looked at her, not exactly knowing what to say. She looked at my chart and said - "oh, you're STILL trying to conceive?". Yeah. Thanks. (Okay, so maybe her "still" wasn't that emphasized, but that is what my infertile ears heard...)
So my doctor was pretty cute. He asked how long I'd been seeing the fertility doctor and when I told him January - he said "what the heck have they been doing all this time?!" I told him everything we've been through. He was shocked I wasn't pregnant yet. After the exam (during which he told me all about an elephant retirement home in Tennessee - he's a wee bit random), he said - "I'll be looking forward to seeing you in March" and winked. March would be when I would transition from the fertility doctor back to my OB if January's IVF works. It took me a minute to catch on. One can only hope.
I kind of forgot where I was going. An OB office. Every woman in the place was pregnant. And not just pregnant. They were all rubbing-their-big-bellies-looking-blissful pregnant. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long.
The nurse who weighed me and took my blood pressue asked me what form of birth control I was using. I just looked at her, not exactly knowing what to say. She looked at my chart and said - "oh, you're STILL trying to conceive?". Yeah. Thanks. (Okay, so maybe her "still" wasn't that emphasized, but that is what my infertile ears heard...)
So my doctor was pretty cute. He asked how long I'd been seeing the fertility doctor and when I told him January - he said "what the heck have they been doing all this time?!" I told him everything we've been through. He was shocked I wasn't pregnant yet. After the exam (during which he told me all about an elephant retirement home in Tennessee - he's a wee bit random), he said - "I'll be looking forward to seeing you in March" and winked. March would be when I would transition from the fertility doctor back to my OB if January's IVF works. It took me a minute to catch on. One can only hope.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Do it
(Read that with the Starsky & Hutch movie voice)
I'm talking about voting. I know not everyone has elections today, but if you do, please take advantage of our right to vote. I know it's not a national election - but state and local government actually has the potential to impact your daily life more than the federal government does. (Spoken like a true local government employee, huh?) It's your opportunity to have a say in your community.
Michael and I went to the polls together this morning. (Once again, I got to see Ms. Borden, my 10th Grade English teacher who works the polls every election. Believe it or not, she remembers me after all this time.) Even though Michael and I cancel each other out, it is still the point of exercising our right and freedom to vote for whomever we choose. I always vote simply because I am thankful that I live in a place where I can.
So get out there and vote! Do it.
I'm talking about voting. I know not everyone has elections today, but if you do, please take advantage of our right to vote. I know it's not a national election - but state and local government actually has the potential to impact your daily life more than the federal government does. (Spoken like a true local government employee, huh?) It's your opportunity to have a say in your community.
Michael and I went to the polls together this morning. (Once again, I got to see Ms. Borden, my 10th Grade English teacher who works the polls every election. Believe it or not, she remembers me after all this time.) Even though Michael and I cancel each other out, it is still the point of exercising our right and freedom to vote for whomever we choose. I always vote simply because I am thankful that I live in a place where I can.
So get out there and vote! Do it.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Weighty Issues
Man. It was definitely water weight. I gained 2 of those 5 pounds back! I did cheat a little - a couple of pieces of the dreaded Halloween candy and a few beers this weekend. But even that shouldn't constitute 2 lbs! I'm still starting Phase 2 of South Beach - which basically means I can have fruit and whole grains again. That should help "get things moving" - if you know what I mean. (Hey - maybe THAT'S my 2 lbs...) Okay, sorry - that was gross. Sometimes the Beavis in me just slips out unannounced.
Christian (my brother-in-law) came back from Iraq on Friday. Hooray! They fly into Andrews AFB, so Michael got to go pick him up and he stayed with us while he worked his travel out to get home to Florida. I'm happy to report he's home safe and sound with Korie and Carson - who have been paitently awaiting his return. We're all hoping this means he'll be home for the holidays this year. I think having Christian home was reason enough for us to have a couple of celebratory beers - diet or not!
So - we're still plugging away with South Beach. Michael has done better than I have (as usual). I think he's down 7 or 8 lbs so far. I'm going out tonight for our Monthly Girls Dinner, but this diet is pretty easy to stick to at restaurants - I just need to avoid the bread basket and I should be fine. Oh yeah - I forgot the best part about Phase 2 - I get to have a glass of wine! Woo hoo!
I totally forgot to post my TSH results - sorry about that! (I actually got them the very next day - gotta love my new primary care doc. AND they don't just leave a message with "everything is fine" like my last doctor. They make you call back and talk to a live human nurse who can tell you the actual numbers on your test results. Novel concept.) Anyway - my TSH was .932, which the nurse said was higher than they'd like, but that they'd keep me on this level of synthroid until the next check in 3 months and see how that looked. I have my first appointment with the endocrinologist on December 12, so I'll have more bloodwork done then anyway. BUT - .932 is the lowest it's ever been and I feel great. It makes me realize what a fog I was in before. I can actually pay attention in meetings! (Okay - maybe that's not a benefit...) I'm just hopeful that we can get this regulated and figured out by IVF #2 in January.
In other thyroid news, my sister told her primary care that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, so he tested her TSH and it came back high (5 point something). Some say that it can be genetic, but the physician's assistant she saw today told her that just because I have it doesn't mean she definitely has it. It would just increase the likelihood. They did another blood test - and included antibodies this time, so we'll see. I don't think either of my parents has it, so it would be kind of odd if both Ashley and I do. Luckily, she doesn't have any symptoms.
Christian (my brother-in-law) came back from Iraq on Friday. Hooray! They fly into Andrews AFB, so Michael got to go pick him up and he stayed with us while he worked his travel out to get home to Florida. I'm happy to report he's home safe and sound with Korie and Carson - who have been paitently awaiting his return. We're all hoping this means he'll be home for the holidays this year. I think having Christian home was reason enough for us to have a couple of celebratory beers - diet or not!
So - we're still plugging away with South Beach. Michael has done better than I have (as usual). I think he's down 7 or 8 lbs so far. I'm going out tonight for our Monthly Girls Dinner, but this diet is pretty easy to stick to at restaurants - I just need to avoid the bread basket and I should be fine. Oh yeah - I forgot the best part about Phase 2 - I get to have a glass of wine! Woo hoo!
I totally forgot to post my TSH results - sorry about that! (I actually got them the very next day - gotta love my new primary care doc. AND they don't just leave a message with "everything is fine" like my last doctor. They make you call back and talk to a live human nurse who can tell you the actual numbers on your test results. Novel concept.) Anyway - my TSH was .932, which the nurse said was higher than they'd like, but that they'd keep me on this level of synthroid until the next check in 3 months and see how that looked. I have my first appointment with the endocrinologist on December 12, so I'll have more bloodwork done then anyway. BUT - .932 is the lowest it's ever been and I feel great. It makes me realize what a fog I was in before. I can actually pay attention in meetings! (Okay - maybe that's not a benefit...) I'm just hopeful that we can get this regulated and figured out by IVF #2 in January.
In other thyroid news, my sister told her primary care that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, so he tested her TSH and it came back high (5 point something). Some say that it can be genetic, but the physician's assistant she saw today told her that just because I have it doesn't mean she definitely has it. It would just increase the likelihood. They did another blood test - and included antibodies this time, so we'll see. I don't think either of my parents has it, so it would be kind of odd if both Ashley and I do. Luckily, she doesn't have any symptoms.
Monday, October 29, 2007
A Different Obsession
It's been awhile. Sorry for that, but not much has been happening. I started my period last week, and for the first time in a long while - it didn't involve any tears or sadness. I always thought somewhere in the back of my mind that we would get pregnant on a break cycle, but now I think I've accepted that if we ever do get pregnant, it will be with medical assistance.
Speaking of which - after 9 months of fertility drugs, I gained some weight. I kept exercising, thought I was eating well, but it somehow snuck up on me anyway. I forced myself to get on the scale after my pajama bottoms were tight. (Whose pajama bottoms get tight??!!) I was pushing maximimum density (my highest weight - circa the college years). I wasn't quite there yet, but I was pushing it.
Michael and I decided it would be a good idea if both of us went on South Beach before we head down to Alabama for Thanksgiving. After all, I can easily gain 5 pounds from just smelling my mother-in-law's cooking. I joke that her food must have crack in it because I just can't say no to anything she makes! Mmmmm... pound cake.... Plus, I found myself taking a tiny piece of chocolate when I walked by a candy dish at work. Which is fine - unless you walk past a candy dish 6 times a day! So, South Beach is good for me because I know I can't have any and my cheap rationalizations don't work.
So today marks the end of Week 1 and (drumroll, please...) I am down 5 pounds!! I'm amazed. I know most of it was water weight, and I definitely won't be able to - nor should I - keep up this pace, but it was good for the motivation factor. I only want to lose 6 more pounds, but I fully expect that to take...well, forever.
The other thing South Beach has been good for is serving as a distraction. I'm so busy thinking about what I'm going to eat (this diet requires a lot of prep!), that I'm not really thinking about having a baby - which has seemed to consume most of my life for the past 2+ years. It's oddly freeing. While it might not be helping tame the control freak side of me, it's at least a healthy obsession.
Speaking of which - after 9 months of fertility drugs, I gained some weight. I kept exercising, thought I was eating well, but it somehow snuck up on me anyway. I forced myself to get on the scale after my pajama bottoms were tight. (Whose pajama bottoms get tight??!!) I was pushing maximimum density (my highest weight - circa the college years). I wasn't quite there yet, but I was pushing it.
Michael and I decided it would be a good idea if both of us went on South Beach before we head down to Alabama for Thanksgiving. After all, I can easily gain 5 pounds from just smelling my mother-in-law's cooking. I joke that her food must have crack in it because I just can't say no to anything she makes! Mmmmm... pound cake.... Plus, I found myself taking a tiny piece of chocolate when I walked by a candy dish at work. Which is fine - unless you walk past a candy dish 6 times a day! So, South Beach is good for me because I know I can't have any and my cheap rationalizations don't work.
So today marks the end of Week 1 and (drumroll, please...) I am down 5 pounds!! I'm amazed. I know most of it was water weight, and I definitely won't be able to - nor should I - keep up this pace, but it was good for the motivation factor. I only want to lose 6 more pounds, but I fully expect that to take...well, forever.
The other thing South Beach has been good for is serving as a distraction. I'm so busy thinking about what I'm going to eat (this diet requires a lot of prep!), that I'm not really thinking about having a baby - which has seemed to consume most of my life for the past 2+ years. It's oddly freeing. While it might not be helping tame the control freak side of me, it's at least a healthy obsession.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Yoga for Fertility
I was going to post yesterday about how I was totally excited for the weekend. Well, I'm still excited for the weekend - don't get me wrong, just not AS psyched as I was originally.
My friend in Chicago is enrolling in this mind/body program for fertility that works WITH ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) rather than instead of them. Most of those sorts of programs are usually against any sort of medical intervention. These programs come from a good place, but I can't help but feel their main message is "just relax" which (while appropriate for some) makes me want to scream. I know there is a mind/body connection, but relaxing isn't going to get me pregnant at this point.
Anyways, my friend noticed that there was a "Yoga for Fertility in DC" link on their website. So I looked into it and there were 2 sessions in MD this weekend! I was so excited! So, I went through the online registration, paid, and got all signed-up. I got a confirmation e-mail and was totally looking forward to it.
You see where this is going. Yesterday I get an e-mail from the instructor telling me that this weekend's sessions have been cancelled. She said most people don't do the one-day sessions and sign up for the 6-week series. I'll be out of town for most of the upcoming session on Saturdays and then the other sessions are at 7 PM in Silver Spring on a weeknight. (SO not happening for me - I'd probably have to leave work at 4 to get there.) Neither of those are good options.
So now I'm bummed. I already take yoga once a week and love it. But this was geared specifically to other women in similar situations. Honestly, I was kind of looking forward to meeting them. I hadn't thought of that aspect of the class at all until I was mapquesting directions and thinking about where people would park. "People". Hey - there's going to be other people there like me! Duh. You'd think I would have thought of that.
The instructor said they'd be doing other 6-week weekend sessions in the new year, so maybe I'll just be patient. (Yeah, like THAT'S something I'm good at...) Unfortunately, ALL of the classes will be in MD. I so wish I could find something like this in Northern VA. I shouldn't complain. Some people have to drive for hours just to see their fertility doctors.
Okay - this is turning into a stream-of-consciousness post which can't be good (or interesting for that matter).
Happy Friday everyone!
My friend in Chicago is enrolling in this mind/body program for fertility that works WITH ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) rather than instead of them. Most of those sorts of programs are usually against any sort of medical intervention. These programs come from a good place, but I can't help but feel their main message is "just relax" which (while appropriate for some) makes me want to scream. I know there is a mind/body connection, but relaxing isn't going to get me pregnant at this point.
Anyways, my friend noticed that there was a "Yoga for Fertility in DC" link on their website. So I looked into it and there were 2 sessions in MD this weekend! I was so excited! So, I went through the online registration, paid, and got all signed-up. I got a confirmation e-mail and was totally looking forward to it.
You see where this is going. Yesterday I get an e-mail from the instructor telling me that this weekend's sessions have been cancelled. She said most people don't do the one-day sessions and sign up for the 6-week series. I'll be out of town for most of the upcoming session on Saturdays and then the other sessions are at 7 PM in Silver Spring on a weeknight. (SO not happening for me - I'd probably have to leave work at 4 to get there.) Neither of those are good options.
So now I'm bummed. I already take yoga once a week and love it. But this was geared specifically to other women in similar situations. Honestly, I was kind of looking forward to meeting them. I hadn't thought of that aspect of the class at all until I was mapquesting directions and thinking about where people would park. "People". Hey - there's going to be other people there like me! Duh. You'd think I would have thought of that.
The instructor said they'd be doing other 6-week weekend sessions in the new year, so maybe I'll just be patient. (Yeah, like THAT'S something I'm good at...) Unfortunately, ALL of the classes will be in MD. I so wish I could find something like this in Northern VA. I shouldn't complain. Some people have to drive for hours just to see their fertility doctors.
Okay - this is turning into a stream-of-consciousness post which can't be good (or interesting for that matter).
Happy Friday everyone!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tagged!
Geez - I'm away for a few days, and I get tagged. (Yeah - I didn't know what it was either, don't worry.) Basically, someone with a blog (in this case, Barb) calls out other people with blogs to answer a question. This one is 7 quirky things about you. Those of you who know me in real life probably know most of these - but then again, maybe I'll surprise you.
1 - I can't tolerate breakfast food for anything other than breakfast. Many people think pancakes for dinner are a wonderful treat. Blech! No - pancakes are great for breakfast, and breakfast only. Omlettes too.
2 - I can watch absolutely anything on TV with rapt attention. Infomercials, shows I truly hate, trash tv - ANYTHING. I've even been known to be totally into a public television broadcast of seniors clogging. (In my defense, that was kind of like a train wreck and you just couldn't look away.)
3 - I pick my cuticles. I know - it's disgusting. I can't help it. I'm a picker.
4 - I talk to my dog. Constantly. I know it's not that weird to talk to your pet, but I do it in public - forgetting I'm in public. And I ask her questions as if I expect her to answer me. My neighbors probably call me "that crazy dog lady". While we're walking, I'm all "Uno, is that a chipmunk? Brrrr - it's cold with the wind, isn't it? Are you my fuzzy nutter? Wanna go home and see Daddy?" (I know - also slightly nauseating.)
5 - I love violent sports. Is that wrong? My favorite segment on Monday Night Football was "Jacked Up" where they showed the 10 biggest hits from Sunday - well, before they discontinued it, the wusses. I love hockey - mainly for the fights. Recently, there was a fight behind us in the stands of a Nationals game, and I momentarily forgot there was a baseball game going on.
6 - I'm reaching way back here - there isn't too much that is interesting / unusual about me. But - I can flatten out my tongue and make it really big. It's gross. But it's unusual! ;-)
7 - It's against my religion to attend any Pampered Chef / Avon / Longaberger / Yankee Candle / etc. parties. Okay, it's not REALLY against my religion, but I just won't do it. I've been to one my whole life and I plan to keep it that way. (For the record, the one I went to was actually fun, so I'm not sure why I'm so averse to them.)
Phew, I finally got to 7. I am sure Michael could think of many more quirks. It's hard to think of them when they are your own! For those of you who don't have blogs, feel free to out yourself and post your 7 quirks here in the comments. I'll be waiting to read them!
1 - I can't tolerate breakfast food for anything other than breakfast. Many people think pancakes for dinner are a wonderful treat. Blech! No - pancakes are great for breakfast, and breakfast only. Omlettes too.
2 - I can watch absolutely anything on TV with rapt attention. Infomercials, shows I truly hate, trash tv - ANYTHING. I've even been known to be totally into a public television broadcast of seniors clogging. (In my defense, that was kind of like a train wreck and you just couldn't look away.)
3 - I pick my cuticles. I know - it's disgusting. I can't help it. I'm a picker.
4 - I talk to my dog. Constantly. I know it's not that weird to talk to your pet, but I do it in public - forgetting I'm in public. And I ask her questions as if I expect her to answer me. My neighbors probably call me "that crazy dog lady". While we're walking, I'm all "Uno, is that a chipmunk? Brrrr - it's cold with the wind, isn't it? Are you my fuzzy nutter? Wanna go home and see Daddy?" (I know - also slightly nauseating.)
5 - I love violent sports. Is that wrong? My favorite segment on Monday Night Football was "Jacked Up" where they showed the 10 biggest hits from Sunday - well, before they discontinued it, the wusses. I love hockey - mainly for the fights. Recently, there was a fight behind us in the stands of a Nationals game, and I momentarily forgot there was a baseball game going on.
6 - I'm reaching way back here - there isn't too much that is interesting / unusual about me. But - I can flatten out my tongue and make it really big. It's gross. But it's unusual! ;-)
7 - It's against my religion to attend any Pampered Chef / Avon / Longaberger / Yankee Candle / etc. parties. Okay, it's not REALLY against my religion, but I just won't do it. I've been to one my whole life and I plan to keep it that way. (For the record, the one I went to was actually fun, so I'm not sure why I'm so averse to them.)
Phew, I finally got to 7. I am sure Michael could think of many more quirks. It's hard to think of them when they are your own! For those of you who don't have blogs, feel free to out yourself and post your 7 quirks here in the comments. I'll be waiting to read them!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Anniversaries and such
So this week, I got a note in the mail from my nurse. It was the orders for the infectious disease bloodwork with a note from her asking that we have it done again before we come back in January. That's when it hit me. That will be the year mark that we've been seeing a fertility doctor.
I remember when we first went to see him and he had both of us do all this testing and a round of antibiotics to "kill any underlying infections". He said he had all of his patients do it once a year. I remember thinking - "oh - we'll only have to do this once". You see, the fertility doctor was going to figure out what the problem was. We only needed a little help. Maybe an IUI or two. There was no way we'd be seeing the fertility doctor for more than a year. Heck, in a year, we might even have a baby. Oh, I was so naive. This is not how things were supposed to go. This is not an anniversary I wanted to have. At least we have a few more months before it's "official".
On to happier topics. Michael and I took a nice drive today. We went out to Stribling Orchard and picked lots of apples. (We got a pumpkin too.) Then, on the way home, we went by a couple of wineries. It was just a great fall day. I'm going to make an apple pie with some of those apples tomorrow. YUM! Actually, yesterday was the anniversary of the first time Michael and I met - 6 years ago. Yep - the blind date that we both agreed to so that my mom would stop bugging both of us. Happy Anniversary, Michael. And thanks, Mom! ;-)
And since I'm uploading pictures - here's a picture of us last weekend at AT's birthday tailgate in Charlottesville. That trip helped us so much in our recovery from the IVF. It was therapeutic to be able to get away and think of other things and just enjoy ourselves. Nice timing on the birthday, AT!
I remember when we first went to see him and he had both of us do all this testing and a round of antibiotics to "kill any underlying infections". He said he had all of his patients do it once a year. I remember thinking - "oh - we'll only have to do this once". You see, the fertility doctor was going to figure out what the problem was. We only needed a little help. Maybe an IUI or two. There was no way we'd be seeing the fertility doctor for more than a year. Heck, in a year, we might even have a baby. Oh, I was so naive. This is not how things were supposed to go. This is not an anniversary I wanted to have. At least we have a few more months before it's "official".
On to happier topics. Michael and I took a nice drive today. We went out to Stribling Orchard and picked lots of apples. (We got a pumpkin too.) Then, on the way home, we went by a couple of wineries. It was just a great fall day. I'm going to make an apple pie with some of those apples tomorrow. YUM! Actually, yesterday was the anniversary of the first time Michael and I met - 6 years ago. Yep - the blind date that we both agreed to so that my mom would stop bugging both of us. Happy Anniversary, Michael. And thanks, Mom! ;-)
And since I'm uploading pictures - here's a picture of us last weekend at AT's birthday tailgate in Charlottesville. That trip helped us so much in our recovery from the IVF. It was therapeutic to be able to get away and think of other things and just enjoy ourselves. Nice timing on the birthday, AT!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Infertility Petition
I'm usually not the advocacy type. I prefer to work back-channels and help people individually when I can. You know - the hotline, the DV shelter, stuff like that. That's more my speed.
But I can't really help others with infertility. I mean, I can commiserate, but I can't really HELP them have a child. Only a doctor can do that. Most states do not require insurance companies to cover infertility treatments - and most insurance companies do not cover infertility. I am one of the lucky ones. Michael and I would have virtually no chance of having a child without the insurance coverage I have through work. We probably would have plunked some cash down for a few IUI's, but we likely would have had to take out a second mortgage to afford IVF. I'm not so sure we would have done that. Are people who work for companies with not-so-great insurance less worthy of having a chance at having a child? The thought is ridiculous.
Anyway, to my point. There's an on-line petition (no groaning) about requiring infertility coverage. While this does not impact me directly, it could have if I had a different job with different insurance. It impacts almost everyone else I know who is struggling with infertility. Please take a minute to read the letter and sign the petition - if you feel so inclined. Thanks. In the spirit of being "out" about my infertility, I signed it with my real name and not "anonymous". I have no idea if this petition will do anything. Apparently, it also went around in last year's congressional session. But I figure, it can't hurt.
Here's the link (or you can click on the title of this post). Click on "See the Full Petition" to read the letter which has more details.
Like I said - I'm not usually the one speaking out in public. But this hits a little too close to home. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to have a family of their own. If there were some sort of petition for research into infertility, you know I'd be signing & promoting that one too. I feel like we barely know anything about the true causes.
**Stepping off soap box now** ;-) Thanks.
Edited To Add: I should have checked with Michael who actually works for Congress (duh) to check the status of this. Here's what he has to say on the matter:
But I can't really help others with infertility. I mean, I can commiserate, but I can't really HELP them have a child. Only a doctor can do that. Most states do not require insurance companies to cover infertility treatments - and most insurance companies do not cover infertility. I am one of the lucky ones. Michael and I would have virtually no chance of having a child without the insurance coverage I have through work. We probably would have plunked some cash down for a few IUI's, but we likely would have had to take out a second mortgage to afford IVF. I'm not so sure we would have done that. Are people who work for companies with not-so-great insurance less worthy of having a chance at having a child? The thought is ridiculous.
Anyway, to my point. There's an on-line petition (no groaning) about requiring infertility coverage. While this does not impact me directly, it could have if I had a different job with different insurance. It impacts almost everyone else I know who is struggling with infertility. Please take a minute to read the letter and sign the petition - if you feel so inclined. Thanks. In the spirit of being "out" about my infertility, I signed it with my real name and not "anonymous". I have no idea if this petition will do anything. Apparently, it also went around in last year's congressional session. But I figure, it can't hurt.
Here's the link (or you can click on the title of this post). Click on "See the Full Petition" to read the letter which has more details.
Like I said - I'm not usually the one speaking out in public. But this hits a little too close to home. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to have a family of their own. If there were some sort of petition for research into infertility, you know I'd be signing & promoting that one too. I feel like we barely know anything about the true causes.
**Stepping off soap box now** ;-) Thanks.
Edited To Add: I should have checked with Michael who actually works for Congress (duh) to check the status of this. Here's what he has to say on the matter:
Just saw your latest blog about the insurance coverage issue. Unfortunately the petition is wrong. That bill died in November 2006 when Congress went out of session. If people are interested in the issue and are going to advocate for it, they need to reference H.R. 2892, the Family Building Act 0f 2007. That’s the current version of the bill that was sponsored by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY 9) during the current Congress (110th). I don’t see any companion legislation in the Senate.
It doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere unfortunately because there are only 6 co-sponsors and it hasn’t moved since being introduced in June. If people want to take action, I would suggest they contact their Members (they can find out who they are by using this link and the form at the top left of the page: http://www.house.gov/) and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. If enough people contact their Members you could see some movement in the number of co-sponsors but it will be tough in this fiscal environment.
Here’s a link to the current bill that people can check to get the latest status updates as well. You may want to update your blog with some of this information.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02892:
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Plan
First of all, a huge THANK YOU to all of you for supporting us, praying for us, sending us good fertility vibes, and crying with us when this cycle failed. (Oh and sending chocolate to console us - that always helps!) You all have been amazing and it really does make a difference to know you have people who care. So, thank you.
We had our post-IVF consult today (or as someone else so eloquently put it - the "WTF happened?" meeting). We do have a plan for our next IVF. The doctor has no problem with taking a break, he just wants me to keep them informed about my thyroid (more on that later). There were 2 "issues" with this cycle - first, that I didn't produce many eggs and second, they obviously didn't implant. The doctor would like to focus on the egg issue because if we have more, better quality eggs, they will be more likely to implant. There are no obvious problems with my uterus or lining or anything, so that should be fine. As the doctor told us - even a 21 year old at peak fertility only has a 25% chance at implantation. (So why do I still get hopeful??) His point was that there isn't much we can do on the implantation side of things, so lets focus on egg quality.
So, the next cycle we won't do the Lupron (which apparently "quieted" my ovaries a little too much). Instead, we'll go straight from the birth control pills to the stimulation drugs at a higher dosage. I'll also take something called Ganirelix which will keep me from ovulating without suppressing my ovaries. I don't pretend to understand it all, but that's the plan. Hopefully that will result in lots of big, juicy follicles!
Okay - now for the latest on the thyroid. I had it tested in August and it was the best it's ever been (0.8), so we kept the dosage of Synthroid the same. I just had it tested last week (5 weeks later) and it was 19.8. Ummmm - excuse me? A 19-point jump?! Shouldn't I be comatose with a level that high? How / why in the heck did it spike like that? No one can tell me what happened - they just upped my Synthroid dosage. The highest it's ever been since we've been testing it is 5.2. The doctor does not seem to think it is the cause of the "negative outcome" from the IVF cycle, but he did confirm that I would NOT be able to maintain a pregnancy with that level. He asked that I keep them informed over the break about my thyroid levels and also gave me the name of an endocrinologist.
So, we're off on our merry way to a break. Hopefully, that will also allow us time to get my uncooperative thyroid in check. We'll take October and November off and then start birth control pills in December for a January IVF cycle. I don't think I'm cured of my control-freak ways - it sure feels good to have a plan.
We had our post-IVF consult today (or as someone else so eloquently put it - the "WTF happened?" meeting). We do have a plan for our next IVF. The doctor has no problem with taking a break, he just wants me to keep them informed about my thyroid (more on that later). There were 2 "issues" with this cycle - first, that I didn't produce many eggs and second, they obviously didn't implant. The doctor would like to focus on the egg issue because if we have more, better quality eggs, they will be more likely to implant. There are no obvious problems with my uterus or lining or anything, so that should be fine. As the doctor told us - even a 21 year old at peak fertility only has a 25% chance at implantation. (So why do I still get hopeful??) His point was that there isn't much we can do on the implantation side of things, so lets focus on egg quality.
So, the next cycle we won't do the Lupron (which apparently "quieted" my ovaries a little too much). Instead, we'll go straight from the birth control pills to the stimulation drugs at a higher dosage. I'll also take something called Ganirelix which will keep me from ovulating without suppressing my ovaries. I don't pretend to understand it all, but that's the plan. Hopefully that will result in lots of big, juicy follicles!
Okay - now for the latest on the thyroid. I had it tested in August and it was the best it's ever been (0.8), so we kept the dosage of Synthroid the same. I just had it tested last week (5 weeks later) and it was 19.8. Ummmm - excuse me? A 19-point jump?! Shouldn't I be comatose with a level that high? How / why in the heck did it spike like that? No one can tell me what happened - they just upped my Synthroid dosage. The highest it's ever been since we've been testing it is 5.2. The doctor does not seem to think it is the cause of the "negative outcome" from the IVF cycle, but he did confirm that I would NOT be able to maintain a pregnancy with that level. He asked that I keep them informed over the break about my thyroid levels and also gave me the name of an endocrinologist.
So, we're off on our merry way to a break. Hopefully, that will also allow us time to get my uncooperative thyroid in check. We'll take October and November off and then start birth control pills in December for a January IVF cycle. I don't think I'm cured of my control-freak ways - it sure feels good to have a plan.
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