It's November, and Thanksgiving is almost here. November is always a good month to reflect on the things we are grateful for, and frankly, I need the "gratitude practice"... I recently underwent yet another IVF procedure - a multi-egg stimulation and retrieval - because all of my banked embryos …
Two Weeks of Waiting = Torture
The hardest part of doing IVF is this phenomenon known as the Two Week Wait. After an embryo is implanted, the pregnancy hormone HCG does not rise to detectable levels for approximately 10-14 days; thus, you have to wait two weeks to find out if the procedure was successful and you are actually …
My Latest "Project"
I'm told the conversation went something like this: Husband: "I could really get into this climb!" Climbing partner: "Is this route going to be your new project this summer?" Husband: "I think so." Partner: "What about trips, or are you going to be hanging around here a lot?" Husband: …
Think of it as one, long pregnancy
I knew he meant well, but he could not and would not ever really understand. "Think of it was one, long pregnancy," he said. "I mean, all those eggs were all taken out of you on the same day and fertilized on the same day..." "So it's like they're all part of the same process." At first …
What IVF Taught Me
I recently completed my first cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF). It is a long and detailed process, requiring lots of resources, money, time, and patience. The first stage involves, ironically, taking oral contraceptives to reset the hormone milieu and force all eggs into a senescent, follicular …