I Met My New Couple!

So the agency asked me the other week if I would be willing to meet the couple I had been matched with for my next cycle, and I agreed, so we finally had our supervised meeting this past week. I was super nervous - it's like the most hectic job interview ever - but it actually went pretty well. I know they felt more comfortable with their decision, so that put me at ease, and it's always nice to put a face with a name. They understand my crazy schedule over the next 2 months, and were super nice about it, so we'll be all set to go in March. :)

Donating Again!

Well, it happened waaaay faster than I was expecting, but I've been matched with a couple to donate again! The agency asked me last week if I would want to donate again, and I said yes, but with some exceptions.... Yesterday, I received the call saying that I had been matched, and another couple wants me to be their donor! Since my schedule is pretty hectic over the next few months, we'll be waiting to do the cycle until March. I'm pretty excited that someone chose me again, and it looks like I won't have to do much driving this time, so hopefully it's an easy cycle!

Exciting News!!!!!!!

The recipient is pregnant!! I am sooo happy for them, and so relieved that my eggs were good! :) After the amount of hormones I had to use to get mature eggs, I was a bit worried, but it looks like everything worked out just fine!

Gifts

So this past week I received my compensation check. That will definitely be a nice help while I'm finishing up school this semester. I also got a package from the agency with several gifts inside. The agency gave me a really pretty silver Tiffany-style chain necklace with a heart pendant, and a gift certificate to Burke-Williams spa. The recipient couple gave me a very elegant gold necklace with black beads from a local jewelry designer, and a very thoughtful, heartfelt letter. I really appreciated the gifts, they were such a nice surprise! Jewelry is always nice, especially with the kind of work I'll be going into, and a massage will be awesome! The letter meant a lot to me, and it's nice to know that they don't just see me as some kind of egg-producing machine! I really hope they get pregnant, and I should hear something soon!

Feeling Normal Again!

So I went in for my follow-up yesterday, and my ultrasound & blood work looked good, and I feel a lot better now! My stomach feels normal again, it seems like my digestive system is back on track, and I am back to my normal weight! :)

I don't know if I would want to donate again, or whether another couple would even want me after the amount of hormones I had to use to stimulate properly. I would consider it, but only if I am allowed to still drink coffee, and keep taking my normal fiber supplements. I also will absolutely refuse to drive over 1200 miles for doctor visits again! So, we'll see...

For now, I'm just happy that I did it, and that they were able to retrieve 10 good eggs that all fertilized!

Retrieval Day

We got to the doc's at 6am this morning, filled out paperwork, then I got into the lovely gown and got my IV put in. I absolutely hate the sight of blood, and had to close my eyes when blood started pouring down my arm when the IV went in! At 7am, they finally started giving me some pain meds or something, and wheeled me into the operating room. They told me I would be under general anesthesia, so I was happy about that. Then they had me move over to the operating table, and then asked me some questions. The anesthesiologist asked me some questions and told me I'd feel the meds going in & would probably feel cold. The doc gave me an extra blanket to keep me warm, and I was just looking around and listening to everyone for a couple of minutes. I was sitting there thinking, "gosh, is this stuff going to kick in soon & knock me out, or what?!" I didn't have to get in the stirrups like other donors I've read about, they must have done that after I was out, which I am happy about, because I wouldn't want to remember that feeling of embarrassment! I was looking at the ceiling when I finally went out.

I woke up in the recovery room in pain! I remember the left side hurting really bad, and my throat was super dry and sore. I pulled my knees up to help alleviate the pain in my abdomen, and started to cry. The nurse gave me pain meds in the IV and went and got my DH. He came in, and I was still hurting, and I think I was still about to cry. The meds finally kicked in, and I started to relax. The bed was up at an angle, so I motioned to him that I wanted to lay flat, and he told the nurse. I also did not like the feeling of the pillow under my head, so he moved it, and let me hold it on my chest (like I normally sleep at night!) I came to pretty slowly, and finally I felt okay enough to have the bed put up again so I could drink some water. I think I went through 2 bags of fluids in my IV! I asked the nurse how many eggs they got, and she first told me 8, but then told me 10 later on. Apparently, 8 of them were from the left side, that's why it hurt so bad, and only 2 from the right.

The icing on the cake was that I found out I have a lovely bladder infection! I had to pee in a cup before the retrieval, so I guess that's how they found it. The nurse said you can get a bladder infection as a side effect of all the hormone injections, so the doc gave me a prescription for that. Awesome! (sarcasm)

After we got home, I slept for a few hours, then watched tv and relaxed on the couch for the rest of the day. I took a few of the painkillers the doc gave me throughout the day, but my abdomen still hurts. I think part of the pain is from the retrieval, but the other part is from my lovely "irregularity." The hormones took a toll on my digestive system, and no amount of fiber was helping. So I'm pretty sure my intestines are pushing against my sore ovaries, and making the pain worse than it would normally be. I hope it gets better really soon, because I have to go back to work tomorrow, and school on Wednesday!!

That's all for now!

The rest of the week before retrieval

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were more blood tests & ultrasounds. Since my body hasn't responded like the average donor's, she wanted to keep a close eye on the follicle growth and estrogen levels each day. Saturday everything was looking good, so I finally got to do the HCG trigger shot Saturday night. On Sunday, my dear husband and I drove in to the doc's again for one last blood test, then had a day of fun. We went to breakfast, thrift-store shopping, and visited the beach. After that, we checked in to our hotel, since we would have to be back at the doc's at 6am the next day. We stayed at the Hyatt, since they allow pets & I was originally planning on bringing my pups. The hotel was paid for of course, and we got a nice per diem as well to go have dinner. We lucked out, and there was a special deal for a bunch of great restaurants in the city, so that people can try out some of the best restaurants for a fraction of the normal price. Our dinner was pretty good, and it was in a really famous part of the city, so that was fun. The only bummer was that I would have really liked a glass of wine with such a fabulous dinner! Oh well, next time. After dinner, we just headed back to the hotel, and watched a little tv before turning in for the night.

:)

Yay! So my blood tests came back good yesterday - my estrogen levels went up - so the doctor decided to continue on with the cycle. I went in today for another checkup, and all of my follicles have grown. I have two that are 14mm, a couple that are 12, and 5 that are 10. So, everything is looking good now, and I took the first Ganirelex shot today (to keep me from ovulating). I go in again tomorrow, and we're looking at a possible retrieval on Sunday or Monday. I am really hoping for a Sunday retrieval, so that I'll have someone here to pick me up, and so I can go back to work on Tuesday. But, we'll just have to wait and see what my crazy body does!

:(

So... the past 3 days I've had ultrasounds and bloodwork - which meant driving 160 miles each day! Ick. What's even worse is that my follicles don't seem to be growing fast enough. The doctor increased the dosage on both medications again yesterday, but there still wasn't much growth seen on today's ultrasound. She said depending on what the blood tests show this afternoon, she might cancel the cycle. I feel so bad for my couple. I know they've been waiting for this for such a long time, and then for me to go through almost the entire cycle, only to not have it work, really sucks. I'm crossing my fingers that everything turns out okay so we can finish the cycle, but I'll just have to wait and see.

The doctor also said that my body is responding to the medications similar to a woman in her 40s (which I am not even close to!) She recommended that if I want to have children of my own, that I start trying very soon (like no more than 2-3 years). So... that's a lot to think about. I know we want kids of our own, but I know we're not ready this year for sure. Next year is questionable, and the year after that might be okay. It really worries me that I might not even be able to have children of my own if I wait much longer. This was not in my master plan!

So, until later...

Days 3-6

Not much to report these past few days. The injections have been going better, and I haven't gotten dizzy anymore! I had an ultrasound and bloodwork done yesterday, and everything looked good, but the doctor increased the dose on both medications, so I will have to pick up more meds on Sunday when I go in for my next ultrasound. I also found out that the agency will definitely let me know if my couple gets pregnant in a few weeks, so I really hope it works for them, and I'm happy that I'll get to know one way or the other.

2nd Night of injections...

...not quite as bad last night, but I did get a bruise pretty much immediately after the Menopur injection. :( Not sure why it bruised today and not yesterday... All I do know is the Menopur shots sure do hurt!!

First shots

Tonight was my first night of injections... The nurse showed me how to do everything last week, so it was pretty simple getting everything together. The follistim pen is super easy, you just put in the cartridge, screw on the tiny needle, dial up the dosage, and inject it into your lower abdomen. It wasn't too bad, it stung a little, but nothing horrible. The menopur is a little more complicated - you have to take 1 cc of saline solution, then mix it with the menopur powder. Since I'm supposed to administer 2 menopur powders a day, I then had to withdraw the mixed solution and add it to another powder, then withdraw the entire solution. After switching to the small needle, I gave myself the injection next to the spot where I did the follistim. This one stung a lot more, and continued to sting even after I pulled out the needle. I thought I was doing ok, so I cleaned up, put the needles into the sharps container, and started to pack everything up. But then I started to feel really dizzy. I've fainted in the past when I've had my blood taken, and occasionally when I got various vaccinations and novocaine shots, and it hasn't happened in awhile, but I still recognize the feeling. So... I had to lay down for awhile until the feeling passed. I think it was just the shock of actually injecting something into myself for the first time in my life, but I think from now on, I'll sit down while I give myself the shots! Hopefully this isn't a nightly occurrence...

T-1 Day!

Tomorrow is my last day of waiting! The cycle officially starts on Sunday, so tomorrow will be the last day I can exercise and have any caffeine or alcohol. So, I plan on fitting a lot into one day! First, I think I'll hit the gym, then I'm going shoe-shopping (and get coffee), then to dinner with a friend (and drink wine), and finally some bowling!

Almost ready to start...

Two and a half hour drive in traffic to the doc's today. :( Got 4 vials of blood taken, had an ultrasound, and had cultures done - to check my estrogen level before the cycle starts, make sure my ovaries are quiet and redo all the FDA required tests, since they have to be done within 30 days of egg retrieval. I also had a nice little instruction class on how to mix the Menopur, and how to inject that and the Follistim. The nurse even helped me stick myself with the little needle once, just so I could see what it would feel like, and get over the fear of injecting myself for the first time! When I got home (another 2 hour trip!), the Fed-Ex guy arrived with all the meds! I unpacked everything and made sure everything was there from the packing list, and made sure to put the Lupron trigger shot in the fridge. Now, I just have to wait until next Sunday to start all of this fun!

Cleared to start the cycle!

So, all the lab work checked out, the contracts have been signed, and I finally received the calendar and tentative retrieval date! Next week I go in for more blood work :( and an ultrasound, then finish up my active BCPs, and the following week I'll be starting the medications - Follistim & Menopur. Unfortunately, I have to drive to the clinic to pick up all my meds, and their office is 75 miles away! After that, I'll be monitored by a local clinic, and then I won't have to drive that far again until the last 3 ultrasounds, so that's good. I'm just getting a little freaked out after watching a youtube video of a girl giving herself the injections. I know they're small needles, and subcutaneous injections, but she started to bleed, and it made me feel nauseous to watch it! Hopefully I get over that, otherwise I'm gonna need help with my injections every day...

Side note time... I had a dream the other night about the potential child that the recipient couple could have using my eggs! Very bizarre. It was a little girl in my dream, and she was about 2 years old. The really strange part was that she had brown hair - and I'm blond! Guess maybe the father in my dream has dark hair... Anyway, it was just weird to dream about a child that's "half me" that's not even going to be mine. I've never even had a dream about my own future children. Wonder what it means... Oh well, enough about that! Back to homework now. :)

More Blood Tests and Ultrasounds

So after my last post, I went in for the repeat blood test to check my hormone levels and to have an ultrasound done as well. They only took one vial of blood, so it wasn't too bad.

Since I was out of state for the summer, I had to make an appointment for my full medical screening with the recipient's doctor after I got home. So, a few weeks later, I had to drive 75 miles to get to the docs, and that lovely appointment lasted about an hour. They took about 7 vials of blood - to test for STDs, genetic disorders, fragile-X, blood-glucose, etc. They also did a lovely PAP smear and STD check, then talked to me about the procedure.

About 2 week later, I was finally notified that all of my blood work came back and I was all clear. No STDs, no genetic disorders, and I was good to go! Now, I'm just waiting on the lawyers to finish up the contracts, and then I'll receive the timeline and schedule from the doctor. If all goes well, I'll be starting the medication cycle next week. For most of my monitoring appointments, I'll be seeing a doctor in the next town over, so that won't be too bad. But, for the last 3 ultrasounds to monitor the follicle and egg growth, I'll have to drive to the recipient's doctor, which is 75 miles away in a very busy metropolitan area, where there is always bad traffic. So that won't be fun at all. The agency has offered to put me up in a hotel for those 3 days if the appointments are 3 days in a row, so I won't have to make the 150-mile round trip! So hopefully that works out.

As a side note, all of this thinking about babies and biological clocks has made me start to want children of my own and soon! My DH & I have decided it's not in our best interest to try to have kids for at least another 2 years though, so hopefully I can wait and I'll still be fertile then!

Until next time...

The Waiting Game and More Blood Tests

So it's been awhile since I blogged about this whole experience, but not a whole lot has happened yet. I spoke with a geneticist, a lawyer, and we figured out the timeline for the medications and retrieval - which will be mid-August to mid-September. Unfortunately, my hormone levels were too suppressed from the birth control patch I use, so they switched me to a low-dose pill, and I have to redo all of my blood work :( and get an ultrasound next week after my next period starts. I'm sooo not looking forward to giving more blood, it's just about the worst feeling in the world!

I've been traveling with my DH this summer, and his kids came out to visit for a few weeks, so that was fun. We headed to a family reunion as well, and got to do some sightseeing along the way - some of the big monuments and national parks, so that was really cool. I'll be headed back home in August, and I guess that's when the hormone injections will start. They're hoping to do the retrieval in mid-September, so I'll update more once the meds start!

Blood Test

Today was the dreaded blood test to check my hormone levels... The agency emailed the doctor's address to me yesterday, and told me to call this morning to go in for the test. Unfortunately, the closest doctor on their special list or whatever was an hour away from our house! So when I called the doctor's office this morning, the earliest I said I could get there was 11:30. But, since I had to drive through a major metropolitan area, I hit traffic, and people were driving slow, so of course I got there late! Grrrr. Then, when I finally found the place, I discovered that it wasn't a cute little doctor's office like I had imagined, but a huge medical complex, that required parking in a stupid parking garage! So after I finally got up to the office, I was almost 30 minutes late. Boo. Oh well, at least they still got me in!

The blood-drawing nurse (phlebotomist?) was really nice, and stayed with me when I started to faint from all the blood they took! I think they took 3 vials of blood. Sometimes I start to black out after getting my blood taken, and I thought I was going to be ok this time, but when I thought I was ready to go, I started to feel really dizzy, and everything started getting spotty and black. Then I knew I better put my head between my legs and drink some juice! It took about 15 minutes before I finally felt well enough to stand up and leave. I hope there aren't many more blood draws like this!!

A Couple Wants Me!

So... my match coordinator "N" called to tell me last week that a couple wants me to be their donor! I didn't get the message until late Friday, so I wasn't able to call her back until Monday. She said that the couple was super excited about my profile, and that I was the kind of person that "they would love to have at their dinner table." They were looking for someone local, to keep expenses down, and wanted to get the process started right away. Unfortunately, since I'm out of the state for the summer, I would have to wait until August to start the cycle, unless they wanted me to travel to see thei doctor (which would cost more - and they didn't want to do that.) But, they didn't want to have anyone other than me to be their donor, so they're willing to wait!

So now I have a new cycle coordinator, "K". "K" is supposed to set up an appointment for me up here, for my "3rd day" blood test. Apparently, they can do that at just about any lab, and it tests my hormone levels or something. After that, she'll help me coordinate my cycle with the recipient in August.

Other than that, now it's just a waiting game. I'm just really excited that someone wants me to be their donor!

My Profile Is Up!

Well I spoke to the agency today, trying to figure out whether a paralegal I know can be the proctor for my psych test. They said that would be fine, so I'll be taking that this week or next, whenever it arrives in the mail. It's the "NEO P-IR" psych test, which I read a little bit about online, seems easy enough. Anyone ever take it before?

While we were talking, the coordinator (who I'll call "N" from now on) said that my profile had been completed and was up online now. She said that she or her co-worker, "V" would be in touch with me soon with any matches. They said that I've caused "quite a stir" in the office - I guess my time in the military and academic achievements carry a lot of weight, combined with the fact that I'm very adventurous and athletic!

Anyway, I've been watching those baby & adoption stories on TLC lately, and it brings a tear to my eye every time I see a couple struggle to conceive on their own without success. It just confirms that I have made the right decision to go forward with this process. My DH is quite supportive, he just wants to make sure I'll have some eggs left for him if we decide to have kids of our own down the road! He's not too ecstatic about the "no sex" for a few weeks, but I reminded him that his kids will be staying with us for half of the summer - so if I do my cycle during that time, it would be perfect, since we won't be having sex anyway with his kids in the next room!

I'm not too excited about the shots though, that's still a big drawback for me. I HATE needles. I got on YouTube and watched some women giving themselves the shots though, and most of them didn't look too bad. The Lupron & FSH shots are usually with teeny tiny little needles, and most people swear it didn't even hurt. The HCG shots looks bad though - big huge needle (one woman said it was an 18 gauge needle!), and it's intra-muscular - NOT fun! I might need my DH's help with that one. Luckily, he's been through some medical training for work, and has given shots and put in IVs before. I'm also pretty worried about OHSS, but have read a lot about it, including the warning signs and treatment protocols. It seems that I have a lower chance of developing the syndrome, since I'm at the older range of donors. Younger women are more prone to develop OHSS, and since I'm so aware of the possibility, I think I'll know what to look for.

Now, off to study for more law school finals... Ohh fun!

:)

The Phone Interview

Well, today was my phone interview with my match coordinator. It lasted about an hour, and most of the information was stuff I had already put in my application. She asked me to tell her a little bit more about myself, basically expanding on all the personality questions. I asked her my list of questions too, and was happy with all of her answers. It sounds like a simple enough process, the biggest thing I'm afraid of is the daily injections! The next step is for me to sign some forms, my donor profile will be posted, and then I'll start the psych test (I guess they want to make sure you're not crazy! Actually, I'm sure it's just to make sure you can handle giving up your eggs and won't feel some unbearable connection to the child someday). After I'm matched, I'll talk with a geneticist and a lawyer, then I'll go in for my medical screening. Apparently that may require traveling to the recipient's doctor, so if they're not from around here, I hope it is somewhere that I've never been! After the screening - and blood draw
:( - I'll go on the pill so my cycle will be matched with the recipient's, and then I'll start the various injections. First is Lupron, to stop ovulation, then is a follicle-stimulating drug, and finally the "trigger" shot - HCG. About 36 hours later, the retrieval takes place. If I have to travel, I'll be wherever the recipient is for about 5 days during the retrieval process. After that, I go on bed rest, and then go home!

The girl was very nice, and we had a great conversation. She made me feel at ease about the whole process, and really made me feel like I was making the right decision. Based on my educational level, athletic abilities (and I'm sure physical attributes), the agency has classified me as a "top donor" which gives me even more compensation for my time, and a greater chance that I'll be matched with a couple right away, which is good, because I would really like to do this over the summer, with a retrieval sometime in August. It would be ideal, because I won't have to stress about school when I'm running around to these doctor appointments and injecting hormones into my body, and my husband will be working every day. Great way to spend summer vacation, huh?!

Anyway, I'm excited. I can't believe I actually decided to do this, and it looks like it's really going to happen! More updates to come!

The beginning of a new experience...

So I've decided to start a blog to track my experiences as a new egg donor. My journey is just getting started, and I have some idea of what to expect, but I'd like to chronicle every step in the process. Hopefully, my experiences can help other people who are considering egg donation, and provide an accurate account that I can go back and read someday after this whole process is over.

This is something I've been thinking about for a few years. I don't want children of my own right now, since I'm currently a busy law student, and my husband is often away on business. But, I would like to provide the opportunity to someone else, who is not able to conceive on their own. So the thought was bouncing around in the back of my head for awhile, and just recently I got around to doing some real research on the topic. I read several other donors' blogs, as well as news stories, research papers, donor websites, forums, etc. After looking into several agencies in my area, I finally chose a highly-respected agency that has been around for almost 20 years. There have been countless positive reviews and several news stories about the agency, so I felt very comfortable with their reputation.

The application was easy enough. I went on to their website, read about the process and the qualification requirements, and then filled out the short pre-screening application. The next day I was notified that I had "passed" the initial screening, and was asked to go back to the website to fill out a more complete application and upload some photos. This application was much longer and much more detailed. They want to know all about you - education, SAT scores, GPA, ethnic background, height, weight, hair color, medical conditions, family medical conditions, including any causes of death for grandparents, parents, and siblings, etc. They also want to know why you are doing this, what your philosophy on life is, what kinds of things you like to do, and much more. I finally completed the full application after about an hour, and then uploaded about 10 pictures of myself - from birth to present. I received a confirmation email, and was told I would be contacted in a few days.

After about 3 or 4 days, I received an email from the agency, saying that my application had been accepted, and that I was an "ideal" candidate. They told me what the next few steps would be, and attached some documents that I would need to fill out and return. I also received a more personal email from their "matching" coordinator, asking to set up a time for a phone interview. After a few exchanges, we settled on a time for the following week. Since I was right in the middle of final exam time for school, I had to schedule a time when I knew I wouldn't be too stressed out about studying! Then I read the documents they sent, and was surprised to learn that if I was chosen to be a donor, I would receive compensation for my time in an amount that was way more than I had been expecting! The other documents were various contracts, including an agreement to meet with a geneticist. Apparently they screen you for all kinds of genetic disorders, which I am not aware that I have any, but I guess we'll find out soon enough!

So there we are, that's all there is to tell for now. My phone interview is this Thursday, and after that I'll find out what the next few steps are!