Photo Credit: Flickr

(This post title makes me laugh…)

Remember my Hysterectomy post?

Well, here is a little update on that post…

I was scheduled to have a hysterectomy this month (August). I had a good long visit with my doctor after going back and forth and up and down and all over the place with my own thoughts on the whole surgery. Something with the whole idea of hysterectomy was not sitting well with me and I was restless and sleepless for a good couple of weeks.

I love my regular gynecologist here in St. George! He’s always been great but I haven’t seen him in over a year because I got switched over to my interfitlity doctor. Dr. L and I had a good long talk about everything, how I was feeling and his own thoughts and concerns. So here is the scoop.

Doctor L is concerned that if we were to do a hysterectomy there could always be complications, which could lead to him having to remove my ovaries. This would be a sad, sad day because I NEED my eggs to do this whole thing. He also expressed that I’m young and active and this would “take me out” for a good, long time. The risks out-weighed the benefits at the end of the day…

Instead of hysterectomy, I will undergo a couple of biopsies and then have a procedure down called the NovaSure ablation procedure. You can read about it right here at this link! It will help me to stop bleeding (FINALLY) and it’s less-invasive. The procedure, however, does take away any hope of ever getting pregnant on your own. Although this is something I already know about myself, it’s still a little tough putting that final nail in the coffin so-to-speak.

None-the-less, it’s time! I will have this procedure done in the next month (before I start back to school) so I will keep you all posted!

Side Note: One of the requirements for myself and my sister is that we have to get on the same cycle at the same time, using birth control pills. The problem is, birth control has not stopped my bleeding and I’ve been totally unable to get synced with my sister. This could be problematic as we begin the medical procedure to all this…this procedure could help as I would just need hormone injections to produce eggs. 

Enough about my uterus...sheesh!

Legally Confused

Image From: Flickr

It’s been far too long since I’ve updated everyone on how the puzzle campaign is going. That being said, I could list to you the millions of reasons, why but I won’t! Instead, I will fill you in piece by piece on how our journey is progressing. I had to break it into a few posts, because well…my OCD brain couldn’t handle it all in one.

As you may have guessed from my “oh-so-creative” post title, this one is about the legality of the whole thing (It’s actual more interesting than you would think…so keep reading…).

We are currently in the midst of legal stuff…lots, and lots, and lots, of legal STUFF! Our lawyer is wonderful and thank goodness because it’s an exhausting and confusing process!

In late July we met with him for this first time and instantly felt great about our decision to change lawyers (I won’t go into detail on this right now). We spent HOURS discussing all the protocol and legal things we were about to embark on! It was EXHAUSTING and our brains were FRIED after our meeting, Ambree and Lucas were there and were champs through the tedious, wordy mumble jumble. So here’s the scoop…

Our lawyer’s main job in this process is to draft a contract between myself, Lucas, Derek and Ambree (my sister and brother-in-law). We have been discussing this contract for months now because it is a MAJOR part of the process. The contract is a good thing to have to make sure all parties are taken care of and have their input.

It’s been an interesting process for sure. As parents, we have had to make some serious decisions about a child we don’t even have yet, probably much sooner than others may have to. We have to work through a lot of feelings on what lengths we will go to for our baby while at the same time making sure my sister is taken care of, safe, and is going to still be able to be a good mom to Gavin and Maycee while carrying our baby.

The contract is being written right now and should be completed in a week or two.

Now for the remainder of the legal stuff, my brain has had to process a lot so I hope this information is all accurate (this is my disclaimer that it may not be) but I’ll do my best.

Once we have a contract we will need to present it to a judge for approval. This is basically a “go ahead” to start the medical process. This will be a happy, glorious day for us that we are all looking forward to.

HOWEVER, because the state of Utah treats gestational carriers like adoption, we have to go through a very similar process. We are petitioning to get the home visit waved (because it’s about $1,000) extra. It’s normally waved in nearly all g.c. cases so we are crossing our fingers this will be same for us. We just submitted our fingerprints for FBI background checks and are collecting letters stating we will make good parents now!

Despite our frustration, and downright anger at times, that we have to go through all of this to have OUR OWN BABY, we are hanging in and doing what we need to do. HOWEVER, we have BIG plans down the road to push for many changes in this process. Some days the anger mounts, and mounts, and mounts but we move forward…

(I’m sure you will hear more ranting about this down the road, but this was my “nice way of saying it” for the time being.)

Our lawyer will also help with things once we have a live birth. As it stands today, when the baby is born, my sister and MY husband will be listed as the parents until we go to court for me to get custody of MY OWN baby. Yep, let that one sink in for a bit!

I think that was enough detail for the time being on the legal end of things. Again we love our lawyer and our very thankful he is working so hard on our case and taking as much stress off of us as he possibly can…what a relief!

It was kind of a big deal...

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

January 22, 2014, Appointment with Dr. Foulk in Pleasant Grove. Ambree's physical exam and doctor consultation.

Holy cow you guys, yesterday was INCREDIBLE.

My infertility doctor is so great, Lucas and I have had a wonderful experience with him thus far. HOWEVER, we had never talked to him directly about our plans to use a gestational carrier so were a little weary of how he would react.  We have talked to others in his office, but not him. At our last meeting at his office, his advisor warned us that he would try to talk me into giving IVF a try on my own first. This worried me because I just KNOW, in my heart, that THIS (using a carrier) is what we are supposed to do.

Needless to say I was very nervous for our appointment yesterday. I hoped I could stand my ground but it's a pretty emotional subject so I was worried I'd just fall apart in his office.

Yesterday was FANTASTIC! Dr. Foulk is so great. He sat down and let us talk right off the bat, he listened to our worries, concerns, excitement, anxiety...all of it. And the absolute best part...HE'S TOTALLY ON BOARD!! He didn't question my decision for a second, was so great with Ambree and was thorough, honest and encouraging. I have NO doubt at all that he was guided yesterday by a higher power. When he walked into the room, all my anxiety just left, it was incredible! I haven't even said this out loud to anyone yet but I felt like that office was full of people, it was strange. I have a feeling we had a lot of cheerleaders from the other side there at this appointment with us. We prayed so hard before we left for Salt Lake, and I know many of you did as well; those prayers were heard and answered in a BIG way.

I am more excited than ever and can't wait to start this journey. This is the checklist we currently our working on:

1. Get Ambree cleared to be a carrier. CHECK!
2. Find a lawyer and set up our contract.
3. Get all our psych evals done. (Yep, Lucas, me, Ambree & Derek all have to pass pscyh exams before we get the go-ahead).
4. Get on same birth control. CHECK!
5. SAVE UP $20,000!
6. Get Ambree's water ultrasound done.
7. Start therapy sessions together (we have to do counseling together befor embryo transplant).
8. Begin the process of hormone injections (for both Ambree and I).
9. Perform the egg extraction (Deja).
10. Make embryo's.
11. Transfer the winning/best embryo.
12. Embryo attaches and WE'RE PREGNANT (ideally).

I get goose bumps just writing this. I am giddy with excitement.

NOW, please pray for PATIENCE for me. Waiting for the funding is going to be hard cause I'm just so anxious to get moving on making a Lucas & Deja baby!

THANK YOU all for your continual love and support. We love you all and are eternally grateful for your love and charity!