Thursday, May 31, 2007

IVF and Adoption...that is what is left

It has taken me three days to write this blog. I have had more trouble writing this blog than any other blog I have written.

I had my follow up with my RE on Wednesday. Doesn't look good for me right now.

He told me it was too risky to move forward with IUI. There would probably be many more cancelled cycles either due to lack of follicle maturation or having too many mature follicles. (Finding the happy medium between the two is going to be very difficult) The risk of multiples (more than 2) is very high and I would probably be faced with multiple miscarriages. *Boy doesn't that sound cheery*


So, our options are adoption and IVF (InVitro Fertilization). One IVF alone costs $16,000. Granted, Dr. R said he feels very strongly that I would get multiple embryos (which we could freeze and use at a later date) which kind of softens the financial blow a little bit...but...$16,000!!!


It isn't just the money either. It is everything. I haven't been able to allow myself to mourn the last cancelled cycle as well as this news from Dr. R. I am sick of being sad! I am tired of being bitter. I went to the grocery store last night and every pregnant woman I saw, I made a face at. (not to her face, of course cowardly behind her back) Every pregnancy test commercial on TV I flip the bird to. It is childish, immature, and ridiculous but I don't know how else to handle this.

Every time I see previews for the movie "Knocked Up" I want to put my fist through a wall or throw up all over our 42" T.V. I don't want to watch T.V. because I am scared I will see a baby or pregnancy test commercial or birth control commercial. I don't want to go in public because I don't want to see pregnant women, newborn babies or just kids in general.

I just want to dig a tunnel to some deserted island and go there. By myself. So I can kick, scream, cry, throw my temper tantrum, cuss, bite, throw sand etc. I want to have a full on two year old's temper tantrum. I want to bang my head on the wall, stomp my feet, cry until there is snot covering my face, and hold my breath until I pass out.

Because I don't how to handle this. I don't know how to handle the sadness and depression I feel, I don't know how to handle the inadequacy I feel, I don't know how to handle the shame I feel, I don't know how to handle the anger I feel, I don't know how to handle my church and my *tested* faith, I don't know how to handle the fact that I don't feel like a woman. At all.

I have started doing research on both IVF and adoption. We will be attending an IVF orientation class either in late June or July. I have also contacted some local adoption agencies and have requested information packets from them. **sigh** Sometimes I wonder if all of this shit is worth it. I don't know how much more of this I can handle emotionally.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nichole I am sorry to hear about everything you are going through. I don't have rthe words to express my concern about your health, both physical and mental (but especially mental health!) I am really worried about you. I wish that I didn't live so far away I would come over and give you a big hug and a shoulder for support.

Crystal

Anonymous said...

I know it just shouldn't be this hard should it? You and Pace have some big decisions to make.

Lean on God, He will get you through this. I'm here if you need me.

Unknown said...

Hi Nichole, I hope I am not too late to comment on this post. I too live in AZ. I'm down in Tucson and I am guessing you are up in Phoenix probably. You mentioned that IVF up there costs $16000. I thought I'd mention my RE. He's here in Tucson which is a drive, but he is MUCH less expensive than $16000. He only costs $5500 for a run of the mill standard IVF. That does not include meds. But even if you include meds (down in Nogales you can buy the Repronex necessary for about $1200 as opposed to $4500 from our pharmacies) and the Lupron will cost $300. If you need other things I can get you the prices for that too (for example assisted hatching, ICSI, donor eggs etc). They have a really good record for getting people pregnant. They even have patients coming from as far away as South Africa and the UK and South America too just to see my doctor. Let me know if you want more information! If money is a serious factor for you, this may be the way to go. Even with hotel costs during retrieval/transfer week it would cost less than $16000! OK, so I just thought I'd mention it...I hope it helps!
xxoo
Lara

Anonymous said...

Just want to say that I love your poem about losing friends due to the struggle with infertility.

I've gone through the same thing, I've let go of several friendships. One was a lady I'd known for years, when she found out we had trouble conceiving, she started pressuring me to "just get over it and adopt". It is not that simple.