Getting to the baby!

So we decided to jump in and start the process of conceiving a baby!  Brian and I went ahead and met with Dr. Johnson @ ARMS to discuss the process in which we will be going through to complete PGD (pre-implementation genetic diagnosis) and IVF in order to have a healthy baby.  We started the creation of the probes in August 2011. These probes will allow the Dr. to test a biopsy of the embryos in order to determine if they have the genetic mutation Brian carries.  I received a call from my favorite nurse at the office telling me they think the probes will be ready within the next four weeks!  Wow what a HUGE step for us in expanding our family.  I couldn't really believe it was true, up to this point i have talked about having a baby "next year" as that was always my response and I have been enjoying all my friend's little ones.  This hit home for sure and I realized sooner than later I am going to be a mom.  For me this realization is scary and exciting, having no relationship with my own mother I look to the future to have the relationship with my kids I always longed for in a mother.  I spent years watching my friends have their mom's there for all the joys and sorrows in life and what a gift it is for me to be able to have my own child to develop that relationship with.

The call from our nurse, Kate also included details as to when we could start the process of having a baby.  I began to realize that before this year was over there was a good possibility I could be pregnant.  What a crazy thought, me ready to have a baby or two and carry them in my belly.  Well the test will be done soon and in December we can decide to have the eggs retrieved and then fertilized and tested, then one week later we can do a transfer of one or two embryos and see what happens.  Let's hope fate is on our side!  As it happened we weren't able to start the medicines and egg retrieval until after the first of the year.  I started on medicines right after the first of the year, many shots and blood tests to determine when the follicles would be ready to produce eggs!  On January 27th, the dr. retrieved 18 eggs and that began our journey!

On day 3 the embryos are biopsied and sent to a lab to be tested with the previously developed probes.  By day 3 of the 18 eggs, only 6 had developed into the embryo stage needed.  On day 5 we receive the results and the transfer is scheduled to put in no more than 2 eggs.   Awaiting the results was very concerning and nerve racking, we didn't know if any of the embryos would be viable and all the work we had gone through would have to start over.  On day 5(2-1-12) the call was that 2 embryos had the genetic mutation, 2 were undetermined and 2 would be fine to transfer.  Yay!  We are transferring 2 embryos.....then bed rest for 3 days so they can implant.  This was a trying time, hoping that at least one of these little embryos would take to my body!  Luckily we did get one baby!  The news I have to say was a little disappointing as we had already come to the realization it could be 2 and we wouldn't be going through this process again, however after the news sank in we were overjoyed to have one healthy baby!  

Since all of the testing, shots, medicine the pregnancy has been an easy one so far.  Slight nausea in the evenings and lots of days filled with no energy but all worth it for my little one.

The hard part was our decision to try and keep this between us,  we are there to support one another and this is such a personal choice to pursue PGD and IVF, but we still want to share that moment with our family and friends to tell them..."we are expecting!".  So we kept our lips sealed for 12 weeks and finally were able to share our excitement with friends and family.  We are now eagerly awaiting our baby's arrival on October 19th.