Saturday, October 27, 2012

The only time weekends suck

Tonight, I'm looking forward to a comfy night in while the rain buckets down outside and GB heads off to a music concert.  The movie is ordered through Apple TV and pizza should be on its way anytime soon.  So I thought I'd scribe a blog entry while I wait, listening to the familiar sounds of Gardening Australia on the TV in the background.

Our SM should have had her beta HCG test today to find out if she's pregnant.  Based on past experience, SI wont have the results to us until Monday as their office is closed on a Sunday.  Hence the title of the blog.  As if the 2WW isn't enough, timing would have it that we have to wait an extra day.  Needless to say, we're fairly experienced with this part of the process being the 3rd transfer and all.

Over the last week, I've reflected on the last 12 months since we made the decision to undergo surrogacy through India.  I must admit, the optimist and naivety in me expected that we'd be pregnant by now.  Although financially we prepared for the worst case scenario that it wouldn't happen on the first attempt, I don't think we ever actually thought we would be at our 3rd attempt and the prospect that that too, might come back negative.

I think I have read nearly every surrogacy blog out there and the backstory to everyone who has successfully gone through the process.  Although statistically someone will always get pregnant on the first attempt - which happened quite a bit on the blogs I've read - I was hoping we wouldn't be in the group that still aren't pregnant after 3 attempts.  I have to admit, I'm kinda numb to the whole transfer process these days.  The only thing at the moment that elicits any level of emotion is opening up the financial tracking spreadsheet to see how much we've spent and how much longer we can continue.  It's not the emotion we are really wanting to experience at this stage in the journey.  I am unable to get excited at all about the process as it seems so fraught with disappointment and with odds stacked against you.  Add on top of that continuing "communication" and "integrity" issues with our clinic and I am green with reading some of the other blogs out there of those who are pregnant and have a clinic who, or at least seem to, give a shit.

I continue to rationalise in my head that at some point it will change.  I am just hoping that change will come before we the dollars run out.

So here's hoping Ms. V has worked a major miracle and has a jelly bean growing inside her.  The Veuve is still sitting there quietly, waiting to be opened with the news eventually comes.

Reading back - this entry is a little on the negative side, so I will remain upbeat and end on a positive note.  The Melbourne flat has now gone unconditional and will settle in mid November which is a great relief.  My sister and nephews (including the one who predicted that we would have a little boy back in our third post) are visiting next week which I am very excited about.  I'm hoping my nephew will be able to give us an update on when the baby might be coming....As soon as I know, I'll let you guys know too!

That's the door - a gastronomic distraction from the blogging and surrogacy world awaits.  Until the next exciting(?) installment....

GBLC









Thursday, October 18, 2012

Deja vu?

Okay - so we're back in the 2WW again for the third time.

We received e-mail confirmation on Tuesday that our embryo transfer occurred on Monday 15th October.

3 buns were put in the oven, all Grade 1, with 1 x 4 cell, 1 x 8 cell and 1 x compacting.

We have also just received the news that some of our friends received the fantastic news that their little one arrived on Tuesday night and have since flown out to Mumbai to meet their new bub.  Congratulations boys!  We look forward to meeting the little tyke once you get back.

The good news keeps coming with an offer being made on our flat in Melbourne - which we have accepted.  So things are looking good at the moment after a very trying few months, both on the Surrogacy front and with some quite unsettling times at work following major restructuring.  Thankfully, we're not directly affected, but the number of colleagues and staff has certainly created an air of low morale, angst and unhappiness - as you would expect! 

Sydney was a great break and we really enjoyed the time out.  The downside was coming back to reality - but there's plenty to look forward to in the next few months and we're hoping that we can add a pregnancy into things to look forward to.

So for now, we wait until 27/28/29 October we we'll get the result of the bHCG test.

Fingers and toes people....fingers and toes!




Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Change Tack

Well after two unsuccessful attempts, we've decided to consider our options in moving forward.

After 2 attempts with the same surrogate using GB's embryos, we've decided to change tack and try a new surrogate with my (LC's) embryos.

On Saturday, it was confirmed that our new choice of surrogate was available and that the transfer was likely to take place around the 20th of October.  The SM is a proven surrogate along with having two children of her own - so we're hoping that this helps our chances of becoming pregnant this time round.

So it's just a matter of waiting until then.

We're looking forward to going to Sydney next weekend for a much needed break from the goings on of life to date.  Work for both of us has been kinda crazy of late, and with the continued home renovations and the ups and downs of the surrogacy process, a mini escape will be just the ticket.

So we wish all those out there trying good luck and those already pregnant a safe and happy delivery of your new additions.

Until our next post.....ciao.

GBLC.




Thursday, August 30, 2012

No Veuve tonight....

The second beta today showed declining HCG levels.... so it seems there'll be no pregnancy this time round.

The little one just didn't want to stick.

So the bottle of Veuve will stay inside the fridge door for a little while longer until we decide what to do next.

Thank you for all your well wishes and we'll see you here again soon.

Cheers

GBLC

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Test result...oh, hold on

So our two week wait ended on Tuesday.  We received a call mid-afternoon on Tuesday from the clinic, advising us the test had in fact been conducted on Monday and they had a result.  "Oh good," I thought, "at least we have avoided waiting an extra day for the news."

Alas, we hadn't avoided a wait at all.  In fact, what we were confronting was a longer wait.  I assume you're probably scratching your head now!  The long and short of it is that our beta HCG result was equivocal - right on the lower threshold of pregnant but not enough to be sure.  As such, we must wait for the results from the repeat test (to be done today, Wednesday), which we would receive on Thursday.

I know that, if positive, the next 8 months will seem like one looooong wait, but it would have been amazing to have had a definitive result from the first test.  Then again, a 'tending toward positive' result is much more gratifying than a definite 'negative', so I guess the maxim 'Be careful what you wish for' probably applies fairly squarely to our situation!

Anyway, the bottom line is that some extra patience is required.  Despite the fact this virtue isn't one that I would say I have in great quantities, there isn't much more we can do right now!  We will cross our fingers for another day and see what news comes our way tomorrow.  Here's hoping for a celebratory Thursday night dinner which includes that bottle of Veuve Cliquot we've had in the fridge for months!

GBLC


Friday, August 17, 2012

Here we go again...(2WW)

Today we received confirmation that the straw of GB's 3 embryos defrosted, reanimating to give us 2 Grade 1 Morulas.

The embryos were transferred on the 16th of August, although we are a little concerned that they weren't Blastocysts as was expected after day 5 and we did expect the clinic would wait the additional day to transfer (as suggested in their correspondence).

While we're trying to stay positive that we'll be successful, the continuing disorganisation and conflicting information coming from our clinic is not instilling a level of confidence one would hope to have at this stage in the surrogacy journey.

I have every hope that the embryos and the surrogate are of good quality and am positive about them - but the people we expect to apply their expertise and skill in the helping us become parents  is beginning to fall far short of expectations.

So today marks the beginning of the two week wait and we should know on the 29th of August if we have been successful.  Fingers, toes and everything else crossed.  Thanks to all those who have been reading the blog and your continued support.


GBLC




Saturday, August 11, 2012

Take 2

Yesterday we received confirmation of our impending second transfer date.  At this stage it is looking to be Thursday 16th August.  We have decided to attempt to grow the embryos to Blastocyst (5 day old embryos) stage in the hope to improve our chances of becoming pregnant. Obviously the downside to this method is an increased chance of multiple pregnancy.  At this stage, we'll cross that bridge if we come to it.

So only a few days away now before the transfer takes place.

Here's hoping.

Stay tuned....