IVF, ICSI, hCG... What's it all mean?!

It's Thursday so that means I have time to blog because it's not our evening miss Faith. I'm still on cloud 9. I'm still so completely ecstatic. I'm still on top of the world. And do you know what that means? That means I don't want to go back to that time when we were going through chemo. Not today. Especially because the week that I will be blogging about next was a particularly bad week with chemo and with other things. So. I'm not going to do it today. I don't want to come down from this high (on life) I've got going for me.

So, instead I will blog about the different IVF options for us. I know a lot of you have questions or are just absolutely clueless about the whole thing and want to know more about it. Well, that's what this post will be about... AFTER I update you all on fundraisers of course!

There are only TWO days left to get in your Mary Kay orders!! TWO DAYS!! I need to pimp this out big time, because we get such a huge percentage of the sales (50%!!! READ 50%!!!). So, have you ordered yet? No? Get on it people! AND the person that orders the most gets a special surprise!!!
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Mandi-Gilchrist-Mary-Kay/320496594660914 or
http://www.marykay.com/mgilchrist04

The Easter cupcake event will be posted on Facecbook tonight! I am SO excited about it and I hope we get as many orders as we usually do! Remember, these are perfect for all the family gatherings that will be happening that weekend!!!

The Photography fundraiser with Jennifer will be in April. I will give you all a date when we decide on it!

The Cherry Berry Fundraiser is still a go for April 19!! Yummm!! How could you pass up participating in THIS one?!?!

And the inside scoop on our latest fundraiser that is still in the works... ZUMBA!!! We have found a location (PURE Entertainment) and it will be kid friendly! A date is still up in the air. But it's going to be HUGE!!

I think that's all I've got for today... So... On to an explanation of our IVF!!

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Please note that all of this is simply MY understanding. From research online and books and talking to what doctors we've been in contact with. I am not a doctor, so if I get anything below wrong, please know that is my fault and my misunderstanding. I'm no expert.... yet.... ;)



What is IVF?
Well, IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization. Basically that just means they will remove my eggs, they will be fertilized (the eggs each go into a separate petri dish, then sperm is put in each dish. The sperm fertilize the egg), and then they will then be placed back inside me. We will then cross our fingers that those eggs stick, and then grow grow grow.

Is traditional IVF an option for us?
NOPE. Of course not. Because we are special and therefore the most simple form of IVF isn't special enough for us. And believe me, that doesn't make me happy. We have to have IVF with ICSI. And that raises the cost. Special = costly!!

What in the heck is ICSI?
Well, the actual name is intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Now you see why everyone shortens it, right? Basically it's when they (they meaning our babies' first babysitter... the embryologist) take each egg, one at a time, and then take a pipette and physically insert a single sperm into the egg.
This takes time and skill, and therefore it costs more. You can see why, right?

Why do we have to have ICSI?
Well, because we're special... I already said that!
No, really. We  have male factor infertility. You all know that. You also know that Danny's sperm was surgically removed from him. Because of this, the millions or sperm they collected aren't fully mature. So, they wouldn't be able to swim and then penetrate my eggs on their own. Therefore, they need to be injected.

So, how does this all work? What's the schedule/procedure like?
Ahhhh now it's time for me to get squeamish. Needles, shots OUCH OUCH OUCH.
~First, we will meet with the RE (reproductive endocrinologist, a fertility doctor) who will check all of my numbers/levels in my blood. He/she will also do a sonogram on me to make sure everything is shaped correctly and all that good stuff.
~Once we officially start the treatment (sometimes the RE wants to do a month of birth control first, to make sure the eggs are... well... I don't know. But I know this can be common!), it will start with shots, every night. Shots that I will have to give myself (or convince Danny to do... He is willing). These meds will encourage my follicles to grow and produce eggs.
~Once the sonograms show a good amount of eggs and they are the right size, I will get a shot that is usually called the "trigger shot" which will encourage ovulation (the release of the eggs).
~Before my body can release the eggs itself (thanks to the trigger shot), the egg retrieval will be done. The doctor will go in and suck the eggs out. I will be OUT so it shouldn't be too painful.
~Then my eggs are taken away and fertilized through ICSI and we wait for them to mature and grow.
~This is where IVF is different for some people. Some choose to have the embryo(s) tranferred on Day 3. My choice will be Day 5, once the embryo(s) has reached blastocyst stage. My reasoning is just that at that stage, you can really see how mature and healthy (I'm not sure if healthy is the appropriate word here, but you get what I'm saying) the embryos are, and choose the best to transfer. Also, some may not survive to the fifth day, and I'd hate to rush it and choose an embryo that won't survive. The success rates are generally higher with day 5 transfers. So, that's what I want!
~My body will have been prepped since the day of the egg retrieval, for the transfer. I will be given another medicine that will prepare my uterine lining, which will help the embryos stick when they are transferred.
~The day of the transfer, the doctor will choose the best embryos to transfer. Here locally they try to encourage a ONE embryo transfer if you haven't had any failed attempts before. To lower the risk of multiples. But, your chances are 50/50. And if we come up with the money once that doesn't mean we can come up with it again if it doesn't work. I'd rather have two than none. So, I will refuse a one embryo transfer. Yes, I know there are risks with twins. Yes I know I am a small person and carrying two would definitely not be easy. But YES I would still rather go through all of that, than have it not work at all. So, I will insist on two. And I will shout this to the world... THEY WILL NOT TRANSFER MORE THAN TWO. I am a healthy woman with zero previous pregnancies, miscarriages or failed IVF attempts. They will NOT transfer more than two. Period.
~So, the emrbyos are inserted into me, and they will HOPEFULLY stick. And then HOPEFULLY grow grow grow.

A week to two later, my blood work will be taken to monitor all the numbers (hCG) and see if I'm pregnant or not, along with sonogram(s) that will see how many are there and growing. Then, hopefully, we will see a heartbeat (or heartbeatS). We will THEN celebrate :)

Hopefully that didn't all confuse you too much, and it answered any questions you have. I didn't go in to too much detail, but if you'd like to know more just message/comment and I can recommend some amazing books and sites!

I will get back to our story on my next blog post! Promise!! Please continue to read and SHARE SHARE SHARE!!!