Ok, I have taken the advice of my friends and started, or am attempting to start, a blog about my entire journey through surrogacy. Let me start by saying that I appreciate all of the thoughts, kind words and prayers that you all have given to myself and this other family over the past year.
Let me start by telling you the specifics: who, what, when, where, why, how...
This all started in January 2011. I went to my doctor for my annual visit and while I was there he and I and the nurse were cutting up about how I miss them and never get to see them anymore. I told Dr. Hiller "I wish I were pregnant again just so I could come see you all once a month."
SIDE BAR~If you know Dr Hiller and his fabulous staff, you probably understand why I would say this. They are so sweet and fun and you kind of get used to them when you have to go once a month, then twice a month, then every week. They tend to grow on ya a little. (they did on me anyway)
Anyway, so, he casually mentioned "well....actually, I know someone who might be looking for a surrogate." I had thought of doing it before, for my sister, a lady at church, but no one ever seemed to take me seriously. Not that I would put an ad out saying WOMB FOR RENT, but I was serious about it.
At that time, in January, I had JUST met this dude and he was great. I figured it would be a LITTLE weird for him, who has no children, to be dating a girl who was pregnant...with someone else's kid. Didnt even want to go there at that point. So I told Dr Hiller I would think about it and let him know.
Like all of my past relationships, it lasted about 4 days...jk. Sometime around April or May, dude called it off with me. (Why, I dont know. I AM pretty fabulous :)) I was a mess. More of a mess than I ever would have thought I would have been. I didnt realize how much I really liked this guy. It took a week or two for me to figure out that the only way I can really ever get out of a funk is to do something for someone else. I get a satisfaction out of helping those less fortunate. It is somewhat selfish, I am aware, but it works for me. Sorry.
So, I said to myself "Im gonna do it. I can carry a big fat juicy baby all day long. Deliver them in an hour. Its 9 months out of my life. And it will completely change their entire lives FOREVER!" So I called Dr Hiller and told him to tell the family I would do it. At this point, I didnt even know their names.
It was probably a week or two later that she called! ("she" is the mother, I call her my baby momma) We chatted for a bit, and chatted a few times over next few weeks. I agreed to do it, she said YAY and here we are.
It has taken a LONG time to get everything in place though. ALOT longer than we all thought. She and I both thought I would be knocked up in the next month or two and deliver in March of 2012. Not so much.
We had legal stuff to do. Contracts to draw up and sign, insurance verifications, details as to who does what and when. It was alot more than I actually thought about, but it was good. Im glad that attorneys and the fertility doctors DO go over those things. Our attorney told us some whack stories about surrogacy gone bad...I would NEVER do that, but apparently some people are crazy. Then we had psyche evaluations to do. All of us. Me. Baby Momma. Baby Daddy. (ps, in case you ever wondered, I am NOT crazy. I have a doctors excuse telling me I am not :)
Then we had medical stuff to do. I had to have my IUD taken out then wait a month to start a natural cycle. Once natural cycle started, I had to allow that entire cycle to finish and start a period again before I could start our "pilot cycle" Pretty sure I messed up the pilot cycle once and the real cycle once maybe. Its SO confusing! I had to use estrogen patches and progesterone shots and get off all of my medications.
The patches are fine, I have gained weight but Im not sure if its from hormones or having stopped taking my meds. The shots really arent that bad at all. The medicine is somewhat thick so it is slow going in and has to be injected into a muscle. The very first shot I gave to myself, I hit a nerve and i STILL cant feel the top part of my thigh, LOL. Not a bad thing...I havent been able to feel the other shots :)
SO anyway, in January I started the real cycle with the patches and shots, I messed something up (of course). I think i took the pill for more days than I was supposed to, so we had to move the original transfer date of Feb 1 back to Feb 27. Not a big deal.
I started antibiotics the day before the transfer and went to the fertility doctors office that Monday, Feb 27, for the transfer of the two embryos. Had labs done at noon and upstairs at 12:30. Here is how it went down, in case you wanted to know. I went into an office operating room. Wore a gown and net hat and fuzzy socks. (not real sure why). Laid on the table on a wedge with my hips up high and my shouders on the table. Speculum. Rubbed the q tip thingy around. Sucked the 2 embryos into the end of a catheter and pushed them into my cervix/uterus, whatever. The end. I didnt feel a thing!! It was great. What was NOT great is that you have to go with a full bladder in order for the sonogram machine to help them see better. So, after it was over, I was made to stay in the angled position for 30 minutes WITH A FULL BLADDER. I was pretty certain I was gonna tee tee everywhere. Once that was over, I was released and told to be on bedrest for the remainder of the day.
That day was great. Felt great. Was very optimistic and felt really good about it. The doctor seemed to think it was looking great too and was very hopeful! And I tell you what, the second I walked back into the waiting room and saw my sweet baby momma, I remembered why I wanted to do this all over again. She was so sweet, but so scared and nervous and stressed. They are the sweetest family and are so incredibly deserving. These babies couldnt ASK for a better momma and daddy to be born to!
Ok, so day two, yesterday. I am not gonna say it is because of pregnancy and that I am overreacting and such, but I felt like CRAP yesterday. Funny thing, is it is the exact crappy feeling I had when I got pregnant with Jack. I felt like I had the flu. And it only lasted about 12-18 hours. Same as with Jack. Not saying it took, but I think it did and I think that is exactly what I was feeling! Today I feel great. Have eaten everything I can think of, my boobs hurt, but hey, it could be all of these hormones I am taking too.
I go have blood drawn Tuesday to see if my HCG levels are higher and if they are then I am pregnant! I will go back 2 days later to have blood drawn again to make sure they are steadily increasing. Then two weeks after that we have a sonogram done. That will tell us how many babies and we will see heart beats! At that point, I will be 6 weeks along.
Keep us all in your prayers. The doctors and the babies especially. Everyone have a good week!
Love, Angie
