Monday, August 22, 2016

This Cycle!!

Okay so...here we are again.

I'm on CD2 of good flow, so we're hoping for an insem soon!!

But...a bit of humour to keep this blog up to date...

Me : Sorry babe...the house is a mess...I'm on my period and it's awful
Him : ya it's really shitty
Me : No...really though...the house is really upside down and the kids have just lived on sandwiches all day and I didn't even make you supper
Him : I'm sure it's not that bad
Me : Maybe you just shouldn't come home? 
...if he comes home and DOESNT go "WTAF happened in here?!"...He deserves a big huge hug lol

Monday, July 4, 2016

Roller Coaster From Hell

I know that I didn't follow through on updating this blog through out my cycle and I feel that karma has come back in some weird way.

The evening of June 18th I got a positive OPK, which was, two days sooner than expected. My IP's had flown in early and we were ready to go with a few changes of course.

We made our introductions June 19th, in the evening. It was awkward but I was determined. This was going to happen and it was going to go smoothly.

Well, it didn't completely go smoothly but we finally made the first insemination that evening. We did another on June 20th in the morning (which I know is not medically advised, for optimal results, you should wait a minimum of 48hrs in between to boost sperm count and seminal fluid since without that fluid, nothing protects the sperm from the acid environment of the vagina).

Through out the week we did things together, sometimes with half of my children (the other half were still in school) and one day I became a cool mom, and we jigged in order to go to a historical site, but I WAS advised that they would learn more out of school that day than in).

Monday we went to the beach with the kids and it was so fun! First time down at the beach for the summer. It was a hot day and I was ill prepared to be honest since I had rushed out the door. An hour and a half at the beach and Willow had just about had enough of the sun and heat.

Tuesday is the day I became a fun mom and pulled them from school and we spent just about 7 hours walking through a historical site. It was so interesting, but it was my second time there. the children absolutely LOVED it, even with all the mosquitoes. We slept very well that night. It was a long day and I got extra mileage since almost a quarter of the way through, I realized I had forgotten my water bottles for myself, and the kids. I had to turn around pushing the stroller to the van and then try to catch up.

Wednesday was laundry day. I don't say that to be cute, my IP's were literally out of clothing and had to wash them, and I took the opportunity to try very hard to straighten up the house, we had been away the weekend before and the house kind of took a crap beating if you know what I mean. I was also running out of cute clothes (okay...clothes in general...I'll be writing in my mom blog today to explain that one).

Thursday...oh yes. Thursday. I was pretty pooped out from the whole week and I tried to keep busy. I was 4-5dpo and I was still trying not to test. I was doing a shit job at trying to ignore the fact that I should be getting a positive soon if it had taken. It started to enter my mind multiple times per day and I had all of those tests sitting there. Watching me. Calling for me. My IP's hiked at Mount Carleton, they had invited us, but my days are consumed by school runs and the drive would have been 1.5hrs each way, just in driving I would have to be back to get the kids from school. But they enjoyed it and loved the outdoors and fresh air.

Friday was our day to say farewell. It was also 5-6dpo and I had started to test like a mad woman. Not he cheapy tests...those only show up positive long after the first response tests. I had already bought quite a bit of tests and I started to eat through them...the next day, afterall, we had a good chance at seeing that positive. They came over to see us after I went and picked the kids up at 11am (half day...last day of the school year!! yayyy!). They could only stay a couple hours though, they had to drive to Moncton (3 to 3.5hrs drive depending on...who's driving). They were flying out the next morning.

That was our week! Things were really just beginning for me though, in all honesty.

Friday we decided that we would go camping early and stay a week. I packed up all of my tests, except a couple...I needed those for first morning urine of course!

Saturday morning I woke up a bit earlier than I normally would, in fact, I had gotten  up a few times during the night in anticipation of Saturday morning. I had to pee....soooo bad. Not because I actually had to pee that badly, but because the tests were there...what if I could send them a positive before they even got home?! I tested. I analysed. The line would be very light, but it was there. I could see it. ...it wasn't actually there, I just wanted so badly to see it. It's still early I have a couple more days at LEAST and it was super super early and the embryo was just getting there. We were only 5-6dpo.

But I continued to test. Every three to four hours, because I needed to get that first positive. I was going to come up with an amazing way to surprise them. I ordered custom booties to send to them. It was going to happen, I just had to be a bit more patient. Tomorrow would probably be the day!

Sunday morning, at the camp site, I ran like a mad woman to the van and then to the bathrooms. Barely making it actually. ...No big pink line. Limit water intake and try again in 3 hours, we all know second morning urine can be even more potent than first morning urine. It is going to pop up. ...But it didn't. I'm ashamed to admit how many expensive tests I had gone through at this point. 6-7dpo down...it was going to be tomorrow. It had to be.

Monday morning. I had already gone to the nearest pharmacy at this point to get more tests. I've been using cheapies every three to four hours at this point. I still had lots though. It was 7-8dpo and today was our faint positive day. It just was. It worked and it was going to be there today. My IP's would be so happy and so would I and I would sit around and wait for the morning sickness to come in, how badly I wanted to be so incredibly miserable and sick. But, it would mean the pregnancy was healthy...and we would only be months away from my IP's FINALLY have a baby. But...it didn't show up...it wasn't there. Surely there was a mistake. I call lazy embryo. It will be there. I will test until it is there because I've never had a failed attempt where it was meant to be. It was just meant to be. It was this cycle. It was our first and last attempt. It was going to happen. Tomorrow would be the day that I got my positive with my last baby, and she is still a lazy toddler. That's what it is, a lazy embryo!! Silly me. Hundreds of dollars of tests so far, all because we had a lazy embryo.

8-9dpo was the second last day that I would get a positive test. It SHOULD be today, but it COULD be tomorrow. I told myself this while running to the bathroom, with a ton of tests in my hands, while other campers looked on wondering if I had completely lost my marbles with those five children in tents. Clearly, I had. I asked friends if they could see it, asked them to tweak it for me...it was there but it was just too light to see. It had to be. It was there. It was the day. ...But it wasn't. I wasn't giving up. I tested all day. By evening, I had decided that if it wasn't there the next day...somehow...for some reason...no...this happened, it had to have happened. My IP's put so much time and money into this and it worked. STFU Cat, it worked.

9-10dpo (Wednesday). I took a test, there was a light line there, everyone seen it. It was there! IT HAPPENED!!!!

10-11dpo...never trust blue dye tests. There was nothing. It didn't take. It was all for nothing. People told me there is still hope, stop giving up so early! They are right, I need to keep testing, it will happen. It has to.

11-12dpo. (Friday). Nothing. I cried in the stall for a few minutes and got myself back together. When I go back to the tent, Scott asks me when I got the positive, we could have celebrated. I look at him and say "I didn't, they're all negative...all of them". He hands me a test...no there is a line there,..a distinct, unmistakable line. We jump into the van and go to a pharmacy. YES YES YES YES. It HAPPENED! How could I ever doubt that?!?! Another 36 dollars in tests. How else to surprise my IP's than to send them pictures of a first response test with a bright red positive and a digital positive. I was bouncing in line at the pharmacy. We rushed back to the camp site...but...stopped at tim horton's for me to pee on one of them. ...No line. WTF. It's just because i just peed an hour ago that's all.

...they were all fucking negative. This is a fucking cruel joke.

I google first response evaporation lines. That's what I had...a fucking evap line and my heart had swelled 10x and I got my hopes up. I fucking give up. I'm done with this fucking testing thing.

12-13dpo. I feel defeated. I feel like I failed my IP's. I feel like I failed my bank account....

13-14dpo I wait for my period. I'm a total wreck and have to confront my IP's about this horrible cycle. They ask for receipts for the tests, but I can't stand to admit how much money I wasted on them. How fucking stupid was I. I send a very partial amount and don't mention it any further. I don't want them to know, in all honesty, how obsessed I was, to tell them that they were pregnant. I do a couple cheapies because I'm not willing to give up hope. It can't end this way.

14-15dpo I write this, awaiting a period but knowing full well it'll be late to taunt me. I've been feeling nauseous for days...not because I'm pregnant, but because I can't stomach the thought of all the money my body wasted. How did it not work?

Even my IM reminded me that each cycle carries a CHANCE of pregnancy, no GUARANTEE.

I can't help but feel that I gave them false hopes...I know I did actually. Instead of being cautious as I should be, I blew up their hopes. In me. In my ability to get pregnant the first try.

I also know that when we try again, I will not be testing until 8-9dpo and if it's negative, I will not wonder what time of day is best to retest.

Everyone always watches videos of successful surrogacies, from the positive test onwards. No one mentions the negative tests. Failed attempts. Shattered hopes. I think we WANT to believe that it only takes one try. It doesn't. Not normally. So I wait for my period, and promise my other half that I will never again spend so much on pregnancy tests that will only be negative anyway.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

CD1!!!

So I had some spotting yesterday/last night. I told my IP's and warned them that it may just be stress from finally having contracts signed and the negotiations that went on the last few days about it all. Which was very stressful to me since I believed everything had been agreed to begin with. Turns out, my period started a couple days early.

In any case, I woke up with a good flow, and today it has picked up even more (said goodbye to two pairs of underwear and a pair of pants actually). The good news is that my lining was nice and healthy and fluffy last cycle so I can assume it will be this cycle!!

My IP's booked their flights and hotel last night and will be here on the 21st! They are only staying a few days so I'm really hoping that we get ovulation within those days! 

Twelve more days until they're here!!! YAY!!

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Insemination Kit Explanation & Update

After a bit of going back and forth and waiting forever (or so it seems), we signed contracts May 21st and June 1st (they signed, then it had to come to me to be signed).
I am currently 10 ish days past ovulation and the mock cycle went really really well.

They are figuring the week of the 25th is our week!

So we are waiting on my period, booking flights and getting ready for the inseminations!!

I ordered the insemination kit online from Ebay (today) to ensure it is here on time.

I will show you what is in the kit!







These are ovulation tests, which I will take prior to anything else here, for days beforehand, to ensure that I ovulate at the time of the insemination. When the test become positive, we will proceed with the other pieces of this kit.



These are the sterile cups that will be used for my IF to collect his semen in.

My IF's "sample" (semen) will be drawn up into a syringe right away after he puts his sample into the sterile cup. Delaying this process could result in sperm dying before we get to insert them.
I will then have my own hotel room, and relax and insert the syringe as high into the vagina as I can to ensure I inject the semen as close to my cervix as possible.

After injecting the semen (which has been thoroughly tested recently) into my vagina, I will then put this instead cup into my vagina, it will be like a cup around my cervix and will keep most of the sperm from leaking out and increase our chances for fertilization. 

I also have both ovulation and pregnancy tests already at home, but they come with the pack so I will explain these as well. Starting at about 6 days after ovulation, I will start to take pregnancy tests and take video for my intended parents to watch every day to see if it is positive or still negative. Starting at 6 days after ovulation, they can watch the first test be negative, and hopefully the following tests will at least have a line that you can see a little bit. 



Our estimated insemination date is June 25 2016. So we are just waiting for my period to start (due in about four days). Feel free to ask questions as we go!





Saturday, May 28, 2016

Test!!

This cycle has been so weird!! My period was SO light, I can' ttell where to "start" it at! I'm day 12-13 and I got a positive ovulation test, which means I'm going to ovulate day 13-14/14-15. This is either way a perfect cycle! This is our mock cycle but I wish so much that it was possible to try this cycle!!

We COULD be doing inseminations in as little as 4 weeks!

I went on a 5k walk today and noticed that I had cramps in my 4th km and I felt so disappointed thinking it was a stitch from walking, now I get it haha Silly ovaries!










Monday, May 23, 2016

Cycle Update

May 17th - CD35 - Spotting was pink

May 18th - CD36 - Spotting turned to a flow YES!! 

May 18th - CD1 - all of the normal symptoms you get when you're miserable lol


May 19th - CD2...just chilling out...flow is medium

May 20th - CD3 - Still miserable :) flow is heavy


May 21st - CD4 - Basal temp : 36.6 flow is medium

May 22nd - CD5 - Basal temp : 36.7 flow is light, I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

May 23rd - CD6 - Basal temp : 36.6 flow is down to spotting. 

I will be starting to use the internet cheapy ovulation tests this week for the mock cycle! I'm hoping this cycle is pretty much the same as last month so that we know next cycle will be predictable!! If it is, then I have about 10 days until I get a positive ovulation test!

For those just queuing in, a mock cycle is a practice cycle, I am using the good tests near ovulation, taking temps, completely abstaining from sexual intercourse. I am exercising more this cycle though to try to lose a few more pounds to get to a healthier body (almost everyone can improve on this). I will be exercising lightly through the pregnancy and getting into the habit of doing so now is important!

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Cycle Day 34 17-18 DPO

Okay so.

This is my first cycle OFF of birth control after being ON it for like 10 months, so I'll give my body a break. I am getting a bit frustrated (a lot?) though.

My IP's are off from July 9th to 22 so ovulation needs to fall in there or they will have to take time off of work. As of right now my cycle will actually be perfect for that time if next month is like this one (and my cycle after that).

So...now we wait!


Contracts!!

The contracts are DONE!!!
We should be signing it this week and that will also be out of the way! yay! 

It is 28 (twenty EIGHT!) pages long. Yes. 28. I'm not kidding. It's pretty much a book honestly, and I've seen lines for movies be shorter. 

I'm just happy they're finally done! 

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Plans a brewin'!

So there is finally a plan of action.

I am tracking my cycle again this month *sigh*, and next cycle we will be trying to make a baby for my IP's!!

They are in the middle of the wild fires in Alberta right now and they don't think that there is a possibility of making it work this cycle at all (the cycle I am waiting to start that is). So our time line is about seven weeks until inseminations...which...is a life time away it seems lol

Monday, May 9, 2016

MATCHED!!!

Okay so I've been pretty horrible at keeping you guys updated. Agreed. Accepted.

Here are my excuses :
I didn't match until about 5 weeks ago, so it's pretty new and nothing before then was "absolute". I also didn't want to tell everyone about couples because...they have a right to privacy as well. I had spoken to a total of 9 couples, 6 of which I didn't match with because they didn't want someone far away from them. One couple I ran away from when they asked if I would be a traditional surrogate and...essentially be a prostitute. They were serious. I came to love one couple, they weren't far away at all and it seemed like everything would work out. The problem was, my other half and I realized that we didn't want to go through another three rounds of IVF the way it was last time. I was so miserable and in pain from allergic reactions. We ended up deciding to do another traditional surrogacy. A surro-friend of mine gave me the name of someone out in Alberta (we'll call her Claire, which is not her real name) who is happily married, they both have great careers and all that they are missing is children. she contacted her lawyer right away and...that's as far as we have gotten. No rough draft. After over four weeks. Yes I'm serious.
We moved at the end of last month and everything was SO hectic, between the kids having to switch schools and me trying to find a way to keep them at their old school for the year, and Gabriel's 6th birthday party, it's been CHAOS! 

I went off of my birth control when we matched, which just happened to be the last pack of my birth control pills anyway. 

I tracked last cycle (this cycle) with opk's and cervical mucous. I got my positive on day 15, so ovulation was day 16/17. I'm on cycle day 28 just waiting around for Aunty Flo to start and I will be tracking my next cycle with temp, cervical positiion, opk's and charting. I'm kind of excited, it's been a year and a half since I've tracked my cycles with so much detail.
With no contracts done...or even SEEN at this point, my next cycle won't be used either, but if nothing else I can track it and see if it's the same as the previous cycle so that we can make plans for it to all work and fall into place.

See? You didn't really miss that much!

I'll figure out how to post my daily tracking info once my period starts, which I'm feeling will be tomorrow (12/13dpo) since I've burst out into pimples, I have the runs (always comes with a period I swear) and I'm moody AF and want to eat all of the kids' school snacks.

We have Willow's first birthday party this weekend coming (four days until she is one!!) so there is so much going on. Then the kids are out for school in June. I was hoping to do inseminations before they were out of school for the summer since it's so much easier to find a babysitter when half of your team is in school all day, but it's not a big deal. We will make it work!

As always, feel free to comment with any questions you may have, I will answer them. 

Now...everyone send me period vibes so I can move on with tracking the next cycle haha

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Surrogacy...Round 3! Weeeeee're Baaaaaaaack!

You did not misread the title of this blog. 

Yes, I am looking to start my THIRD journey as a surrogate!

So far, I have started birth control pills (I would like to say that I had my IUD removed, which would be true...but I had it removed from my rectum...I'll write more about that on another blog...long story short, I needed another form of birth control lol). 

I have looked at probably six profiles so far, either I just didn't feel any kind of connection, or, in most cases, I live too far away for them to be able to attend appointments so politely said that I wasn't a good match for them. I hope that they all find surrogates local to them so that they can have every experience possible. 

So, now we are giving our profile to a couple who lives in Australia, who have one child already and who want a sibling! 

Nothing else so far to update really. 

Comment with any questions though, as always I'm an open book!