Here we go....

This is my third blog. I have never kept up with any of them. I don't know if this one will be any better. I'm not a writer but want to document our story.

My husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2009. He had surgery to remove one testicle. And was scheduled for chemotherapy immediately. At age 24, he was asked, do you want to have children? Shocked, he quickly decided that he would want to someday and was told he needed to freeze a sperm sample before starting chemo. He did this... After a fight with his insurance company to cover the cost of storing the sample. It would have cost us thousands of dollars without insurance coverage which was NOT in place at that moment. He fought them hard to get coverage and he actually changed Blue Cross's policy on cancer patients. But this fight and lack of possible coverage caused him to only get ONE sample because time was running out. He needed to start chemo. He finished his treatment successfully, only missed a few days of work because he is a dedicated employee. Looking back now, he wishes he took a leave of absence. 

Years passed, I stopped birth control pills eventually.. thinking that I would get pregnant naturally, I wouldn't mind having a baby if it happened. Could it even happen? We eventually met with a fertility specialist in 2010 to find out what our options were. We didn't really plan on starting trying to conceive at this point. Speaking with the specialist, she determined we did have options. His sperm count was low, medically infertile, poor morphology. But with in-vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection, we would have success. We left the office with paperwork and possibilities. 

We went back in 2012 to talk. Is it the right time now? When is the right time when you have to PLAN your pregnancy? Why can't it happen naturally, by accident like normal people? 

A year passed, and we finally returned again May 2013. What are we waiting for? Let's do it! 

I went in for baseline bloodwork and an ultrasound and was started on birth control pills (?!?) to regulate my cycle. We were started with an antagonist IVF cycle. My ultrasound showed some small polyps on my uterus walls. I needed a hysteroscopy to have these further looked at and removed. It's was a surgical procedure that I had done at Newton Wellesley Hospital. I was under general anesthesia for this and absolutely terrified as I hadn't ever had surgery before this, other than wisdom tooth removal. It went well and I returned to work the next day, very groggy. My doctor informed me the polyps were removed and I was clear to start the cycle. 

I stopped the birth control pills on Sunday and went in for another ultrasound and baseline bloodwork last Wednesday. I was set to start injections on Friday (!!!!) but didn't have the medications yet. Of course, insurance didn't approve them without a prior authorization. It all worked out and I got my medications on Saturday. I gave myself my first injection of Gonal F on Friday night in my left upper thigh. The Gonal F is in pen form and has dial settings with different doses. I was absolutely terrified and irritable leading up to this. Turns out, this is very stressful! I have to give Gonal F every night subcutaneously, either in my stomach area or upper thigh. Tonight is night 4. So far, I haven't had any side effects other than being a little more tired. 

Tomorrow, I return for a follow up ultrasound and bloodwork and we will go from there. 

To be continued.