My theme this year is IVF/ICSI, a process we’re starting at the moment and today it’s E for Embryos.
Embryos are pretty much what you’re hoping for during IVF or ICSI
treatment. Well, not entirely, obviously the end result you’re hoping for a baby
you can take home and raise. But during all the drugs and scans and injections
the thing you’re hoping for during the treatment is that those follicles are
going to produce a bunch of healthy eggs which will fertilise and develop into a
clutch of healthy embryos.
Scarily though, at that point everything is out of your hands.
Fertility treatments offer you the chance to take control of
something which you’ve lost control of. During our cancelled cycle I found it
quite empowering doing the injections and going for the blood tests and scans
because it sort of put me back in control of the whole baby-making
rollercoaster.
If you’re lucky enough for everything to go to plan, your egg
collection results in lots of eggs and at least several fertilise, you then have
to sit back and let nature take back over. The drugs make your body do what it
needs to to reach this stage, but with the eggs being asked to become embryos,
you’re back out of control again.
I’m not at that point yet, but I think the waiting to find out
what’s going on with them will be hard. Waiting is always hard. No matter how
long you wait, it doesn’t get any easier with practice. This wait involves
waiting for find out how many embryos you will have, then how well they are
developing so you’ll know how many you’ve actually go after three or five days
(depending on when they will be put back in, different places do embryo transfer
at different stages of development depending on a whole host of factors).
As I’ve not been through this myself yet, I’ve not really got any
advise or words of wisdom here. I suspect this wait will involve a lot of
knitting, film watching, reading and busy-work. Stuff to keep my mind off things
and trying to stay occupied so I can’t dwell on the obvious.
I also can’t give anyone any advice about supporting friends and
family during this stage, but I think the best you can do is let them know
you’re there for them. Offer to hang out, bring round a film, have a long chat
on the phone, whatever, but understand that perhaps they’re happier dealing with
this period on their own, and accept that if the case may be.
Hopefully a few weeks after this fraught time you might have some
tentative celebrations to enjoy.
Phew. Just caught up on your posts. I'm exhausted just reading your intriguing and very informative posts. Take care and I'll try not to comment on the needle marks and bruises. Good thing you seem to have a lot of hobbies to keep you occupied while those embryo's do their thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting. And yes, I've got lots to keep me occupied while I'm waiting to get there. ;-)
DeleteIt took us eight years to have our daughter. Eight years. Waiting sucks. But now I know it was for the best--otherwise, we wouldn't have had her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and sharing your story. I like to think that there's a reason why we've waited this long and that it'll all be worth it in the end. :-)
DeleteEven without any treatment there's a lot of waiting when you're having a baby particularly at the end of the pregnancy when you just can't wait to not be carrying around all that extra weight. It must be very hard waiting and hoping that after all your treatments you will be moving on to the second stage and keeping busy would certainly help. Are there support groups on the internet you can join so you are with other women going through the same stage of infertility treatment? Your posts are making me see things in a different light :)
ReplyDeleteYes, as V.L. Jennings said further down, there are quite a lot of forums and support groups online. I've joined a couple but I find it hard to be active on them until I'm actually started with the treatment as otherwise you're watching other people going through it without being fully involved yourself.
DeleteLast time we tried the IVF and had the cycle cancelled I found it difficult to stay involved as well. I had to stop my treatment and other women were going on and being successful and I struggled seeing them happy (because I was happy for them but miserable for myself). This time I think I will try and stay more active because they are a fantastic support network. :-)
Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :-)
DeleteI'm looking forward to all the updates and seeing how everything goes. I'm sure that waiting can be the hardest part.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, you'll hear all about it once we get started. ;-)
DeleteI've had lots of practice at waiting so I'm quite good at it now. :-)
To answer Senco Cat Herder... I found a lot of very supportive groups while I was trying to conceive through Cafe Mom. It is a great place with tons of groups just for women- many of whom may not be moms yet ;)
ReplyDeleteFor Click... I found that chiropractic care helped me conceive/ hold a pregnancy. My lower spine was twisted and compressing nerves that controlled those lower organs.
*hugs* this journey can be hard. We are here for you!
I found quite a few support groups just by searching on Google and following other blogs. I agree they can be fantastic.
DeleteIt's incredible to think of the things that can affect your chances of conception. My issue is blocked tubes due to scar tissue from endometriosis.
Thanks for visiting and your kind words. :-)
Not having gone through this, boy, oh, BOY does this seem like an involved process!!
ReplyDeleteCat
It really is! And there is so much about it that I still don't really know as well.
Delete