Another Success Story!

I like to add these stories to my blog because hearing the success stories were one of the things that kept me going when I was at my lowest. For so many of us, it feels like we are in this battle alone. That no one else knows the pain of infertility, that no one else can understand how difficult it is to hold ourselves together and keep trying-even after so many failures. But the reality-and that tragedy-is that infertility is all too common. Although, it doesn't feel that way when you are going through it. Mostly, you just feel completely and utterly alone.

It's interesting, since being more forthcoming with my own fertility struggles-and also by keeping my ears open a little bit more-I have come to meet so many people who either have dealt with infertility (to some degree) in the past, or are dealing with it currently.  It's like a little secret society (albeit no one wants to join it). Unfortunately, infertility is still a taboo subject. I can't judge this. People have their reasons for not talking about it. Hell, I had mine. I didn't want the pitying looks and the side-bar discussions about me. So even if you don't talk about it, even if you don't feel comfortable with sharing your story...know that you are DEFINITELY not alone.

Anyway, my friend, Erin, is now 9 weeks pregnant and everything is looking good (knock on wood)! She's had two ultrasounds and the little bean is growing well and has a nice strong heartbeat. Erin has been trying to get pregnant for about two years now and I would have never known this, had I not told her about what what we went through to conceive Alex (not in a freaky, I'm going to share my life story with you way...I honestly mentioned it vaguely-almost in passing). I met Erin through my husband, who works with her husband. After hearing about what we did, she told me that she has PCOS and never gets periods. I told her she should go to my doctor, which she did. Six months, injections and Metformin later-and now she's pregnant! So happy for her and sending her lots of sticky dust/healthy baby vibes!!!

Six weeks, two days until our appointment!

 Fall fun! Carving pumpkins

 Alex isn't so sure that she wants to participate...

 Forget carving pumpkins...we prefer to drill them!

 Excited to play in the leaves

 Alexandra loves her big pile of leaves

"Helping" to rake....

Decisions Made, Updates and an Eye Injury...

Will this is a bit of an "everything" post! So I think Dan and I have made the decision to begin fertility treatments in September. I know...it seems so far away! We had originally planned to go back in March, but that didn't work out for a few reasons. Then we decided on June. And well, June just does not really make a lot of sense. If we went back in June, I would only get one cycle in (tops) before we leave for Australia in July. I'm kind of feeling like, "what's the point"? If the cycle didn't work, we could not start again until September anyway. If it did, that would be awesome...but I would be in that critical first trimester during our time in Australia. Do I really want to be so far away from home/doctors if anything were to go wrong??? So I'm kinda sad, but kind of not really. I am excited to go to Australia and to just enjoy our time there-and not have to worry about anything. And then when we come back to the states at the end of August, we can seriously begin. And start full on-not having to take any breaks...unless I have some of those pain in the ass cysts. I feel good about this plan. I really do. Plus, I get another summer to just enjoy Alex on her own...and she's at such a fun age right now....

Updates...not on me-on my fellow infertiles. My cousin is expecting boy/girl twins in July. I think she is around 32 weeks now. This is especially exciting because she suffers from PCOS and her husband has severe MFI. Their only hope was IVF and they conceived on their first cycle. Everything is going great (knock on wood) and I am actually going to her baby shower on Sunday. I think that they have decided on the names Colton (boy) and Reagan (girl). Keeping my fingers crossed that those babies keep baking for as long as possible!

Update #2: Dan's sister, Veronica, is expecting a baby boy. She is around 29 weeks pregnant and due in the beginning of August. Veronica had "The Triad": PCOS, *severe* stage 4 endometriosis, and her husband has MFI.  Talk about unlucky. They had done about 5 or 6 rounds of IVF and had never seen a positive. I can't imagine how disheartening that would be. Most would give up, but not Veronica. Despite all the odds, she kept going. The cycle they got pregnant on, they stimmed for another round of IVF. However, stimming did not go well and Veronica only produced one follicle. They canceled the round and decided to try the "old fashioned" way (despite their doctor telling them that there was no chance). Well, here she is, almost into her last 10 weeks and doing great! I love her story. She and her husband faced so much but look at them now. I hope that this story gives everyone hope! We'll be seeing them this summer when we go back to Australia. I can't wait to help out and to hold a newborn again!

And as for me...I'm typing this whole post with a bum eye. It's red and inflamed and crusty. Yeah, it's gross. Why do I have a nasty, crusty eye? That would be courtesy of my daughter. Alex and I were outside this afternoon blowing bubbles. She was so stinking cute (good thing...can't get mad) and kept dipping the stick into the bubbles, taking it out and holding it up to me to blow. Well, one time she got a little over-enthusiastic and shoved it into my eye. So I probably have a mixture of scratched cornea and irritation from the bubble liquid. Awesome. Oh well. Other than that mishap, it was a fun afternoon. Hopefully I wake up with a functional eye tomorrow. Or at least, a less oozing eye.