Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Treatment Update

IVF update: Today I begin my 2nd round of Desogen (birth control pills) to prepare for IVF. It's a short course that ends on April 5th. My Lupron injections start Monday, April 2nd, which is the same day most of our $$$ is due. Yikes! I will be giving myself shots every night until the egg retrieval (tentatively April 29th). First, Lupron, which puts my hormones in limbo so that the medications can dictate what happens. Then two follicle stimulating medications are added in mid-April. Finally, there's one HCG injection just before the egg extraction. Then after the embryos are transferred (May 2nd-ish), it's Wade's turn to give me progesterone injections in the hip every night. Yep, things are getting more complicated and exciting!

Even though this is our 2nd IVF process, it still takes a great deal of organization and planning. Dr. Silber's office provides a huge packet of instructions, medical orders and authorizations; and it's the patient's responsibility to review it, understand it and carry out the plans. The patient orders medications, attends injection training, schedules multiple MD appointments, takes oral meds & administers daily injections, keeps track of paperwork and goes to the hospital for ultrasounds and blood tests every other morning. It's crazy!

As we get closer to the target dates, I'll continue to explain the daily ins and outs of the process. It's quite fascinating, whether you're a medical genius or novice. And if you've been following this journal, you know that there's always drama involved. Hopefully this process will be uneventful, except for the final outcome!

Here's to smooth sailing!
Blessings, Ramona

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ramona,
Great to see you girls today! We are praying for "smooth sailing" as I can imagine this must be a very high stress and emotional time for you all. Praying you feel peace and God's comforting hand!
Please ask for help and we would be glad to run an errand, do a load of laundry or help plant flowers.
Love,
April C.

My friends said...

I don't envy the lupron dosage! I will be thinking of you Ramona, in this process - see you Sunday?

Anonymous said...

Best of luck. I am praying for you.
Ann

Anonymous said...

Ramona
I will be praying for you the next several months..hopefully there won't be too much drama, and everything will continue to go as planned.
good luck staying organized! :)
Michelle

Niki said...

Praying for your family as you set out on this next leg of your journey. I know it's an overwhelming process.