Nick and I recently returned to our fertility specialist for our follow-up appointment to discuss his second semen analysis and our options. Our doctor does not seem to think that correcting the varicocele will be a big help in our case. He explained to us that the issue is very common, and he has seen several men undergo the procedure to correct the varicocele and still not achieve a natural pregnancy. He recommended that Nick should get the procedure in the future, but he does not think it will help us out anytime soon, and that results can take up to a year to see, and in some cases it makes no difference. Nick’s numbers seem to be pretty good in all areas but morphology, so the problem lies in fertilization he believes.
We asked about the probability of falling pregnant using IUI, and he said that would not increase our chances by any more than 5%. In my gut, I think that IVF is the right choice for us. I have produced so many beautiful eggs for so many cycles that the odds are just not in our favor any longer. So there it is. We are going to begin the IVF process. And we are starting NOW!
After sitting down with the nurse to review our schedule (yes, schedule, the next 8 weeks are mapped out in a lovely timeline decorated with birth control pills, ultrasounds, scans, injections, antibiotics and more) I would be lying if I said I am not overwhelmed. There is so much that goes into this process, and I am feeling so many mixed emotions. I am excited, scared, impatient, anxious, nervous – all at one time.
In all honesty I wish the news had been different. I wish the doctor had told us to just be patient, that it will happen naturally in time. Or that we had a good chance of conceiving with just ovarian stimulation or IUI. But the reality is, he did not. Yes we could try all of those methods but the odds aren’t great. There is always the exception, but am I willing to waste time and money to see if I am that exception, or would I rather place my eggs in the strongest basket? My first thought was, “if Nick or myself had an illness and were given several options; one with a 10% chance of a cure, one with a 15-20% chance of a cure, or one with a 50% chance of a cure with the only real factor being the cost”….I know I would take my chances on option 3! So that is how I looked at that situation. I want the best possible chance to conceive. Yes, money will be tight (REALLY TIGHT). Yes, it might not work. But right now I think that it is worth the risk. I’m all in. Let’s do this thing!
It’s crazy to think that by November we could have a little peanut (or two!) on the way, and that thought makes it all worth it. I am excited to get all of my meds organized by day and to make 10,000 copies of my calendar to keep in every room of my house. Oh, and I will probably start some new crazy diet and start rubbing my uterus for good luck. Those wouldn’t be the craziest things I’ve done while trying to TTC (i.e. menstrual cups to keep the sperm near my eggs, eating pineapple core after ovulation, and seeing a chiropractor to see if he could “crack” my uterus in to the optimal baby-making place, to name a few), and they probably won’t be the last!
The Patient Mom 