More on our story...

So, where to begin? I guess the beginning!

My husband and I met in high school - yes, I know - so cute, high school sweethearts. I was 16 and my husband was 18. We dated all through college (but went to separate colleges) and got married as soon as I graduated. For the next 6 or so years, we enjoyed being a married couple - doing all the fun things you can't do once you have children (or at least things you can't do as easily) - and focusing on work.

Some time in 2007, we both started getting the itch to delve into parenthood. Due to my work, we decided to wait until the beginning of 2008 to start trying, thinking "this is perfect, I'll be pregnant in the next few months." Those first few months were exciting filled with hope - checking out baby due dates on the computer at the beginning of each cycle, not buying new clothes because, hey, I'll be pregnant soon, using pregnancy tests each cycle, and planning summer activities around the idea that I would be pregnant.

Then the months started to drag on. In June 2008, I finally visited my ob/gyn and was assured that everything was a-ok, just give it time. I figured I was just being paranoid. The doctor even said, I'm confident we'll see you back here before your regularly scheduled pap smear in September...

September came and went but we decided to wait until it had been a solid year. When we still weren't pregnant, my husband had a sperm test and I had a test to ensure my tubes were open. Still, everything was a-ok. But I was told by my ob/gyn that there really wasn't anything else she could do so, and if still not pregnant in a few months, it was time to see a RE.

That brings us to April 2009...our first visit to Dominion Fertility and meeting with Dr. DiMattina. After some more tests, he concluded that there was a slight diminished ovarian reserve and a slight sperm issue (mobility and morphology). Nothing that should stop us from spontaneously getting pregnant.

And he gave us 3 options. Do nothing and wait - yuck! IUI with clomid. Or natural cycle IVF.

So, then the decision time came. Doing nothing didn't seem like a good option. Our insurance doesn't cover natural cycle, so we ruled that out. IUI with clomid seemed ok but I had read so many comments on others' blogs were that seemed like a waste of time and a hurdle to getting to IVF.

Well, our insurance does cover regular IVF...but you have to get authorization, which according to our fertility clinic is not easy to do, especially since we didn't have any major issues. So the clinic submitted the request for authorization, but we figured we'd have to do at least one cycle of IUI first. But lo and behold, they approved IVF right away...

So that brings us to where we are today...about to start a Lupron flare cycle and counting the days down until I start taking medication (around June 21). I find myself once again using the computer to calculate due dates and talking about baby names, again with a renewed hope that maybe, just maybe, we aren't too far away from the end of this journey.

You know, you often think you are the only person feeling a certain way or going through a particular struggle. But it has become abundantly clear to me that SO many women have felt the same way as me and dealt with this tremendous burden. And that's why I'm turning to this blog, hoping to connect with more women who have walked in my shoes or are maybe walking down the same path as me right now. And it gives my husband a break from having to talk about this all the time!

I hope you'll visit often!