OUR IVF JOURNEY

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Our journey began on April 8, 2021 with a consultation with our fertility specialist, Dr. Janet Bouknight. Waiting in the consult room, I couldn't help but feel the weight of everything we were about to hear. Ben and I came in with our research done and a list of questions, but when the doctor came in, I broke down. Thankfully, she is used to the emotions that go along with the IVF process. 

 After an hour of information overload, we were ready to give our consent.

Here are the highlights: 

Follicle stimulation with injectables

Egg retrieval surgery

Fresh embryo transfer or cryopreservation

Frozen embryo transfer

Dr. Bouknight is very optimistic about our case. She thinks with proper stimulation, we could get 20 eggs. Usually about half of the eggs will be mature enough to fertilize. Fertilization will be the major catalyst for us. She recommended we use ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) for fertilization. From there we will wait 5 days to see how many fertilized eggs will make it to the blastocyst stage, and we will have our final number of viable embryos. 

Ben and I have gone over and over the possible outcomes: 

20 eggs are retrieved. 10 are mature. 8 fertilize. 6 make it to blastocyst. All 6 are attempted. 4 are successfully transferred resulting in 4 babies over the course of 4-6 years.

20 eggs are retrieved. 15 are mature. 12 fertilize. 10 make it to blastocyst. Do we attempt all 10? The Lord will have to soften my heart to embryo adoption if we get to this point.

15 eggs are retrieved. 8 are mature. 4 fertilize. 2 make it to blastocyst. The first is attempted and results in a miscarriage. With only one left, we rejoice when it takes and we are pregnant with what will be our only biological child.

12 eggs are retrieved. 6 are mature. 3 fertilize. None make it to blastocyst.

There are so many questions and things to consider. I think that is why IVF has been off the table for so long. It's not fair that we have to go through this painful and heart-wrenching process to have a child when others are having babies left and right with little to no issues. I know God is teaching us and will ultimately be glorified through this process. I have to remind myself of that daily, or I will become bitter.

After posting an update on Facebook, I have received countless encouragements, promises of prayer, and messages of support, but one caught me off guard and really allowed me to see God's mercy in full. 

A friend we know, who has struggled with infertility and loss, reached out to me to offer her encouragement. She told me she prays daily and will continue to pray, but then she went on. She said a friend of hers had messaged her that morning and wanted to give, yes give, us 2 unopened boxes of Follistim, follicle stimulation injectables. For those who don't know, these medications are outrageously expensive and most are not covered by insurance. 

But God, people.

 He is so good. At every turn, He is confirming in our hearts that this is His plan for us. We are seeing his mercies poured out in our lives through our family, friends, and faith family. I am so in awe of our God and His people.

Thank you for sticking with me this long. I intend to write about our IVF journey each day there are new developments. Feel free to follow along, pray, and be encouraged. God is still working.


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