Adventures in Egg Donation

so lately

flamingmeatloaf — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:04:44 +0000

its been really freaking cold. I went in today, had yesterday off. Yesterday it snowed and again today. of course today is the day the sun is out and the day i’m exhausted and wanting to rest. I ran around Toronto all day yesterday and had lots of fun. My ovaries are swelling, and its uncomfortable, they told me to take tylenol. I also need to drink at least a liter of Gatorade a day. They actually told me to eat chips and fries and salty peanuts as well as protein. Interesting. I am pretty wiped out, so to bed i go….

First day

flamingmeatloaf — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:51:09 +0000

So its my first day here. I went to the doctors office last night to scout out the location, its right down the road. I went in at 825 this morning and got back about 1015. I had more blood drawn, had an ultrasound, talked to my doctor about everything that is going to happen and had the nurse give me lupron and Gonal since i left mine at home. . It wasnt so bad though, there was a student that came in with the doctor and that was fine, and then another doctor who will be doing my retrieval. I ended up waiting half naked only covered by a paper cloth on my bottom half, for like half an hour again, but I felt so guilty about the forgotten meds thing that i didnt really care. Its not like i have anything else to do anyway, so fortunately i had brought a book.

Talking to the doctor, she said that Lupron has the potential to give you mood swings and she spoke of another patient’s experience with it where she almost quit her job. So their advice was don’t make any life changing decisions while you are on Lupron.

I have the day off tomorrow, i go back on friday…..naptime!

Tuesday Travel

flamingmeatloaf — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:44:50 +0000

So i left yesterday, i was totally excited. No problems getting here, although i didn’t bring my medication with me because of the refrigeration issue and also the customs issue. Apparently that was a problem, though, and i got reprimanded at the doctors office. They made me feel so guilty about having to charge the parents for more meds….

Anyway I love flying…i like being above the clouds and seeing it like a whole different world when there is no ground to be seen, only a sea of clouds, like its an outer core that we could walk on almost….I got through customs without much of a problem, they asked to see my insurance, but i don’t have any proof of it so i pointed to the number of the doctors office and told him they had it…whew, it got me through.

Also, dont say the word knife at the airport or your bag will be taken apart. I forgot about all that and the liquid thing too….Got to my hotel, checked in, checked out my immediate area and spoke with a guy i’m going to meet up with today to hang out.

S about it

day 5

flamingmeatloaf — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:40:38 +0000

sorry i havent had time to blog lately. I got an ultrasound to count my follicules on Monday and was cleared to travel. Be prepared to wait pretty much forever for the doctor to come in and do that thing. it wasnt so bad though

Day Two FSH

flamingmeatloaf — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:58:48 +0000

So I got my second period in three weeks…I have been absolutly wiped out. I usually go trail running with my dog at least once a weekend if i have the time, but thursday i started to get sick. I just push myself too hard at times i think, but the period thing really got me. It wasnt a bad one though, so that was nice.

I talked to my fertility coordinator this morning and she said that so far i’ve been the perfect donor, everything on time, tests coming back perfect. Yay! I’m on schedule. I started Gonal today, had to be sure to read the directions carefully. Just hoping that the “flu like symptoms” side affects dont affect me too much. I leave in one week for Toronto. I am looking forward to it, but i worry i may be lonely. I guess we will just have to see.

Found a helpful site

flamingmeatloaf — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:37:03 +0000

It may not be easy to look around at, but at least its more than i’ve seen. Also may be able to hook up donors with infertile couples.

http://ivf.ca/forums/index.php?showforum=27

I’m a pro at needles

flamingmeatloaf — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:46:11 +0000

Ok so I started my injections last Thursday. Been busy so no time to write. Anyway its not so bad, they are small needles, but it took me a minute to hype myself up enough to go for it the first time around. The next few times it was still odd, but easier. A few notes: be sure to put that needle in at a 90 degree angle and to stick it in fat. I do the tops of my thighs, but i’ve been running so there is less and less fat there to use…i’d do it in my boo-tay, but the 90 degree angle thing is also important (as i found out this morning). It looks like there isn’t enough juice in the vial, but i guess we’ll see.

As far as how it affects my body…i think it makes me feel like superwoman sometimes. I get the ability to focus on tasks and just finish them, and i feel stronger, but i get tired at the end of the day faster, possibly from going going going with the superwoman thing. I don’t know if its the Lupron or my emotional state, but either way it doesn’t seem to really have a bad affect on my body. I was afraid it would make me an emotional wreck, but i’m ok so far.

Scary Needles

flamingmeatloaf — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:10:06 +0000

So i do believe that the previous post is something most normal women face when their heart is breaking, not an effect of donating eggs….that said don’t be worried about your emotions going psycho as a result of the switching on and off of birth control. Be sure you have someone close to you who will support you though.

today i got the package with the Lupron and Gonal. And lots of scary syringes. I know i can do it, but i think i may have to hype myself up to be able to the first few times. Fortunately, unless you have a problem, most women have fat stores on the insides of the tops of their thighs so it shouldn’t be too bad. It comes with a “Patient Education CD” that i have yet to watch as i am at work. I called my fertility coordinator and told her i got the package. She said she would call me tomorrow to remind me to start taking everything on Thursday. Its gonna take some kind of guts to get started, but I’ll call it an adventure.

some kind of crazy

flamingmeatloaf — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:40:16 +0000

So i am not sure if it is just the lack of sleep, food and rest lately or what, but i’ve been a bit up and down emotionally lately, more down than up. Crying a lot, being clingy, etc. My sometimes boyfriend and i were on last week and i wonder if my sudden crazy spell made us be off for now. All I can say for the purpose of this blog is be sure you have someone to support you. When i signed up, he wasn’t a factor in my life. When we got back together for what i thought was good, he said he fully supported me. Now its so up and down, i think it would make anyone crazy, whether or not their hormones were being messed with. Lets just pray the injections make me very calm and stable.

Day Three FSH

flamingmeatloaf — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:18:11 +0000

So today is day three of my period. I went in for an FSH, not knowing what I had in store. So i remembered last time, and made sure to eat a good breakfast and *ahem* clean up. I was a bit nervous since last time there was a vaginal swab involved, but this time i’m on my period, so isnt that a little yucky? i mean i’m cool with it and all, but should i wear a pad instead of a tampon, etc? I was sure they would have told me one way or another if it mattered, Samantha is good about that

So I make sure to get there early, last time i was almost late. I got there and they lead me back. Its a male nurse this time, I’m not a prude or anything, but something about a dude having to look at my hoo ha when I’m on my period just doesn’t fly with me too well. I mean he signed up for it though, so i guess its not a big deal to him. I sit down to let him take blood, get my magazine out to distract me and he kinda makes fun of me. I don’t mind being poked and giving nearly a pint of blood in several vials, but don’t make me watch! He jabs me, and it actually kinda hurt this time, but I try to focus on Carrie Underwood. Then he pulls it out and says “ok we’re done here, have a good day!” I was like “Dang, that was it?” (imagine it in the Brittany Spears voice, “Dang, Y’all!) I left and it was actually over before my start time. woo hoo!

now I am going to take my BCP. I hope i dont look like an addict by the time this is over.