It's Getting Close!

Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well. Things have been pretty crazy over here at the Casto House lately. I feel like we have been going non-stop for weeks now and believe it or not, everything seems to be coming down to the wire with the next round of IVF. I have been waking up every morning at 6:45am (Yes, even on the weekends - No sleeping in for me anymore!) to give myself my daily shot and following my crazy pill schedule like it is my life, pills for breakfast, lunch and dinner. . . Ha! You would not believe the amount of pills and medicine that are involved in this process, it is insane. Here is a picture of what I currently have, it does not even include the Lovenox that I will get later!




I forgot to mention it before, but a month or so back the docs ran a new round of blood work to double check a bunch of medical stuff I do not understand. When they got the results they discovered an elevated AntiCardioLipin level (My LgM was elevated). I still do not fully understand all this, but from what I understand, this puts me at risk of clotting, which could cut off the oxygen supply to the baby and result in miscarriage. The level is still in the indeterminate level, not quite positive (you want it to be negative), but because it is elevated Dr. Vaughn and the Hematologist I have been seeing talked and decided that they want to take the ‘Better Safe than Sorry’ route, so they are going to put me on blood thinners for the entire pregnancy plus some, which means I now get to give myself a shot everyday for pretty much the next year, yippie!!!!! I am going to be a pro at this kind of stuff by the time I have a child, so if anyone needs any shots, just see me :o). The good thing about taking this ‘Better Safe than Sorry’ route is that the medicine they are putting me on does not cross the placenta, so it should not cause any known harm to the baby . . . whew . . . =o)

I am getting really excited yet nervous all at the same time. This round is so much more hopeful, so it is hard not to get excited, but I still need to approach with caution and expect the unexpected. As of right now, our donor is set to ‘Retrieve’ on the 18th of this month, and the ‘Transfer’ would happen 3 days later, which would be the 21st. But, as I learned from my first IVF cycle, these dates have a tendency to change (mine got bumped back a day). It will on depend on whether or not the donor’s eggs are ready. We will not know these dates for certain until probably around the 16th or 17th. I will try to keep you all updated on any changes if they happen.

On a side note, the family is doing great! Jaxon and Sundae made their first trip out to the lakehouse this weekend and they LOVED it. Jaxon really enjoyed playing in the lake as well as the big field next to the house. They were both in heaven =o). I am sure the cats enjoyed the house without the dogs for a few days as well. They were actually able to lay in the middle of the floor without a dog torturing them, He He!

Well, thanks for tuning in to our life yet again. If you talk to me in the next couple weeks and I sound a little out of it, scatter brained or stressed, it might have something to do with my nerves =o). I am doing everything I can to think positive, but sometimes I fall victim to my brain, ha! I will let you all know how the transfer goes and hope that you all have a great day!