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Sunday, June 21, 2015

Decisions Decisions Decisions

So I am probably the worst blogger ever. The main problem is that not a whole lot new happens when you have infertility. It feels like you're living life on repeat, constantly counting days, taking medication, giving yourself (or trusting your husband to give you) a shot, testing, and then starting it all over again when that month fails. I feel like my blog would sound something like this: 

  so this month was another bust, more money out of pocket, and 
          I hate insurance again. But on the bright side I'm getting to know the nurses and Dr. on a first name basis and they don't even need my chart anymore to know who I am. 

So you probably wouldn't want to read my blog anyways because you would be bored to tears. I'm sure by now you're asking yourself, if she's got nothing to write about, then why is she making a new post.

Will you see that is a great question to ask! We have been asked by a lot of people what is going on and we are to the point where we have some decisions we have to start making. Let me just give you a quick synopsis of our trying to Cutie Pie Humphrey so far in case you are just joining! (Or skip down to the part that says "So now what" to find out what this post is really about!) 

-12 months of perfectly timed trying to conceive
-visit the RE and start 2 months of testing
-get diagnosed with PCOS, a block right tube, and hypothyroidism-full story Here
-Treatment starts! 
Here is the shortest summary of each month! 
-January-I take Letrozole plus a bunch of other things to grow pretty eggs and see if it works. It works somewhat, but I have super lazy ovaries. After a brief argument discussion and demanding to up my dose but stay on this med we move on to Month 2. (Want more details-read about it HERE)

-February-Upped dose of Letrozole which works, sort of. Ovaries are still lazy but getting closer. Move on to Month 3

At this point we decided we were ready to move on to trying meds plus IUI. What is IUI? Google or read about it Here

-March-All the meds, plus some and I insist on early monitoring to see when the egg is ready so we can add a trigger shot. So now I order a shot each month that I trust Jeff to give me each month. The plan works, I have a perfect cycle with a beautiful egg released on the good side. Still not pregnant. Look at my month in pills:




April-Repeat April's plan but then we see the egg is on the blocked side and so that month is cancelled. No IUI, no miracle pregnancy and on to month 5. 

May-Repeat March's protocol again. Everything goes 100% perfect. All numbers are great and everything looks awesome. Still not pregnant. On to Month 6.

See, told you-boring updates would have been all you got in this blog before now. 




So now what????

Now we as a couple have decided to start looking into IVF. But that is not covered at all by insurance (well none of it has been by them) and the VA won't pay for it at all ether. We are grateful that the VA has paid for our testing and most of the costs of the IUI, which has been a huge blessing.  But now it seems dumb. They will keep paying $2000 a month for something that is not working and has like a 5% success rate at this point but refuse to pay for something with a 60% success rate. Way to be cost effective VA.

What does that mean? We will continue to do this same treatment route with IUIs (and hope that maybe just maybe it will work) as we save up for IVF since the VA will keep covering it for a while. But that also means we are now saving up for IVF. We are looking at 2 or 3 different clinics and have to make a decision which we want to go for. The price does not change that much regardless of where we choose, but different sites have different protocols, packages, and requirements. Big picture, we are now working to save around $25,000. Yep those zeros are correct. You read that right. So yeah, trips back home to MN are now going to be few and far between. Vacations are no more and our budget just got real tight. But in the end we know it is the right choice and we will make it in a heart beat to have our dream of a family. 

So that is where we are. Budgeting, saving, and waiting. As we go forward with this process I will update more, promise, for real this time. 

Check back soon-or subscribe and it will tell you when to check back! ;)