The News…
22 Nov 2011 6 Comments
It’s been really special having so many of you following our journey, offering words of comfort and support. It’s been a real testament of how important it is to share the journey of infertility, by so many of you reading this blog you’ve understood what we’ve gone through, where we’re at, and we’ve been blessed by that immensely. Thank you, from the both of us, we really really appreciate it and are thankful for the comfort God has given us through you.
So as many of you know, yesterday was the day, the day I would go in for a blood test at the hospital to see if we are pregnant. I was so pleasantly surprised to see my favourite registrar, Suja, back in the lab. She had been back for a week and I was so excited to see her, she’s the best! So caring and lovely. She said she’d call me around 1pm with the results, so after leaving the hospital, I kept busy!
I had some fun preparing a possible positive result surprise for Jason, picking up some babycakes cupcakes from Leichartd, and a card for the new Daddy, then I hit up Ikea by that time, I was starving for some brekky (as I could only eat crackers and ginger beer just after waking up, because of morning sickness), I’d successfully passed time, so I headed back home, stopping off at a party shop in St Marys to grab a baby balloon- as you could see I was pretty confident it was going to be a yes, judging by symptoms that had set in a week ago.
I got home and watched T.V as I waited, I didn’t have to wait long because Suja called me at around 12:40pm with a huge “CONGRATULATIONS” I was so excited that she could break the news to me, and I expressed that to her, she was so happy to as well, it was a real highlight in her job as she has walked so much of this journey with me. What was also exciting was my body really has kicked into pregnancy mode, so no top up of hormones needed, just a few routine blood tests for the next 2 weeks and an ultrasound, and the Royal Hospital for Women will be done with me!
Then I had to wait till Jason’s staff meeting finished at 1pm, so I set the scene, ready for some excitement when he walked in the door.
Jason rang me to say he was coming home, I had to restrain myself so much to not blurt it out over the phone, I really wanted us to share this moment in person.
Minutes later he was home, and a little confused (because he thought I didn’t know yet), but massively surprised. We jumped up and down in excitement, had some babycakes and grapetiser to celebrate, and Jason brought out some baby knitting books to plan what he could make for our little bubba.
Reading a card telling him what a great Dad he'll be!
Mega excited about the news!
The scene set for Jason's surprise
So it’s early days, I’m around 4 weeks pregnant, so much can happen in the first trimester, but we’re entrusting our Baby to God, hopeful he/she will be healthy and come to full term. We’re so excited by the news of this new life inside me, we’re celebrating- whatever the outcome!
Give thanks
That this cycle worked
That Suja could bring me good news
That I’ve learnt some helpful ways to manage morning sickness.
Please pray
That me and the bub will be healthy
For Jason as he supports me so well through pregnancy
For us as we prepare to be parents!
Cheers! (with sparkling grape juice)
Friday IUI
07 Nov 2011 2 Comments
Well Friday worked like a dream…it was seemingly so easy in comparison to our last attempt, which ended up with us shaking our heads, quite shaken up.
Jason and I got to the hospital, ready for him to produce a sperm sample. As usual the nurses and technicians were friendly and supportive. I was a little nervous, the pressure is on when Jason has to produce a sample in the little room, and I was so hoping this time, we would have some success on this front. Thankfully we had some frozen sperm just in case. I waited in the waiting room, reading a bit of 2 Corinthians, and before I knew it, he emerged, sample in hand, I remember watching him walking down the corridor, and popping my thumb up to ask “all good?” and he beamed back at me, thumb in the air to confirm “yes all good”. I was so excited, a huge relief on both our parts, this was really going to happen!
We took the sample to the lab, and we’re told that it would be washed and put in a solution which would take under an hour to be prepared, what was reassuring was the attention to detail, in the sense that they had a lot of things for us to check- the labels with our names on it stuck on various things, checked and double checked, no room for error!
Jason and I went to the cafe inte foyer. We grabbed some choc and strawberry milk respectively, and shared a yummy passion fruit and yoghurt muffin to celebrate the occasion! We spent our time, enjoying conversation, playing some games on the iPad and just spending time together, hopeful of what was to come.
We then went back into the department of reproductive medicine’s waiting area, and before we knew it we were in the lab, shown a specimen of Jason’s sperm, before washing, after washing and with solution added (in sperm hyperactive state) looking into the microscope, it was amazing! My heart melted looking at them so actively swimming, what a miracle, God designing such tiny and amazing life givers! We then went into the procedure room, ready to proceed with an intra uterine insemination. Our nurse was lovely, Jason sat by my side, holding my hand, and she then inserted the catheter (think like pap smear) and said it has been the best IUI she’s done for ages, complication free, just easy! I then lay down for half and hour, Jason and I used this time to pray, cuddle, just be together, which was so special, and quarmed my fears that the process would be sterile and invasive. It was full of warmth and love. We then left, going so encouraged and uplifted, feeling all the stress and worries gone, then spent a lovely time having lunch together at Penrith.
So now, I have a blood test this Thursday, checking my hormone levels to see if I need a boost of hcg hormones, to help sustain a pregnancy, then a week after that, I have another blood test to see if we’re pregnant!
Give thanks
That we had such a great IUI experience!
That we feel hopeful and at peace
For amazing hospital staff who are stars
Please pray
For a pregnancy
For good health
For comfort and trust in God if we aren’t
For a chance to rest and recover post cycle 3
Tomorrow
03 Nov 2011 2 Comments
in Partridge Updates Tags: Partridge
Well, we’ve had a relatively short course of treatment compared to the last cycle, which has been great, and the time has really flown. So Jason and I find ourselves ready to actually proceed!
My oestrogen hormone levels are at the optimal level, I have one lovely big egg and two smaller ones (as well as many tiny ones that are nothing to worry about)!
I’ve taken my hcg hormone injection today, which releases the hormones to induce ovulation, and now we wait until tomorrow, where Jason and I will go into hospital, he will produce a sperm sample, it get’s washed, and then inserted into my reproductive tract. Then we wait…
This has certainly been more invasive than I expected, when I entered into this treatment process I knew that there would be injections and ultrasounds, but I guess I envisaged being able to do the actually conceiving naturally with Jason. I trust the doctors and I know this takes a lot of pressure off both Jason and I, so I’m thankful for the skill and good chance it will give us to conceive this time. I also am so thankful for Jason and my loving marriage, that this baby will be made in love, even if the process is medically induced.
Give thanks:
That we can go ahead with potential conception
That my body didn’t hyperstimulate, and I don’t have too many eggs.
That Jason and I have his sperm frozen as a back up tomorrow, taking a great deal of pressure off us.
Please pray:
That we might conceive, and I might carry this baby to healthy full term
That we would trust God even if we don’t conceive
That God will be preparing us to be godly parents
For my health if we do conceive, through pregnancy
Cycle 3
19 Oct 2011 1 Comment
We had a catch up with Dr Hughes today to discuss the next course of treatment, he was as usual very helpful and humourous! He was very happy with the way I stimulated last cycle.
Tomorrow I’ll be starting again with another cycle. Please pray!
Pressure
09 Oct 2011 1 Comment
Jason will write his insights into this topic soon (when he’s not preparing and delivering a sermon), but I thought I’d blog where I’m at, and what happened the last week. Please note Jason is 100% OK will me writing this post, we feel it important to be honest and unashamed, for we don’t need to be!
We got the go ahead to try and conceive a baby, but a few things proved a challenge for us both. Jason got sick, to the point he would have coughing fits and throw up, and he’s actually undergone a lot of stress lately, with his boss moving churches, difficult pastoral situations and not to mention the toll that fertility treatment takes.
This meant that when the time came to try, he couldn’t. This was so stressful and shameful for him in itself, the fact you feel the pressure to ‘perform’ as well as all the sickness and stress, just didn’t make conducive baby making conditions!
The staff at the hospital were patient and wonderful, so supportive, reassuring us that this happens a lot. People who undergo fertility treatment are under a great deal of stress and for next time, we can freeze some of Jason’s sperm just in case it happens again. Just as a last resort.
I was really frustrated and upset, not at Jason, but the situation. We were so close, but this hurdle was awful! Since then Jason and I have really bonded, supported each other even more and had lots of time together. We’ve enjoyed reading God’s word and praying HEAPS together.
So it looks like we need to start again in 2 or so weeks.
I’m really thankful
- For another opportunity to have fertility treatment
- For the doctors, nurses and lab people at the hospital especially their dedication and support
- For a kind generous family member that has already given us money for the next round of treatment (to pay for drugs)
- That the treatment was successful, that we’ve found the right dose and I didn’t over stimulate.
- For Jason and my marriage, the strength we feel, and closeness through disappointments and joys
Please pray
- For Jason to recover to 100% health
- For us as we manage stress and strain
- For our marriage
- For me as I wait to start a new course of treatment
Full steam ahead
02 Oct 2011 1 Comment
Got some great news today…we’re all ready to progress with my final injection. This injection contains the hormones that make me ovulate.
I went to get my blood test this morning, and it was at the perfect level of oestrogen. I also had an ultrasound, and we discovered one beautiful ripe follicle, ready to release 1 gorgeous egg! I was ecstatic with the news, full steam ahead one step closer to a potential pregnancy.
Thank God:
- For the ripe follicle holding a lovely egg
- For Dr Hughes’ expertise, producing the best possible result
- For Dr Hughes, and Monica going above and beyond the call of duty, working on the long weekend.
- For a successful pregnancy
- For a week that won’t be spent waiting anxiously for a good result
- That we’ll trust God whether we get pregnant or not
Dedication
30 Sep 2011 1 Comment
So excited to hear I’m ready for a scan on Sunday to check out my eggs!
The Royal Hospital for Women dept of reproductive medicine are such a dedicated bunch, they’re opening up on Sunday because of the long weekend. So thankful for their care & expertise!
Movin on up…
29 Sep 2011 1 Comment
Well, the hormones are starting to increase, and I feel the change to phase 2 of the treatment. 18 days into treatment! The doctor has told me to increase my dose, and they think this is my threshold, and things will move faster after that getting to the hormone level it needs to be before inducing ovulation. I hope so, I’m so exhausted!
I’m also really keen to see the ultrasound which shows how many follicles which holds eggs there are! That happens when I get to the right hormone level, just before I trigger ovulation (with another drug)
Thankful that things are moving!
Please thank God
• That things are starting to pick up
• For lovely Monica & Renee who make traveling into the hospital so enjoyable
• For Dr Hughes wisdom in keeping this cycle slow
Please pray
• I have some nice eggs
• For patience
• That I don’t overstimulate
• For a pregnancy!
Day 10…where we’re up to
21 Sep 2011 3 Comments
I’m up to day 10 of our second cycle of ovulation induction. Just a quick recap, last cycle I was very sensitive to the hormones and over stimulated, producing too many eggs. Under the doctors recommendation we decided it best to cancel the cycle because of a good chance of multiples, which brings potential complications during pregnancy and possibility of a premature delivery.
Jason and I then went and had an amazing holiday in the Gold Coast, which really was perfect timing. We were able to relax, re-group and have heaps of fun. I really recommend a break, or something to look forward to at the end of a cycle of fertility treatment, because it’s just such a stressful time, it’s nice to have some fun, and take a break from the intense process.
With Scooby Doo an friends
I also had a great chat to my psychologist, upon commencing cycle 2, we’d spoken previously of me needing to deal with disappointment and not just dismiss it, so it was great to tell her I had. She also gave me a “well done” for creating space in my life to be able to deal with the important and pressing things, which meant I am in a good headspace and have time to process things, whilst allowing myself to be kind to myself through the demands of treatment.
We’ve felt this has also been a great time for Jason and I to grow and build our marriage up, as well as spend time before kids getting things in order, and working on our spiritual lives, particularly as a couple reading the bible and praying together each day. We’ve started doing this with more discipline during our holidays and beyond, and have been planning how to have good habits when we welcome children into our family and how we want to bring them up to know and love Jesus as much as we do. This means we need to be hungering for God’s word and speaking to him on our own, together as a married couple, and with our children every day. We can’t wait to have a nightly ritual of prayer, bible reading and singing together as a family from birth.
At Main Beach our last night in Surfer's Paradise
Back to the present, this cycle we’re taking it very slow, on a lower does of follicle stimulating hormones than I was on last time. This has meant I’ve been more tired, and as the cycle is longer, I have more contact with the hospital over a longer period of time. At the moment I am going into Randwick twice a week, which is OK, but when my levels increase and things start to happen hormone-wise it will be a whole lot more often, probably more like every second day. My hormones aren’t going up much, which is what we expected and are happy about, hopefully the right number of follicles which release the eggs are developing.
So that’s where we’re up to, I’ve enjoyed 2 days straight without going to the hospital which has meant a much needed sleep in, but I go in tomorrow and we will then increase the dose to enter into the second stage of treatment. This should last a number of weeks.
Thanks for the support, for the faithful praying, the messages of encouragement, they mean so much.
Please thank God for:
- A thorough and caring medical team at Royal Hospital for Women
- Always feeling welcome and having fun when I get my blood tests chatting to the ladies
- An amazing break and holiday with dear friends
- An awesome psychologist who supports me, guides me and whom I can de-brief with
- That we won’t idolise children, but rather view them as an amazing blessing on the journey to Jesus’ return.
- That I might continue to give my body rest during the demands of treatment
- That I won’t produce too many eggs
- For our marriage, that we continue to prioritise time together, chatting, praying, reading God’s word
What we’ve learnt…
24 Aug 2011 1 Comment
Well, yesterday the decision was made to cancel this cycle of ovulation induction. The reason being, I had 5 full sized eggs! This means the risk of twins, triplets or quads is pretty much a given, and my ovaries could have been hyperstimulated* (if you want more info on what this is go to the bottom of this post)
The doctors thought that seeing as I’m young (and funnily enough- very fertile) We should cease the cycle, and start again using what they’ve learnt about how my body reacts to the drugs (I’m very sensitive to them!) and not put my body and potential babies through the dangers associated with my reaction to the drugs.
This was a huge shock to us both, hearing the increased risks of losing triplets in the womb, (or having to take one out for the other two to survive) was pretty huge! I was devastated, and thought it was terrible that we were all set to go, but wisdom and reason suggesting we should stop.
Today Jason and I went to see Dr Hughes, for a de-brief and chat about the next step forward. As always he was encouraging, informative and honest. We learnt some shocking things… basically, I am off the chart with how many eggs I have, so I’m very fertile, so ironic that the Polycystic ovaries are making me have issues with conceiving. Jason’s sperm count is great too. Basically, the only way that we can prevent multiples is IVF, and in reality, that’s too expensive for us.
So what we’ll do now is start a new cycle in a few weeks, trying the best we can not to stimulate too many follicles, so I don’t produce too many eggs. This means keeping the hormone dose low and taking our time. Dr Hughes thinks I will probably once again produce multiple eggs next time, but we would have done all we could to prevent that and I may not.
This means we need to prepare for multiples babies, most likely twins. We’re really excited about that, and we’re so keen to welcoming one or more babies into our family. They would be a massive blessing. BUT, the situation is that twins are pretty common and have a good chance of survival, it’s if we were to conceive triplets that health problems would most likely arise for them, potentially ending in the death of them all. So we may be in a bit of an ethical dilemma if that were to happen. But we’ll take things one step at a time!
Thank you so much to all of you who so fervently pray for us, we’re so grateful that you think of us, hope with us and pray. I’ll keep you posted when cycle 2 starts, in the meantime, Jason and I will be going on a much needed holiday and will be set to hopefully start the cycle with a blood test the day after we get back.
Thank God that:
- We have such amazing care at Royal Hospital for Women- they’re truly a blessing and Dr Hughes heading up the clinic is amazing! He has so much experience knowledge and most importantly he’s a godly man!
- We’re both fertile!
- With the information gathered from this cycle, we can know what needs to be done for the next one
Please pray:
- For patience as we wait
- To keep thinking and praying about the ethical implication of multiple births
- That we’ll keep our eyes fixed on Jesus trusting in our heavenly Father.
* Ovarian Hyperstimulation- A potentially life-threatening side effect of ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications such as hMG and urofollitropins. A woman’s ovaries become enlarged and produce an overabundance of eggs. Blood hormone levels rise, fluid may collect in the lungs or abdominal cavity, and ovarian cyst may rupture, causing internal bleeding. Bloodclots sometimes develop. Symptoms include sudden weight gain and abdominal pain. Cycles stimulated with these drugs must be carefully monitored with ultrasound scans. OHSS may be prevented by withholding the hCG injection when ultrasound monitoring indicates that too many follicles have matured.
Cindy Partridge
Jason Partridge
