Climbing the Fertility Mountain

The past two weeks I've been in the midst of my first IUI cycle. Here's a breakdown of how the cycle went. In the exam room on the day of insemination. Masks required now because of COVID. I called the fertility clinic on cycle day one - scheduled to come in for vaginal ultrasound on cycle day three.  Day three's ultrasound was to check that there are no cysts or unusual growth on your ovaries. They also took a blood sample to check for pregnancy (came back negative, obviously). I was then given a prescription for Clomid, which was a small pill I was took on cycle days 3-7. Clomid stimulates the ovaries, in the hopes that more than one egg follicle will develop. Thankfully I did not have too many side effects from the drug, some say it can cause moodiness or hot flashes, but I felt fine. On day twelve I went in for another ultrasound to check the follicle development. A cycle can get cancelled for various reasons which are outlined in this helpful website  HERE  if you'...

Throughout this journey I have been pricked with more needles that I care to count, as well as (how can I put this lightly...) opened my legs and lady parts for at least a dozen doctors, nurses, and even a few medical students. This post is a raw and open sharing of some of the procedures I have endured in the past two years in order to get to where I am now, finally starting fertility treatments (which as you might guess, also includes more needle pricks and shall we say "intimate" meetings with doctors). Initially when we started working with a fertility clinic back in late 2018, I assumed we'd tell the doctor our history of miscarriage and TTC for over a year and then "poof" we'd be well on our way to a quick little IVF procedure. HAHA, I was so naive back then! The doctor requested a full work up of tests and procedures to determine if there was something specific causing our infertility, before we could even consider fertility options. And many of these...

Bierstadt Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park I like the mountain analogy in this context, comparing it to the (in)fertility journey. Having successfully climbed a "14er" (a Colorado term dubbed for mountains with a peak of over 14,000 feet), I can tell you that the climb is the most difficult part of the journey. While climbing our 14er Brandon and I had to take A LOT of breaks. A few minutes of walking, followed by a few minutes to catch your breath. The incline and the elevation can really take a toll on your body and you have to take the journey at a pace that works for you.  In comparing a mountain climb to the fertility journey I consider the peak to be adding a baby to our family, by any means possible (i.e. pregnancy/live birth or adoption). This is the part of the fertility journey in which I am still stuck. Climbing to the peak. I have encountered a few "false peaks" along the way. You know, when you look ahead of you and see what you *think* is the t...

Hey! My name is Emily and this blog is dedicated to sharing the story of my (in)fertility. This is something I've been pretty private about since my husband and I started trying to conceive back in 2016. But, I am to the point in my journey where I am ready to start sharing a bit more about what I've been through. Honestly, this blog is more for me, as an outlet to express my thoughts and document the journey as I climb this fertility mountain. If you're reading this you probably are part of my family or one of my close friends, so thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and ramblings.  The past four years have been filled with ups and down as Brandon and I attempted to grow our family. Here's a quick (or maybe not so quick...) timeline to get you up to speed. August 2016 - First month officially Trying To Conceive (TTC)  January 2017 - First positive pregnancy test!! March 2017 - First miscarriage: Our eight week ultrasound revealed an empty egg sack, and ...