Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Our IVF Journey

We started TTC (trying to conceive) in September 2010, two years after being married.  We knew it might take us awhile to conceive, but little did we know just what our journey had in store for us! 
After about a year and a half, with no positive pregnancy test, we decided to switch my ob-gyn and look into further testing not only for me, but for Luke as well.  We started by adjusting my medications to further control my PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), and were advised to see a urologist for Luke.  We visited Dr. Kendall Itoku in St Peters, Missouri at the end of 2012 where he performed a physical examination and semen analysis on Luke.  Given Luke’s medical history and test results (low “swimmer” count and motility) Dr. Itoku suggested we either get a testicular biopsy to determine low count or consider in-vitro fertilization. 
Taking this information back to our local ob-gyn, Dr. Bennett, we then discussed multiple options (some of which were rather humorous!).  Luke and I took some time to consider our next move, as we realized we had only two choices to have a baby:  either adopt or start the IVF process.  After several weeks of intense discussion and prayer, we decided that we weren’t ready to give up on having our own biological child.  Dr. Bennett recommended we set up an office visit with a IVF specialist that he knew from school, a Dr. Gilbert Wilshire in Columbia, Missouri. 
On June 6, 2013 we sat down with Dr. Wilshire to discuss what the IVF process looked like and if we liked him as a doctor.   We liked him immediately!  Mid-Missouri Reproductive Medicine is a private practice with a very skilled and friendly team.  We honestly liked the entire team right away! 
After a few visits, Dr. Wilshire suggested we take the summer “off” from TTC and try a procedure called intro-uterine insemination, or IUI.  I was to go on a very strict diet called the Paleo Diet (absolutely no carbohydrates or sugar) and Luke was to cut back on fatty foods and eat more foods high in selenium that increases sperm count.  At the end of the summer we were to go back and review our progress and do another semen analysis.  On September 19, 2013 we went back to Columbia for our next visit.  At that time I had lost about 23 pounds and Luke had his fill of Brazil nuts and shrimp!  Although we had done everything we could have, Luke’s “little swimmer” count had not increased enough for us to do IUI, so at this point our only option was IVF. 
There were two tests that Luke had to “pass” in order for us to become IVF candidates:  Y-Chromosome Micro-deletion and Karyotype, both analyzed Luke’s chromosomes to make sure there were no abnormalities.  If either test came back negative, we could not proceed any further with IVF.  It took about a week to get both test results back, and by the grace of God both tests came back just fine!!  We were shocked (as we still didn’t have an answer to why Luke had low sperm count), but we decided that in the bigger picture we would rather have a baby then know the answer to that question. 
Throughout October and November 2013, Luke and I prepared for the journey ahead.  We had to schedule time off work, I was temporarily put on birth-control, and we had to figure out how we were going to pay for such a procedure.  Dr. Wilshire’s office recommended we contact an agency that specializes in these types of medical loans, and after applying for the amount we thought we needed, we were approved in less than two hours! 
We decided to start the process immediately, so towards the end of November we met with our main nurse, Marie, and signed all the papers, gathered our medications/injections and received our schedule of events.  We also did a ‘trial transfer’ during one visit (of which I won’t describe the pain and horror L) but it was necessary for Dr. Wilshire to know the exact “route” he was to take in my uterus on the day of transfer. 
Each night, I would prepare the injections and Luke would administer them.  We began the injections and medication on November 24, 2013 through December 6, 2013 (13 days).  Given the amount of injections and medication I was given, I thought that I would be taking these injections for a lot longer, and I’m honestly thankful that I didn’t have to!  Every 4 – 5 days throughout the injections we would travel to Columbia for ultrasounds where they would monitor the process of my ovaries.  The purpose of these injections was to stimulate the ovarian follicles to produce lots of mature eggs.  This is necessary for the IVF process and different than normal ovulation when just one egg is released from the ovary.   I would need to produce at least 20 – 30 mature eggs in hopes of ending up with a least a couple viable embryos later in the process.  (I had to shelve the skinny jeans for a while since my ovaries were getting nice and big due to all the mature eggs!)
The morning of December 7, 2013 we traveled to Columbia to perform the egg retrieval.  I was put under for the procedure, so I don’t remember much.  Something funny I do remember, though, is that the anesthesiologist thought I looked so much like Penny from Big Bang Theory that he kept calling me by the actress’ real name, Kaylee.  J  The procedure was fairly quick, only about 30 – 45 minutes.  (I was pretty sore for the next day or so.)  Once the retrieval was complete and I had woken up, I waited in a private room as Luke gave his “little swimmers”.  Apparently I was still ‘out-of-it’ at the time because Luke said that I yelled, “Give them your best!”  when he was leaving the room.  Woops! 
At this point, our job was done, and we were released to go home and wait.  Over the course of the next 5 days we were given daily updates on the number of embryos that were still viable.  On Sunday morning, December 8th, our nurse Marie called with the number 13!  Thirteen embryos survived the night!  She said that because this was such a high number, they were not going to take them out of the incubator on Monday.  Our next call came on Tuesday morning around 10:00am.  I could tell that Marnie was extremely happy and we would soon know why.  We still had twelve (12!) embryos that were viable and progressing normally!  WOW!  (12 embryos @ 8 cell stage, grade 1/ 2 embryos @ 10 cell stage, grade 1)
Now, around day 4, or 96 hour mark, the embryos go through a phase called blastocyst, a crucial stage for these fragile cells, and since we had so many good embryos left Dr. Wilshire and the lab decided that on Wednesday they would not disturb them.  So our next call would not come until Thursday morning, December 12, 2013 on our way to Columbia for the transfer. 
Once we got to the doctor’s office, Marine came out with the incredible news that all twelve (12!) embryos were still viable!  She even provided a photograph of the two embryos that they had chosen to transfer that morning.  
Cool, huh?!
This procedure was different from the egg retrieval because I got to be awake through the entire process, and Luke was in the room the entire time and able to watch on the monitor when the embryos were transferred.  Once they had me situated on the exam table, and the necessary instruments were in place, Dr. Wilshire yelled to the lab (which was immediately behind the room we were in) “Kari Goodman ready for transfer!  Two embryos!”  At that point, the lab, already having put the embryos in the catheter, came into the room and assisted Dr. Wilshire in the rest of the transfer.  Once the catheter was in place, we heard Dr. Wilshire say, “Fire!” and at that exact moment the two embryos were transferred into my uterus.  Of course, I couldn’t really feel a thing but it was still a very exciting moment in the whole process! 
I was put on bed-rest for the next two days.  I’m sure this was to help the embryos implant in my uterus, but it was rather un-eventful!  Little did we know that there would be plenty to get excited about in the near future!   We only had to wait another week before going back to Columbia for a stat beta HCG quantitative, otherwise known as a blood pregnancy test.  Unfortunately, there was a huge snow storm in Hannibal the day we were to travel to Columbia so I stayed in town and got the blood test done at HRH.  On December 21, 2013 we got the call from nurse Kim in Columbia that test results confirmed that I was pregnant!!  Two weeks later I took the blood test again to confirm.  This time Marnie called me and said that my levels - which normally should almost double – had more than doubled and I was for sure pregnant! 
Dr. Wilshire and his team took us through week 10 of our pregnancy, and then they “hand us off” to our local doctor in Hannibal.  We just had our last visit with them this past week, January 28, 2014.  We got to see not only the baby’s heartbeat but we got to see our little gummy bear move!!!  I cried with bittersweet happiness the entire appointment and Luke couldn’t stop smiling!  He said that the baby did his “happy dance”. 

We still have ten remaining embryos that are currently being cryogenically frozen, and over the next few years we will be making the decision on how many we want use.  If there are any left that we don’t use, we want to donate them to another couple, like us, that couldn’t conceive naturally in hopes of providing another couple with a baby! 
Throughout all of this, we have seen and felt God’s guiding hand and been the happy recipients of His many blessings.  We can't wait to see what else He has in store for us!  

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Kicking My Own Butt

Has it really been a year since my last post?  You would have thought I forgot I had a blog!  Confession - I actually did forget I had a blog.  Well, not forget, per se, just got a little lazy in blogging.  Well, I'm here to say that I've officially starting kicking my own butt into gear!

And, of course, when I say "I am kicking my own butt" it really means my doctor has 'highly' suggested I go on a strict diet of no sugar and no carbohydrates for the next three months.  Literally.  Oh jooooooooy.....

Well I can't say that I'm surprised by this, as he has been trying to get me on the road to sugar-free eating for awhile, and the procrastinator inside of me has finally put down the bag of mini powdered donuts, gotten off the couch and is paying attention.  (Took her long enough!)

So, here's to the next three months (or however long it takes me to lose 40 lbs) of healthy eating, and to sharing my experience out loud.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

How To Get Fat

When my doc kindly said to me two months ago, "Kari, please cut out ALL carbohydrates in your diet. Thank you,"  I walked away with jaw-dropping certainty that I was going to fail... like instantly.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I immediately started craving Little Debbie fancy cakes, which is what tends to happen when I get stressed.  Which is also what got me into this mess in the first place.  

Before I begin, I'd like to share with you a brief history of me and diets over the past 10 years or so.  I've tried them all, and they have all failed.  Miserably.  Never have I been able to stick to a diet (or workout routine) that has successfully worked in kicking those extra pounds to the curb and leaving them there for good.  Seriously... mention a diet to me and I promise you I have tried it.  I even tried being a Vegetarian.  Guess how long that lasted?  Two days.  

So, as I walked out of that doctor's visit I was pretty clueless as to how I was going to succeed in this adventure.  And then I realized that the best place to start would be to identify all my bad habits.  I figured if I took all these bad habits and started doing the exact opposite of them, I was bound to succeed, right?  Unfortunately, I tend to be a little blind when it comes to my bad eating habits, so I had to ask the one person who knows me best to help identify these habits - my husband.  Which he was more than happy to do considering some of these habits have been driving him crazy for years!!  

So, here are all the ways in which you can (and some of us did!) get fat:  

  1. Never exercise.  Especially if you have a job where you sit at a desk for 8 hours each day.  This will ensure that you never lose that lovely 'spare tire' around your midsection that you constantly complain about.  
  2. Never eat your veggies.  Vegetables are jam-packed with essential vitamins and minerals your body needs in order to work properly.  Plus they give you a great (and natural!) energy boost.  But why go to all the trouble of peeling a carrot when you can chug a Mountain Dew and have all the energy you need for the next 30 minutes?!  Which brings me to my next point...
  3. Drink lots of calorie-filled beverages instead of water.  This is one of the best ways to ensure you'll surpass your targeted daily calorie intake each and every day.  Plus, think of all the extra weight your hanging on to because you can't produce a decent bm?  (Ew, gross.  I know.)  
  4. Eat really late at night.  This one drove my hubby crazy.
  5. Eat as much pasta and candy as you wish!  (This is my biggest downfall right here.)  Nothing gets you fuller quicker than a giant plate of spaghetti, but since it takes your brain at least 10 minutes to register that your stomach is full, you will have totally accomplished eating at least twice as much as you should have.  
Well, I hope you've enjoyed my tutorial on how to get fat and stay that way!!  Please don't take my advice (and previous behaviors) and get your booty up and moving!  :)  I'm so glad I did!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Movies, Movies, Movies

Has it really been 7 months since my last post?!  Whoops!!  Apparently time flies when you're having fun!  Wait... did I say fun?  I really meant to say starting a full-time job.  Which, may be, in my opinion, the exact opposite of fun.


Nevertheless, Summer is upon us and I hope to share a lot more fun-filled adventures with you over the next several months!


One of the things I love most about Summer's arrival, is that it brings TONS of movie releases with it!  And anyone that knows my husband and I at all, knows that we love our movies!  We have recently discovered that we have the ability to rent movies via iTunes, and this has come in handy lately with Redbox being the only option to rent movies here in our hometown.  (Where's a Family Video when you need one?!)


Side note:  When renting from iTunes, we have discovered that it's best to wait until the entire movie has downloading before beginning to watch.  We made the mistake of trying to watch a movie "instantly" and ended up paying for it twice!  Boo...


Below are a few of my thoughts on movies I have watched lately. Keep in mind that my husband was gone for about 2 weeks in June so I tend to get a little bored when he's away.  In other words... no judging the amount of movies I've wasted time watching.  :)  


Immortals = D
I don't mind a little blood and guts in movies, and I've never been one to get sick over seeing blood everywhere.  The one thing I can't stand, however, is seeing people tortured or burned.  This movie was full of scenes of human torture and pain, and therefore I rated it rather low.  The only good part was the fact that there was plenty of "eye candy" for us woman!  (Did anyone else notice that Theseus was that cute little teenager from The Count of Monte Cristo?!  Um... he grew up nicely...)  Don't watch if you get sick easily.  

The Grey = C
Liam Neeson is the BOMB!!  I knew that this movie was a total "guy" movie, but I wanted to watch it just to see him kick some butt.... which he did.  Until the end....  :(  This is another movie that you shouldn't watch if you get sick easily.  However, it may be a great one to watch if you are planning a trip to the icy forests of Alaska. 







One for the Money = B
I usually don't watch book-based movies without first reading the novel, but I did here.  A little cheesy at times, but it kept my interest.  I'm a huge fan of Jason O'Mara (Joe Morelli), and Katherine Heigel did a great job with her Brooklyn-style attitude!  This was a very light-hearted film with plenty of entertainment.  





This Means War = A
A great "date night" movie!  I loved all the action and humor that this film had to offer.  Chris Pine and Tom Hardy did a great job playing off one another (not to mention that both are extremely good looking!)  This will probably be one that I'll have to purchase soon.  










I'm sure there will be more movie reviews to come!  But until then, let me know what your favorite summer movie releases have been!  

Sunday, November 20, 2011

DIY Rock Candy

My recent Pinterest.com searching led me to a fun website called, ScienceBob.com, one afternoon where I found this awesome recipe for homemade rock candy.  And since we are avid sugar-lovers in this house... I just had to try it out!  


First I started with a few ingredients:

  • A wooden skewer
  • A clothespin
  • 1 cup water
  • 2-3 cups of sugar 
  • A tall narrow glass or jar
Clip the clothespin onto the wooden skewer so that the skewer hangs down inside the glass about 1 inch from the bottom.  
Remove skewer from jar and set aside for now.  
Pour water into the pan and bring to a boil!  While water is still boiling, start pouring sugar into the water, 1/4 cup at a time.  
I wanted to make more than one skewer of rock candy  so I used 3 cups of water.  However, I  quickly realized that it was going to take about 12 cups of sugar to make my candy and had to run to the grocery store for more sugar!!
Upon returning from the grocery store, armed with enough sugar to feed a small army, I was back on track. I continued to add sugar to the boiling water until no more sugar would dissolve.  This takes several minutes, and the sugar will take longer to dissolve once you have a certain amount in the water already.  So, take your time and don't stop adding sugar too early or your rock candy will not turn out!  

At this point, I've added about 12 cups of sugar and a few drops of food coloring so that you can see exactly how THICK the water has become!  

Once no more sugar will dissolve, remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes.  Then, carefully pour the sugar water into your glass or jar almost to the top and insert your wooden skewers.  

Make sure you put the jars where they will not be disturbed for several days.  

Than WAIT!  And wait....... and wait!  Oh, and continue waiting.......  Your rock candy will slowly start to form over the next 3 -7 days.  

I waited 7 days.....




I had a fun time experimenting with this recipe, and I hope you will too!  

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Trash to Treasure: How To Use Old CD's

Since the invention of itunes, I have noticed that I have old CD's laying around EVERYWHERE that I will never do anything with ever again.  One day, as I was browsing through www.Pinterest.com (my new favorite website, by the way) I saw a brilliant idea on how I could reuse those worn CD's and turn them into something I could use again!  So, in my first edition of Trash To Treasure, I'll show you how to reuse those old CD's to make a super cute wall hanging.  

The one I made (pictured below) is a sign I am using as part of my friend's "cowboy themed" baby shower.   (Um, I hope she's okay with me telling the world her son's name! Haha!) 


In order to make this wall hanging featuring the baby's name, I had to use 5 CD's.   I started by cutting 5 circles out with scrap-booking paper.  Simply trace and cut!  

Next, glue the paper onto each CD.  

For the letters, I used my Cricut's Stone Script template, but you can use any pre-cut lettering you find, or if you're super experienced with the scissors you can cut your own letters out!  

Once the paper and letters are glued onto each CD, hot glue ribbon (smaller in width) around the edge of each CD.  

Using ribbon (at least 1" in width)...

glue your letters (in the appropriate order, of course!) onto the ribbon.  I had extra ribbon leftover, so I glued small bows in-between each letter to give the sign a more "finished" look.  


There you have it!  A perfect addition for any wall that needs a personal touch, AND a great way to recycle used CD's!  Since I have many CD's still to use, I was thinking about making a few signs for my own home. The great thing about this project is that it's so versatile, the possibilities are endless!  I can't wait to start on my "Christmas" sign, and Hey!  That's 9 CD's I'll be able to recycle!  :)  

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Total Money Makeover

In the spirit of "paying it forward" I'd like to share a personal story of me and my husband's journey through our Total Money Makeover with Dave Ramsey.  

A little over 2 years ago I was talking to a close girlfriend of mine when she mentioned Dave Ramsey.  My husband, Luke, and I had never heard of him before, nor did we know what he did for a living.  My friend mentioned his book, Total Money Makeover, and thought that my husband and I might benefit from reading through it together.  Come to find out, he's the author of several personal finance books, including Financial Peace University and EntreLeadership, his most recent publication.  

It only took us about a week to read through TMM (Total Money Makeover), and let me tell you something... I am not exaggerating when I say that it literally changed our lives!  Everything we knew about how to handle our personal finances was challenged and called into question.  This was not an easy 'pill' for us to swallow as we have always considered ourselves to be very responsible people when it comes to our money.  We quickly learned that we were, in fact, not.  

Dave takes you through his 6-step program to get you out of debt and living credit card free in TMM.  Currently, Luke and I are on step #2 - Debt Snowball, or pay off your debt (not including your mortgage, which is step #6).  Before I go any further, I want to stop here and let you know that I'm about ready to tell you JUST how in debt Luke and I were, and how much we've been able to pay off.  I want this to be an inspiration for anyone that may read this and a testimony to just how amazing this program really is.  What I am NOT trying to do is brag about our success or rub this in anyone's face about how 'awesome' we are (because trust me - we still have a long way to go!).  My sole purpose is to inspire someone who may be struggling financially to start taking control of their life!  

When Luke and I first started this program the current sum of our combined debt was over $50,000!!  YIKES!  In percentages, a whopping 77% belonged to student loans; 16% in car loans, 1% in credit card debt, and 6% in miscellaneous loans.  In 2.5 short years we have been able to pay off over $24,000 worth of debt!  This is over 43% of our total debt!!  

This is crazy considering Luke is a youth minister and I work 2 part-time jobs, but nevertheless, I truly believe that anyone can do this if they take Dave's advice and spend within their means, a concept that today's society knows nothing about.  If you don't have the cash to purchase those things considered "non-essential" then DON'T BUY THEM!  Hard work can get your farther than you ever thought it could, and trust me... it's worth it!