The biopsy results are back, and from a medical point of view, we're all good to go! We've also completed all of the legal contracts, so now it's just timing and deciding WHEN to do the transfer. Co-ordinating schedules, summer vacations as well as our cycles for egg retrieval and implantation is more work than anticipated. It looks like June is going to be a bit rushed, and we've decided to skip July and look at August instead for a few different reasons. The doctor at the fertility centre is going to be away the first part of July, so mid July would be the next earliest time to transfer the embryos. My husband has 2 1/2 weeks off at the end of July, and we were hoping to get away for a bit and Janelle and Joel have also got some vacation plans late July as well, so waiting till August just seems to make sense.
While we're preparing for the egg retrieval, Janelle will need daily injections and close monitoring at the clinic. After her eggs are collected, they'll fertilize them and then grow them in a lab for 3-5 days before transferring them to me. While this is going on, I'll be taking hormones to thicken my uterine lining and prime my uterus to receive the embryo(s). After the transfer, I've read that I'll need to go on bed rest for a couple of days to give the embryo its best shot at "sticking". At this point, as we're not exactly sure of what to expect during those few weeks of pre and post implantation, how much it will limit us, we've decided pushing it back a month will let us all enjoy our summer vacation time, and have a 'last hurrah' before getting down to business. Initially, I was disappointed when I found out we wouldn't be transferring next month, but now I'm actually really looking forward being able to enjoy most of the summer not being pregnant, and feel really happy with our decision. So as it stands now, I think Janelle and Joel will be out our way for the end of July and we can aim to retrieve eggs the first week of August and do the transfer 3-5 days later. Exciting!
I've started being a bit more open about our plans with the surrogacy, and becoming more comfortable talking about it with people outside our immediate circle of family and friends. For the most part, people have been quite supportive, with varying degrees of interest. There have only been a couple of negative comments; usually about giving away a baby, that they didn't think they would be able to do it, the emotional side of things in the post partum period and someone even telling me outright that they didn't agree with the decision. That being said though, that reaction was from a friend who was playing devil's advocate and thinking of the emotional and physical toll this will take. It's been months now that we've been working towards this, so I'm at the point now where I feel really comfortable and confident in our decision.
Honestly though, I don't know yet how hard this will be. How could I? Either way, it feels like the right thing for us, and I know it's worth doing. So until then I won't worry, and down the road should a time come where I do have a hard time, hopefully there will be enough people following this blog that perhaps a drove of chocolate might just appear on my doorstep. :)
Here are my babies. A reminder of why I'm doing this, and my hopes for Janelle and Joel
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