Nice to Meet You. Again.

Welcome, welcome, welcome to our new blog!

Hi Old Friends and New,

I am the former Finding My Mom Genes, an IVF blog that turned private.

I'm back now, and more hormonal than ever!

Please join me as we pick up where IVF #1 left off.

We've just started stimming for IVF #2.

Let me get right down to business.

IVF #2 is waaaaay different than #1.

This microdose lupron, gonal-f, hcg, and 3 vials of menopur every morning are not for the faint of heart.

It has officially been told to me by the new hot-shot in our RE's office (mine was on vacation) that I am on the "Mac Daddy" of protocols after this estrogen priming they've done.

Let's hope Mr. Mac Daddy is right.

In case you are new here, I will introduce myself quickly. It's the least I can do since you'll know intimate details of my nether regions in a few short days. If you already know me, please, skip this part. : )

I was born and lived in the Deep South for 31 years. We're notorious for double names down there and my parents saw fit to bestow upon me the blessing and curse of a double name whose initials are A.E. There's nothing more Southern than to obsess about being Southern, so you'll frequently hear me wax poetic about the humid, slow-paced land that reared me. I cannot help myself.

A complete departure from the temps down south, out here in the Midwest I do things like this...

Below, dear readers, is my husband. He is proof that miracles do happen, God rewards obedience, and prayer really works. Finding this man is as much of a miracle as IVF. Totally serious. After a marriage and divorce in my twenties, this man rode in on his white horse just as bruised and battered as me. He is a big boy, measuring in at 6'7". I am flipped out, crazy in love with this guy. He's a book lover, a basketball nut, a warm father, a patient husband, and loyal friend. He is the kindest, most generous man I know. His job has him working in Los Angeles about half the month, so this gives us a good excuse to get out of the cold weather.

In the last twelve years I've had four jobs.

1. A flight attendant for Del.ta Airlines based out of JFK and LaGu.ardia (1 year)

2. Special education teacher for dyslexic students (2 years)

3. 3rd grade teacher (7 years)

4. Academic and behavioral interventionist for the school district (2 years)

Now my job is three fold:

1. A step mom to my husband's three children 15, 12, and 10 years old.

2. A part time IVFer.

2. A part time custom nursery artwork painter. Here are some examples...

I also paint custom gifts for newborns...

Now for the good stuff!

More importantly than anything else you've learned about me is that the miracle of modern medicine has created the husband and me four precious embryos. We've lost three and have one frozen about 15 minutes from our home.

Here are two of the four...

Baby Blast A

Baby Blast B

This picture was taken at the transfer.

You know the rest of the story...BFN.

About two months later, I was diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and we've made some significant changes in our protocol. Eleven changes, in fact.

1. Greens +
2. Co Q-10
3. Angelica
4. Royal Jelly
5. Additional folic acid pill
6. L-Carnitine
7. Acupuncture 2x per week
*8. Menopur (only Gonal-f during IVF#1)
*9. Estrogen priming using Estrace and Provera rather than birth control
*10. Lovenox
*11. Micro-dose lupron flare protocol

*These were added by my RE. All other changes were changes made by my acupuncturist.

Hubs and I are taking it one day at a time now and I cannot tell you how happy I am to be back in your company. Thank you for taking the time to switch everything over from Finding My Mom Genes to Just the Dark Before the Morning.