Update on the process

There has been a hiccup in the plan. I started the bc pills back on 9/19 and was suppose to only take them for 2 weeks and then starts the injections. However, all the doctors in the practice met this past Monday night to discuss what protocol would give us the best success and said that they wanted Keith to take the conception xr (sperm enhancing pills) till OCT 23 to help maximize the quality of his sperm. Well, that would put me starting shots too early so they have to synch our schedules. So I will continue to take the bc pills till October 5, then start them again on OCT 12 and take them till OCT 29 and start shots nov 3. It ends up pushing us back a whole month. While I was talking to the IVF nurse I was getting frustrated because I didnt want to have to keep waiting another month but then I was reminded by something. During the meeting the doctors had on Monday night, I specifically prayed that God would give them wisdom and that the timing of every tiny detail in this process would line up with Gods perfect timing! I wanted to be pushy with the nurse and tell her the timeline was unacceptable but instead I thanked her for explaining everything and smiled because Gods timing is always perfect and I will continue to trust and believe that! So we will keep taking our pills and keep waiting to start the injections. We have an appt on Oct 8 where we will sign all consents and they will go over every detail in the process. I did start acupuncture yesterday. It was relaxing and will do that once a week. Continue to pray for the Doctors wisdom and that the waiting will only help us draw closer to Him! I will update as soon as something else changes!

Here we go! The process has started!

Today is our first day in our IVF cycle. I cant believe its already here! I went to the doctor this am for ultrasound and lab work! The ultrasound showed 16 antral follicles on my right ovary (which is the only one I have) which is the number of potential eggs I could produce. That is a GREAT number! The ultrasound tech said that most woman with 2 ovaries don't have that many! The picture above is a picture of my ovary and the black circles are follicles. 1 or 2 of those follicles could eventually be the future baby in my tummy :) My lab work looked great for where I am in my cycle, which is day 1. Estrogen was 13, FSH 2.8, Progesterone 0.4. I will start birth control pills tonight and will take those for at least 2 weeks. All the doctors in the practice will meet Monday night to officially approve us for the shared risk program and to specify my medication protocol. They will determine how long I will be on the BC pills as well. The birth control pills will shut my ovary down and then I will start with stims (injectables) to make all those follicles mature so they can retrieve as many eggs as possible. Not all follicles will produce an egg so that's why u want as many follicles as possible. Today was a good day! Very excited to start the process! Continue to keep us in your prayers as this journey begins!

Walking Through Fire

Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters,  I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

As I begin to start writing this post tears run down my face. They are not tears of sadness but they are tears of gratefulness. I reflect back and think about everything I have walked through in my life and I am overjoyed that God brought me though it. It all started when I was 14, everything was normal before then. I remember being so on fire for God at that age. I remember being told that I was "anointed." What did that mean? I didn't know. On July 11, 1998, my world changed. My dad, Steve McSweeney, at the age of 39 was putting in an attic fan and a live wire struck him on his heart and killed him instantly. How could this be? How could God take my dad from me? I still needed him! I hadn't even started dating yet.... who was going to threaten all the boys for me? At his funeral, I remember seeing so many lives changed and saved. I thought to myself, I want to leave an impact on this earth like my dad did, what an amazing testimony to the life he led (well the latter part that is, haha, he was quite the wild guy before he got saved). I remember being sad but never being depressed because I knew God would care for us always, and He did! He brought a wonderful man into my moms life and she was remarried.

In December, 2000, I was told 3 of the scariest words I have ever heard... "You have cancer"! WHAT? I am 16 years old. How can I have cancer? I had a very large tumor growing on my left ovary which was cancerous. I had it removed followed by a very vigorous chemotherapy course. I lost all my hair and threw up almost daily for months and months. I was determined....determined to beat it and make God the center of everything and when I was told I was in remission, God received all the Glory. I kept a sense of humor in the midst of the storm I was currently experiencing because there was no need to cry and wallow in my sorrows. I was wondering if having an "anointing" meant walking through trial after trial because that's how it felt. Was God testing me? Was He allowing me to walk through all this to someday give Him Glory through it? I didn't know but I was going to praise Him through everything! After I was in remission, my hair grew back (very slowly might I add) and I went on to experience normal teenager experiences.... boyfriends, break ups, broken hearts, college, sorority life (thank you Jesus for forgiveness during some one those years, haha)!

Then marriage came in 2007. I wanted to have kids right away because I have always loved children so much. We tried and tried and in the middle of all that, my husband was told he was going to have to have his entire large colon removed due to severe ulcerative colitis that he was diagnosed with the week after our wedding. No meds were really helping relieve his symptoms. He had the surgery done and was in the hospital longer than expected due to some post operative complications such as an ileus and pneumonia. That was pretty rough! I had never seen Keith so sick before. Broke my heart to see him so helpless but he got better and now is doing fine from everything. So we continued to try for a baby. After we saw a fertility doctor and was told we would probably never conceive naturally and that the only option was IVF, I cried and cried and cried some more. WHY GOD??? Why are you letting me go through another storm? Haven't I been through enough? I just want a baby, that's not too much to ask, God! But I didn't really hear an answer back.... We prayed and prayed for a child. All I heard was, "in MY time, Stacy".... Well can you tell me when that is, God? Years went by... I became angry at God. Bitter towards everyone who was getting pregnant (which was everyone).... I didn't want to feel that way, but I did. If I got one more baby shower invitation in the mail I was going to lose it! After all the failed attempts to conceive and our miscarriage I was broken and in a dark place. I prayed but felt nothing. I use to think that if my sister got pregnant before I did that I would have to be sent to a mental institution..... But on May 5, 2013, my sister shower up at my front door. I knew exactly why she was there. I had known the whole day in my heart, it was as if God had been preparing me. I let her in and said "so, are you here to tell me you are pregnant?" She responded yes and began to cry, as did I. I hugged her and we cried in an embrace for a long time. Lots of thoughts went through my mind, one of which was WHY GOD??? Not again, I cant handle this, its not fair! But I told her congratulations with a smile and tried not to be bitter or angry. However, the exact opposite happened in the wake of her news. I didn't need to be sent to a mental institution. I had prayed for her pregnancy and her baby and prayed that God would rid my heart of all anger and bitterness. So, one day I woke up and was ecstatic for her and her husband! I felt no anger, bitterness or self pity. GOD HAD SET ME FREE! I never thought that my sister being pregnant would help heal my heart but it did! God knew exactly what He was doing. I could not be happier for her and cant wait to meet my nephew! I really feel like my heart has been healed from everything in the past few years with our fertility journey. My heart is now open and ready to accept the next journey God has for us.

I wanted to share my testimony to you all to say this. God allows us to walk through these storms and trials in life, not to bog us down or put us in a hole which we cannot get out of, but to allow us to completely and fully rely on Him and walk through Him in each and every circumstance. If you walk through the fire with Jesus hand in hand, you WILL NOT GET BURNED! You may get tired and feel like He isn't there with you in the midst of it, but He is! He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6). People tell me all the time after hearing my story, "you are such a strong person". Its in my weakness that God has made me strong! I am living proof that you can make it through the fire that you are currently walking though. Keep believing and trusting in Him! God is Faithful!

 

 

The Countdown is on!

Well, it seems the time is going by very quickly! About a week or so left till we start the process!!! So here is the rundown of what I know so far. We are waiting for my AF (aunt flow) (sorry TMI) to arrive and then we go in for labs and ultrasound (baselines).... once I do that, I will start my medication protocol. I will start on birth control pills for about 10-14 days depending on what they decide and then start the injectables to stimulate my ovary. I could be doing injectables for up to 10 days depending on how my follicles on my ovary respond. Then we will do the egg retrieval where they will take all mature follicles and fertilize them that day with Keiths sperm with ICSI (where they make them fertilize) and then 5 days after that they will transfer embryo(s) to my uterus where they will have to impant themselve(s) and then 9 days after that we will know if I am pregant! It is definitely a process! There will more than likely be a few hiccups during the process from what I am told but we are going to continue to stay in prayer and trust and believe that Gods timing is perfect and that He is faithful! Thank you all so much for the prayers, support and love you have shown to us through this process. I will keep everyone updated a lot more frequently once the process starts as there will be lots of changes. Thanks for reading our blog!
~Keith and Stacy

The Sacrifice of Motherhood starts today!

Today starts my fertility diet and ALL kinds of sacrificing of my favorite foods! Now, if you know me and Keith, you know we are HUGE foodies! We love to cook fancy gourmet meals, but today that all ends! Today is the day I get my body ready to get pregannt and carry a baby! I am starting a diet that consists of organic foods, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, artificial sweetener free, caffeine free, and alcohol free. Pretty much I will be eating a high protein low carb diet. Studies have proven this kind of eating shows to increase egg quality and help increase overall fertility. Hey, whatever works!! For breakfast I made a protein smoothie with Arbonne vanilla pea protein, almond milk, strawberries and blueberries! It was delicious! Lunch will consist of a turkey burger lettuce wrap with tomato and hummus and baby carrots and a apple for snack later on.... Its really not as bad as it sounds! Just eating healthy! The picture above is all the supplements Keith and I are taking to get our bodies ready for IVF. I am taking Co-q10 (icrease egg quality), royal jelly (helps thicken uterine lining and increase overall fertility), an extensive pre-natal vitamin, lysine, b12, and omega 3 fish oil. Also drinking Rasberry Leaf tea once a day. I am also starting fertility yoga (a dvd called AM/PM Yoga) that my RE recommended. I will start accupuncture in a few weeks. Keith is taking Conception XR motility support and clomid. He is also participating in the diet! The countdown to start our first (and hopefully only) IVF cycle is about 2 weeks!!!!! EEEK!!!! Getting so close! Keep the prayers coming! We are certainly going to need them!

First IVF test done yesterday

Yesterday I had my first IVF diagnostic test. I was told it wouldnt be that painful....THEY LIED! OUCH! The test is called an SIS (Sonar Insufflation Study). Its basically a test where they insert a catheter into your uterus and inject a whole lot of fluid and then look in your uterus to make sure you dont have any polyps. They also measure how far to insert catheter for when they transfer the embryo(s). Everything looked good! Besides the temporary pain from the test and the fact that the fluid they injected into my uterus leaked out when I stood up like my water had just broke, it was a good day in the fertility clinic! haha I have been taking birth control pills since february to get rid of the cyst I had at the beginning of this year and when I finsih the pack I am currently taking (5 days left), I will go a whole month of not taking them. Once AF (aunt flo) shows up then we will start the IVF cycle! Whoop Whoop! Stay tuned for more fun on the way to making Baby Wooten!

Our Fertility Background

Hey! Welcome to Our Blog! Never blogged before so I am super new to this! Wanted to give everyone a brief (I will try real hard to keep it brief) background on our fertility journet thus far. Keith and I got married on April 14, 2007... what a journey it has been so far! I stopped taking birth control pills a few months after we got married (deep down I thought it was going to take a while) and nothing ever happened! Months after months of disappointment.... I finally convinced Keith that we needed to go see a fertility specialist and see what the problem was.... I was thinking due to my previous ovarian cancer when I was 16 and loss of left ovary that it was something to do with my ovary malfunctioning. We saw a RE (reproductive endocrinologist) at UAB. After the initial tests the sperm analysis showed only a handful of sperm....grrrr. So after stimulating Keiths pituitary gland to make more sperm with clomid the sperm counts went through the roof (not literally though haha) but the sperm had low motility so we needed to try IUI's (intrauterine insemenation). We were told by the doctor we would be pregnant by Christmas. We were so excited about the realistic possibility of being pregnant and having a baby! All 3 IUI's were a BFN (big fat negative) :(. I never in my life (even after dealing with cancer and the tragic death of my father) did I think I could cry so much. I was heartbroken, disappointed, and devastated. I was mad at God. How could He not bless us with a baby? We would be awesome parents! The doctor told us we needed to try IVF (in vitro fertilization) but it was so expensive and we didnt have the money for it. So, we went and got a second opinion with Dr. Honea at the ART program of Alabama. She really felt like IVF was our best bet but we explained we had no insurance coverage for any fertility treatments so we tried another IUI but with injectibles to induce ovulation and make more eggs (targets) for the little swimmers. It was also a BFN. Once again, grieved over something I wanted so bad but wasnt able to have. So, we met with Dr. Honea who wanted us to go the IVF route with ICSI (where they make the sperm and egg fertilize in a petri dish) cause she felt that was the treatment to the sperm issues we had. But we just couldnt fathom shelling out 18k or taking out a loan for it. After all, we had been paying out of pocket for everything fertility related thus far and had drained our savings. So she suggested that we try donor sperm IUI's for our first baby and IVF for our second. We didnt really care about the genetics, we just wanted a baby and I just wanted to experience pregnancy. So after the third IUI with DS (donor sperm) we finally got pregnant!!!!!! I had never been so happy in all my life when that phone rang and the nurse told me I was pregnant! Never did I ever think that miscarriage was an option. I would think to myself, "God would never bless us with a baby and then take it away, not after this long of trying so hard"..... But, God gives and takes away (Job 1:21). Our sweet baby never made it and I had to have a D&C. This was the hardest thing I have eve gone through emotionally. This is what shook our worlds! Heartbroken wasnt even the word I would use to describe how we felt. I never knew that infertility would change my spiritual walk so much. I have never trusted in Him so much, had so much faith that we would be pregnant, and then be so mad at Him in a short amount of time. It was and is a ROLLER COASTER. Keith doesnt like roller coasters to begin with so this fertility coaster is a ride we both wont off! After the miscarriage we wanted a baby even more than before! We tried again and again and again.... (3 more IUI's) and all were a BFN. Crushed again! We were gearing up to try one last time in January of this year and I went in and had a big cyst on my ovary so I couldnt start another cycle. They monitored the cyst via vaginal ultrasound (hate those) and it kept getting bigger so after seeing the RE and the Oncologist to make sure it wasnt another ovarian tumor (which it wasnt, Thank God!) they both came to the conclusion that my body was tired of all of the shots and it needed to rest and recover and that we needed to just bite the bullet and move to IVF. So here we are.....5 weeks out from beginning our first IVF cycle. yay!!!!! The Journey to IVF so far has been interesting! I have been working extra shifts at another hospital to help us get the money we need and we are having a huge yard sale this saturday which will hopefully push us over the top of our goal! We have had an abundance of blessings recently from family and friends wanting to donate stuff for us to sell and even some financial blessings! It has really felt like God is working and ordaining this! We cant wait to start this journey and share with you as we experience it and are asking for your prayers and believing with us that baby Wooten will be on the way very soon!
With Love,
Stacy and Keith