July 1999: Jason and I start dating {we're sophomores in high school}
August 2006: Jason and I are married, finally, after 7 years of dating : D
January 2008: Stop taking birth control pills
Early February 2008: Visit cardiologist in Santa Barbara to make sure all is well with my heart murmur. I get the "green light" but they note that one side of my heart is larger than the other. Since I don't have any outward physical symptoms, they send me on my way, but refer me to a cardiologist at UCLA for further testing. Give me VHS copy of echocardiogram done to take with me to UCLA.
Mid-February '08: Cardiologist visit at UCLA. Archaic VHS imaging of my heart does not make it possible to determine why right side is larger than left, but since my murmur sounds loud {loud is good} and I am not displaying any negative physical symptoms, I am again given the green light, but encouraged to come back at a later date to try and figure out why one side is larger.
February '08 - August '08: TTC on our own at home. Begin noticing irregularity and sometimes absence of periods --- thought I was pregnant a few times due to completely missed cycle. Disheartening to say the least.
Mid-August '08: Appointment with local OBGYN. Try to convince her that something is going on, even though she says to keep trying at home for a few more months ---- couples aren't normally considered infertile until after a year of unsuccessful conception attempts, plus, we were 24, and she said we had LOTS of time. GRRRR. In the end, referral obtained to an OB with infertility knowledge, after I filled her in on my mom's infertility history {multiple miscarriages and a full term stillborn}.
Late August '08: First visit with new OB. Diagnosed through blood work with PCOS. Commence confusion because I do not have any of the outward physical symptoms of the syndrome; but also, an AHA! moment, because finally, we knew why we weren't getting pregnant. Fun fact: women with PCOS who do not "fit the bill" psychically for the syndrome are harder to treat because there is no weight to lose, and our blood levels for glucose, insulin and testosterone are all borderline irregular as opposed to glaringly off.
Late August '08: Begin taking 500mg of Metformin aka "the drug from hell." Again, because my insulin levels are borderline abnormal, the Metformin has some unsavory adverse affects on me: IBS like symptoms, vomiting, severe drops in blood sugar, etc. With some time, I am able to tolerate the 500mg.
November '08: Metformin dosage increased to 1000mg {goal is 1500mg} and I cannot tolerate it, at all. Severe nausea, vomiting and upset stomach. In fact, the weekend I up'd my dose, I spent 2 days straight in bed, with my barf bucket handy. I got so weak from the ups and downs of my blood sugar, I had to be carried to and from the bathroom.
Late November '08: Able to tolerate 800mg of Metformin, but not feeling very good, and my cycles are still irregular.
December '08: Referral to first RE obtained. Given dose of progesterone to stimulate a cycle, since it had been nearly 90 days since my last period.
January 2009: Visit with RE. Ultrasound done of my ovaries ---hello cysts! First spontaneous "on time" cycle for a very long time.
February '09: 2nd spontaneous on time cycle. HSG done of my uterus and fallopian tubes. All clear, no blockages or abnormalities found.
March '09: Begin taking Clomid, 50mg. BFN
April '09: Residual cyst found on ovary from last cycle, so Clomid cycle is cancelled. Told to rest for one month.
June '09: Clomid 50mg. IUI #1. Chemical pregnancy/early loss.
July '09: Clomid dosage increased to 100mg. Strange ocular issues from Clomid, told to stop meds immediately. Still had follicles big enough for IUI #2. BFN Large residual cyst found in ovary - August is a "resting" month.
September '09: Begin Femara 2.5mg --- strange heart palpitations begin. Call cardiologist at UCLA and make an appointment for Oct. 1 for a transesophogial ultrasound {basically, they sedate me and put a camera and scope down my throat to take 3-D photos of my heart}.
October 1, 2009: Find out I need open heart surgery to correct my congenital defect.
October 29, 2009: Undergo open heart surgery at UCLA. I am released on November 3rd.
November 7, 2009: Admitted to UCLA ER for tachycardia {extremely rapid heart rate. Mine was over 300 bpm...normal is between 70 and 90 bpm}.
November 9, 2009: Ablasion done on my heart to stop rogue heart beat that had developed since the surgery. Released November 11.
{Medical hiatus from TTC October 2009 - December 2010}
February 2010: Return to work, notice I am very very tired all of the time.
March 2010: 24-hour holter monitor reveals that I need a pacemaker. Heart never fully recovered from surgery, due to damaged sinus node, which happened during surgery {during open heart surgery, the heart must be still and since the right side was very disfigured due to enlargement, the surgeon couldn't see where my sinus node actually was and had to guess --- and he cut through it. It never healed.}
May 2010: Quit job in anticipation of move to new city for Jason's Master's program.
June 4, 2010: Pacemaker implant at UCLA. Overnight stay for observation.
August 2010: Move to new city.
December 2010: Given green light by cardiologist to start on the TTC path once again...
January 2011: New RE. Femara 2.5mg + fertility diet + trying at home. Ovulation detected. BFN
February '11: Femara 2.5mg + trying at home. No ovulation detected...
March '11: ...which resulted in my period being very, very late. Skipped cycle.
April '11: Femara 3.75mg + trying at home. Grandpa passed away. Ovulation detected. BFN.
May '11: 3.75mg Femara + trying at home. Ovulation detected. BFN
June '11: 3.75mg Femara + trying at home. Ovulation detected. BFN
July '11: 3.75mg Femara + trying at home. Ovulation detected. BFN.
August '11, part 1: 3.75mg Femara, intention to try IUI = no growth
August '11, part 2: Current cycle - 5mg Femara + trigger shot + IUI =BFP!!!!! Beta = 410 :D
October 3rd: Measuring a week behind (5 wks instead of 6). 2nd beta = 1300.
October 5th: 3rd Beta = 1294. Decreasing HCG implicating imminent miscarriage. Heartbroken and devastated.
October 16th - miscarried at 8 wks.
February 2012: 5mg Femara + trigger shot + IUI = BFN
March '12: 7.5mg Femara + trigger shot + IUI = BFN
April '12: Doctors are puzzled as to why we cannot conceive, despite ovulation and viable eggs. Given new diagnosis of Unexplained Infertility. 2nd recommendation to move on to IVF.
Decide to postpone our TTC efforts as of June 2012. Move to Indiana for Jason's doctoral program gives us opportunity to refocus on ourselves and our marriage.
May 2015 - Resume fertility treatments at new clinic
August 2015 - IVF #1 - fresh cycle, 1 embryo transferred - BFN
October 2015 - IVF #2 - frozen cycle, 1 embryo transferred - BFN
November 2015 - IVF #3 - frozen cycle, 2 embryos transferred - BFN
March 2016 - IVF #4 - fresh cycle, 2 embryos transferred - (no remaining embryos)- BFP
Beta #1 - 397
Beta #2 - 733
Due date: December 9, 2016
Our Evelyn was born via emergency c-section August 15, 2016 at 23 wks 3 days, 17 weeks premature. She passed from this life onto the next August 16, 2016. We are shattered.
