Check!

Before any trip, we like to make checklists.  Well, when I say, "we" I mean my husband actually makes the lists. However, I do enjoy checking things off of lists.  So, there are several things we've been able to check off our list this week:

Medical Screenings
Blood work
Flight Arrangements
Contracts
Mental Evaluation
Receiving Medications

As soon as I start my period, I can call the nurse and we'll start meds.  I got a big box of meds the other day:

Surrogates are some of the only people in the world that are happy to get medications.  It means things are about to get really interesting!

This week has been a whirlwind.  At the end of last week, my IM nonchalantly mentioned my psych evaluation that we needed to get done.  We had originally scheduled it in early February, but were going to wait until medical screenings were completed, so we postponed the appointment.  I was supposed to follow up with the psychologist after we got the all clear for medical screenings.  Well, we just got that like yesterday...but with the new job and all that happened last week, I forgot to call her.  Well, she's out of town this week.  I vaguely remember her mentioning that but had thought we'd have it taken care of in plenty of time.  Oh boy.  I think between my IM and me, we called every psychologist in Texas, and a few other states.  To save you time, we ended up getting it taken care of around 11AM today.  Whew!

Incidentally, the clinic needed clearance for that and legal clearance by ummmm....TODAY!!  So, our contracts were finally finished up yesterday.  My husband and I zipped over to get ours notarized and then my IPs got theirs notarized in Louisiana.  So, as of this morning, we had mental and legal clearance.  (And medical too as they finally got the all clear on blood work!)  Talk about waiting until the LAST minute!  Not that I feel like it was any fault of my IPs or me...haha.  Okay, maybe a smidgen my fault. :) 

So, tomorrow is my first monitoring appointment to check the lining of my uterus.  My uterus?  You mean you haven't met?  Oh, well let me introduce you to my amazing uterus. 

You see that teardrop shape?  Well, that's supposed to be perfect shape when you're looking at the uterus that's been expanded for inspection.  Believe me, I heard about it for 5 mins. from the RE.  He kept remarking about how it looked like I hadn't ever had children because it was in such good shape.  Errmmm.....thank you? :)

So, all of that's to say that things are going smoothly.  I'll check in after my lining monitoring!

California update

Hello y'all!  I'm sorry that my California update has been so delayed.  I started my new job on Tuesday and my husband was out of town from Sunday to Wednesday and apparently I am spoiled and rely on him for many, many things such as sleep, laundry, and riot control when I cook dinner.  (If you have three or more children, you'll understand). 

On to California...

The trip was a success.  Dr. Wilcox exclaimed that I have a nice uterus and that you couldn't ask for a better start.  He also said whomever was working with me was lucky, including him.  Awwww.  Everyone knows that the way to a surrogate's heart is through her uterus. ;) 

So, we did a little more bloodwork and are just waiting for that, and my husband's results, to come back.  We're also in the midst of contracts and are hoping to wrap all of that up this week.

Four weeks from now, we will be transferring!!  I cannot wait to go back to California.  The weather was wonderful and it was a quintessential Cali day while I was there.  Sunshine, not too hot or cold, a little breeze.  Oh to have that weather everyday.  Best of all, no humidity!

As I was traveling alone, on Valentine's Day, I made the most of my time alone and did the Warner Bros. tour in Burbank.  It was really cool!  I even had the chance to sit on the actual couch from the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. set!!  I declined to do so as I really want to go back with my husband and take a picture there for the first time, together. :) 

So, my next surrogacy-related appointment will be March 1st for a monitoring ultrasound and I'll also start meds that day.  I cannot believe that's just next week!!!!

Stay tuned. :)

California here we come

If you were around circa 2003, you might have heard of a little show called, "The O.C." 

I was obsessed with that show and I made my, then long-distance boyfriend, now husband watch it with me and we’d sit on the phone and watch it together.  I know, I know, you’re thinking, “LAME!” and rolling your eyes smugly.  Well, it wasn’t lame, we didn’t have skype and texting and all of that jazz back then so we communicated in two ways.  The phone and Instant Messenger.  Go ahead, go Google “instant messenger” and I’ll wait. 

Back from your trip to 1999?   (P.S.  I know instant messaging is still around, but find me someone that’s used it on a daily basis and bring them to me so I can look them in the eye and then walk them over to get them a text messaging plan that fits their data usage needs.)

Tangent!  Okay, let’s continue! 

So the show’s theme song was a nice number called, “California” by Phantom Planet.  I loved this song.  The lyrics start with, “California here we come” and it’s so fitting because California, here I come!

I checked in this morning and I’m in section A to board, which is nice b/c I dislike waiting and I dislike sitting in the middle.  Now, window seat or aisle seat?  Probably window because I love to look outside and because I won’t have to get up if some joker has to pee five times. 

My flight leaves at 6:30AM Texas time tomorrow morning and then I meet with the clinic for my screenings.  Afterwards, I’m checking into my hotel and then headed for a tour of the Warner Bros. studio.  I’m really excited about that!  Then, I’m ordering room service and indulging in hours of uninterrupted Lifetime network bliss!!

In the background, we’re working on contracts and psych evals and all of that other groundwork that has to be put into place before anyone will let me get pregnant.  As our psychologist puts it, “We have to see if you’re crazy enough to do this again.”  :)  The answer is, most definitely.

So, I’ll catch up with y’all when I get back from California.  :)

Anyone who's ever been apart of surrogacy knows it can take many phone calls to plan out the early details of the process. Just this week alone, I'm sure I've logged several hours of chat time with my IM, the clinic, the nurse, pychologists, and my doctors to get things coordinated. Luckily, my IM and I are so much alike that we both like to get things planned and sorted out in advance. We're both flexible (because you absolutely HAVE to be with surrogacy!) and can adapt to change, but there's something about having tentative dates that makes my inner control freak say, "Ahhhhh!"

A lot has happened since my last post:

• I am starting a new job on February 19th. I am lucky enough to be leaving a very good job and joining a great place closer to home with a little less of a demanding schedule. Being a mom of three makes for a very busy calendar, so this was a move that felt right for this time in my life.

• I'm flying to California for a Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) and mock transfer on February 14th! Yes, V-day will now stand for Vagina-Day! (Thank you to my surro-friend, Meredith, for that) This will be my first trip to California (and I have a short layover in Phoenix so that will also add Arizona to the states I've been to...and yes, I'm counting it b/c I can!) so I'm really excited. It also means that things are starting to get real!

• I met my friend A for a drink Thursday. "What's the big deal?" you ask? Well, it's a HUGE deal because the friend was someone I'd never met before! I actually met A through my last blog. She was a potential IM that emailed me and we hit it off instantly. I was pregnant with baby L (first surrogacy journey) and we exchanged emails often. She's also the one that sent me the lovely Margarita bouquet in the hospital when I delivered. As you can imagine, I was incredibly thrilled to finally meet her and give her the big hug I'd been saving for so long! She's the proud mommy of twins now, but was able to sneak away for some girl talk. We chatted away for 2.5 hours and it felt like it was 2.5 minutes!! Needless to say, it felt like we were old friends and I can't wait to hang out with her again. -We received a tentative transfer calendar! Dates are still being discussed, but I'm 90% sure we'll be transferring on March 22nd! We're doing a "needle-free" protocol, but that's a bit of a misnomer as there are estrogen shots. Of course, those are nothing like the PIO shots I did with my first journey. Truth be told, I was almost bummed when I heard we weren't doing shots. I know, I'm weird!!! This from the girl that used to pass out at the sight of needles. Anyway, once I regained my sense, I was completely fine but it will be interesting to see if the vaginal suppositories are really as messy as everyone says. As long as they WORK, that's all I care about. :)

• The least important and exciting thing is that I had to sit through 2.5 days of insurance training. For anyone that cares, I was at a Certified Insurance Counselor institute in Houston. This particular one was a Property Institute. I know, you're just dying to know what a bunch of insurance nerds do at their secret insurance classes, right? We read policies, laugh at unbelievable claims pictures and make lame insurance jokes. There, treasures of the insurance world unveiled! :) I only share this part because I want the world to know how dedicated we insurance people are to covering the world's ass(ets). So, it's on to contracts for us. We have to have all of our legal finished by March 1st. It should be plenty of time but things never go according to plan, so it's nice to have some time in there for any delays. Luckily, J and I have hashed most everything out and this ain't our first rodeo (there's your Texas reference) so I feel like it should be a pretty smooth process.

One thing I want to comment on is my first journey. Surrogacy journeys are like onions. Oh wait, no, that's ogres.

Surrogacy journeys are like children. Just like you don't love one child over another, you treat your journeys as separate and special times in your life. Sure, you pick up things from the first experience and apply them to the second. You know a little more and you're a little more comfortable. So, each experience is unique, even if similarities exist between the two. I think having one journey under your belt can help to enrich the next, but they are indeed individual experiences that do not replace one another. So, my first IPs and baby L will always have a special place in my heart. And just as my heart grew to fit my second and third children, I feel like my heart's growing a special spot for J, D and their son N. I'm thankful for reasons to grow and can't wait to tell them to clear a spot for a new little one in their hearts!