the fertility clinic

Whew, it feels like this train is finally starting to move! It seems a little surreal- to go from talking about this to actually being just about to the point where we will actually start the medical process.

Today I had my final medical clearance at the fertility clinic that we will be using for the embryo transfer (and conveniently, the same clinic that our IPs used for their egg retreival). This is the final medical hurdle to check off the list before we start the cycle for the transfer! I was feeling a little nervous about this appointment because I knew there would be talk of how to give shots (and honestly, that is the thing I am most nervous about with this entire process).

The appointment was a 3 parter- a meeting with the gestational carrier coordinator, lab work, and a saline ultrasound to check out my uterus. If the word uterus makes you uncomfortable, you should leave now.

First up, our meeting with the GC coordinator for the clinic. This woman might just be the most organized person in the world. She makes a calendar for each gestational carrier detailing the med schedule (which changes like every 6 days) and keeps track of...everything, it seems like. And I'm over here writing down appointments in 4 different places so that hopefully I make it to the right place with the right kid at the right time. During this meeting we talked about the next steps, the timing of everything once we start the med cycle, and the shots. There are two different types of shots, so I got to practice one and Kameron learned about how to correctly give me the other (it's a bum shot, how nice).

Lab work; easy. A quick blood draw and pee in a cup.

The saline ultrasound was super weird. But kind of cool, because I could see everything on the screen in the room? Like a first trimester ultrasound (if you've had one to compare) but also they put some saline solution in your uterus to make it easier to look around. Science, man. Wow. It sounds like everything looked good and so now, we wait some more.

The next steps are to wait for bloodwork- after that comes back, the clinic will give the green light to our agency to start the legal work. From there, a contract will be drawn up for us and our IPs to sign. Once this has been signed by everyone, the agency will notify the clinic and then the GC coordinator will call me and Kelly and date the cycle! I'm looking forward to knowing when things will really start.

I feel so glad to have another box checked off of the to do list. It seems like this has taken forever, but I have no patience so the waiting has been hard (and good) for me. I try to keep myself in check by remembering how Kelly must feel and how it's probably harder for her to wait but also probably overwhelming that this is happening (and really starting to happen now). I am so grateful to have the opportunity to experience this and so freakin excited to help complete their family!