There is no real point to this post. I've just been in a weird place since Saturday and am trying to work though it. It feels like a hormonal kind of weird, but I'd think since I'm on continuous BCP my hormones would level...
As I wrapped Christmas gifts on Saturday I thought about how I'm just not in the "Christmas Spirit" this year and how, other than the religious aspect of the season, it's all pointless. What does it matter if I decorate my house? There are no children who would be in awe of the lights and decorations. There are no gifts that I want. I want to be able to give a child of my own gifts and see their little face light up with excitement. The only thing I look forward to is spending time with family I don't get to see very often, but then part of that time will be spent at my grandparent's house watching my niece and cousins' children open their gifts. I'm the only grandchild on my mother's side without children.
At dusk I was going through my house closing the blinds and the last room I went into was the room that would be a nursery. It just made me so sad to go in there. I sat on the bed and cried for a few minutes thinking all I want is to be a mother, but I made myself get up and stay busy the rest of the evening. Yesterday, I woke up in a funk and then there was a baby dedication at church so that didn't help. It just made me feel so empty. Today I keep feeling like I want to cry again.
Last night my mom called and asked again what I want for Christmas and I think I upset her by being a little short with her about it. I told DH about our conversation later and said I should have told her to just have everyone who wants to buy me a gift give me money for IVF because all I want is a child.
I know that I am very blessed to have no material needs or even wants. Next year I'm just going to tell everyone to give a charitable donation on my behalf and not buy me anything!
Re: ~Rambling Post~
Positive for HLA-B27, I'm a mutant
Testing - Me ok, gluten issue? DH - borderline count, low motility
4/28/11 IUI#1 = BFP!(5/25), EDD 2/2/12 - m/c 5w3d
7/3, 7/31, 9/25 - IUI#2-4=BFN
IVF#1 - 1 blast = BFP!! (12/30), EDD 9/9/12, confirmed c/p 4w2d
FET#1 3/2/12 - 2 blasts =BFP!! EDD 11/18/12, us#1 = twins! Confirmed m/c 5w6d
4/20-surprise BFP and another c/p 4w2d
FET#2 7/16/12 - 2 blasts = BFN
FET#3 8/20/12 - 1 blast - BFP!! Beta #1-2=177, 354
1st u/s 5w6d, one beautiful little HB
baby girl born 5/10/13
TTC#2 since 12/17/2014, Cycle 8
Repeat Testing...FSH=12, AMH=3.8, AFC=28.
IUI#5 5/10/15- c/p?
IVF#2 8/19/15 - cancelled due to cysts
IVF#2 take two 10/2015 - 5 blasts frozen
FET#4 12/11/2015 - BFN - 4 blasts remaining
FET#5 2/18/16 - BFP!!! Beta1-3, 126, 250, 745!!
Tons of love and ((hugs)) to my IF sister NMscubagirl
Oh, DP...I am so sorry you are feeling like this. The Holidays are so incredibly hard when facing IF. I know what you're saying about feeling like it?s pointless to decorate and hang lights and everything. It feels we live in a a big limbo space because we're not children ourselves anymore, and we don't have children to share the magic of the season with either. IF robs us of so many things, and one of the saddest to me is this kind of glee and magic. It is so incredibly unfair it just hurts so much. Big huge hugs coming your way >>>>>>>HUGS<<<<<<<<
************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************

Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
DH: Severe MFI
12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN
8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
My ovaries are just for decoration
12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts.
2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!
9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522 Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373
6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
Snowflake baby is a girl!
Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!
My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
Thanks!
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
You summed up my emotions perfectly. I want to feel the excitement and glee of the holiday season again and don't want to be sad and Grinch-y feeling!!
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
TTC since 2008 dx PCOS & MFI
Clomid/Femara no "O"
IVF #1 BFN
FET #1 cancelled for biopsy
FET #1.2 c/p, July 2012 c/p
IUI #1 & 1.2 canceled
IVF #2 ER 12/1, Freeze all due to OHSS
FET #2.1 cancelled due to DVT risk, FET #2.2 Jan 2013
my blog
I feel everything you are. It's the 10th of December and I've yet to get a tree. I just don't care or want to be bothered. If DH doesn' "make" me do it, I'll just skip it all together. We live on a cul de sac full of kids and our house is the only dark one. I just don't have any spirit to decorate. Then last night my SIL sends me an email saying DH and I could have "fun" buying her kids pjs and sweatpants for Christmas. Huh? Not sure how that is "fun" and she is totally clueless that I just want to skip the holidays right now (even though she knows about our IF but not donor story).
Hugs to all of us.
TTC #1 since 8/1/10; Me:41 and BRCA1+, DH:46
DOR (FSH 24.3)/ terrible egg quality ; homozygous MTHFR c677t
5 IUI's: 2/11 to 6/11 and 1/12= BFN
OE IVF#1-4 8/11-6/12= all BFN
DE IVF#1 11/12 bad embryos= BFN
DE IVF #2 2/13 BFP/Beta hell: m/c 5w6d
CFNBC 7 months, not doing well; decided on guarantee program at RBA w/frozen DE
DE IVF #3 1/14 ET 4BB; BFP;M/C 5w1d, incomplete m/c; MVA extraction in ER 7w1d
DE FET#1 ET 3/1714; BFP, beta 1 3/27= 197, beta 2 3/31= 1586, beta 3 4/7= 13879!!
First u/s= Twins with HBs at 6w2d! We are Team Pink x 2!!
K & K born 11/21/14 at 38wks 4 days
SAIF/PAIF Welcome
http://waitingforraintostop.wordpress.com
I skipped putting up a tree this year. DH could care less and doesn't like to help, so it just wasn't worth the effort. My house is also one of the only dark ones in the neighborhood. My friend told me a few days ago that she had driven her 3 yr old around to see lights and he wanted to see my house decorated but I didn't even have the porch light on.
That was so thoughtful of your SIL. What could cheer you up more than a reminder that you don't have your own children to buy for? Blah! Hugs back to you!!
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
I am so sorry. I know how you are feeling. This year I gave all my nephews and niece cash - I just couldn't stand to go and pick out things for my siblings kids. The 14 year old didn't mind as much as the 1 year old who looked at it and tried to eat it. I could have killed my sister in law when she handed me the little one and said here - she will make you feel better. Really - she will make me feel better? You named her after my Mom - that name should have been reserved for me! Sorry - now I am rambling. I just have no motivation to do anything except cry and lay in bed.
I hope your spirits get lifted soon.
Hysteroscopy 3/2011 2 Polyps removed 4/2011
DH on Clomid / Arimidex to address hormonal issues - Sperm found July 2011!
IVF #1 September 2011 - ER 9/8/2011- 8R, 5M - icsi - 1 made it to transfer - BFFN :-(
IVF #2 Lucky November 2011 - ER 11/25/2011 - 15 eggs!, 13 mature, 10 fertilized with isci - 7 made it to transfer! Transferred 1 - 8 cell and 2 - 7 cell. BFP!!!!
1st U/S - Twins! 2nd U/S - 3 heartbeats!!! - HOLY COW!!!
Prayers for our take home babies!
2 babies born on 3/27/12 and lost. Last baby born on 3/29/12 and lost at 20 weeks.
My angels grew wings shortly after birth.
Ahava Raisel, Matisyahu Nissim & Zev Chaim - Mommy and Daddy will always love you.
IVF #3 July 2012 - ER 7/17/2012 - 10 R. 5 F. 4 made it to ET
Transferred 2 on 7/20/2012 no snow babies :-(
Beta on 7/31/2012 = BFMFN
A miracle gift expected to come to us through adoption around 9/2012
Baby girl adopted - Birth Mother changed her mind and took the baby back
IVF #4 October 2012 - New RE. Doing PGD Testing. 8 R, 7F, 2 made it to 5 day blast for PDG testing. Both Normal (Thank you G-d!!!) 1 boy and 1 girl
transferred one beautiful 5day blast (girl)
Please G-d the almighty one - let this be our take home baby!
Beta #1 158, Beta #2 318, 1 Absolutely magnificent HB at 175! Thank you G-d!!!
Baby Girl born August 5th. Thank you G-d for our precious miracle.
AMA. PAIF & SAIF always welcome - I need all the prayers I can get!
Huge ((HUGS))! How heart wrenching it must've been when your SIL did that! I hope your spirits lift soon too.
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
Hugs to you too, PrettyAccountant. That just sucks!
I don't know why people (even well intentioned ones) think that exposing us to their kids somehow fills the hole that IF leaves for us. DH's friends have two beautiful kids and ever since they learned of our IF they have been sending us WEEKLY (I'm not exaggerating) photos and videos of their kids playing together, piano recitals, opening birthday presents, the works. I've debated telling them that it's actually making it harder for us but I know these are the type of people that would think it was a dig at their kids so I just don't open the emails anymore. I seriously can't wrap my head around how people think we find their kids comforting. Even in my I-had-no-idea-I-was-infertile days, I want to believe I would have made the connection that it wouldn't be helpful.
************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************

Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
DH: Severe MFI
12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN
8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
My ovaries are just for decoration
12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts.
2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!
9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522 Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373
6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
Snowflake baby is a girl!
Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!
My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
I'm really sorry. That's the worst, and I agree that holidays are the hardest time. I've been trying this year to do things just because I like doing them, not because we have kids to do this stuff for.
This is going to sound really weird, and please don't think I'm telling you to do this, but another thing I've been doing is thinking about all the ways my life is better than people who have kids right now. My SIL is a particularly annoying person (she drunkenly slurred "you guys are going to have babies soon I know it" during Thanksgiving) and I picture her holidays. She's running around all the time, not getting to relax and cook or watch a bunch of cheesy movies like I've been doing and cuddling with the DH.
Now, I'd trade my relaxing holidays for a hectic one with kids any day (in fact, I'm actively trying to do that right now), but it makes me feel a little better to picture this not as a "childless infertile depressing holiday season" but as my last days of freedom.
Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with setting up an IVF fund for Christmas so that people who ask what you'd like can donate to the fund instead of buying you presents you don't need or want. I like the idea!
Your SIL is pretty hilarious. Buying clothes for her kids? I mean, that is really a party. I think they should change those lyrics in "Jingle Bells" to "what fun it is to buy a set of sweatpants for my nephews!"
Why do SILs suck so much? Ugh, sorry that happened to you.