So far

Since this blog is to follow Joey and I into parenthood, I thought I'd do a recap of what has happened thus far.

Joey and I married on 6-1-02. We never prevented having children, but never really tried per say. In October 2004 we decided we would like to begin actively trying to conceive. I searched online and found a message board which showed me a whole new world I knew nothing about in regards to trying. I then began charting my temperatures. I went to the OBGYN in January 2005, told her we had been trying for and nothing was happening, she told me to call back with my next cycle. Who knew that wouldn't be until March?! So I went in with the March 05 cycle and had a progesterone draw, my level was .6. It should have been 10 or above. I wasn't having strong ovulations. So I began Clomid 50 mg with the April 05 cycle, progesterone for that cycle was 4.7. Tried 50mg again in the May 05 cycle and had an annovulatory cycle (no ovulation). Then with the July 05 cycle I tried Clomid 100mg, hear come the horrible hot flashes! This stuff is not fun! Progesterone was 1.9, Joey had a semen analysis done and it was 181.5 Million/ML, an abnormal count but on the good side! :) At this time I was pretty fed up with my OBGYN, it was like pulling teeth to have the SA done, and even then she didn't know much about it. So I referred myself to an RE (reproductive endocrinologist), I had already began the August 05 cycle of 150mg Clomid. I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), we had an ultrasound with the RE, he told me when I would ovulate, and much to my surprise it worked! We were pregnant! I have never in my life been more thrilled! Unfortunately a few ultrasounds later we realized it was a blighted ovum and I had a D&C on October 6, 2005. That day is plastered in my head. I have no problems remembering it when I fill out information regarding surgeries at Dr.'s offices.

It was after the D&C that I had a GTT (glucose tolerance test) done, it revealed my sugar was WAY out of whack. I was 5 points away from being a diabetic, I was WAY overweight, my RE told me I needed to lose weight, take Metformin 1500mg daily in order to keep myself from being diagnosed diabetic any sooner. He told me that if I continued on the path I was on that I would end up very sick and possibly have limbs amputated by the time I am 50. Scary. So January 06, Joey and I began to lose weight. I lost 80 lbs by July 06, Joey got down to his goal weight losing 136 lbs by November 06. In July 06 I stopped going to the gym and went back to the RE. This time I tried Femara 2.5mg/2 a day, no more hot flashes! Yay!!! :) Again we went to the RE, had an ultrasound, he told me when I'd ovulate and again it worked. We were pregnant again, though this time more cautious. We didn't tell very many people, and it ended in an early miscarriage. Again just an indescribable feeling. Very empty, broken....

After the second loss I had a hard time getting back on track with losing weight and dieting. Joey and I have both been struggling with this since probably the first of this year. Which leads us to now. Joey and I have always talked about adopting. It is something we've always felt we wanted to do, granted we thought it would be after we were done having biological children but something hit us recently and has led us to pursue it now. We have called around and are learning about fostering to adopt. While this is a great risk, we feel that God has a plan for us, if that involves more heartache, we know in the end it will all be worth it. :) Today I am putting our application to be foster parents in the mail. We should begin PATH classed on September 18th. This is not something we are telling very many people, at least not until we are well into the process. So for now we shall update this to record our journey! :)

We will continue to try to lose weight, get into shape, and hopefully go back to the RE around the first of the year, all while pursuing this as well. We are anxious to see what God has in store for us!