The Dotson Family Adoption

Working in children's ministry means that our summers are BUSY...times 100!!! Somehow I feel like that is an understatement for this summer. Basically it consisted of camps and VBS. All of it was so much fun and worth every moment of it! We enjoyed our summer. It was great to not be on meds and be free from doctors appointments. We were even able to get away for a fun vacation with some friends! We also started Weight Watchers online together. It's been great to be able to exercise and eat healthy! Both of us feel so much better (no indigestion, sleeping better, more energy, etc...) As of today, Kelly has lost 17 pounds and I have lost 12 pounds. Last week I started back on my tutoring/piano schedule. It's great to be back into a routine and to see my kids again!!! :) So where are we now with IVF?  We thought we were going to start meds in July, but the timing of Dr. Dunaway's vacation and our schedule for the summer didn't work out. I think that was for the be...

We were able to meet with Dr. Dunaway last Wednesday about what the Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) will look like for us. I will have fewer meds/injections this time, but will still have to be monitored frequently. We have 1 snow baby that is cryopreserved. It's a 98-cell grade 4 embryo. That is a really good quality, although they cannot see the genetics to know if it will make it.  We have decided to take a short break over the first part of the summer and in July I will start back on the hormones to prepare for the transfer. Right now it looks like that will be the end of July.  We had the option to start last week, but Kelly will be out of town for 2 weeks - once in June & July for youth camps (RYM). This is actually better because it gives us time to regroup and make sure we have the money. It also gives my body a chance to return to "normal". I keep reminding myself that I have had 2 surgeries and lots of drugs & hormones in my body in the past 5 months.  ...

Well, as you can guess - by the title, our little 97-cell blastocyst (aka baby) didn't make it. It was a long day of waiting - but because so many of my pregnancy symptoms had subsided, we had a "feeling" the little guy hadn't made it. We were still holding onto hope, ofcourse. We are most definitely grieving this loss. It has been such a long long journey. So many medicines, trips to Metairie & Baton Rouge, bedrest etc... It's hard to think it's over. (for now) We do have one snow baby (frozen embryo) it's actually a 98-cell grade 4 (grade 4 is the best at my clinic - different doctors use different grading systems). We will go next week to consult with the dr about when & how to do the next transfer. The benefit of that is that we don't have to go thru all the, visits, medicines (some) and retrieval (surgery) again. The main thing we lack knowing right now is the cost. We know that God has provided this far & He will continue to mee...

We are on our way to Metairie for the transfer. We are scheduled for 7:30, but have to be there at 6:30 to get ready. We are very excited & anxious. The process is only to last a few minutes, but I will have to stay lying down for 1 hour. Then I'll be on strict bed rest for 48 hours once we get home. We are thankful for your prayers! It's hard to believe we have finally made it this far! God is so Good. To Him be the glory! "I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17

We have received quite a few bits of "good news". I'm still a little nervous about it all and I'm trying to contain my excitement. But....  We have 4 embryos!!! One is a 6-cell grade 4 embryo and three are 4-cell grade 4 embryos. Grade 4 is the best they can be right now. As long as the cells keep multiplying, we are on the right track!  Where do we go from here?  Well, the embryos will continue to develop & be monitored in the lab until Friday when they will transfer 1 embryo to me. From there, I will be on strict bed rest for 48 hours. The transfer is in Metairie, so we will be traveling there and back on that day. It will take about 1 week before we know if the embryo implanted.  As far as recovery from my surgery goes... I'm in some pain, lots of discomfort, but as long as I'm lying still, I'm okay. I have 3 incisions to doctor.  I have quite a few meds to take, including progesterone which is an injections that Kelly has to give me.  I ...

We are on our way for the retrieval! We have to be at Tulane-lakeside at 6:45 & surgery is set for 8:30. We are excited & nervous. The surgery is outpatient & we hope to be home before this evening. We are so thankful that God has provided the way & means for us to get to this stage of the process. We are thankful for a team of people who will be spending their Sunday morning in an operating room & lab. We certainly appreciate all of the prayers. Sometimes it feels like a very selfish prayer request, yet I'm reminded that God doesn't give us a list of "can't pray for...". My God can move mountains. He provides all life. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

This has been a really long week. By tomorrow, we will have made 4 trips to Baton Rouge for monitoring. It's been EXHAUSTING. The doctors office has been extremely busy every day that we went (in spite of being told "oh tomorrow won't be as busy b/c today was so busy" HA!). It's taken almost every penny we have for gas to get there and back - as well as missing all of my students (I was able to see 1). I started on double doses of meds last week and then on monday my levels were fairly high so he halved one of my doses (follistim) and kept me on menopur. Wednesday my levels were still going up fast so he took me off menopur - today I didn't have follistim, but I had 3 doses of menopur. BLAH! It's been a lot to think about. So now comes the point in the process where my abnormalities kick in. Because my ovary is up high (practically in my ribcage), I will have a laparoscopic retrieval of my eggs. This is how they first did this process before technology...