Welcome to the IVF Family...

 I was very amazed during our IFV cycle at the number of  families who could not have children on their own. Matt and I used, Fertility Centers of Illinois, which I would highly recommend to any one struggling to get pregnant. During our cycle we would have to go to their downtown Chicago office because it was the only office open on the weekends. Nothing stops baby making, not even Christmas! The nurses and doctors work every day of the year due to the high demand of people wanting babies. It's crazy! I came to the conclusion that I was a part of a baby making factory. The downtown office had waiting rooms for everything! We would have to wait by the front desk, then I would have to wait in a room by the ultrasounds (not the cute let's see how the baby looks ultrasounds), then in a room to get my blood drawn. I was also never alone, there were always three to four women sitting waiting with me for the exact same thing. Some women were friendly and I would befriend them for a few short minutes. We had an immediate connection and we would always wish each other "good luck" on our cycles. I sometimes wonder if IVF worked for all those other women.

You may be wondering, why ultrasounds? why blood drawn? Well, IVF is all about numbers. Matthew and I (Matthew went to every appointment except for one, couldn't of asked for a better partner) went to either our doctor's office in Oak Brook or the Downtown office every other day. Luckily this all happened during my Thanksgiving break, so I didn't need to go into work late every other day. I had to get an ultrasound to check and see how many egg follicles were forming and to check my blood for estrogen levels. The doctor has to check so much because the whole process could have been shut down if I was making too many egg follicles or too little and to check and see when I was ready to trigger, in other words have my eggs taken out. By the end, I was so used to being poked and prodded during the ultrasounds that I don't mind them that much anymore, but I still and will forever hate getting my blood drawn. The whole process latest about 14 days, but they were jammed pack with anticipation and emotion. I was a hormonal freak with all the estrogen in me from the meds. My poor husband took the brunt of most of my craziness.

Matthew and I did find time to relax and enjoy the process as well. Whenever, we went to the Downtown office we would go to this amazing donut place called, Glazed and Infused. The donuts there are the best I have ever tasted. They even have a donut with bacon on it! Matthew and I would go there after our appointments and get two donuts each. We would sit at the tiny tables and have coffee and donuts. We sat and chit chatted or people watched; we especially enjoyed watching all the people walk their dogs. We may have a weird obsession with dogs.

Not that IVF is a completely enjoyable process, but it wasn't that bad. I got to spend a lot of time with Matthew, I learned a lot about the world of fertility, and I choose to trust God even more with His plans for our family. If I had to go back and change my mind about doing IVF, I wouldn't. I know in my heart this was what Matthew and I were meant to do to have a family. I couldn't be more amazed with God's faithfulness through it all.