I was reading my Bible the other day and I happen to be in Job. For those of you non-bible people, Job is a man who lived a flawless life and had a perfect life. One day, to prove Satan wrong, God allowed Satan to take everything from Job. He ended up losing his children, his home, and his own personal health hit a sickening low to where he cursed the day he was born. At one point he said in Job 3:25
"For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. " or in another translation "What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true."
Yesterday as Darren and I actually physically stepped into the IVF consult room, paid $405 to talk with the doctor, and heard his explanation, I couldn't help but think of Job.
Don't get me wrong. I am so grateful for the hope IVF offers. That God has allowed science to develop to this point that Darren and I someday may be called "mommy and daddy" from a human being that has his right dimple and my left dimple (we each just have 1 on opposites sides). The doctor told us with two attempts he thinks we have a 70% chance.
But I was there. Sitting in his office. Seeing pictures of things I've just read about. Egg retrieval. Harvesting. ICSI. Anesthesia. Embryo. Freezing. Injections. Trainings. A crazy amount of money.
I'm kind of surprised this day even came. I have always been nervous we would have trouble conceiving but I didn't think it would have to go this far. Although I have an AMAZING marriage now, it was a rocky road getting to the altar; I've prayed God would spare us a rocky road getting a child.
Then the payment plans. Thank Jesus I don't put my value in money because I'm about to feel like I'm throwing dollar bills out the window fast. With a swipe of a card $405 for the meeting. Before any plans we purchase kick in, it looks like another $900 for the trial transfer and another procedure were they fill my uterus with dye called SIS. The payment plans are so hard because there is one option for 10k where you get 1 fresh and 1 frozen attempt (but if there are no extra embryos to freeze, then you are out the 2nd try). Then for 16k you get 2 fresh and 2 frozen. But if you get pregnant the first time, you pay the full price (which is SOO worth having a baby, but also frustrating you could have just bought one cycle). The decision is heavy on my heart. Do we gamble and go with the 1 or play it safe and go with the 16k one? We are leaning towards 16k because we realize not all first attempts work and it might be better for our sanity.
I'm scared. I know so many women do this, but I'm still scared. I'm scared of the invasivness of it all. I 'm scared of what the injections will do to me and how I'll feel at work. I'm scared I'll fall into the 5% that have no embryos. I'm scared we have to do ICSI because birth defects slightly increase. I'm scared it won't work.
However, I also have hope. I am stronger than I know and through HIM I can do all things. It's invasive but who cares? I'm used to being examined by now. I will survive the injections; I survived the HCG, I will be okay. It's only 5% I have a 95% of having embryos. ICSI directly puts the sperm in the egg so I won't have to worry about low morphology. Birth defects happen to people who conceive on their own too.
Now is that awful waiting game. Small chance I could be pregnant from the IUI I had on the 8th. I might not be able to start till end of next cycle (late Oct) so maybe I'll conceive on my own in October? Or maybe we can speed up process and start IVF this month. JESUS let me know your peace in this storm and bless and the women who know the pain of "what I dreaded has come true." Fill us with hope.
Just so you know, about Job, in the end, God restored him and blessed him with a better life he could have dreamed of before.....
