First Look at our Babies

Below is a picture of our first ultrasound after the embryo adoption.  I tried to do a video, but couldn't get one that would let me make the cuts I wanted.   So that you can stop holding your breath here is the still shot.

The circles are heartbeats.  If I ever figure out the video, you can watch them.






We have not had time yet to fully process the emotions about what we found, so in a few days we will do a follow up regarding what we think or feel.  Thank you for looking.

A Dad's View

Since there are two sides to all stories (at least) this post is going to be on a guy/husband/father’s view of embryo adoption. 

If there was one thing I learned from my parent’s example it is that if you are able to help someone you do it. I remember several times when we would stop to get gas and someone would have their car hood up.  My dad would walk over, talk for a few minutes get a few magic wands out of the trunk, he called them wrenches, and do something to the car to get the person home or we would drive them home if the car was beyond the tools he had on hand.  I remember one time a pickup hauling a horse trailer was broken down, my dad found out the guy was more interested in getting the horses home than in keeping his truck in great shape.  So dad took a hammer and spike underneath the truck and hit some stuff, then the guy was able to drive off.  All my dad said when I asked him what he did was say ‘I broke the right part.’  When I was much younger my parents would foster several kids at a time.  We were always one of the first families that was called when a neighbors field caught on fire, or when there was hay down and the forecast said that rain was coming.

That being said, I have always had a heart for children who need a home.  Due to Crohn’s disease I am limited in what I can do.  We looked into international adoption, but the stress and food from being overseas for several weeks would be terrible on my system.  Plus many countries have rather stringent financial requirements that we did not meet.  Odessa and I have looked into fostering and adopting from the state, but for some reason those avenues never worked out.  I became frustrated with God.  I remember asking, rather rudely, why he would give me a desire for the better part of my life and then make it impossible for me to fill that desire. 

Then we heard about this crazy embryo adoption thing.  It seemed that a path was opening.  After talking with the doctors everything seemed possible.  But slowly the fatherly worries started to creep in.  Would there be any way we could have enough money to pay for this whole procedure, about ten thousand, out of pocket?  If all three take, will our house be big enough?  What are going to do about a car, none of ours can hold three car seats.  It has been a decade since Odessa was first pregnant, can she hold up to being pregnant again?  What about me, can I handle months of few hours of sleep a night? 

I am very glad that my wife is brilliant and kind.  She reassured me that it is never a good time to have children.  But now, we have many more friends who have kids and will get much more support than our first time around.  As far as finances go, there is never a really good time to have children, just some less bad times.  This time in our lives is a ‘less bad’ time.  As far as being physically up to the challenge, both Odessa and I are in pretty good shape and have learned a lot more about what our bodies need and can care for ourselves much better.

I hope this post has shed some light, and helped everybody to stop thinking that we are in some way brave.  We are just as worried and nervous as you would be if you were doing an embryo adoption.  If you are considering embryo adoption feel free to contact us at the email at right or use the comments below.  

Coming Home - with photos

It has been 2 weeks since we came home from Seattle.  What a 2 weeks it has been.  It took about a week for everything to really sink in.  There is nothing to describe the ride home on Sunday the 21 of September other then surreal.  As Jeff put it on the drive up on Friday we were "engaged" to this project, on the drive home Sunday we were "married".  There was no going back.

First baby picture

All 3 embryos survived the thawing process with some cell loss in each, but not enough to be of concern.  The doctors had been hesitant to put in all three embryos, but we felt very clearly called to close the whole bank of embryos from the family we had chosen.  Coming back to do this again wasn't really an option for us.  We were asked to sign a waiver that we were going against the doctor's recommendations.  All 3 embryos were inserted.

Getting ready to come home (no they aren't that big)

 The red circle has a small, white, comma shape in it which is a small amount of liquid containing all 3 embryos being placed near the uterus lining (the thick dark area).

Then came the waiting phase.  It is really hard to wait.  You know the babies have gone in, but you don't know if they will implant and you will become pregnant.  It can take several days for the embryos to actually attach to the uterus wall and start growing a placenta.   We knew we had a pretty good chance of success because Odessa was healthy, all hormone levels were in the perfect range, and the uterus wall was really thick.  But still you wait - usually 2 weeks to confirm with a blood test. 

In anxious anticipation most women will take several pregnancy tests at home during this time.  Some research online recommended a 9 day wait after day of embryos being put in (which puts you at the first day of a missed cycle in normal terms) to do a home test.  We wanted to wait until we would have a sure positive.  But tests come in boxes of 2 so of course Odessa decided to take one early...just to see:

Positive!! Just 7 days after the embryos were put in. BTW this mean NOTHING with trying to guess how many babies took.

Because we had a positive test so early, the RN moved the 2 week wait day up by 4 days to check for the pregnancy hormone hCG.  First check was a excellent level of 579 and a second check 49 hours later showed a 63% raise - a very good sign.  And we are done with blood draws!!!

The second week signs of being pregnant definitely started showing up.  Light morning sickness, fatigue, an already growing belly, and one crippling migraine have all joined us.

5 Weeks!!

Yes we are already 5 weeks along!  This is because of the age of the embryos and how pregnancy is counted from the first day of a woman's last menstrual cycle.  Our due date is June 8 if Odessa is able to carry full term (often pregnancies with multiples come early, but give Odessa's track record we will probably be just fine).

What are we doing now?  Most medications have stopped except vitamins, vitamins, vitamins!  A small amount of estrogen.  Oh, and progesterone shots - now twice a day.  Apparently with everything that is done to receive IVF embryos, a woman's system is completely shut down and won't make progesterone for itself once pregnant.  This is the hormone that keeps the body from immediately miscarrying.  It is very important. 

Odessa had had a small amount of cramping early on (felt very much like her earlier pregnancies) and the RN was concerned.  The RN wanted no uterus cramping at all and changed our protocol from 1 shot of 2cc once a day to 1.5cc twice a day.  For those who haven't seen how much that is before - it is alot of liquid for a shot.  This task has taken it's toll on Jeff as well as he has to administer the shots.  He hates needles and he has to massage in the oil for about a half hour after each shot.  His fourarms are getting quite buff!  But his hands are often numb.

What is next?  We have an ultrasound scheduled with a local OBGYN for October 21.  We should be able to see how many babies took and if we have good strong heart beats - we get to quit the shots.  We will have to continue supplementing progesterone until we are 13 weeks, but we can change to a different type.  

We feel as if leaps and bounds have been taken in our adoption journey, but there are still many unknowns, just as with any pregnancy.  We pray for strength to parent the children God has given us and for their safety.  They are truly in His hands.