I'M PREGNANT!!!

WOW!!!! It really feels great to be able to say that it worked. After 1 year of trying naturally and 8 months of fertility we ar finally pregnant. Its very early but after all we have been through we just couldn't keep it inside another moment. SoI have my first OB ultrasound and BW on Thursday and WE JUST CAN'T wait!!! Here's how are month has been:

November:
Clomid 100mg 5th-9th
HCG BOOSTER 13th
IUI 14th (2 folical and 44 million sperm at 98% motility)
BW 20th (my prometrim level was low 12/ we thought all was loss)
went through Thanksgiving cooking and cleaning and hosting so we thought kay we will wait for the next cycle to begin. Little did we know that I was PG!!!
So I had blood work on Monday morning already thinking that the test would be negative but she called me at lunch time to tell me (YOUR FINALLY PREGNANT HOPE!!!!) I was so excited I called Roy right away and then after work we wanted to surprise our parent around Christmas but we were to excited!! They all cried and were over joyed. My mom was just dying to tell everyone and so I gave her the go a head!!!

My levels were:
Monday 11/30

Hcg 100.3
Prometrium 33

Then I had bw on Thursday 12/3

Hcg 403
prometrium 30

So my first ob appointment is the 10th and were super excited... I'll update more as I progress... Keep us in your prayers because we are not out of the woods yet!!! GOD KEEP THIS BABY HEALTHY AND SAFE FOR THE NEXT 8 MONTHS!!!

11/14 Second IUI... maybe 4th times a charm?

Wednesday after finishing my last dose of clomid at 100mg. I called my nurse to ask if they could see me Friday the 12 because I was afraid to go into the weekend. (I have been successful with these ovulation tests) so I saw them at 8:15 am. Great news, Two follicles 18mm and 19mm. She gave me my HCG booster shot in my but... roy picked the right cheek, LOL i dont know why but he laughed as i struggled to get comfortable on the ride home.

We went in at 8:30am the next morning for roy to give his sample... he hates that little room!! lol they washed the sperm and we went to breakfast. When we got back we were the last patient so she gave us his results. He had 41 millions sperm which anything over 20 is good they said. Also his motility was at 98% which was great because last IUI it was only 94% which isn't bad but better then last time. So they started to do the procedure and before she inseminated me she asked roy to help. As weird as it is for some roy got to inject the sperm. So he felt apart of the process. He was really happy and so was I! He took me home for a quick nap before he was off to work. The rest of the day I hung around the house vegging praying my heart out! So now I'm on 200mg of Prometrim 2 caps. twice a day. I have to call tomorrow to schedule my appointment to check my levels and get my second shot on Friday! SO were hoping, praying, wishing everything you can imagine because we have wanted this for so long. I'll update after my test results.

last cycle was a bust

Last Month:
So I called saturday morning to my doctor, When I got my first color change. I showed up Monday morning because I new they would want to see me right away. I had my blood taken and then another ultrasound. But what I was not prepared for was that I was past my ovulation. The nurse came in and told me and I was just so dissapointed. I left the office in tears and roy wish he was there to confort me but I told him he could skip this appointment. It was a hard day to get through...

Today my first day of cycle. I called this morning to schdule my appointment for tuesday or wednesday. I have to say that you develop a thick skin during this whole process because your always looking for your next dissapointment. I can't amagin how stressed/scared I will be when I'm actully pregnant. I will be so nervous the whole time... I'm sure. Well I'll update if this process actully works.... I'm afride for more cyst. Lets pray there isnt any. Also Dr. Miller wants me to up my dose of clomid. to 100mg instead of 50mg. Gosh I hope this works.

10/18 Round three

So last month was a bust. I had a very large cyst on my right overie and I was on birth control to get rid of it but 4 days before my last pill I walked into the bedroom to tell Roy something and I just fell over in pain. Roy rushed me to hospital (such a worry wart) good thing he did because apparently my cyst burst! After a few hours i felt better but it was pretty scary for a moment because I had no idea what was happening. So my hubby took care of me pretty will with mom not around. :(

I went for my doc appointment on 7th and they said that there was another small cyst on my left overie this time! I was like erggg not another round of birth control and more pain possibly. Good news she said it was really small and not to worry because he would prob. still go through with everything. So were in the process of moving to a townhouse apartment.... super excited and its been keeping my mind busy. I finished my last pill of clomid on 13th and I have been testing my ovulation everyday. I woke up feeling like today was the day so it was like 6:45am and I took a test and sure enough it was positive. I hate that my doctors office is closed on Sunday so I spoke with on call nurse and she said to call Monday morning!!! I hate waiting... but I'm just trying to put my mind somewhere else today. So that the latest its really hard talking about this stuff its just so draining. Trying to keep positive though and keep my prayers up. I miss my mom! I wish she could be here with me through all of this. Lets just hope she can be here for all the good parts. Well baby dust to all in need and lots of love and prayers to all of my family and friends!!!

8/30 I have to wait till Thursday

Well I am 12 days post IUI and I have been having some cramping and a little tenderness. I hope this is all good signs. I have to wait till Thursday the 3rd of September for a blood test. However my period is supposed to come tomorrow/Tuesday. My progesterone level was very low it was 8.7 and they like to see it close to 25/30ish she said. So I was pretty bummed and I thought all was lost but I was told to up my dose and anything is possible. We heard a lot of percentages for this procedure and there not very good. ranging from 10-25% each time. A lot of women say it takes a few times for it to work. So its hard to keep your hopes up when the chances are very low.

I heard with clomid it can through off your cycle so that its a possible my cycle could be 35 days instead of the regular 28/29. We are really excited to test, a lot of people said that today I could test but I don't want to jinks my self. So we have to play the waiting game which is hard enough. However we are pretty busy, we are moving to a bigger apartment in our complex and its much cheaper! Who would of thought we would get more space and for less money! We still don't know where we want to be after we have children, mom and dad make it really hard because we would love to be very close but they are so far! So I will update more about what we find out on Thursday, cross your fingers and toes and send some baby dust our way.

P.S. Congrats to the Witko/Milazzo Family on your miracle we are all so happy for you!

8/17 PRE IUI

So this is what the nurse said:
One mature folical on the right side and I took at 10,000 HCG BoosterMy Estrogen level 227 which is right where I need to be. Also my lining was suppost to be at a 7 and it was double she said which is nice and thick! haha

So if you havnt heard I'm all set and ready to have my IUI tomorrow at 7:30 In the morning.They told us to come in to collect, the sperm must be washed: which translates to clean out all the dead sperm, excess fluid... I was told if they put it in "raw" i would be in unbelieveable pain! So it takes about an hour. so we are going to grab breakfast and then come back to do the iui!

So roy took the day off to wait on me hand and foot! Which I love! he is such a great man!~I will try and update my blog tomorrow via couch or bedroom! I will prob. have my labtop by my side why i lay there all day!So thats all she wrote people... thank you to all my friends and family who have shown great support and prayer! We love you all very much and look forward to a happy and healthy baby...

**BABY DUST**

8/16 Feeling pretty bumbed

Well I have been taking ovulation test since Tuesday August 13th and I havn't seen a postive result but Saturday morning I though my eyes were playing tricks on me and I thought I saw a line. So I called Saturday and they told me to take another test Monday morning and then call in. I work at 8:00 am so I dont know when they want to see me. Its so messed up, I feel like they can't give me strate answer about anything. I'm afriad that I'm going to miss my ovulation because they wont see me sunday "today".


Mom tells me not to stress out and that they know what they are doing. So I have to take a breath and let mom's advice be they way I get through this. I will write tomorrow about what events will be happening next! I hope that this IUI I works. My guess is that it will be Tuesday but I will know more tomorrow.

8/5 Doctors appointment to start clomid

So today was my Doctors appointment to start my clomid. They took my blood and then I got my schuduel to start my clomid. It arrives tomorrow, I'm really exictied. I also had another ultrasound, I love my tech she is so funny. We chated a bunch and I told her i would see her in a few days for my hopefully last "pre pregnancy ultrasound." LOLI got a phone call around lunch he is my results:My estrogen level was at a 37 which is "fine" she saidMy Folical count was at a 21 and they were all less then 10cm which is also good. I'm not a doctor so i dont know.I start my clomid on friday 5/7 and take one pill a day until day 5/11On 5/13 I have to start taking a ovulation perdictor everyday between 12-2pm until it comes back postive. It it goes all way to saturday I have to take before 7:30 am so they can fit me in.If all goes to plan I could be having my iui on Saturday the 15th... cross your fingers everyone.We are starting to get over wellmed with everything so have to take a minute today and breath... everything will work out... keep repeating that.Hope

7/13 My Hysterosalpinogram Appointment

okay I was so nervous to go to this appointment because I really had no idea what I was about to do. Now a Hysterosalpinogram- Is an X-ray of your uterus and your fallopian tubs. Doesn't sound so bad huh? Well think again. So uncomfortable because well was the first time my "Male" doctor had been down there and its so totally weird. Now i love doctor miller he is awesome but it was still werid. Second they tell you that you might have some mild cramping during the procedure. I think not I had horrible cramping enough for me to say "Ouch Ouch Ouch Ouch" like a a half a doesn't times during this like 15 min test. I bet the nurses "loved" me.

Well i guess after they put the dye in it was smooth sailing because the fluid made it through my cervices and into my uterus and threw the fallopian tubs just fine. However, now here comes the scary part. He found something on the monitor. My heart sank into my stomach and Roy was no where to be found to hold my hand. Scariest 5 mins of my life. He was not sure what it could be but he believes that its something that is in the way of the egg implanting. Now he said not worry but of course I am. He also told me we were going to schedule an appointment for another long worded test that i can't say nor spell for this weekend. I will update after I find out what its.

So now looking forward to this..... I was totally hoping everything would go alright and the next time he was down there he would be doing the insemination. Well I will update as I know more. So I checked this off my list as one of my most painful and uncomfortable appointments. wait till baby comes I'm going to be so excited when this is all over. I will be able to hold baby lily or brayden in my arms. Cross your fingers that I don't get more than two at once. Thanks for your prayers and baby dust.


Hope ( sore mama to be)

7/10 Doctors Appointment

Okay so today was my Doctors Appointment:So I have crappy veins everyone and I get them from my mom. First she tried in my right arm and gave up before she stuck the needle into to deep. Then it was off to my left arm were she poked me for a good 5 mins. Then she went my hand (DOUBLE OUCH) which I new she would find a vein.I fasted so I couldn't eat after 10:00 or drink anything after 12:00 . I was shaking after the 3rd vile of blood (yes 3rd vile). It was so sad when she said wow your not bleeding any more. I said " Did I run out of blood" she said well if you did that would be big problem. So she sent them off to lab and called me this afternoon to tell me everything went well. not soon after she charged me $145 for some random test my insurance didn't cover. SO PISSED! 100% coverage means 100% not 98%... Anyway's then they surprised me with an internal ultrasound. Did I mention how uncomfortable these are. Not to mention when your 3 days into you cycle. YUCK!After that I left the office with a throbbing pain in my hand for her twisting the needle for a good 10 mins. I then drop off my prescription for Zithromax or for my cheep insurance company azithromycin which is just the generic. Gosh they bleed us dry with about $225 every two weeks. You think they wouldn't make us take generics. So I guess my doctor said that 1/3 couples have this infection that carries no symptoms or signs, that can effect a women from getting pregnant/sick during this process. So its cautionary for them to just prescribe it to all their patients to be safe. Whatever just another thing on our list. Any ways I picked that up on my break and then played phone tag with a X-ray tech from my doctors office. She said that I need to schedule an appointment on my day 6-12 of my cycle for my X-ray of my uterus and fallopian tubes. Can we say radiation on my uterus.... some how I very scared. So after we talked she told me to come in this Monday the 13th at 12:15. Umm...hello some people work and don't have the option to leave work 4 hours early. So after a long debate I had two options come to my appointment or start around of birth control and wait another next cycle. I was like hell no I will figure something out. Thanks to my amazing director she is going to let me leave an hour before my appointment and come back when I'm done. Just take a really long lunch break. Pretty much my Monday will be crazy and of course Roy works so I have to go all alone. I have come to realize that this whole process has been about me running around with my head cut off why He goes in for a simple semen analysis like once every three months. SO UNFAIR! Well I guess that's what you have to do to have our sweet bundle of joy in our arms. So that's the plan! Tonight we are going to take our 4 pills each to get rid of our almost "infection".... its been a crazy and long day and of course I get home and have such a migraine. so looking at the computer hurts. Well thats about it everyone I will update after my x-ray on Monday. Thanks for your prayers and baby dust!Hope (stressed out mom to be)

"Let's make a baby"- Dr. Miller

Okay so Yesterday we met with our new doctor. Dr. Chuck Miller of The advanced Gynecologic Surgery Institute. He was wonderful and we are very excited to work with him. He is very friendly and upbeat. He really made us feel welcome and that this will all work out. Needless to say we were ready to start the process of us having a child.

Roy tried to make me smile by acting funny in the office and making some jokes. He really tried to make me relax and not stress out so bad.

So he got right down to business:

Fertility Plan

1. Recheck roys semen with another semen analysis (Roy is dreading the little room LOL!)

2. Day 2-3 of my cycle he will run a blood test for a whole bunch terms I am still learning all the translations for. Also a Ultrasound will be preformed.

3. Day 6-12 he will preform a Hysterosalpinogram which is an x-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes

4. On set of my period he will prescribe us both with a drug called Zithromax which is an antibiotic so we both don't have complications getting pregnant.

Once all this is completed he will treat us with one of the following:

If roy's results come back and he is I believe above 3% then they will go ahead with:

1. Day 5-9 I will be a on a drug called Clomid at 50mg.

2. Day 11 I will have to take a ovulation predictor test. If it comes back positive then I need to call my doctor to come in for an ultrasound and more tests to make sure I am ready.

3. Three days later or Day 14 I will have to start Progesterone, to help my body become nice and ready for the baby.

4. Last and final step "we hope" will be the procedure IUI- Intrauterine Insemination which is when they insert the sperm directly into the uterus.

If roys sperm is at 2.5% or lower we will have to try:

We will have to go a more aggressive route.

1. Try a drug called Gonadotrophins (Injectable Hormones) OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!

* Roy and I both will have to go in and learn how to give me such injections) did i say ouch!

2. 3 days later we will have an ultrasound and more tests (AHHH)

3. Day 6 we have to recheck everything..... (AHHH)

4. Then we will wait until my folical are between 17-18 mm and then we can preform an IUI.

I really don't know how different each drug will be or who different the process is going to be but I guess we just have grit through it and really look towards the goal.

Well everything seems to be going as planned I due for my period on the 9th of July so I believe that's when all our testing can start. Then I believe in August is when we will be all set to do the drugs and procedures. Lets cross our fingers to make sure everything is going to plan. Thanks for all your support and prayers.

What will Monday bring?

Okay so Monday is our appointment. I have to say I am so excited that our process can start now but I am totally scared. I have heard so many stores from so many different women that are going through this trial to have a child. My prayers are all with you and lots of baby dust your way.

So we will meet with Dr. Miller in Naperville to see what he has planned for us. My thought is that on Monday we will go in and sit down with him to talk about our situation. He probably wants to run his own tests and see were we stand now after the changes we have made to help our situation. I can't say that low caffeine, better food choices, exercise and vitamins have done a whole lot but Roy and I both agree that we have felt a lot better over the last few months and have noticed that we haven't had any colds or any infections in the recent months. So that is good news. Well I know that our situation could be a lot worse and I know Roy has a tendency to beat him self up about this but Its no ones fault. He is a wonderful man who takes care of me and keeps me strong. I have always wanted to be a mother and my family is a test to know that I have had a lot of practice over the years. Its going be a roller coaster for the next few weeks, months and I hope not years. But we are as ready as were every going to be, lets just hope everything works out for the best. Keeping positive is all i can do right now.

Best of luck to all of my fertility challenged moms-to-be!!!

We can't wait to leave...

We leave in 12 days to go see my family. I can't tell you how much we need this trip. We are pretty much counting down the days as you can tell. We leave the 11th of June after I get out of work and we will get there on the 12th early morning.

I'm so excited!!! Were packing up the dogs and were heading down south. Were off to our neice Allies 4th birthday party with all of the family. So I will update later! BYE BYE

I miss my family

I'm off work today feeling pretty sick. I told Roy it was his cooking but he said he feels fine. Mom joked on the phone today asking is there any chance that i could be pregnant and I laughed. thinking of the irony in that statement.

you know when your sick and all you can think about is the way your mom takes care of you and all the things she does for to make you feel better. Its funny because even if i told roy all the things he could do it justs dosnt compare. He brought me a blanket on the couch and my favorite pillow. Sprite and crackers. I just wish my mom lived close. I miss her.

We leave for Alabama in like 6 weeks and we are counting the days. I hate that they live so far away. With all thats happening here with roy and I it would be nice to have my mom here with me. Our appointment is June 29th and thankfuly my mom is come back with us so she will be here when we find out what the doctor has planned for us.

Garage Sale/Parent Update

Hey everyone, Heidi and I had a garage sale this weekend. Yesterday was so great we sold over $500 worth of stuff. It went so fast and we couldn't believe how empty the garage was. However we decide to open again today.

Sunday is a bust, I mean we sold almost $30 today which isn't much but its something. That's why I have some time to write. Its only like 1:30 so there is still hope for more sales. All our profits are going to mom and dad. They could use the help right now. The house still hasn't sold which has been tough on them. Every little bit that we can do for them, helps.





No doctor news yet. I'm waiting for my appointment in June and I will keep my site updated and try to teach some people how to become members. We are leaving in early June to go see my parents and the kids for some fun in the sun. Pray that it doesn't rain the whole trip.





Mom and dad said they will most-likely come back with us for a week or two to see some old friends and family. We have some one looking at the house so cross your fingers and pray they buy it!!!





I'm praying for everyone in this hard economy!!!

We set our frist Doctors Appointment

I talked with my nurse a couple of days ago and she referred me to a Dr. Miller in Naperville. We have an appointment scheduled at the end of June. We are pretty nervous to see what will happens next but we are excited that he can see us sooner then we thought.

Our family and friends support means a lot. We didn't know how common this situation is to many couples until my recent blog. Some close friends and family are dealing with the same things. But what I have noticed is that I see pregnant women or new mothers each and everyday. It can be so very hard to handel. We are trying to think positive and make sure we are well educated and well prepared to what were up against.

My sister told me how funny she thought it was that all these years I was nervous I could get pregnant before I got married. All along not knowing there was nothing to be so worry about. You never know how hard "trying" to have a baby can be. Every month that passes with a difficult reminder. I dread the one day a month where I know we didn't conceive. That negative test results. it can break your heart.

Trying to keep positive and know that one day this will all be worth it. Good luck to all my family and friends in the same situation. That are deal with the same heart break and disappointment Roy and I are going through.

A little about us

Hello everyone, We are The Barretts. My name is Hope and My husbands name is Roy. We have been married since September of 2007 and We have been planning to start a family for the last few months. We just went through the process of checking our fertility. It took us the whole month of march and beginning of April to find out our results. We waited patiently but on the edge of our seat everyday.We where very nervous but we have a wonderful support system and each other to get through this process.We new that this would change things but like I said we love each other very much and we can work through anything that comes our way.

To start:

I had a regular pap and check up in Early March: Everything came back normal
March 19th -Blood work: everything came normal

March 30th - external/internal ultrasound to see if i produce a follicle

April 6th- We got all of test results back:

I have a good follicle count, my thyroid was at a good level, my lining was a little thin when but she told me not to worry that its not at a rate to be concerned.

Roys results were next: things become a little bit more concerning. All of his blood work came back normal "thank god" but is semen analysis told us he has poor morphology also known as "abnormal sperm".

As most of you know, this news was very upsetting but we know that its not impossible as some couples today have to deal with. We are so very grateful for chance to still be there. However we discussed what our next step will be.

We are planning to speak with a fertility specialist, most likely in July. We have a lot on our plate right now with all the news and with timing to meet with the doctor its going be a few months before we can see anyone. We can be patient!

Our doctor told us what we are up against: 5days of Clomid to jump start my ovulation then we can try it naturally for a few cycles or we can go strate to IUI- Intrauterine Insemination where they insert a catheter into my cervix and inject roys washed sperm. It will only take a few minutes to do the procedure and they i will lay there for about 20 to 30 mins. We will know if it worked after 6-12 days. We will most-likely try this for 3/4 cycles before looking to injectables and try that for a max. of 3/4 times. If all fails we have one last hope. IVF which is In vetro Fertilization- where they will take out some of my eggs and connect them to roys sperm and then plant the ones that are fertilized back inside of me.

We hope that we wont have to resort to any extreme measures but that's all in gods hands.

Some say that if you cant have a child naturally that gods trying to tell you something. Here's my response to that:

"God has a plan for everyone. He wouldn't have helped us make these procedures or medications possible to have a child if it wasn't in his plan."

So thank you for listening and when our process begins I will be updating my blog.