The IVF Open Evening

As you know, we attended an open evening this week at the Oxford Fertility Unit to start the process of IVF.

It was an overwhelming experience, but a positive one.

I had already done my research on what to expect so the process wasn't a surprise, but the speed at which things will now move forward definitely was!

During the presentation we heard from an IVF nurse and embryologist, which "humanised" the whole process. Up to now I had mainly found info on various forums, so to hear it from the people that may give us our miracle was humbling.

They showed us lots of clips of the eggs and process, which was amazing. It is so clever how they can do this!

We have to go back to the OFU on Tuesday for a test on Rick, this will help them decide whether they will perform IVF or ICSI. ICSI is just a more technical version of IVF, so all my treatment would be the same, but they would inject the sperm into the egg (instead of just putting them both together in a Petri dish).

After this it is simply a waiting game for my next cycle to start. Once it has, I have to contact the fertility unit here in Swindon to make an appointment to "book" in my treatment and get the drugs etc. So very fast indeed!

I am very, very lucky that I am able to do so much of my treatment from here and only have to go to Oxford for the egg collection and transfer.

I am also very blessed that I live in an area that will fund three cycles for me. Some people at the open evening have no funding at all. It's really sad that they will have the added financial pressure to an already daunting situation.

I am hoping my cycle will start in the next couple of weeks, so I will update you more once I go to my planning consultation. (That is a novelty, actually wanting AF to arrive for once!)

In the meantime I have a billion consent forms we need to read through.

I really hope this works xxx

The IVF Referral Letter!!

After stating in my last post that things would likely be quiet on my blog until our referral came through, here we are barely two weeks later because.......

WE GOT OUR REFERRAL DATE! YAY!

To say I was shocked how by quickly it came through would be an understatement. I honestly didn't think I would hear anything until the beginning of the summer!

We have to attend an open evening in Oxford next Wednesday! 7 sleeps to go!

The open evening is a generic information presentation for 25 couples, where we find out all about the process we are about to undertake. IVF isn't for everyone and some couples don't proceed once they know what it involves. To be honest, I am already so well read on the whole thing that I know, without a doubt, I will try it.

At this point I would try anything.

I will find out more on timescales next week but, from what I have read online, you generally see a consultant within a few weeks of the open evening to plan the treatment, which then starts during the next new cycle - eek!

If that is the case, we might start before the summer!

At the moment my head in wrapped up in the clinical facts of IVF. I don't feel like the emotional side of it has hit me yet, it probably won't until I am actually going through with it.

I will, of course, post again after the open evening to let you know how we got on.

I would like to say a ma-hoooo-sive thank you to all of my friends who have sent lovely messages and support me every day. Your positivity lifts me up every time I fall and I couldn't do it without you xxxxx