Well, I figured it was about time for another update since a few things have happened since my last post. Last week (or was it the week before?) I got the results from my colonoscopy & endoscopy I had done June 18th- right after the procedures my doctor said I have a small hiatal hernia, some acid damage and she removed 3 polyps and biopsied those plus one other spot she was unsure of. However, she called last week, or the week before, and said I have significant acid damage and need to start Nexium (lovely since I have no symptoms of reflux or heart burn or anything like that), and that the 3 polyps she removed were normal but the 4th spot that she biopsied did show pre-cancerous changes/growth (this spot looked like folds in my intestine wall instead of a normal polyp so she did not remove it because it was not as easy and she wasn't sure of what it was at the time). I don't have cancer but it is a place that if left, without being removed, could turn into cancer. So, I now have to have a 2nd colonoscopy so she can go back in and remove the strange polyp- fun times! The procedure itself is easy but it's the prep for it that does me in- not to be too graphic but this last time it all came back up about half way through :) So, I go in on August 12th to have this repeated- prayers as much appreciated for an easier time with the prep and for a smooth and pain free procedure day. My doctor is concerned as to why I have had all of these polyps at such a young age (2 removed 3 years ago) so pray that I stop developing these as they can turn into cancer if left too long without being removed.
And the next part of this update is that we had our follow-up appointment with our reproductive endocrinologist doctor yesterday. The this point she feels we have multiple issues preventing us from getting pregnant. She seems to think we just "got lucky" the first time in actually getting pregnant. My TSH level seems to be back into the range they want it at, however she didn't feel it was necessary to recheck this until I get pregnant (not sure I agree with that but oh well). My endometrial biopsy from a few weeks ago was normal- no infection. However, my progesterone level, which they checked a few weeks ago, was "out of range" for the time it was taken and tells her I may not be ovulating regularly or at all. And Jarrod has multiple "fertility" (sperm) issues which may be adding to my issues and part of that could possibly contribute to a future miscarriage or "improper" development. So, all this to say my doctor feels the easiest and cheapest thing to help me get pregnant would be to try a round of IUI (intrauterine insemination combined with sperm washing). This is a very detailed process and I don't have the paper about it in front of me so I may have to fully describe it later but basically I would start taking Clomid (fertility drug), I would go in for 2 sets of ultrasounds, if at the 2nd one on day 12 I have not ovulated I would get a shot of Ovadril to make me ovulate, and they would also give me progesterone since mine is low, then I would use ovulation predictor sticks until I get a positive result, at that time we go into the office where Jarrod has to give a "sample" and they "wash" that to get the best swimmers and clean out the dead ones and then they give me the "best of the best" to through artificial insemination. Not only is this a slightly complicated process with several trips up to Northside during one month but it is not covered by insurance so it will cost us about $2500-$3000. In the long run this is really not that much to have a biological child but this process only has about an 8-10% chance of working and often has to be repeated once or twice (they usually wont try it more than 3 times). At this point we feel we could spend $2500-$3000 one time but not two or three times. That quickly adds up to a lot of money which could go towards an adoption. So, at this point we have to decide whether to even try and do this or not and when to do it. I have to at least wait until September because I can't be pregnant for them to do the colonoscopy - I can't risk not being able to have that done in August. We have been working on our family profile questions and pictures to get started with the adoption process but we have not paid anything or turned in the application yet. I don't think either of us really wants to put that off but I am also aware that I am getting close to 30 and my fertility is decreasing rapidly. That combined with our current issues means it might not be in our best interest to wait much longer to try and have children biologically. Plus, if we wait over a year to do the IUI we would both have to repeat our bloodwork and tests again which would mean even more money. So, to me it seems to be now or never for the IUI. Now that said, we can always do IVF down the road but that is much more money (not covered by insurance) and we are not sure how we feel about IVF (however, that process it much better than it used to be and they can avoid creating too many embryos- they can freeze them for later use so they only have to implant one or two at a time now). But anyways, all of that said, we have no clue what to do right now- please pray for God to give us a clear answer of what to do right now and that we would have a peace about our decision. Knowing that the IUI only has a small percentage of working, and even if it does, I still may have issues with development of a pregnancy, I would like to try IUI in September (once) and still proceed with the adoption process now however, financially that is not really an option as each of them are about the same price ($2500-$3000 for IUI and around $2500 to start with Christian Adoption Consultants; the adoption would obviously be MUCH more than that but that gets us started with the consultants who put together our family profile and connect us with multiple adoption agencies, etc). So, also pray that God would provide us with the extra money to fund one or both of these. We do have money in savings but don't want to deplete that too much. My brain is a little scattered at the moment so I'm sorry if any of this doesn't make sense or is poorly written- oh well, such is life :) But for anyone reading this please keep us in your prayers and pray that God will guide us through this, that we will know His will and have a peace about it, that he would provide financially and ultimately that He would give us at least one child- more would be great- either through adoption or biologically or both! Thank you so much to all those who have been and are praying for us!
