My Highlights from 2006

My Highlights from 2006:

• Completing an application to become a surrogate at 1 am on New Years Day.
• Getting hubby his big screen tv and xbox 360, which gives me 10 years of me saying "Honey, now remember who got you your big screen tv and xbox 360...." Got to love married life!
• Flying to California with my hubby for my screening to be a surrogate and being accepted into their program. It was also our 6th wedding anniversary, so it was an even nicer trip.
• Flying to California again with hubby to meet my IP (intended parent that I am a surrogate for) that I was matched to work with. Plus meeting one of hubby's online gaming buddies, Shadow. (Thank goodness he was normal, lol)
• Flying to California again to attend a weekend retreat for Intended Parents and their surrogates at a posh West Hollywood Hotel. And then we all went out for Gospel Sunday Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd. GOTTA LOVE IT!
• The plane ride home from the retreat with some surrogates that I had just met.
• Flying to California again with my child #2 and #3 to stay with my IP and his family...and for our first IVF transfer. We spent a day a Disneyland.
• My new hobby: bar bingo, bingo, and bingo at the Casino in Hinckley.
• Recruiting 7 friends to join Pampered Chef in August (12 total recruits for PC in 2006!)
• Child #1's major ear surgery.
• Child #1's 2 Grand Slam hits!!! (What a proud mom I am!)
• Child #1 & #2's band concerts throughout the year.
• Child #3 starting Kindergarten.
• Child #4 turning 2 and talking.
• The friends that I've made via the yahoo groups, Ryze and MySpace.
• Lastly, being thankful every day to have my husband and our 4 healthy & happy children. Thankful for being a full time stay at home mom. Having my husband always be there when you've had a bad day or people treat you like shit! True to his word, he's always there for me.

I would have to say the ULTIMATE highlight of 2006 for me was the weekend retreat in CA (see June 2006 entry)

I'm looking forward to a great 2007!

• Looking forward to a successful IVF and a baby or two for my IP.
• Being able to attend the annual retreat for IPs and surrogates this summer!!!
• Plane ride with Holly & Crystal...lol
• Another successful baseball season for Child #1.
  Figuring out how to get Child #2 to Softball, Child #3 to TBall and Child #1 to baseball (he plays two teams) this summer.
• Making new friends, building my home business with team members and customers.
• Spending time with my family, including a trip to DisneyWorld with just hubby and the kids...after I have the baby/babies.
• Lastly, winning the Powerball or even just the jackpot coverall at Bingo!!!

January 17th, 2006 - Post Op

Hi there!

Had my post op today. I'm fine. Sort of glad I didn't have to get checked. lol OB says that the tests came back that there was pregnancy tissue present. Had hcg levels checked and it was under 2 so I am considered no longer preggo!!!

HURRAY!!!

So now to wait for my period and at that time I hope we get a transfer date! Hope its soon because its REALLY cold in MN and a trip to CA sounds nice. :)

Per my OB's opinion, having a D & C doesn't increase or decrease my chances for the IVF unlike all the opinions of everyone. Everyone seems to have opinions! lol I will just stick to what my/our drs personally tell us and what my IP thinks.

DH hasn't found a job in CA yet. There are quite a few jobs but they don't pay very well. I'd like him to look into working in the entertainment industry...construction set crews or whatever they are called. No idea where to even start looking or how to look. Would love feedback if anyone is in the industry.

With DH looking it gets me antsy to see what types of jobs I could do, but then I remember, work is not an option during this surrogacy. Such a nice thought! lol I do wish maybe I could get a case manager position at the Agency or another Surrogacy agency. I think I would prefer that then going back to work as a counselor/social worker within the welfare system. Something to consider...later on.

Well will let you know when I get my period! lol You all will be the third to know! (IP the second, me the first, lol)

Have a great day!
A Surrogate Mom

January 6th, 2007 - The Day After

Hi Everyone!

Had my D&C yesterday. I'm fine. I slept a long time but I think it was from having general anestetia (sorry, not a common word in my vocab, lol, but you know what I mean). I do feel fine. I had a huge headache that I didn't think would ever go away! I was sore yesterday but fine today. (A little discomfort but fine.) I had a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine but didn't pick it up. Glad I didn't because that would have been a total waste of $$$. I took some extra strength Tylenol and was fine by the time I woke up at 1 pm today! I chose a general rather then local, so I would not be awake during the surgery. I have heard way too many stories from people who have gone through it, so general was the way to go for me.

Well now its time to move ahead and get ready to do it again. Yes, I am ready and pray that the next transfer takes. In the meantime think sticky thoughts and hope that my IP will have babies in time for Christmas 2007!!!

Will update here as I get info on a new transfer but it might be a while as I must go through two cycles before we can begin. (BTW, cycles...I mean periods, lol)

Have a great weekend!
A Surrogate Mom

January 4th, 2007 - Ugly Betty

OMG what a fun show! I still have yet to view the first episode. I kept missing the start of the Ugly Betty marathons!! lol Its on tonight and I can't wait! Did you know that you can watch full episodes of all these ABC sitcoms at www.ABC.com? Its pretty neat, provided you have FAST internet. lol So I'm working on upgrading our slow dsl version!!!

Had my pre-op this morning. The two little ones were funny...but good during my appt. The 5 yr old asked if I was getting a shot..NO. So every time she did something, he'd say...remember you said no shots. lol They read books and were good and it was a happy experience. lol Don't you hate when you go to the dr office and there is someone always there with annoying loud kids? Kids that don't listen? I am greatful that is not my children who do that. (yet)

Day surgery just called. Have to be there at 12:30 for 1 pm surgery time. I have an option of local or general anesthesia. Gonna opt for the general so I'm knocked out during the process. The local goes in your spine and not too much into that. The general will make me groggy and whatever...like I care? It will be Friday and my hubby will be home to care for the kids. Why not take advantage of them pampering me at home?! lol

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January 3, 2007 - There is an end....

Hi!

Met with my OB today. We discussed the options that the fertility clinic mentioned. The decision was to do a D&C on Friday, with my pre-op in the morning (Thursday). My OB said had I considered the shot then he would have requested that I have a second opinion. So it felt good that my ob and I agreed on the D&C. I guess the shot is something that they use with cancer patients and something that is used in my situation too but my OB would not do it for me, either way.

When I did arrive at the clinic and checked in, there was an order for me to have another hcg test done. I guess they are not used to someone questioning procedures, but I just could not justify paying for it if I was there for a consult to have a D&C. So I went straight to talk to the dr. His nurse said I had to do it but I explained that I felt in unnecessary and wanted to verify with the dr that I needed it done. Everyone seemed crabby, btw. lol Seems they were overbooked and everyone was irritable. Oops...I apologized if I was a pain but I just feel responsible to avoid unnecessary procedures/bills for my IP, kwim? Well they apologized to me. phew! Anyways...so I think the visit went well today.

Why are we doing a D&C after I miscarried a month ago? Well as stated in previous posts, my hcg levels have seemed to stayed in the 200s and not zeroing out as they should....especially after 4 weeks have gone by. So my body thinks its pregnant and if I were to take a preggo test, it would be positive. I need to have zero HCG in my system. So basically, as stated before, its a chemical pregnancy and/or there are remaining tissues left from the embryo. They had hoped nature would take its course and via miscarriage things would go back to zero. So now its time to do a D&C which should do the trick.

So all in all, it was a good day.

A Surrogate Mom