Getting Ready

Here I sit putting in a last blog while waiting for Joe to get home so we can get in the car and drive 500+ miles. I truthfully do not like the drive but I love that we get to do it. For many months we didn't love to go to CA. During the time we were insemming it was more of a chore than a pleasure. I barely remember those days now (okay, that is a little fib) but my husband has very vivid memories of it. Every time we are getting ready to go down for a doctor appointment or a visit Joe says "I sure am glad we are not going to insem". It was apparently very stressful for him. Probably more stressful than I know.
One nice thing about traditional surrogacy is when there is not a positive result than there was only a small wait until we could try again. While that is a nice thing it is also a not very nice thing. During our cycling time I had what I called the two- 2 week waits. The first 2 week wait (2ww) was the usual wait to see if the insem had worked. The second 2ww was the wait to insem again. The second 2ww was harder than the 1st 2ww in some ways. We already knew at that point that the insems didn't work so it would take me a day or two to get over that disappointment. Then it was the 'what do we do next question'. Do we do home insems? IUI's? or Medicated IUI's? Then the planning for going down. Will we fly? Will we drive? If we fly when is the right time to get the tickets for? If we are going to drive will the roads be good so we can drive or will it be a snowstorm? There were times during that planning time when I envied people doing GS.
With IVF everything is planned well in advance. There are protocols to follow and schedules and plans. You know I like plans. Plans made in advance and followed are my favorite. But then today I realized that there is a flip side to GS/IVF. A blog I read often put it in a totally different light. A more 'medical' light. http://ivflandonsurrogacyworld.blogspot.com/
After reading this I realize that the stress that we felt each month while cycling was a lot different than the stress that can be felt while doing IVF. Once we became pregnant most of my stress left. There were the small worries of miscarriage and such but for the most part my stress was gone. Joe's stress left a little slower (he is more of a worrier) but once he saw the baby with his own eyes at the ultrasound most of his stress left too. IVF Land points out the continuing stress that he felt.
Joe and I talk sometimes about doing a sibling project. We have talked about doing ED/GS next time but I have to admit that I love the less medical aspect of TS. And I love the relationship part of it. And sharing in a pregnancy is pretty wonderful.
Joe is home now. So off we go! Back on Monday unless I can sneak in computer time somewhere.