New doctors and Fertility Specialists

Last week was rough. Jay had his SA, the numbers weren't great and his doctor didn't have any insight for us at all. There was a referral put in, referral denied by the case manager, Jay fought with her and finally got everything ironed out. Well, today we received the referral in the mail. It's been APPROVED!

Since the referral is for an office in Tucson, we're going to try to get an appointment for after August 7th so that way Jayson will be in school and we'll only have to worry about Eli being in child care. We'll probably put him in hourly care while we make the trip up for the appointment. Hopefully we will have some answers after seeing Dr. Gelety at The Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. 

Today is Jay's 30th birthday but we celebrated this past weekend. We really had fun with our friends and it was nice to hang out and not think about getting pregnant for an afternoon. But of course after everyone left we were back to obsessing about it all.

I should be ovulating soon which means after that, we'll just be waiting around to find out if we "caught the egg"! This month seems to be dragging on far slower than last month but at the same time, it seems more relaxed to me. I don't know if Jay feels the same way but we're just enjoying ourselves and hoping it works out for the best.

This month, we've been discussing the possibility of twins a lot more. Yesterday I was even wracking my brain to think of 2nd names if there were twins. I don't know why it's on my mind as of lately but it really is stuck there for the time being. I think it'd be fun and exciting. Something new and challenging for me to conquer. I don't think it'll be easy but I do think it's something out of the ordinary and I like the idea of that. I'm always looking for new challenges though this isn't one I get to decide on. 

In the end, I just hope for a happy, healthy pregnancy and baby or babies. Everything else in between and after will sort itself out in due time. 

Now please excuse me while I check for the 2nd time today for an ovulation LH surge...

Emotional Free-Style

So here I am wondering what the subject for this blog should be. I think that I’m going to just free style the whole thing, so if I tend to ramble, please forgive me.

The last couple weeks have been both a physical and emotional roller-coaster…to say the least. Let’s start at the beginning. Last week I go in for a semen analysis, and guess what…they jacked it up. Turns out the nurse who put the order in only put me in for a sperm count. Now don’t get me wrong, at least the count let us know that all my hoses are connected and allowing sperm through. The only thing is…we can’t tell how healthy they are without a full analysis. So at this point, I need a full work up, but the individuals I spoke with said that they don’t do those on fort Huachuca. Well that ended up being a crock, and do you know who ended up hooking it all up, a private second class in the army…not a nurse or a doctor, so PV2 So and So, I thank you. Then I go in for the full work up, and let me get this out there real quick…some may think that all of this “providing a specimen” may be cool for a guy, but it’s not. It’s one of those things where if you’re being put on the spot and being told you HAVE to do it, it has no appeal. So I get the full work up done, and guess what…my numbers SUCK! Now the cool thing about Traci is, if she thinks something got jacked up, she’ll do what she can to prove it. Now at this point, if you would like to read the details about the arguments and whatnot that took place, feel free to read Traci’s post discussing it, I will fast forward to her pure awesomeness. She decides we should do our own scope. So once again I provide the “study material”, and she puts her lab coat on and gets to work. She of course sees swimmers right away…and a BUNCH of them. The last count I had received was 5 million, where 20 is the minimum norm. She goes through the process to do her own count, and you know what she gets? 52 million (approx). So automatically she believes that someone at the lab screwed up a decimal point. 

Needless to say, I’ve had my fill of the medical staff here. From nurses who can’t relay a simple message, to doctors that don’t know their ass from their elbow, and ESPECIALLY this case manager lady who doesn’t seem to want me to seek out the medical I need. I know Traci feels more strongly about all this than me, and I’m sorry for turning this into a venting session, but its how I feel at this very moment. 

So now we are waiting to go to Tucson to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist guy who is willing to actually help us out a little. We are excited, and hope that things continue to move in a positive direction. If they don’t I feel that me and Traci (sorry hun, I meant Traci and I) will just have to crack some skulls. Metaphorically of course.

til next time,

Jay

Results & Options

The results came back yesterday and while they are low, I know that it's still early. The biggest concern I have is the drastic change in the count. On Tuesday, July 9th, Jay's count was at 26 million per mL which is with in the normal range of 20-200 million per mL. Yesterday, the results came back with a count of 5.2 million per mL. There are many things that may have caused this change. Drinking, lack of ibuprofen, caffeine and many other unhealthy habits that contribute to the over all health of a person. The ibuprofen is suggested after a VR because of the swelling, even after it seems/feels healed, swelling can cause a lack of sperm from being let through. So there are things we are going to work on at home.

Here are the results from yesterday: 

Count: 5.2 million per mL
pH: 8.5  (normal >7.2)
Motility: Minimal forward progression 
Motility: 20% (normal >50%)
Volume: 2.0mL (normal 2.0mL)
Morphology: 91% abnormal (normal 0-20 *I'm not sure what this means*)


These aren't great numbers. So Jay called his PCM yesterday to be told by a very rude receptionist that the lab shouldn't tell patients to call their PCM for explanation of results because doctors are busy and can't drop what they're doing to go over every lab result with patients. From my understanding, that's part of the doctor's JOB! Aren't they supposed to go over lab results with you, especially if they are BAD results?? I understand that the doctor was probably busy THAT moment when Jay called but seriously, she could have just said that the doctor was busy and would call him back to discuss the results at his earliest convenience. 

Well anyway, Jay calls this morning to schedule an appointment to speak with the doctor in case calling doesn't get him anywhere.  After he scheduled his appointment, he called and left a message with the nurse to call him back to discuss the results. The nurse called him back and read the notes in the file with the lab results. The doctor is going to refer Jay to a specialist. The two types of specialists that were mentioned were a Urologist or a fertility specialist. At this point, I feel as though the PCM is out of his depth with this case and doesn't know where to go, which is fine, not all doctors can be specialists in ever arena but I'm glad to know that this doctor knew when to pass the case. 

Now we wait for the case manager to call Jay with his options for specialists. Once he has the info he can start making phone calls to schedule an appointment with the new doctor(s). I'm not sure if he/we will see one specialist or both specialists, which specialist it'll be if it's just one but at this point, having someone familiar with reversals and infertility is going to be beneficial to our journey. Hopefully the next update is better.

Until next time,
Traci

Optimism & Dreams

Last week, after the horrible fiasco with Jay's nurse and doctor, he eventually got the semen analysis(SA) scheduled for this week. It only took multiple calls to the clinic explaining that the VR surgeon actually requested the SA and a call to the surgeon to let him know we were having issues with the clinic down here. By the time the surgeon called back, the clinic had fixed their mistake but Jay still informed Dr. Anderson of the troubles he had and Dr. Anderson was very helpful and let Jay know that if he ran into any more trouble to not hesitate to call him. I already love his surgeon! Amazing, awesome doctor who PERSONALLY called my husband back. Those types of doctors are hard to find and are especially rare in the military. So a HUGE thank you to him!!

Well, today was the scheduled SA. The lab here does them only on Tuesdays. It's funny because Jay's PCM told him that the lab here doesn't do them at all. Weird huh? Why would his PCM tell us that they don't do them here when clearly they do? Seems shady. The more we try to work with the clinics here the more I can't wait to get somewhere else a little bit more fertility friendly. C'mon Hawaii or where ever the Army wants to send us after WOBC!! Well, Jay went into the lab this morning and dropped off his sample. They told him they'd have the results late this morning (prior to lunch) or early this afternoon. Jay said he'll start making phone calls around 11am to see if the results are in. At least we'll get them today!! YAY! I don't know how I'm going to be able to wait three plus hours to find out the results but I guess I'll find a way! 

On another note, I found out yesterday a friend (whom I've become very close to over the past few months) got her BFP (big fat positive) and I'm soooo excited for her and her family!! I wish it were me and I'm slightly envious but hopefully I'll get mine this cycle and we'll have our babies close together. Well because of the supplement I took at the beginning of this cycle and hearing about her BFP, I had a dream last night. In my dream, Jay and I found out I was pregnant. I took the pregnancy test very early but it was still a very dark line so we immediately assumed twins. Here's where the dream turns unrealistic but still fun... Jay and I did a home ultrasound (not possible, those things are thousands of dollars) and we see two sacs. We start stressing about whether or not we need to see a doctor immediately since I'm pregnant with twins. Even though I woke up during the anxiety and stressing portion of the dream, I can't help but feel optimistic today. With Jayson, I had a dream at like 2-3 months that I was having a boy and I had a boy! Not that I feel as if I have a gift of seeing the future in my dreams but it gives me optimism that my body knows that we'll be pregnant soon. Maybe we'll have twins, maybe we won't but I'm very optimistic about this cycle and possibly the next. The only thing that could "kill" this optimism and happiness I have today would be for the results to come back with bad numbers. 

I suppose I'll know no later than this afternoon if we have a chance to have a baby (or babies) this cycle. So exciting and stressful! I guess I'll have to update you later about what we hear!!

Update ya later!
Traci

Lab work, Doctors and Miscommunication

Yesterday was hard. For me, for Jay and for our journey. I mentioned in yesterday's post that Jay had an appointment to get lab work done. Well, that was a bust.

First let me start with, we live in a small town, on a small post that does not have an extensive medical facility. We have a clinic, not a hospital. Almost everything outside of basic care is sent off post. Jay had to be sent to Fort Lewis, WA to get the vasectomy reversal done since Fort Huachuca does not have a urologist. The specialist at Fort Lewis told Jay that he needed a "semen analysis" done after the reversal to insure it was a success and we will more than likely have to keep getting these analysis done until we are done TTC. Because, at any time Jay's surgical site could scar over and then he would become infertile. The only way to correct that would be for him to go through another surgery.

Yesterday, Jay went to his PCM and asked for a semen analysis. I suppose the Doctor or the Nurse decided that this was a simple task and that Jay did not need to speak with the doctor in order to get the order for the lab work put in. The nurse was the only person Jay saw. **This was my first red flag, but I was able to ignore it and still hope for the best.** Jay was told that he could call the clinic and speak with the nurse at the end of the day for the results. AWESOME! Jay had decided he'd call around 2pm so that we had plenty of time before the lab closed to insure we got the results before everyone ran screaming from the building an hour before CoB.

At 2pm, Jay attempted to call the clinic and no one answered. He called around 2:30, spoke to the nurse and was told to call back in 15 minutes when she was done screening a patient. He called back at 2:45 and she explained that she made a mistake. She thought that the lab work was for a count after a Vasectomy. His count is 26 mil per mL. That's wonderful but uhm... what are the motility, morphology, pH, vitality and fructose levels? **Jay is messaging me on facebook as he speaks to the nurse and I'm LIVID** So he gets off the phone with her with no real answers. So I ask him to call them back to reschedule the correct lab work for later this week and to speak with the actual DOCTOR this time. So he makes the phone call, the doctor is in with his last patient of the day and will call you when he's done. Then Jay gets the phone call, he explains that he needs a semen analysis and the doctor says that he only has the option to order a count in the system so he'll have to call the lab to see if they can even do a full blow semen analysis. They end the call and the doctor does his limited research. He calls Jay back to tell him that the lab here on post does not have the capabilities to do the SA and Jay asks what his other options are. The doctor says that they can't send off for the actual SA because of budget cuts and it costs money. **Uhm, since when did the army pay for medical, I'm pretty sure that's what TRICARE is for!** But it gets better, the doctor then says Jay can come back in 2-3 weeks for another count and if it hasn't improved then they can refer him to a specialist. Wait, WHAT?! You can't afford sending a sample off to a lab but you can refer him to a specialist. I'm not a doctor, or a nurse... I'm not even medical office personnel but that sounds freaking ridiculous. "I'm sorry we can't get the test you want done because it costs to much money, but if you come back for another simple test, we'll refer you to a civilian fertility specialist, who cost 100 TIMES more than a lab analysis." Am I insane? How could a fertility specialist cost LESS than a semen analysis?! It couldn't possibly. That's just incomprehensible for me.

Now of course being me, when Jay got home I grilled him intensely about the conversation so that I could pin point where everything went south. The only time Jay said that he was a vasectomy reversal was to the nurse. So now the doctor is making decisions based on something he wasn't reminded of. Jay also neglected to inform the doctor that his vasectomy reversal doctor (a SPECIALIST) gave him instructions to get a SA done after the surgery. Of course, yesterday I was angry with Jay and it resulted in us fighting but it's since been resolved and I have to remember that Jay doesn't think the way I do. Today he'll call the doctor and explain his situation and the instructions from the reversal doctor and hopefully we will be able to just get a SA done with out any more trouble. If that doesn't work, then we will be contacting Patient Advocacy and the vasectomy reversal doctor in Washington.

I think everything happening yesterday just made it worse. Yesterday was the day I realized there was no hope of a pregnancy for the June cycle and as much as I prepared myself for the disappointment, it was still hard to take. Which made the news of the "screw up" hard to take. I don't believe yesterday was any one particular person's fault. Everyone made assumptions about what the others wanted or knew. Jay assumed the doctor knew it was post reversal because it's in his record, the nurse assumed it was just a count because that's the only option on the system. The doctor assumed Jay was just being demanding and requesting a specific lab because of his desires not because of medical need. At least this is me hoping that's the case. I suppose we'll find out today if the doctor was just misinformed or if he is just going to refuse the lab work even though it's requested by the specialist.

Cycle 1 is over... On to Cycle 2!

Today marks day one of cycle 2 in our TTC journey. While it is disappointing to not end up pregnant right away, it really was only our first try. The average pregnancy after vasectomy reversal takes approximately a year to achieve. There are successes that occur before the year mark but the average is a year. I've met women who get pregnant right away and I've met woman who are still trying 1-3 years later. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. There is no guarantee that it will result in pregnancy even if the surgery is a success.

Yesterday, I scheduled my appointment to talk with my PCM about a possible referral to a Gynecologist office. I don't necessarily believe that I have fertility issues but with our decreased chances just because of the VR, I'd like to make sure that we aren't trying when we should be seeking help. I know most doctors what patients to try for a year, but most patients are normal people with no signs of fertility issues. If we already know for a fact that we have a lower chance, we should check to make sure our chances aren't even lower because of me. Many women who are trying to conceive with a spouse that has had a VR have gotten their fertility checked well before a year of trying to conceive.

On another note, Jay had his first follow up after his surgery today. They are doing some lab work on him and we should know by the end of the day what we're working with, at least for the time being. Fortunately this is just going to be our starting levels. A man's levels can always increase or decrease so we're going to do everything we can to increase his levels and health while we're trying to conceive. He started a supplement package about a week ago and hopefully they are beneficial. We'll know more once 2-3 months have passed and we can see if there is a change in his levels and lab work.

I am also looking into supplements and vitamins for myself. I haven't decided on any specifically yet because we don't even know if there is an issue with me. Though if anyone out there in the large world wide web has some suggestions on supplements or vitamins I should increase or start taking, I'd love the advice. I am currently on a prenatal and a prenatal supplement with calcium and folic acid.

Hopefully the end of this cycle in about 28-30 days, we'll have exciting news of a new addition. Or, maybe we won't. It's all in God's hands and we will pray his plans are shown to us soon!

Trying to Conceive is Torture!

Jay had his surgery and he healed really quickly. I started charting which involves me waking up at the butt crack of dawn to take my temperature with a crazy special thermometer. So I take my temp super early and put it into my little app for that day and go back to sleep. There are a few other signs I have to observe while waiting for ovulation and then once ovulation occurs, we sit around and wait to find out if we were able to "catch the egg". 

Well according to my chart, I ovulated on June 24th and I'm 11 day past ovulation (dpo). I've taken a pregnancy test (a cheap internet strip test called a Wondfo) every day since 8 dpo and they've ALL been negative. Yesterday afternoon, Jay, a few of my friends, and I THOUGHT we saw a little hint of a line but this morning that was contradicted with a blatantly obvious NEGATIVE on a First Response Early Response (FRER). It's really frustrating because lots of women can get early positives around 8 dpo to 12 dpo. I've never tracked my cycle like this before so I have no idea if my pregnancy tests for Jayson and Elijah were early or after I was late. I should be expecting my wonderful Aunt Flo to visit sometime between Monday and Wednesday so I wish I had the self control to just WAIT until then. 

Wanting to be pregnant is so much more difficult than missing your period and going "Oh I might be pregnant." Even only one cycle in and I would much rather go back to being ignorant of the process. I wish I could just not think about it and TTC then when I miss my period, test like a normal person who might be pregnant instead of watching my calendar go soooo slowly. Testing in the morning to see if there is a tiny faint line on these cheap test just to be disappointed or delusional. 

TTC really brings out the crazy in a person. I really hope that this cycle is just my lesson on TTC & Charting and things go much differently next cycle. 

With all the negative tests and crazy over-analysis of my chart, I'm fairly certain this just isn't our cycle. Which is Okay! The first month after a reversal isn't usually the month that it happens so I have to remember that we have 1.5 more months until things are supposed to get back to normal with in Jay so I shouldn't be so disappointed. It's just so hard not to be. And all those pregnant chicks that I'm friends with make me want to scream. Mostly the ones that I know get pregnant so easily. Ugh! Let it be MY turn! 

Here's my chart in case any of you wanted to see it.  Traci's Chart

I'll update you guys next week on whether or not Aunt Flo drops by or not.

Until Next Time,

Traci