First test is in the bag!

Wow I went from having to really stretch for information to put in updates to having something worth writing about!  As my last blog post stated, I was scheduled to have a phone call with a doctor at CFA on the 12th.  And by the way, time didn't exactly zoom by.  I had plenty of things to keep me busy, but it was on my mind every day.  So I had the call and it was such a simple thing.  She asked me a few questions about my medical history, but most of it she had in my chart.  She then went over the process and what test I needed first, plus what to do next.  So basically, the first thing to get done was an HSG.  The technical term is a hysterosalingogram (or -ography, depending on the site you look up).  Basically it's a type of xray, a fluoroscopy, using a contrast material they shoot into the fallopian tubes to see if there's a blockage.  Women facing infertility have this done to look for possible causes.  For me, it was to make sure there wasn't a a blockage that could cause trouble for the surrogacy.  So the doctor said to get that done this month while I'm still on birth control.  Then when my current pill pack is done, to stop taking them so we can do a mock cycle.  That will be me getting all the meds of a real cycle, minus the actual transfer of embryos.  That's to see how I'll respond to the meds.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So I got off the phone, and started poking around looking for a place to get an HSG test done.  Apparently nothing super local does it!  Or at least nothing I could find.  I made so many calls that day, I had to stay over at work because I used too much time doing it.  I did find a place in Columbia, but the first woman I talked to was a bear!  And I was certainly not my pleasant self either.  I felt like I'd been running in circles to find a place that did this test, and now this woman was telling me because I don't get a regular period, I needed a blood test from my OB's office proving I wasn't pregnant!  I told her, it's because I'm on lo loestren, one of the side effects is a light or non existent period.  I did question it but my midwife assured me it was normal.  So it's been like this for months.  Anyway, I wasn't having that so finally she put me on hold, came back and said fine if you want to consider your spotting a period, what's the exact day you spotted?  I said I don't know, why is that relevant?  She said this test has to be done 6-10 days after your period.  So I said look I'll have to call back, after I go home and try to figure it out.  But by the time I got home, they were closed.  I just used the 2nd day of my pill pack as the day because I think it was around there, and J at the surro place said that 6-10 day window doesn't apply if you are on the pill.  Someone needs to tell that lady that!  Thankfully someone different answered the next morning.  It took a while but she squeezed me in for the Friday, the 16th.

Sorry this is so long-winded! haha can't help going in depth since this is the first real step I've taken.  So I get there, and man did my nerves kick in.  I wasn't waiting long before I was brought back.  So there's a table, and a HUGE machine (where the pics would be taken) that slid over the bed.  I got prepped and laid on the table, talked to two very nice techs who thought it was awesome I was doing surrogacy.  They explained what would happen, sort of how it would feel, and the rare risks that could happen afterward (mainly infection).  The doctor came in (why did he have to be so dang good looking?), and inserted a catheter into my cervix.  Inflated a balloon to keep it in place, then injected contrast through the tubes.  The worst of it was that damn thing they insert for a pap, I hate that contraption!  I felt normal cramps, like day 1 of a real period.  No pinch, nothing worse than that.  It was so quick too!  Less than five minutes, a few x-rays, I rotated my hips to each side for different angles, and then he pulled everything back out.  The contrast was gross, but they warned me about it.  Oh and the best part? No blockage!  That would have hurt, and I have such empathy for women who have this test done and see (and feel) a blockage.  It's an amazing test though, being able to so quickly identify a problem.

So now that the HSG is done, next is my annual with blood work Monday.  And Derek has to get blood work done.  Then the psych screening.  Still waiting to hear about that being scheduled.  But wow, things are really moving!  Some moments I'm nervous, some I"m excited, some scared, some eager.  Depends on my mood and what I start thinking about.  Delivery?  Yeah, that's scary!  Helping create a family?  That's the awesome part.  Praying that all goes well, and that this is my path.  I feel that it is, but I am trying very hard to keep an open mind and heart so that I can roll with whatever comes my way in this adventure.

Looking forward to the next update!

Here's a picture of the place where I had the HSG done, just to make things a little more "real"