the long and annoying road to baby #1

Here's a recap of the 3-1/2-year journey that Mr. Foxy and I took to get pregnant with Waffle Girl. I do not recommend this course of action to anyone.

• We got married in 2002 when I was 32. I was on the pill at the time, as I had been for many years due to irregular periods and suspected polycystic ovaries (PCO).
• After our 1-year anniversary, I went off the pill.
• 6 months later, Spring '04, I got a referral to a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) and the prodding begins! Our first appointments were pretty standard stuff, but then..

SURPRISE! I have two blocked fallopian tubes!

• Well, I never expected that. The RE gave me two options: a) go straight to in-vitro fertilization (IVF), which would bypass the tubes or, b) get laparoscopic surgery to clear the tubes and then do intra-uterine insemination (IUI).
• Despite being a total science geek, I was reluctant to go to IVF. Instead we opted for choice B. I went in for surgery in Spring '05 and then..

SURPRISE! My tubes weren't really blocked, after all!

• While poking around my abdominal cavity, the RE confirms that the ol' tubes are just fine.
• For the rest of '05 we occupied ourselves with 4 IUIs which of course didn't work. I think IUIs are bunk!
• Finally, I'm mentally ready to try IVF in December '05. I have good insurance and I live in a state where all infertility coverage is mandated. I'm ready.

SURPRISE! I'm on an insurance plan that is administered out-of-state and they don't have to follow the IVF coverage mandate!

• This was the pits. I could change over to another insurance plan that was administered in my home state. But I had to wait 1 FULL YEAR to make the switch!
• Then in early '06 my new insurance plan kicked in and I was referred to a different clinic. At this point I didn't mind the switch and just wanted to get moving again. I took the first available appointment with the least popular, worse bedside-manner RE they had.. let's call him Dr. Snaggletooth.
• Ever the realist, I was prepared to do 2 or 3 IVF cycles. Despite the myth that IVF is the fertility magic bullet, I knew that it wouldn't necessarily work the first time.

SURPRISE! We got lucky on IVF #1.

Yada yada yada.. we have a daughter now.

By the time the girl was weaned in early '09, I was 38 years old. We knew it was crunch time if there were to be any siblings. So I got referred back to Dr. Snaggletooth as soon as possible.

There would be no dillydallying this time. Straight back to IVF.. or so I hoped. Next time I'll tell you just how many ways and just how long an IVF cycle can be delayed.