A Flattened Piece of Cake...

Big day today! I had my very first mammogram. Ever. I was prompted by the latest celebrity news, actually. Giuliana Rancic, who has been publicly going through IVF with her husband, just announced she has breast cancer. One of my fears has actually been that all these fertility meds will somehow cause cancer. So, of course, when I heard about her - I panicked. Turns out that my fears are unfounded. There is no known link between the two. (So they say...) But I was able to immediately schedule a mammogram and I'm glad I did. My doctor ordered a diagnostic mammogram for me - which means that a radiologist reads it right away. I left the hospital this morning knowing that my breasts were healthy. One less thing to worry about!

While we're on the topic of IVF, I'll update you on my current status. I've been on stimulation medication for this entire week. This picture shows my nightly regimen - it's no joke.

These medications are not without side effects. I've been experiencing night sweats (which are oh, so lovely!)...mood swings (SHUT UP!!! sorry.)...and my skin has been breaking out. I'm also nauseous pretty much all of the time and my abdomen and thighs are filled with bruises from the needle sticks. I posted this photo on Facebook recently with the status that in part said, "Please say a prayer that a baby comes from all of this!" Boy, did I get some pounds - from all angles - comments and emails. People wanted to remind me that a baby doesn't come from needles and science...that it comes from God.

A very sensitive friend was prompted to send me this email after seeing that Facebook update and has given me permission to share this personal story from her own life...

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Kate,

Sooooo, thought this story of some old geezer men in the hills of West Virginia (my dad and some friends) might be fitting.

It's true...

Three miles off the last paved road, about 1 mile from my house, was our little one-room church. Kind of like one room schoolhouses, and we had one of those too, except it was now where we had covered dish dinners, as all the kids in "the settlement" (holler) were by now bussed an hour to the town elementary school. It was where a dozen or so families gathered for church services, bible school, Christmas programs, and Easter services. Out front was a huge, huge tree, probably 3-4 feet in diameter, with a bench built around it that could easily seat a dozen kids in church clothes, and was a favorite place to play hide and seek because if you kept circling, the seeker could never find you.

When I was about 12, the tree was dying, and with every wind storm came a fear that the tree would fall on the church. One Sunday DURING church there was a lively discussion (yeah, it was that kind of place) about my dad and some of the men folk wanting to cut the tree down. A large faction of the members (15-20) felt that God would do something to protect the church, and therefore we should do nothing.

My dad's friend stood up and calmly explained that God had already done something - he invented the chainsaw.

God invented IVF. Go get 'em, tiger!!

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I really needed to hear that from someone. If you're struggling with IVF and all the stress and worry and physical discomfort that goes along with it...hoping that all of your efforts get you that baby in the end - I hope that her personal email to me brings comfort to you.

p.s. - Don't forget to schedule your mammogram! It was a piece of cake. The piece that someone actually sits on and flattens but is still good kind of piece of cake - but nevertheless, a piece of cake!