So last weekend Mike and I decided to PGS (pre-genetic screen) test our remaining four embryos, use any normal embryos, and if they worked, they worked. If they didn't, they didn't. We WERE going to be done.......
Then.....
My company announces as of 2016 they will give their employees $20,000 (lifetime cap) to use towards............ I - V - F !!!!!!!!!
We were shocked. I cried. I couldn't believe it. After seven long years of TTC (literally since 2008), we were FINALLY going to be DONE. Now......... we AREN'T.
I'm happy and sad at the same time. I am more than happy to have $20,000 at my fingertips to use towards the things we have ALWAYS paid out of pocket for. We have probably sunk $30,000 - $40,000 in TTC since 2008. Thank GOD we got our miracle Victor out of it in 2012. He is my life. He is my prince. I'd be.....well, let's just say thank God he is here.
I am just tired of this roller coaster. A seven year rollercoaster. We were pregnant just 2 months ago. Today marks exactly 2 months since I couldn't hear my baby's heartbeat. 2 months and 1 day ago we were living in bliss. We were pregnant. Our baby was alive. THE END OF THIS JOURNEY WAS IN SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then that was ripped away. So, just a month or so later the end of our journey was in site again when Mike and I decided to be DONE after these four embryos.
So you can imagine my head is spinning with the $20,000 2016 coverage announcement!
So, we coincidentally had a meeting (that we scheduled when I miscarried) with our reproductive endocrinologist this week. We told her of our old plan and of the new coverage. This is what the three of us decided:
Since it costs roughly $5,000 to $6,000 to PGS test a batch of embryos (that covers 8 embryos), why spend that to test only four embryos? Now that we have coverage to do IVF (for a fourth time mind you), we will do that in February of 2016 and whatever embryos are made from that send cells from them as well as cells from our original four and send them all to be tested together. PGS also reveals gender - if we want to know - and we do...... well, I do.
We will do IVF in February of 2016 instead of January because I am now going to go back on my PLETHORA of egg quality supplements that I was on prior to our 2015 IVF that yielded our best haul yet of 8 blastocysts. I need 90 days of supplements for it to have an effect on the eggs inside me. Mike is also going to go on supplements. That way, come IVF #4 our parts are the best they can be. February is good too because I'm sure I'll need all of January to figure out stuff and jump through hoops with the insurance company. I already tried calling them and they could give me NO answers to my questions and told me to call back on the 2nd of January. Unbelievable!
Did I mention my head is spinning?!?!?!?
About Us
- Lauree and Mike
- After an 8 year battle with infertility and countless struggles, our family is finally complete. This blog chronicles the journey it took for us to start and build the family we always wanted. Background on the blog (started in 2012, just days before I found out the embryo transfer for our son worked).... I decided to start a blog after realizing I have only been able to make it through my TWW's (two week waits) with the help of Google and with the openness of other women suffering from infertility sharing their own stories and giving others hope. I have time and time again found my exact symptoms on other women's blogs and felt an overwhelming sense of calmness they provided me. I thought it was time to pay it forward and hopefully provide this same thing to other women on their own journeys.
Sounds wonderful! I couldn't imagine getting that kind of news, my head would be spinning as well. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThat is great news about your ivf coverage! I am curious as to why your RE recommended PGS since your last loss was a normal girl? Have you considered seeing Dr Braverman, reproductive immunologist in NY? He tests both you and your husband's haplotypes for HLA matches. We had our frozen embryos tested with PGS and I miscarried those normal embryos as well. My Re finally admitted after all these years that I was right along along about immune issues being the cause of our losses. Yet he won't prescribe the intralipids that Dr Braverman recommends. So I keep hitting walls. Hoping your RE is more open to it. Huge hugs Lauree.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you Lauree. I'm so glad to learn you will have ivf coverage and another chance to make some great blasts! I, too, am blessed to have ivf coverage and I'm gearing up for round 5 in November. Hoping this brings me my miracle! I've been pumping myself with supplements too and hoping it pays off. In my case I have not so great egg quality and endometriosis. Fortunately I just had a lap surgery in Sept and got a "tune up" and my RE removed the endo. I'm sending you positive vibes and hoping 2016 brings you another miracle. This journey is so hard!
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