Starts with an Egg

As we begin the path toward IVF my first steps involve meeting with ladies who had success on this journey.  So last Tuesday I met with one such helpful infertility survivor, Tiffany, who is about 5 months along with their little girl conceived via IVF.

While we both have the same diagnosis (you know that diagnosis that tells you nothing-unexplained), Tiffany is significantly younger than me and will turn 30 this year.  Despite our age difference, I knew I wanted to meet with her because she is a researching fiend and font of knowledge, and she did not disappoint!

She recommended this book, which I scarfed down in two days:

There was a LOT of science in it, that I will admit that I skimmed, but was able to throw out lots of scientific based research out of Harvard and CCRM to satisfy JT that this was not a new age, crunchy granola book. As an aside, Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (CCRM) is the #1 center for IVF in the country.  We considered it for all of a few days.  However, after researching online and through a friend of a friend who had gone there-we simply do not have the $30K PLUS travel PLUS 3+ weeks away from work to spare.

The major takeaways from the book include:

• My old eggs are basically in a suspended state and only become animated 3-4 months before ovulation. Which translates to if I treat them right, it diminishes the fact that they are old.
• 90% of all of our health, beauty and cleaning products are chock full of harmful carcinogens and reproductive diminishing chemicals, which has translated to replacing them for the coming months with nature based products instead.  Side note:  nature based somehow translates to expensive--someday I may look into why chemicals that produce cancer and infertility are so much less expensive, but for now I am focused on the mission at hand.
• Our diet has improved over the 6 months or so, but we still have some work to do when it comes to refined carbs.  I have also given up sugar for lent and will give up alcohol after Valentines Day.
• We have added some supplements specifically CoQ10 and melatonin for me and a lower does of CoQ10 and antioxidants for him.

I told my mom about our decision to go with IVF and about the book and she said to let her know if there was anything they could to just let her know.  I already had my answer, I said "These natural products are going to leave me with breakouts and frizz.  I am not going to be able to dull the pain with junk food or booze.  Plus at some point I am going to have to inject myself with mood altering meds.  So when I become ugly and b*&chy, I am going to need you to be nice to me".  She laughed, but agreed that no matter what she would still be nice to me.  I had made J.T. make the same promise too, so it's nice to look ahead and know that I will still have people in my corner:).