Appointments are scheduled

Happy Belated Valentines Day! I was going to put a picture of David and I up for all to see but I couldn't figure out how to crop out all my "strong" parts (as Marie's Grandpa would say....strong = fluffy). Uff! We did not take a good picture on Valentines Day. We had a great weekend though. I surprised David with a couples massage at Hair Success. I also used some of my hotel points for a great room at the Country Inn & Suites! After settling into the hotel and watching some of the Olympics, we headed to supper at Toscana in downtown Fargo. Their menu has changed since the last time I was there. I remember having ENDLESS options and being very overwhelmed by their menu. This time, there were fewer options but they all looked good. I had the scallops (of course!) and David had steak (of course). Both meals were fantastic! I would recommend Toscana for anyone looking for someplace different. Because David's steak was a little cold, we got our pistachio gelato on the house! Ohhhhhh! I LOVE GELTATO!

On the baby making front, we've been able to schedule two very important appointments. I had a busy week talking with receptionists and referral specialists! Our situation is a little different because I know what we want and need to do. One referral specialist called me and said, "You realize that the fertility clinic is not the same as the geneticist, right?" Ummm, yes and I need referrals for both places, thank you. Anyway, the bummer news is that the Medical Genticist is only in the office one day a week and, therefore, is not taking new patients until May. Our initial consultation with them is scheduled for May 2oth. They are sending us a "database" where we'll need to complete our medical history. When we have are our first visit, it is my understanding that we'll review the medical history and the geneticist will determine if she needs to do more testing-i.e. blood work, etc.

Our appointment with the fertility doctor is for March 26th. I really have no clue what to expect for this visit. If any of you have been through this process, I'd LOVE to hear any tips you have to offer!

Ok, I'm new to the blogging world and JUST realized that I haven't filled you all in on what procedure we plan to have done. SORRY! As mentioned before, there is a 50/50 chance of passing Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS) onto my children. Because of this, David and I have decided to harvest my eggs, do genetic testing to find the "good" eggs without TCS, make embryos using David's sperm, and then implant the embryos via in vitro fertilization (IVF). That is the reason why we have to meet with both fertility specialists and geneticists.

Lent: I always try to give up something for Lent. My favorite Lent story is the one where I gave up Cold Stone Creamery for Lent. I had developed an addiction where I would go to one Cold Stone one day and then the other a few days later. God forbid anyone recognize me and realize my addiction! This year, I've given up pop and pizza...and I've decided to stick to my "Walk Away the Pounds" routine by doing that video once/day. I'm three days into it and I'm doing pretty good. Fact of the matter is that I am not healthy enough to have a baby with my weight being where it is. I can't imagine adding more poundage to what I have! Uff! We're going to Vegas in April (1st-4th) and my goal is simply to be able to walk The Strip comfortably and not feel awful at the end of the day! I'm trying not to think in terms of pounds right now. Maybe after our Vegas trip I'll set a pounds goal.

I must return to my chores! My mom and dad are making their way to Fargo to help us celebrate with Freddie and Heather. It's Freddie's birthday next week and he leaves for Pierre, SD on Sunday to start his new job! We are so proud of him. Natalie, Pat, Kyle, and Jason-we wish you were here to party with us!!!!

Referral Specialists make me nervous....

I just received a phone call from a referral specialist at MeritCare. She was very nice and very understanding but she made me nervous!

I am being proactive and calling the offices I know we'll need to make appointments with to see how far out they're taking appointments. Yesterday, I called the Medical Genetics office at MeritCare and they are booking appointments into late April/early May. Yikes! They wouldn't let me make an appointment without the referral.

Like I said, the referral specialists was nice and she said my doctor probably wouldn't have an issue with the referral and they'd be calling back with our appointment date/time next week.

Here we go.....

First Facebook. Then Twitter. Now a blog?

I bet most of you are thinking: First Facebook. Then Twitter? Now a blog? Boy, she sure does have a lot of time on her hands!

The truth is that the journey David and I are about to embark on is one that we feel totally unprepared for. We are excited at the idea of a little one but so many things need to fall into place between now and then. A lot of research. Many tests. Financial stress. Insurance woes. Are we really prepared for this?

Probably not but we have each other and we have our Faith in God. It's so hard not to think of all the "what ifs" right now. I'm constantly thinking of baby these days. I'm constantly reminded how precious they are. I'm also reminded of all the hurt and heartache that we might face. It's a lot to take in but I've been trying to pray when these feelings overwhelm me.

So here's the deal for those of you that haven't heard my story. I was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. It is a mild, spontaneous (as far as we know) form. Growing up I had surgeries to repair my cleft palate and in high school, I had reconstructive surgeries which included my jaw, cheekbones, and eyes. My Mom, Dad, and I used to attend Cleft Palate Clinics where I'd meet a variety of specialists to discuss my treatment plan. In high school, I remember meeting with a geneticist that told me that I'd have a 50/50 chance of passing TCS to my children. This hit me very hard and it's something that I've struggled with since then. Imagine my pure delight when I found out about the different procedures out there to avoid certain genetic issues! I'll be discussing in more detail these procedures! I'm still in the beginning phase of research at this point!

So I hope you all are ready for this! I'm hoping that I will meet other people that might be going through the same thing. I'm also hoping to provide information for my fellow TCS ladies! I know a few of you are trying to decide what baby route you'll take!