CCRM Consult Update

So, on Thursday night, we had our consult with Dr. Schoolcraft from CCRM in Denver. He's my new best friend! :)

He called and asked about where we live, he had never heard of the city we live in, it is kinda small. Anyways, he asked for the short version of the soap opera. I told him the basic story, polyps, lap, cancelled IVF, failed FET with what was too thick of a lining in my opinion (17.7mm 5 days before transfer), bad sperm samples, another lap, another failed IVF, and here we are waiting on test results that my Re requested to Dr. Kearns in Washington DC. Of course, Dr. S knew of the test explained it further. That test is over my head. But, he did tell me that the test means nothing!! hmmm, thanks! glad we didn't pay for it! He said as much as we would like definitive answers, you won't get one with that one. He said he would be SHOCKED if all of dh's sperm was abnormal being he produces as much sperm as he does and due to the fact that he had bloodwork done for chromosome issues and they all came back NEGATIVE!!! At this point, I love the man already. He said, even if some of the sperm came back abnormal, we could still have a biological child. My local RE told me if that happened we were done. YES, DONE! I even asked my RE if we could do PGD, NO was his response. At this point, I'm on the verge of happy tears.

Next, he said, well, I will tell you that, with these consults, I usually can tell people donor egg, donor sperm, BUT, I can't tell you that. It might be one or the other but I don't see it. I told him, yeah, well, my local guy is telling me DONOR SPERM. He said that he didn't feel that way. I told him if that's the case, ok, we'll cross that bridge. His response was, you are not there and I know it is an emotionally charged decision. OMG! A doctor that knows infertility is emotional? where has this man been for the past year of my life? When my local guy said donor sperm and I cried, his response was, this is why we don't like you in here days after a failed cycle, um, really? cause I didn't INSIST on this appt, it's what was given and the more we put this off, the more I get upset so let's figure this out.

He went on to further ask where we were with all of this. We told him things need to change, that's why we're talking. He felt that we could do a 3rd cycle and he would do one BUT he felt we'd fail again. He explained what he would like to do which might I say is what I thought would be the best option after my research. So, he said, we should cycle, take the embryos to day 5 in the lab and send them for CGH testing. Basically, very similar to PGD, but done on day 5 so the cells are taken from what would be the placenta, NOT the fetus. Cool, right? They would test ALL the chromosomes where PGD only tests 9 of them I think. He said it takes 4-6 weeks (although I know girls online that it's taking longer for). He said I was a great candidate for this being I am an egg making machine!!! But, I stopped him there, yes, I make eggs but not many embryos. He quickly discarded that and said, yea, well, let's see what your embabies do in my lab. If they don't make it there, then we know. So, he felt it could be lab conditions, etc... He said he bets we make atleast one or two normal embabies.

He also felt that we have implantation issues due to my endometriosis (stage 3). He said while we wait on CGH results, he will give me two months of lupron. He also asked about the thick lining I had on the FET, if this was normal. I told him, I'm not sure. He said, well, I have to tell you that I agree with you, 17.7mm is too thick, it decreased your likelihood of success. Can you see why he's my new best friend? I was right!!!!!!! I knew it, it has bothered me ever since. I asked my local guy about it on my WTF appt, his response, yeah, maybe. MAYBE is how he answers ALL questions. So , back to lupron, yeah, this is NOT thrilling, lupron has caused muscle and joint pain for me. When I explained, he understood and said yes, I know, I've heard about that. Let's see if you even need it after a biopsy. I told him NO NO NO, I will do the lupron but know what it does to me so you can help make it better. Of course, he listened, told me he could give me progesterone. FINALLY! a doctor who listens and helps me with what is going on... might he, um, care? doctors do care, right?

Basically, he asked if I had any questions, of which I didn't, he answered most of them and I knew about CGH testing and the two month lupron from my research. He said, I look forward to meeting you and your husband! yeah!!! He said, please tell your husband I said hello and that I have more hope for his sperm than your local guy does...

all good, right??? finally, HELP! I've spent many a nights, crying in our family room, asking God to help me, I'm not a doctor, aren't doctors suppose to ATLEAST try to make things better??? Well, the big day was May 15th! Now, the big day is June 9th, assuming my period cooperates. I will go to Denver or as I have heard others say, I'm off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard...