"....so, don't make plans this week, since everything will depend on how your body responds."
"hmmm....but we already have vacation plans out of town from Friday - Tuesday. We planned it months ago. Is there anyway we can administer my trigger shot on Friday, so we can harvest the eggs on Sunday and be ready for embryo transfer on Day 3 instead of Day 5? Basically....is there anything you can do to NOT disrupt our vacation??"
"Sorry babe....it doesn't work that way. This entire process is absolutely out of our control. We give you hormones, and then follow the progress your body makes. If your body decides to make mature eggs on Monday, that's when we move. Embryo transfer depends on how fast they grow/divide. You just cannot make plans during this process. You have to pick one....baby? or vacation?"
DAMMIT!
I guess I better get used to the idea of my plans being
sidebar...it is virtually impossible to maintain a job with a steady schedule while undergoing IVF. The demands are heavy and schedule quite unpredictable. My appointments are almost always a game-time decision (maybe 12-48 hour's notice). The result of each ultrasound determines when you're summoned for blood work, which determines the doses of your next set of medications, which drive the date of your procedures, etc. You cannot miss a beat....or the entire process/cycle would have been in vain. Very demanding! If you're considering venturing down this wonderful path, try going on a hiatus from work....or consider not working if your household can survive on your partner's income.
