Rodrigo and Joy

Just got an email from Joy (she is traveling at the moment), her second period started this morning.
We had a long conversation this morning while i drove to work, she has been gone for some 10+ days now and i miss her. This morning i woke up missing her tons. Being away from each other is hard, and i don’t really like it and i know she is having a great time traveling.
Getting the news just now that her period started for the 2nd time, just makes me so happy. Even with all the thoughts that race through my head about “what if… its stops happening… what if…. …” i am still very happy.
I am filled with love for Joy. She is an amazing woman, manifesting in every aspect of her being.

I love you

I also wanted to say thanks to everyone that has continued to support us is so many ways. We are privileged to receive so much love and care.

Over the past months the ride on the path we are on has been tough. Going from yes it is going to work, to maybe it wont. Seeing test results that are not favorable, and then seeing them change. It is a ride like i never been on before. When Joy told me yesterday about the good news i can’t express how happy that had me be. Is as if an entire universe busted open right in front of me. I am thrilled. This really feels like turning a corner.

Today, Saturday April 26, 2008

I started my first natural period in over four years

As many of you have been following and supporting me on this crazy ride I wanted to share with you all the news

This means that the ovary is working and we can start trying to get pregnant for real!!!

The next set of blood test I will do will be this coming up Monday.  They are the tests where we expect the results to show my hormones balancing out in the right direction.  If all is well I should see a period cycle in mid February.  A lot of if’s.  again we just have to wait and see.  I wish they would just do an ultrasound to see if any of the folicles look like they are working.  I am tiered of waiting.
I spent a week in Montana with my friends “the Funks” we have known each other for ten years.  they are really good friends and good people.  They have five kids.  while i was there i remembered the moment i decided i wanted to have children of my own.  It was the moment that their third was born.  I was in the delivery room, I watched her come into the world, I panicked when she didn’t breath right away, I was overwhelmed when she started to cry, and when they handed her to her mother and she had that moment of instinct, she knew her mother, she knew what to do, it was the most beautiful thing i had ever seen .  I remember thinking “I want that” ” I want to do that someday, to be part of that someday”.  it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen or been a part of till that moment.  It was a perfect moment.  that was eight years ago.  I still remember everything it made me feel.  still makes me feel.  still has me have hope that i will have that someday

there must be something in the water.  I now have three friends who are pregnant.  I am so happy for them but it is a bittersweet happiness.  I long to be on that journey, to have a baby growing inside me, to birth it into the world.  I know that it will happen but the waiting and wanting are hard. 

Rodrigo and I are working on creating our own Holiday traditions since the way our families celebrate are very different. this year we are having Christmas eve with some close friends and Christmas day just the two of us.  I am looking forward to some quality snuggle time.

This year my Mom will be 50 years old.  we will be going to celebrate her birthday with her.  It should be fun.  I am taking my nieces and my younger sister will be there too.  

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving, this year we are hosting.  there will be about 15 people here. family and friends.  it is good to have something to keep me to busy to think about the waiting again. We have a great menu planned out.  I love cooking and this is always a great opportunity to try out new things.  It will be my first year brining a turkey, people always love my turkey so I hope it turns out well this way.  It has become a kind of special way for me to connect with my little sister Becky because we both love to cook and try new recipes out.  I love to plan Thanksgiving with her.  We have come up with some really great stuff.

 I healed up well this time, faster than before i think.  It was good to have a reason for why the last time stopped working.  I am ready to move on to the working and baby making part now.  I have made sure to take it really easy this time.  hopefully we will have some good results in February.

Close to a week since the operation and Joy is doing well. It has been a time to get rest, and stay close to home. The incision is healing well, and the pain is going down every day. It is now again a waiting period. Waiting and getting regular monthly blood work to see what the hormone levels are, so that we can figure out if it is all working as expected. As we settle down back at home, it all feels very right, and hope for success is in the air
It should be right around the 1 year mark of the first attempt/transplant that we should have some confirmation that it is all working as expected.

Dr. Silber took some photos of the operation last Monday, and was kind enough to pass them along to us. I have uploaded them and wanted to share them here.

PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE GRAPHIC IN NATURE. IF THE SIGHT OF BLOOD MAKES YOU ILL, DO NOT CLICK TO SEE

This one shows the ovary exposed and ready for the graft.

TThis one shows portion 1 of the graft in place and stitched up, on the right had side of the photos, the white part.

This one shows portion 1 and portion 2 of the graft stitched up and in place, the second portion is the one on the left hand side of the ovary, next to the white portion.

This is the work complete. All portions have been grafted.

We got home just a little bit ago.

Joy is exhausted from the long flights, and airports, and wheelchairs. It takes a lot to get her down, and these flights really take a lot out of her.  So its good to finally be home, and have some downtime, even though it is Halloween. 

I will be staying home with her the next few days, and make sure she gets lots of rest. :) 

Got discharged from the hospital today. Already a quicker recovery than last time
Also Joy can eat regular food, all good things.
Today we got a visit from Dr. Derosa, Dr. Silber, and the Dr from Japan that developed the vitrification process that was used to freeze the ovarian tissue. (will get her name soon).
All the reports are good, the surgery was a-ok. The incision which is about 1/2 the size as the one from February is looking good, and the pain is lower than yesterday. We got to leave the hospital around 2pm and after a quick stop at the local Trader Joe’s spent the rest of the day in the hotel. We fly back home tomorrow, during Joy’s most favorite holiday halloween .
A much mellower day today than yesterday, yay for that.

A long day today. Joy is feeling ok tonight, with some pain but not as much as last February. They have her on some pain medication which puts her out, which is good since it has her get some needed rest. Dr. Silber came by in the afternoon to check up on her, and to talk to us a little bit. He gave his account on what he saw as they removed the ovary this morning. He mentioned that the artery that was supplying the ovary was crimped by other tissue, and was most likely the reason why the last transplant stopped working. Those are sad news, and at the same time very good news. It all points to today’s procedure being a success. We still have to wait 12 weeks to find out that it worked, which will again be a good opportunity for us to practice patience. I guess that is some good training for our future parenting.

Something feels really different about today than what we did in February, it is as though I have a certain knowing that this time it will work for sure.

In the upcoming days I will post some more about what we have been going through in the past few months in coming to the choice of returning to St. Louis.

thanks all