Embryo Adoption

A very happy Saturday to you all. It's a beautiful (boarder line HOT) day here in Florida and I really should be at the beach. But instead, I'm home cleaning... and you can see how much of that I'm getting done, sitting here on the computer. Oh well, the dust and dog hair isn't going anywhere and will patiently wait until I'm able to stop doing what I do best, which is procrastinating. Self proclaimed Queen of, I might add.

I mentioned in my previous post the options we had entertained exploring should another attempt at IUI not work. Originally adoption was our #1 plan B. I did, and still do, feel like adoption is such a wonderful option for those unable, or who have a difficult time, having their own children. We would fulfill our desire to be parents and at the same time, give a child a home. Both pretty amazing "Pros" in my opinion. The "Cons" to standard adoption are (in my opinion); 1. it is just so expensive. Upwards of $20,000. 2. It's a very lengthy process. 3. It can be extremely emotionally taxing. Not that this journey hasn't already been. 4. I would have to forego the experience of carrying a child. As I researched this option, all of the aforementioned continued circling my mind. The Pros were so amazing they really should outweigh the cons and I still do believe the end result definitely does outweigh the concerns but it definitely doesn't negate them. This is when I just couldn't bring myself to take any more steps down the road to adoption. I just couldn't get over the cons.

After having several conversations with my cousin's wife about what our plan b might be, she asked if we had ever considered embryo adoption. I told her we hadn't and I didn't even know what it was. I had heard of egg donors and using donor eggs if you (as the woman) had any issues with egg quality or low reserve but embryo would imply that the egg had already been fertilized. Hmmm... So I started our on yet another research quest. Here is what I learned:

Pro: Embryo adoption is when we (adoptive parents) adopt embryos donated by couples who have (in most cases) chosen to donate any remaining embryos they have after completing their own fertility treatments. (ex. Mr. & Mrs. Smith decide to see a fertility doc for IVF. Mrs. Smith produces 20 eggs and 20 are retrieved. 12 of them are fertilized by Mr. Smith's sperm and grow to become viable embryos. Mrs. Smith has 3 of the 12 transferred and the remaining 9 are frozen should the first round not work. Mrs. Smith becomes pregnant with twins. Mr. & Mrs. Smith only ever wanted 2 children but have 9 frozen embryos that they have the option to destroy or donate. Should they choose to donate, they would then be available for approved adoptive parents. Mr. & Mrs. Smith would also have the option to choose the adoptive parents.)

Pro: As adoptive parents you go through much of the same approval process you do for regular adoption. Background checks are done, finger printing, home study, etc...

Pro: All embryos and parents have been tested for diseases and genetically transferrable conditions.

Pro: After the adoption is complete, you would proceed with the transferring of the embryos (2-3 at a time) and freeze the remaining. The adoptive mother would then carry the child. (Yay!)

Pro: When you adopt the embryos, you get the entire lot. Using the Mr. & Mrs. Smith example, the adoptive parents would get all 9 frozen embryos Mr. & Mrs. Smith donated. If the adoptive parantes chose to transfer 2 the first time which resulted in 1 child. They could transfer a 2nd time and if it also resulted in a child, the children, although not genetically the adoptive parents, they would be genetic siblings. (So cool!)

Pro: The cost of regular adoption = $20,000+ The cost of embryo adoption = less than $10,000 (travel and stay expenses included in the price) This is for the clinic we found in Tennesee, cost may vary from clinic to clinic and state to state. (Woo Hoo!)

Con: There are only a few embryo adoption clinics in the US. The closest to us is Tennessee.

Con: If you have never been pregnant and have never been able to identify whether your difficulty getting pregnant has to do with actually sustaining a pregnancy, there is no guaranty the transfer of these embryos will result in a baby. All the time, money and travel could be all for not. (Eek!)

And that is about all the info I have been able to gather thus far. It is all very exciting though and such a great alternative to regular adoption and/or IVF. Listed below are a couple websites I have found very informative.
National Embryo Donation Center
Embryo Adoption Awareness Center

So as you can see, there are several more Pros (in my opinion) than Cons with the option of Embryo Adoption over regular Adoption. The only MAJOR Con is there is NO guaranty you will end up with a baby.

I hope this has been informative for any one in a similar situation we have been. Even if it gives you that little bit of hope to get you through another couple days on this long dark road, it's definitely worth exploring!

Happy Saturday...

Pinterest Recipe Review...

Whoa whoa whoa... I know what you're thinking... 2 posts in 2 days!! WOWZERS! As you can see I'm feeling a little overly ambitious today, as well as looking for ways to keep my mind off the obvious. I also have become slightly obsessed with the ever popular website Pinterest, much like every other woman of my age. I also love trying out new recipes but have had equally good and bad experiences with those that I have found on Pinterest. What a better way to share the great recipes and maybe let you all know which aren't worth your time, then to post them on my blog? Fun right?

So my first 2 recipes are boyfriend cookies and crockpot oatmeal.

I give the Boyfriend Cookies (they are just so good, they may land you a boyfriend! That is of course if you're in the market for one) a HUGE thumbs up!! They are a little on the pricey side to make but the end result is absolutely delicious. I also have learned by making this recipe, that adding a package of vanilla pudding mix to even your basic chocolate chip cookies gives them a fabulously creamy flavor. Mmmmm... Mmmmmm... Mmmmmm...

Boyfriend Cookies

Ingredients

1 C Butter, softened

3/4 C Packed brown sugar

1 (3.5oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 eggs

1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 C chocolate chips (1 C milk & 1 C semi-sweet)

1/2 C white chocolate chips

1/2 C peanut butter chips

1/2 C M&Ms

1/2 C Reece's pieces

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F

2. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugars. Add pudding mix, eggs and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and candy. 

3. Drop by tablespoons full to ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. 

My 2nd Pinterest recipe is crock pot oatmeal. I was so excited about this one, as Cozart and I both love oatmeal for breakfast and I figured we would have enough for the week which would save us some time in our morning routine. I was sadly disappointed in the outcome. I think the end result would be better suited for wallpaper paste rather than for human consumption. Cozart will eat just about anything and he thought the flavor may still be good even if the consistency wasn't all that great. Unfortunately, not even he could eat more than a half a spoonful. It was bland and just a bunch of mush. In defense of the recipe, it is very possible it would taste better if you cut the time down by an hour or 2 and added just a bit more brown sugar and cinnamon but I have yet to try it. If you do or make any other change that makes this... well, edible, please let me know! 

Mine looked NOTHING like this!

Crock Pot Oatmeal 

Ingredients

2 apples, sliced

1/3 C brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 C oatmeal (be sure you're not using instant)

4 C water

Directions

1. slice apples and cover bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and brown sugar. Add oatmeal. Pour water on top. DO NOT STIR

2. Cover and cook overnight 8-9 hours on low. (if you attempt this recipe, maybe only cook for 6-7 hours?)

I hope you all enjoyed my recipe review. If you would like to follow me on Pinterest, you can do so by clicking here. 

Happy Pinning!! 

Well Hello There...

I can't believe it's been 2, almost 3 months since the last time I posted anything. I will have you know, it's definitely not that I haven't tried or wanted to. When I started this blog, I mentioned I had attempted to start it many many times before and was just never happy with what I had written or just didn't think anyone would want to hear what I had to say. That was until one day when I sat down and promised myself that no matter what I had written, like it or not, it would be posted. Well I have kind of done the same thing the last 2, almost 3 months. I sit down to write, get a few paragraphs in and think "Yuck who wants to read that?". So here I am, making yet another promise to myself that no matter what I write today, it will be published. I also happen to be in the home stretch of yet another 2 week wait; not that I feel any more confident or have any more reason to think the outcome will be any different than the previous, I don't even know how many, cycles (we're not too far out from 4 years so, you do the math). It's still just as difficult. I'm still counting down the days (hours, minutes, seconds) and over analyzing every twinge, cramp, emotion, etc... (none of which have been anything notable or any different then any other failed cycle) So what better way to pass the time, then to write. Whether I like the end result or not, it's giving me something to do... other than obsessing, although I will likely find some way to do both. :)

 [And just for the record, to all those who have said they "just stopped thinking about it" or "stopped trying" and they got pregnant. I'm calling bullsh*t! You're either a liar-liar pants on fire or you think what you're saying sounds cute. Well it doesn't.]

When I left you last we had just experienced yet another failed IUI. I was devastated, yet excited and hopeful to start looking toward the future with a new plan; which we had decided would be adoption. I was eager to start researching, talking to people who had been through the adoption journey before and start the process. I started researching, I have the numbers of people to speak with about their experiences and even made a list of the agencies we would like to speak with first. But that's pretty much where I stopped. I haven't been able to bring myself to do anything more. I haven't been able to pick up the phone and speak to anyone about it. Whether it just be a friend asking about how it's going or someone who is willing to give me their experience. I just don't want to think or speak about it for some reason. Fear perhaps? And somewhere in the marital handbook I missed where it said, should you have trouble conceiving a child and need to seek alternate options it will be the wife's responsibility to determine who, what, where, when and the most daunting of all, HOW. The entire process scares the heck out of me but I think it utterly terrifies Cozart. Either that or, and I still haven't figured it out, he just wants me to focus on something other than getting pregnant in hopes I'll just relax and will actually get pregnant. I can't say I blame him, we only hear from every single person we discuss our Plan B with, that they know someone who got pregnant while going through adoption or shortly after. It's a great thought but not the reason we would move forward with that option.

As you can see the adoption plan has kind of been suspended until I (and Cozart) can face our fears and decide, without a shadow of a doubt, that that option is what we really want. You're probably wondering what we would do if we decided adoption wasn't in fact something we would be prepared to move forward with? Well... my newest interest when it comes to this whole baby thing, is embryo adoption (more on that in my next post). Another IUI round is also a possibility, maybe mini-IVF? Maybe even having the hysteroscopic surgery in attempt to open the right tube or asking about additional testing, just to confirm that my eggs aren't in fact rotten. :( I guess my point is, we haven't given up, a little leery of what may be around the next corner but definitely not giving up!!

Happy Saturday to all. I hope you're enjoying the weather if you're in the south and I hope you're not too terribly snowed in if you're up north. (although, there was something I loved about being snowed in on a Saturday when I lived up north! So if you're anything like me... ENJOY!) xo