So, Jake and I started trying for kids 5 years ago in December. We wondered if it would be hard and always toyed with the idea of adoption even if we could have our own kids. Well, now more than ever it may be a reality. About a year and half ago, we looked into it pretty heavily through the internet and our lutheran services division through our church. Unfortunately, it's extremely expensive! To do a domestic adoption, it's a minimum of $10,000 usually and if we go the foster to adopt route, it makes me risk my emotional health by having a child placed with us and then losing the child. And I have always said that I just can't handle that. So, we put it on the back burner and haven't put much thought into it in awhile.
So, today was my niece/ god-daughter's baptism. My younger sister, pulled me aside and told me that her fiance's 15 year old sister is 6 weeks pregnant. And that her future Mother in law is interested in Jake and I adopting the baby. It's all very new and we don't know how his sister feels or the boyfriend. We are obviously interested, but I don't want to "buy" a child. But I would do almost anything to get a child. So, I went into information overload when I was looking on-line and I still don't know what to do. I think what I need to do it get in touch with an agency, probably throuugh our church and see what we would need to do for our state. It all varies so much depending on where you live and how you are doing it.
Plus, I think Jake and I need to meet with the girl and her boyfriend and both their parents. I worry that they may be all gun-ho now, but things change when you feel movement and go through the pain of childbirth. That is such a bonding experience. Plus, it does come down to money too. Depending on what medical we would have to cover for the mother and/ or baby, it could get very expensive and i don't know that Jake and I could save up that kind of money in the next year. So, lots to think about and worry about. I was telling Sophia that my heart already hurts thinking about it. So, I don't know what to do. I wish I knew someone who had gone through an independent adoption, so I would know what to expect... Sounds like I need to find a support group or forum. I make the great friends on those. ;-)
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
A little about me
I've been sitting her trying to figure out how I wanted to start my first post, and still don't know, lol. So, background on me sounds good. I'm Shannon, married to my wonderful hubby Jake since August 2004. We live in Wisconsin with our 2 pups Duke and Morgan and 2 cats. Similar to Sophie, about 2 years after we got married we decided to start our family. We always wanted a big family and thought it this was it. I wondered if we would have problems as my cycles have always been a little crazy. Before we got married, I went 6 months without getting my period. But we tried on our own for about 9 months before I went to my doc for my annual and asked all kinds of questions. I got a hysterosalpingogram or HSG in Novemeber and did my first 6 cycles of clomid then. No luck. Unlike Sophie, our insurance doesn't cover any infertility testing, so everything is out of pocket. Long story short, we did see a RE (reproductive endrocologist) and was offically diagnosed with PCOS. Talk about crushing! I was almost sure that I had it, but I don't think my OB/GYN was comfortable with diagnosing me. I had a total of 2 aborted IUI cycles due to the amount of cysts that I had when I went in for day 3 ultrasounds and one failed IUI cycle. This is where we ran out of funds, but there is some hope, we may try again before the end of the year. Right now work for me is crazy cause I am training for a supervisor position.
I met Sophie when I was journaling on a website that I was also an active member of the forums too. It really took one phrase "Heck yea!' and the rest of our friendship is history. She keeps me sane most days and there is rarely a week that goes by that we aren't texting about something. It makes me a little sad, I went looking for the site and it's not active anymore. I have 2 years of journals about my feeling and what we went through that i really wanted to copy and print off to keep for myself. Boo!
And I just have to say "GO BREWERS" We'll see what happens when they win tonight. Love ya Soph! It's hilarious that my hometown team and her hometown team are playing each other in the post season. Talk about ironic.
I met Sophie when I was journaling on a website that I was also an active member of the forums too. It really took one phrase "Heck yea!' and the rest of our friendship is history. She keeps me sane most days and there is rarely a week that goes by that we aren't texting about something. It makes me a little sad, I went looking for the site and it's not active anymore. I have 2 years of journals about my feeling and what we went through that i really wanted to copy and print off to keep for myself. Boo!
And I just have to say "GO BREWERS" We'll see what happens when they win tonight. Love ya Soph! It's hilarious that my hometown team and her hometown team are playing each other in the post season. Talk about ironic.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Baseball!
I thought I would write a quick post to mention the irony in the baseball game I am watching right now. It just so happens to be the Brewers and Diamondbacks game. I, being an Arizona native and avid sports fan can not be more excited to watch my boys play in the postseason! Sadly I am cheering that my twin's hometown team loses so my beloved Dbacks can advance.
Gotta love baseball!!
Gotta love baseball!!
A little about me
If you ask my husband Jeff he will probably tell you that I have the most random thoughts. Late one night while watching a baseball game an idea was born. I don't know exactly why or how but I knew that we had to do this.
Jeff and I have been married since March 15, 2003. I was 19 and he was 20. No I wasn't pregnant just young and knew I wanted to be with him forever. About 2 and a half years after being married we decided that it was time to start a family.
After a year of trying on our own and reading every bit of information online and in any book I could get my hands on, I finally went and saw my doctor. I had read so much about fertility issues and I asked her to test me for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). She told me that she didn't think that I had it but she would order the tests anyway. She did the blood work and told me nothing came back suggesting I had any hormonal issues and she didn't think I needed the ultra sound to confirm.
6 months later I was back in her office still not pregnant and with cycles that were around 50 days long. I actually had one that was over 60 days. She finally told me that I should see my OB and gave me a referral.
First visit I went in prepared with my charts and my information. He listened and looked at what I brought and gave me a prescription for clomid to start with my next cycle. I did and on cycle day 3 I finally got an answer. It took probably less than a minute into that ultrasound for him to say that he was almost positive I had PCOS. I looked at Jeff and sighed. He ran more blood work and asked for the results my doctor had. Sure enough I had the same hormone levels that were consistent with PCOS and had she known what to look for I could have been diagnosed back then.
Since then I've had 1 surgery for ovarian diathermy and 4 IUI's. I have maxed out my insurance benefits so for now I wait.
After I was diagnosed I knew I needed some support from other women who were also having difficulty conceiving. I found a wonderful site that helped me through some hard times when no one around me could understand. That is also where I met my Midwestern twin Shannon. She and I were cycle buddies and for some unexplained reason we were so much alike in the way we talked and thought. We spent lots of time on the chat (while at work) and quickly became friends.
I must admit that I am not a very optimistic person but I will always say that everything happens for a reason. I truly believe that although difficult, this crazy roller coaster of trying to be a mom happened so I could meet my twin. I am incredibly blessed to have such an amazing sister to get me though all of this chaos.
Through this blog I hope that our voices will show our silliness and how 2 very different but yet crazy similar women think.
Jeff and I have been married since March 15, 2003. I was 19 and he was 20. No I wasn't pregnant just young and knew I wanted to be with him forever. About 2 and a half years after being married we decided that it was time to start a family.
After a year of trying on our own and reading every bit of information online and in any book I could get my hands on, I finally went and saw my doctor. I had read so much about fertility issues and I asked her to test me for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). She told me that she didn't think that I had it but she would order the tests anyway. She did the blood work and told me nothing came back suggesting I had any hormonal issues and she didn't think I needed the ultra sound to confirm.
6 months later I was back in her office still not pregnant and with cycles that were around 50 days long. I actually had one that was over 60 days. She finally told me that I should see my OB and gave me a referral.
First visit I went in prepared with my charts and my information. He listened and looked at what I brought and gave me a prescription for clomid to start with my next cycle. I did and on cycle day 3 I finally got an answer. It took probably less than a minute into that ultrasound for him to say that he was almost positive I had PCOS. I looked at Jeff and sighed. He ran more blood work and asked for the results my doctor had. Sure enough I had the same hormone levels that were consistent with PCOS and had she known what to look for I could have been diagnosed back then.
Since then I've had 1 surgery for ovarian diathermy and 4 IUI's. I have maxed out my insurance benefits so for now I wait.
After I was diagnosed I knew I needed some support from other women who were also having difficulty conceiving. I found a wonderful site that helped me through some hard times when no one around me could understand. That is also where I met my Midwestern twin Shannon. She and I were cycle buddies and for some unexplained reason we were so much alike in the way we talked and thought. We spent lots of time on the chat (while at work) and quickly became friends.
I must admit that I am not a very optimistic person but I will always say that everything happens for a reason. I truly believe that although difficult, this crazy roller coaster of trying to be a mom happened so I could meet my twin. I am incredibly blessed to have such an amazing sister to get me though all of this chaos.
Through this blog I hope that our voices will show our silliness and how 2 very different but yet crazy similar women think.
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