I have been noticing as of late that a few of the infertility blogs that I reed there is a button up in the top of their blog that says TTC timeline. For those of you lucky blessed duckies who conceived right away TTC stands for trying to conceive. One day I will write a post on all the infertility/trying to conceive lingo. You probably would be shocked. I remember the first time I started coming across these abbreviations I was totally lost. Anyhow, these TTC timeline are a separate page in your blog that basically lists out dates and or procedures/tests you have had to endure while on this journey. I have many thoughts on this and since I have not quite been able to come to a conclusion on my opinion of this said timeline I thought I would express my thoughts in list form.
- Since we have been trying to have a baby for 15 months without success. It is these blogs that have allowed me to realize that there are others going through this exact same thing and I am not the only person on the planet.
- It makes be super aware that 15 months compared to women my age struggle with infertility is very minimal.
- These timeline are very informative to those of us going through the same thing. It is nice to be able to know what to expect next and how long things take.
- I feel like for these women this is an acknowledgement of there struggle. I know sometimes when life is happening all around you can feel lost and forgotten about. It seems to be a good way to be able to heal and reflect upon each milestone or date.
- At what point do you qualify for a timeline? Is that kind of weird but then super cool once you have a baby b/c that will always be there to remind you of what you went through?
- What if that is just being overly obsessive? I guess who cares I blog for many different reasons all personal to me and no one has to read your blog.
When I decided last year to just be real and use this blog as a healing tool I decided that if could help even just one person not feel alone and approach me about miscarriage or infertility then it was all worth it. I want to be an open book and my dream is one day weather that is in a year or twenty to partner alongside a ministry or start my own support group for women dealing with infertility right here in CU. So here is my TTC timeline in post form not page or button form.
Spring 1999 - Luke and I meet - I go home and tell my mom I have found the guy I am going to marry and one day have his babies. (yep pretty weird considering I was in eighth grade)
June 2004 - Luke and I start dating and he tells me we are on the five year plan before marriage
July 2008 - We get engaged finally
May 9,2009 - Married (All most five years to the day we start dating. Agree to the 5 year plan about having babies)
November 2009 - Throw that birth control out the window they make me crazy. Not trying for kids at all.
May 2010 - 1 year anniversary (I throw the 5 year plan out the window and have baby fever but Luke not so much)
Jan 2011 - Not trying but not preventing, start charting
May 2011 - Start trying (start peeing on OPK tests) Bad Cyst this month on ovary
June 2011 - WE GET PREGNANT THIS MONTH
July 2011 - Miscarriage
August - November - Temping, charting, timing, gave up pop, another cysts bursts, hot flashes, crazy cycles, using progesterone.
December 2011 - Diagnosed with hyperthyroidism start meds.
February 2012 - Mister gets tested and gets some poor results.
March 2012 - Mister retests and gets good results see doctor. Doctor says if not pregnant again by may to come back.
April 2012 - Freak out I am miscarrying again go see doctor and multiple blood tests, internal & external ultrasounds yuck.
May 2012 - 1st Reproductive Medicine appointment. He reviews my tests and says he thinks it is endometrosis. Schedule Laporoscopy.
June 2012 - Start the 24 pill a day routine of Shaklee just as one last ditch effort before surgery.
July 2012 - Lap Surgery - Endo found and removed, blocked tube, fibroid on uterus(not big so was left alone), some sort of mass type thing on another tube that was acting like a weight removed.
I have said it before and I will say it again, hope is a powerful thing. Here's to hoping (and praying) this list stays small. And even though I am not sure who reads this silly blog if you ever need a ear I would be glad to listen. :)
Hey Steph,
ReplyDeleteit' is really refreshing to have someone be so honest about infertility. I don't read other blogs about it, or many other blogs at all, but (this may sound really dumb) it makes me feel a little closer to you. I'm not sure if i've told you all the things that we went through trying to get pregnant last summer. I guess i should say the things that I went through. I kinda took things into my own hands without Dustin's blessing.
Anyway, i really hope you have someone you can talk to about it and relate to. I met another foster mom, actually she is Miles' old foster mom and she and i were able to connect over this topic and it was SO helpful to me.
I love your idea of starting a support group.
I have heard from one of my friend that had to go through alot to get pregnant, that she feels she appreciates her kids so much more, almost because they didn't come easy.
Ok, i'm rambling...
Take care.
I am sorry that you have had such a long road... I will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. :)