Eggs or Embryos
Updated: Dec 15, 2021
After a phone call yesterday my boyfriend and I attended the fertility clinic this morning. I have to undergo treatment to preserve my fertility before starting chemotherapy. You really have to just go with the flow with all this stuff! We didn’t really know what was going to happen during the appointment but we got taken straight into the ultrasound room and I was told to strip off from the waist down! I was like umm Sam are you supposed to still be in here?! We both just went with it and I had an internal scan which was pretty uncomfortable and they could only find one ovary.. wonderful! Once this part was over, Sam made a comment that the ultrasound probe looked like ET’s finger and now I just can’t unsee it! Me and ET will be meeting many more times I have been told!
The consultant saw us and explained the treatment plan and unfortunately I can’t start until after my surgery as there isn’t enough time. It would have meant I’d have two lots of general anaesthetic in 4 days! No thanks! I am likely to start the ovulation process 5 days after surgery and this includes TWO injections a day for 10 days. I will either have to be pinned down twice a day or I’ll be super brave and do them myself! We shall see. We have to go back to the clinic next week to finalise dates. Sam got away with not having to provide a sample today but they are saving it till next week to his delight!
After 10 days of hormone injections I go for egg collection in day surgery which all sounds very scary to me and of course all I’m thinking about is the cannula! I’m so sad to be in this position and to be taking Sam with me. We‘re having to make some very big decisions. At the same time, I’m really grateful that this treatment is an option, even with all the needles!
Sam and I have to make the decision if we want to just freeze my eggs or fertilized embryos from both of us. Fortunately, due to my situation (didn’t think I’d ever say that!) the NHS provide funding but usually will only do one or the other. BUT they have applied to see it we can freeze some of my eggs as well as embryos from me and Sam. Eggs alone are not always successful but embryos are two thirds more likely to be so that’s amazing! You just don’t know what the future holds and I want the best chance of having a child of my own one day. If I only choose embryos and the worst happens that me and Sam don’t work out that would be my chances of children gone. It’s very strange making these decisions in advance. We’re both still young and weren’t planning on starting a family for a good few years yet! The joys of a cancer diagnosis!
Positive: Theres hope! Having children of our own is still possible and I really am grateful for that.