So I decided today to start a blog about being an egg donor. I have wanted to donate my eggs for a while but was always too young. Once the opportunity arose to find a company to work with, i discovered there is a distinct lack of information on what exactly happens during this whole process. Granted, different companies work different ways. Me being me, i want to know it all. Also, some people just looked at me like i was plain nuts when i told them. Here's to those who don't have a clue what is going on...So here we go..... (warning, may contain somewhat squeamish content)
I'll backstep a bit and tell you a bit about the beginning of the process. It started in April, searching the internet to take a look at different fertility companies. Some companies compensate you WELL for your donation (time, effort, pain, etc.) and some don't. It really depends on what you are comfortable with as to who you go with. Obviously I was wary about choosing a particular company to contract with, you dont want to end up in a storage unit like on CSI. Eew. I chose a company based out of the north/midwest US (not sure if i can use names, if you are wanting to donate, send me a msg and i'll go more indepth) that has offices in Canada as well. I filled out a HUGE form and sent it in. That process in itself is quite an understaking, as I had to report info on my entire biological family. My biological father (I'm adopted) wouldn't claim me 22 years ago, so i was unsure if he would actually give me the medical info i needed. I used my supersleuth skills and mafia connections to procure his home phone number. It took me awhile and a lot of prayer and support to be able to call him. Nothing like having your hopes shot down by a douchebag who wont give you medical info about your own freaking genes.
Anyway I got the guts up to call John, (my biological father) and got his answering machine. Left a message. Waited a week. No call back. Called again, got his wife (talk about akward, "hey, i'm your husbands illegitimate daughter that he had with the woman he left for you, can i talk to him?") and she took a message. He called me back and left a message cause i was at work or climbing or something. I got my questions out, took a deep breath and dialed. He answered and said "I always knew i'd hear your voice one day." Oh if i could reach through the phone and rip balls off i would have. But that is another story. Anyway i kept the conversation geared towards family medical info, steering clear of the chit chat about where i am now, etc. Its been 22 years, I have a father, just tell me about the other half of my genes....oh really, well knowing we have a weird heart and skin thing that runs in our family would have been just GREAT to know about 6 years ago when I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THAT SHIT WONDERING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME! anyway....I'm just a bit bitter.
I got the info, sent it off, waited. and waited. and waited some more. they didnt get it. so i had to do another one. damn it. Go that one done, sent it off. I created quite a buzz, maybe it was the insane fertileness of my family. By now its the beginning of August. I signed an exclusive contract. They said they had a set of parents that wanted my eggies, so they did a psych evaluation, just to verify everything i had said and to make sure i understood what was going on. Clearly i passed and they said they were going to find a second set of parents as the first set wanted to share me in order to be able to match what i had asked for my fee. (more on fees later) So it is the end of August now. ((2007, btw) I'm not a patient woman by nature, but the commitment to this is a big one, so i'm waiting for the other set and checking in on my first and last days of my cycle.
Mid September, they say they finally have both sets of parents. They have put their money in escrow to pay for all my tests and the retrevial and all the costs associated with the donation and IVF. We talk more indepth about it in the very last week of September and coordinate what dates it looks like i'll be heading to Toronto for them to get my eggies. The medical testing kit arrives via FedEx and an appointment is made for me at the Fertility Clinic at Baptist.
Which brings me to today. I went in and had some blood samples taken. Didn't pass out, woo hoo! Then went into the exam room, popped my feet up and they took some swabs. It was fast and easy. Of course it is always a little awkward to have that thing stuck in your vagina, but i've learned how to deal with that stuff fortunately. Yoga pays off in a lot of ways. The ladies were very nice, just took all the stuff that had to be shipped and packed it up for me and said they would take care of it! My company called while i was leaving and the office said they would take care of everything. Woo hoo, not so bad!
I will have to continue to have blood tests and check ups to see what my little baby makers are doing and monitor my cycle to be sure i am on schedule, so i hope i dont end up looking like a heroine addict.
My last cycle was the 26th of September, so here in a few weeks, i get to start doing daily injections. I'm still somewhat confused as to the whole process of what exactly to inject myself with and when to get on and off birth control. They've got it all planned out and Samantha and Steve, my fertility coordinators, explained it thoroughly, but i need to see it in writing before i'll understand it well enough to do it on my own. they will tell me though, when to start one and stop and start another...its going to be interesting for sure. I'm looking forward to it though! I just hope it doesn't adversely affect me and make me a weeping psycho. This company says its ok to work out during the whole process, while another i talked to said i couldn't for 3-4 weeks (can you say making me insane?) so that is good. Here's hoping it makes me cuter and more loveable, maybe giving me a nice pregnant glow.
but not the pregnant part. Which brings me to another point.
No sex. Now this isnt really a problem for me, as i shouldn't and won't be having sex anyway. I just think it is funny how they say "no heterosexual intercourse" lol. But if you are a potential donor and enjoy your sexin, you may be SOL for a couple of months. Yes months. Cause the lupron and whatever other stuff they put you on makes you more susceptible to getting pregnant, because you drop more eggs so you are more likely to get pregnant and have multiple eggs be fertilized, which means you are for sure gonna have at least one baby. After the process they say its gonna be like a period and it takes a minute for your body to sync up again, at least one or two cycles to get back to somewhat normal. There usually aren't complications, but you could have hyper ovarian stimulation and feel like absolute crap for a few days. And they stick a big needle through the wall of your vagina, so i wouldn't imagine a penis rubbing up and down on that would feel too good to most people. I'll stick to cuddling thanks.
Thats it for now, I'm at my desk at work with a cotton ball taped to my arm like i just gave blood so all the writers are assuming i either did that or heroin. And since i'm underweight for blood donation.....i wonder.;-)
