MY INFERTILITY AND IVF JOURNEY

While I am happy you’re here, this isn’t a club I’d wish on my worst enemy.

Welcome friends! This blog is a personal account of my journey from being starkly child-free by choice to my IVF journey after an unexplained infertility diagnosis in my 30s.

The stories here are raw and real. They might trigger some. I hope that the info here brings you knowledge on your own journey, helps you feel less alone, or that it helps you understand the struggles of those you love.

Whatever brings you here, thanks for coming along for this wild ride. I am Heather and this is my meandering story.

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Hope is made of steel

One of my favourite songs hit different today. It popped into my head as I was drafting an instagram post updating friends with the news (which I’ll share below). The lyrics go like this… “You left your homeWhere you were bornAnd you followed your furyYou followed your stormIn the…

a grayscale of a lady justice figurine

PGT-A: Yay or Nay?

Today I stopped my priming meds and begin a 3 day unmedicated break between priming and stims.. Now, a decision is upon us once again. It’s one I have had to make twice before, both times deciding differently (and glad that I did the last time around). Our first…

Halloween IVF Infertility Blog Podcast Journey

The Scaries during IVF

I can’t say I am a huge Halloween person. Not in the way some people are, where they deck themselves out in epic makeup or handmade costumes. But I do enjoy embracing my inner child this time of year, and usually end up with a cute costume I pieced…

Estrace Estradiol Pill Dosage IVF Priming Medication

A new plan

We’re at the point in the journey now where we are living this day to day vs looking back. There are a lot of things in my experience to date that I didn’t share, but we will get to the more minute details eventually (things like the medications, the…

Ultrasound Wanda Internal IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

The Biopsies

I’ve been on a little hiatus since my last post, taking a very rare moment between appointments and work to go visit my family on the east coast of Canada. Living so far away from where I was born is both a blessing and a curse. It often means…

Egg Retrieval Journey IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

Egg Retrieval #2

Despite the failure of our first egg retrieval cycle, with 7 embryos and 3 transfers (2 failed implantation + one 7w miscarriage), I went into this cycle with so much hope. I surprised myself sometimes with how I was able to let the past go and really be positive…

Ultrasound Wanda Internal IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources elen-sher-pv9oSbGVf9g-unsplash

Never say never

IVF is one major life disruptor. One cycle with one transfer can involve 5-6 bloodwork appointments, 4-8 internal ultrasounds, getting pumped with liquids for external ultrasounds, timed and temperature controlled injections daily or multiple times daily for two weeks or more, popping 20+ supplements a day, going to the…

Rain Loss Grief IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

Medicated Miscarriage

— Skip this one if you’re squeamish. — Since going through this I have become a FIERCE advocate for women’s rights and abortion rights. I always was pro-choice, because I truly believe women aren’t out there in droves trying to abort babies late in pregnancy. I never thought I’d…

Two Flowers Loss Grief IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources allison-christine-SEbQSYozn7c-unsplash

A flicker of hope – Pt 2

I was pregnant. Pregnancy after loss is a beast, even if the loss was barely after finding out you’re pregnancy in the first place. My previous loss was so early that I didn’t really know it was happening, had it not been for my beta bloodwork telling me so….

Pregnancy Test SquinterNeedles Egg Retrieval Loss Grief IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

A flicker of hope – part 1

Our transfer day. There’s so much build up to these “major” moments that are catalysts for possible life changing events. It’s wild how lacklustre the experience is and how uneventful it is after the fact. More waiting. The hardest part of IVF is the waiting game. The complete unknown…

Egg Retrieval Attrition Results Mature Fertilized IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources Frozen Embryo Transfer

Frozen Embryo Transfers

Christmas. This can bring challenges when it comes to fertility treatment as many clinics go into a slowdown of sorts over the holidays (if you’re undergoing treatment now – it’s October as I write this, it’s worth asking about clinic closures and how they might impact your cycle). My…

Pregnancy Test SquinterNeedles Egg Retrieval Loss Grief IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

The Rollercoaster

I was. I was pregnant. (Trigger warning, emphasis on ‘was’) I was in absolute bliss for 5 days. Happy as a pig in shit if you will. Before all of this started I had seen a walk-in clinic doctor to get some blood work done, just to make sure…

Pregnancy test squinter TTC IVF Blogs

Preconceived notions

We had planned to start trying for a baby the old fashioned way in February 2021. If you know me at all, you’ll know I’m a pretty type A human being. I tend to obsess over things that I’m really eager to learn or do. I researched the crap…

Egg Retrieval Attrition Results Mature Fertilized IVF In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Treatment Infertility Miscarriage Blog Support Resources

Dare to dream…

Let’s start from the beginning. I never wanted a family. All I ever cared about was experiencing life, travelling, eating good food, enjoying my freedoms. A family wasn’t on my radar. I grew up in a chaotic environment. Shuffled around between homes and cities, between parents and grandparents. I…

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