Amateur Nester

My $26,000 Candle & IVF Updates

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Happy New Year everyone! I took a break while we traveled during the holidays, but I’m happy to get back to blogging during 2014.

ivf updates

My Fertility Updates

We’ve taken some big steps since my last post. Two days before Christmas, we had our IVF consultation and our first meeting with our IVF coordinator. We’ll be doing IVF with ICSI.

I don’t have my medication protocol yet, but I do have a tentative calendar of when I’ll start meds and when the egg retrieval and transfer will be.

ivf updates

My clinic only does IVF every other month, so I’ll be starting BCP when my next cycle starts (in about two weeks), and will start meds on March 4th. I paid our deposit at that meeting and will be bringing the 1st half of our total payment ($16,000- not including meds and labs- OUCH) to the RE’s office today. Our RE offers shared risk plans for patients without IVF coverage, so we opted for the 2-cycle plan. It includes 2 fresh cycles and any frozen cycles that result from the 2 fresh. It’s a lot of money, but I do think it’s a good deal for the potential number of cycles.We also signed all the pre-requisite waivers, including the scary ones about what to do with the frozen embryos if one or both of us dies. That’s heavy stuff.

 

ivf updates
The $26,000 Candle
ivf updates

At the end of our hour-long meeting, the IVF coordinator gave me an “aromatherapy” candle. I knew better than to look at my husband, because I knew we’d be thinking the same thing. “We’ve already paid $10,000 for 4 IUIs and just committed to another $16,000 and all we get is a candle?” We both burst into laughter as we left the office. We’re calling it our “$26,000 Candle.”

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the New Year. I look forward to sharing 2014 with all of you. May this year bring your peace, joy, and babies!

Has your RE given you a “gift” (that wasn’t a baby)? I’d love to hear about the little trinkets you’ve received. Please share in the comments below.

Comments

  1. Isabelle says

    HA! Nice that you got a candle. I have frequented my RE’s office in the last 7 months and I have gotten nothing. Isn’t IVF the most expensive thing ever? Hoping good things for you this coming cycle! (Why do they only do IVF every other month? That boggles my mind.)

    • Lisa {Amateur Nester} says

      Ha, maybe they only give you a gift once you hit the one-year mark. Hopefully you never make it that far! I’m not sure why my clinic only does it every other month. It’s a small clinic with only one doctor, so perhaps it’s more efficient to batch it like he does.

  2. lo @ crazy ever after says

    All I get it bills, bills, bills. Oh, and more bills. I’d probably tell my RE to take his magic candle and shove it….and then ask for a discount in the amount of the stupid candle’s value.

  4. Ashley Sanderson says

    I am so excited that you have your calendar! My favorite thing was the end of the day when I got to mark off the day! It gave me such a feeling of accomplishment! Please let me know if you have any questions about the shots or the cycle in general!

  5. Stephanie says

    I love the $26,000 candle! LOL! At least you got something! I haven’t received anything from my RE! 😉

    It still really makes me angry that so many states don’t have fertility coverage! Ugh! I am so sorry! I hope your March IVF cycle is a HUGE success! 🙂

  6. hopeloveandfamily says

    That is so funny! I haven’t received any gift from my OBGYN (who I did IUIs with) or my new clinic that I’m doing IVF with. BUT my acupuncturist did give me a gift and it was a candle too! But not as big as yours, very tiny! Good luck on your IVF in March, I’ll be doing mine late Jan/early Feb.

  7. Amanda says

    Phew… I know what that feeling is like. We just handed over a giant chunk of change ourselves and we only opted for the single IVF cycle. It kind of makes you want to puke! Hopeful IVF is the last payment you’ll have to make! Wishing you the best as you start this journey!

  8. Mr. Thompson and Me says

    Been there. Done that. A those payments are the hardest to make!

    Our RE has a patient appreciation event each year. They invite current and former patients alike for a big picnic event at different venues. Last year it was at the zoo and about 300 attended. Former patients bring their IVF babies and it is very helpful when you are on the other side looking for hope. They also host drawings for free cycles, sponsor a 5/10K race and do smaller appreciation things all year. (offered pro basketball tickets to patients this week on a first come/first serve basis). I love that they have made their patients a community which I’m sure has been good for business.

    Good luck over the next few months. I’ll be following…

    • Lisa {Amateur Nester} says

      Wow, that’s really awesome that your RE does that. I love that it’s an event for everyone- what a great way to build community and ease some of the isolation we sometimes feel. Cheers to your RE!

  9. Kasey A says

    I love the candle! LOL. Wishing you the best! That paper is really heavy stuff to think about- so many what ifs to figure out. Hoping you have peace with all of your decisions.

  10. Familyofthree says

    I never got anything from my RE except a bill and being told “IVF is the only way you will get pregnant” only to get pregnant with timed intercourse and injectable meds with a new doc 6 months later! Love your $26,000 candle! That is great!

  12. Kim says

    We have not reached the point yet of needing to test for infertility despite 3+ years of trying. Weight and health issues (mostly mine) and even timing were big ones for so we haven’t been consistent with our efforts. If my hubby decides to make more of an effort we’re hoping for our #1 this year as well. It’s a struggle and a painful one at that. We will never be able to afford IVF or adoption so if we can’t make it happen naturally then parenthood is not going to happen and that really sucks.

    I wish you the best on your journey. It’s hard but it sounds like you have a great plan in place, $26,000 candle and all. =)

    • Lisa {Amateur Nester} says

      I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles, Kim. You’ve probably already thought about this, but perhaps foster care would provide a more affordable route to adoption if you end up needing to go that route? Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m looking forward to reading some the posts on your blog. Best wishes with trying this year.

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