Second Round

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Good morning! It is currently 7:03 in the morning. It is Saturday, November 19th and I am back in Seoul, South Korea.  It has been three and a half years since I have been here. The last time I was here, I did my first round of IVF.  During that time, I was feeling absolute defeat, not being able to get pregnant.  I wanted to do something that was fulfilling, to get my mind off of getting pregnant.  Right before leaving for Korea last time, I was in contact with the Oregon Reproductive Center in Portland. The cost for IVF in the states is astoundingly expensive. So, I looked into IVF in Korea since I wanted to go there anyway to spend time in my birth country.  Reagan and I decided to do IVF here in Seoul. The first round of IVF was taxing on my body.  Even though it was so hard, it was the best experience I could have asked for. I was able to meet new people, eat good food, and experience the Korean culture. While we did do IVF in Korea, IVF was not a success at the time. HOWEVER, the following month, I did get pregnant and now we have the love of our lives, Hadley.  Some say it was all of the shots and hormones I took during IVF to help me get pregnant the following month.Some say it was because I was relaxed and that I wasn't trying. Well, I will tell you that there hasn't been a time where we weren't trying. How can someone who wants to be a mother so bad, "not try." Anyway, regardless of what anyone's opinions are, I know that she was a gift from God. That's all.

With that said, our hearts are yearning for child number two. It has been over a year again of trying to conceive. I don't know why we want another one so bad. I just don't want to wait another three years of trying before having another child. I might go crazy, and drive everyone around me crazy too. We couldn't be more blessed having, Hadley. I feel like she is growing into a child and not a baby in a horrendous amount of time. I try to hold her as long as I can, so that she will stop growing, but she still continues to grow! So, here I am trying for baby number two. Yes, I do believe it is all in God's hands. But I also believe in technology and science to help me along the way. I don't have a normal body. We are giving it our all. If this doesn't work, something else will. We just know in our hearts, that we are not done having children.

This time around, Reagan didn't come to Korea with me.  The last time I did the whole IVF process, it took a little over a month to do the whole procedure. This time, it will be a lot faster.  I was able to get five embryos the last time I was here. When I did IVF the last time, the doctors implanted two embryos.  Therefore, I have three embryos left.  I am hoping to implant two and leave the last one as a backup plan or maybe donate the embryo to someone who is having difficulty like us.  I feel like I want everyone else to experience the joy of having a child, but my friends and Reagan don't think that  I would be ok with someone else raising our baby.  But I also can't stand to think of the possibility that that embryo could have been, Hadley.  I don't really want to implant three.  If we could have one baby it would amazing, if we got pregnant with twins it would be a life changing blessing, but I don't see myself functioning as well with triplets, plus Hadley.

So, here I am again in Seoul, South Korea. But this time my friend Katelyn is here to be by my side. I had asked her last month, knowing in my heart that it was a crazy request. She said she'd think about it and then the next day she said yes!! I couldn't be more blessed to have her as my travel companion, support, and friend. We left Oregon on Thursday morning and arrived here in the evening on Friday. We were so tired, but mustered up all of our energy and rallied to meet a friend that I met three years ago here and also her old roommate. What a small world we live in, right?!

Here are a couple photos. I am speaking for Katelyn here. But, we love you all and miss you already. Thank you for all of your unending love and support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWgX3oS8Av4