It's Official, I'm a Lab Rat

Wow, a lot has changed since the last time I wrote on here (which is why I haven't had time to blog lately)!  For starters, we signed our finished home study Tuesday night!!!!  During the final couple of weeks, our contractor was sending me e-mails almost every night, each with multiple questions that she needed me to answer quickly.  For a while, I spent my evenings just responding to her e-mails.  I'm soooo glad to have that finished.  I will turn in our life book this week (because I got busy and never finished it :) and then we are seriously just waiting for our kids.  Our estimated waiting time was 2 months to 2 years, I hope and pray it's closer to the 2 month mark.

Also, we decided to go ahead and participate in the research study at our fertility clinic.  I think the final deciding factor for us was that Sam turned 30 last month.  We realized that, although we always saw fertility treatments as something we could revisit in the future, we're only getting older and with that comes increased pregnancy problems.  The study is testing three different drugs commonly used with IUI treatments in young couples with unexplained infertility.  The good news is, since they are testing to see if they are stair-step drugs or if they are equivalent, there is no placebo group.  The "best" drug they are testing is an injectable.  We didn't get into the injectible group so I am taking pills (it's really odd to carry around a container of pills when you're not sure what's in it and the label just says it could be this or this). 

These pills are seriously huge!  Thankfully I only have to take two a day for five days each month.  (On a side note, judging by the fact that she's sitting (not something Great Danes like to do) and her facial expression, I'm pretty sure Bella thought I had a treat in my hand.)

We aren't getting paid to be in the study, but we are getting four months of free fertility treatments.  All I have to do is keep a daily log checking boxes about stuff I won't write on here, take the meds on the days I'm told to, and visit the clinic eight times each month for ultrasounds and bloodwork (did I mention that our clinic is a one hour drive from our house).  Lucky duck Sam only has to go once a month. 

There are two things I'm hoping to get out of this study.  First,  I hope that through the data that they collect in this project (and with 900 couples participating across the country that's a lot of data) they will be able to help other couples in our situation.  Second, I hope that since they will be testing so many things throughout the month, maybe they will notice a spike in some count some where that would help determine just what our infertility is caused from (although I'm not going to hold my breath for that one).

It's crazy to think that in four months we will either be pregnant again or finished with fertility treatments (unless we change our mind later and decide to do IVF).  Some of you might be reading this and wondering how it will affect our adoption process.  Well, let me tell you (and no, I don't want your opinion on this as it was not a rash decision (sorry to be so blunt, but it seems like everyone wants to tell us how to make our family instead of letting us follow what God has put in our hearts)).  Obviously, if we don't get pregnant in the study we will continue on with the adoption as planned.  If we get pregnant with one child, we will carry on with the adoption as planned.  If we get pregnant with twins (hey, there is always a chance with fertility meds), we will postpone the adoption for a short time (call me crazy, but I really don't want four kids ages four and under all of the sudden).

Please pray with us that our family will grow in the near future.  Have a safe, fun Fourth of July Weekend!