Too Much - Day 7 - July 16

If you know me, you know that I am normally a pretty happy person.  I'm very organized and I like to be on top of everything.  So far through this IVF process, I've done a pretty good job of staying positive and organized...

But today I'm struggling.

For the most part, IVF abroad has been pretty smooth sailing.  There have been a few hurdles along the way...but nothing I couldn't handle.  It looked a little like this.

After the last 24 hours, it looks more like this. 

The first issue - reaction to medicine.  

I did the centrotide and menopur injection last night and both were a lot more liquid to inject than I had been doing with the follitism.  So that was painful, then my abdominal area was really sore.  I felt nauseous and really swollen.  There isn't really a different way to explain it.  Just really uncomfortable.  That continues all night and still today.  So I'm dreading my injection tonight.  Ugh.  

Next issue - money. 

The way the IVF abroad program works is that you pay for the clinic when you start the process (so when you start injections).  To pay, you have to transfer money to an international exchange company and then they transfer it from US dollars to Euros and send it to the clinic.  Well the company took longer to get me the official log in info and then the transfer takes 2 days to complete.  I finally log in this morning and they are having technical difficulties and so it takes a few hours to finally get it set uphat to do.  I go in, we start the process and then the Assistant Manager comes out and tells me that the bank will not transfer money to Greece because of their current economic status.  At all.  No money transfer will happen from wiring money.  

So I have to call Ruth and make sure its okay that I send money to the exchange company via credit card, even though I have to pay a larger fee and it takes longer to process on their end.  She says that's fine and they will just have to get over the fact it will take longer for them to get their money.  While I'm on the phone with her, I find out another problem. 

Next problem - lack of meds 

I asked her about the centrotide, because I have two doses left.  One for tonight, one for Friday.  She is confused and said no, I should have gotten 5 doses of it to last me until Sunday night.  Nope.  So she checks the prescription she sent and sure enough, it only had listed 3 doses instead of 5.  It was a simple mistake..but crap.  Now I need at least two more and we leave on Saturday.  So she quickly sends a new prescription for 3 more vials to our doc here (Brandi).  I also call and email Brandi to make sure she got them...no reply.

I call Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy...they can get me the meds by tomorrow if the whole thing is processed by 6:30 tonight.  While I'm on the phone, I realize that its Thursday.  Brandi is off work on Thursday and Karen is on vacation. Well crap.  I need someone to enter in that prescription!  

So I call the main office and ask if anyone there can enter the prescription and she said that she would transfer me to the triage nurse, and as soon as she answers, I get an email from Brandi saying she just send in the script!  Whew!  One bullet dodged.  Sorry triage nurse, guess I don't need you after all.  

I give Walgreens a bit to process, call to make sure they have it...and they do!  It's being processed now and they will call me with payment info and delivery info soon.  

Next problem - money

The three new vials of centrotide will cost $580.  So now we have racked up more medication costs.  

Initial cost for meds from the UK: $1200 (with FDA currently)

Cost for 2nd set of meds from US: $2200

Cost of follitism because meds didn't show up on saturday: $536

Cost of more centrotide: $580 

That's a grand total of $4516 dollars on meds.  When we had budgeted to spend $1500.  Its just frustrating beyond words.  The FDA is still holding the original meds from the UK and no release date to be given.  If you've read the other blogs, you know that my parents and Brian's parents are helping us pay for this whole process.  I am beyond grateful that they are willing to help but asking for more money over and over is awful.  I know we will pay them back and eventually we will have paid for this whole process ourselves but this just sucks.  Its just one thing after another.  The main reason we were going over there is because it was so much cheaper.  Now we are spending the same amount we would have spent here. 

Next problem - name on my medications

I've also had to be on the phone with Walgreens today about the name on my prescriptions.  They have my name spelled wrong.  They spell it Rachelle instead of Rachell.  So it doesn't match my ID.  I have a letter from them explaining their error, and will get an official letter on letterhead tomorrow via FedEx...but I called TSA to check how that will effect bringing them on the plane.  They said they won't have an issue - but customs might.  I called customs and all I get is a busy signal.  Phone won't even go through.  I'll keep trying.  

Final problem - the issues in Greece

If you've looked at the news, you know that Greece is not in the best state right now.  We have been talking to Ruth about it and she said we would hardly notice while we were there.  We are staying in her apartment, so will be 40 minutes outside of Athens where all the chaos is occurring.  But the clinic is in Athens and we will have to go there at least every other day for scans and blood work.  It's been peaceful protests but as of last night there were petrol bombs and teargas used.  Obviously there is nothing we could do to change this, but good God.  Its just one more thing to worry about.  I know family is worried about it and so are we - but we are so vested now that there isn't much else to do.  

This is a really long way of saying that today is a bad day.  This is just too freaking hard and too much to deal with.  

Brian sent me some Cool Runnings motivation and it helps...but I just need the rest of this process to be smoother.  I'm done with all these dang hurdles.  It should not be this hard to get pregnant.  Those of you who it happens naturally for, don't ever take advantage of it.  Pregnancy might suck, the cost of having a kid might suck, but on the bright side, at least all you had to do was have sex to get there.  

Even though I'm frustrated, I can't help but look at this picture and only see the Nike icon.  "Just do it."  So that's what we will do.  Just. Do. It. and hope for the best.