June 2009
Ok, so I just went back and viewed my first two posts and I have to apologize for using so many exclamation points. Can you tell I’m excited?!?!?! Well, bear with me while I figure out my writing style on here. Regardless, thanks for keeping up with our journey…
So the last I posted everything is a big, fat “GO”, KK and Bill are viable candidates, and now we can tell our family about our plans. In the process of testing Bill and KK, there were a few leaks internally so a small group knows, but people like my brother (KK’s father), my father, and my two other brothers and their families do not know. This was in no way to keep it a secret or because we didn’t trust them, it was mostly so we could manage the flow of information and make sure that the right person was there when the news broke. We wanted to be THOUGHTFUL about how we presented what we were doing. Especially to family.
First was KK’s father. My sister-in-law decided to tell him over coffee one morning. She couldn’t have handled the delivery better. She presented it in the most loving and sincere way and my brother's response was amazing. From what my SIL told me, he was so proud and emotional about the whole thing…everything from our choice to ask KK, his genetic link to the child as “grandfather”, and the journey that Bill and I were about to go on. A few days past after that conversation and he called me to talk. It was one of the best conversations I’ve had with my brother in years. His emotion poured through and I felt so connected to him – what an amazing experience that was, and so bonding. Bill and I are so lucky to have this support...I can't say that enough in this blog. We are soooo sooooo lucky.
(As a side note and if I am able to communicate this properly, it feels like an army is forming around the idea of this child. This army is the "united front", as my SIL said, that will not only help raise it but communicate to other people in our lives the importance of what we are doing. It overwhelms me how powerful this is. It takes my breath away. Ahhhhhh, BIG sigh and grateful smile).
So...on to other family members like my two brothers, who again, couldn’t have supported us more. There were a lot of questions about the process, the travel, the procedures…but in the end it was magical and exciting and made Bill and I so happy. Everyone just couldn’t wait to see what KK and Bill were going to produce in achild. What would the baby look like? Would it have dark hair and long eyelashes or light hair and green eyes? It really was a trip to see this all happening…another surreal experience.
The final step with our family was to talk to my father. Ultimately, after some discussion, my brother (KK's father) decided to tell him over the phone, as my dad lives in Illinois. I have to say I was pretty nervous about this one. My father has always loved me unconditionally and supported me, and really loved Bill like a son. I had a feeling that this may be different, and I wasn't sure how it was going to pan out. In the end, he couldn't have proved me more wrong. He surprised me with open arms and an outpouring of support for what Bill and I had decided to do. Chalk up another crazy, surreal experience -- what an awesome family we have. We couldn't have asked for anything better at this point.
W-O-W!
Hero of the day: Our family for being supporting us and making this so much easier than anticipated.
June 20, 2009
Today KK started progesterone to help induce her period. This was prescribed by the doctor in India and then re-written by Dr. Sahakian in L.A., who Planet Hospital works with. It has been a lot of waiting with the docs in India (We are working with Dr. Kadam) but I guess that is to be expected. I have to remember patience…it’s what my mother always used to say, “patience is a virtue” – breathe, stretch, relax – in time this will happen! Remind me of that when I’m freaking out for the next year, ok? Oh boy.
So “the plan” is that she takes the progesterone pill for ten days and it will induce her period shortly after. I hope this works. No period means things get complicated. I don’t want complicated now, it seems there have been a few too many hurdles even BEFORE we get to pregnancy, so please let this work. More to come later. Fingers crossed.
June 30, 2009
KK finished her last progesterone pill today and no period yet. She said she doesn't even feel like she's getting it. Impatience setting in…deep breath, stretch, relax. It’s gonna be ok. I guess the fact that we are in Hawaii and KK is in SF is a bit challenging. I have to stay away from calling and texting too much or else she’ll get really sick of me and never answer her phone. So I try to stay away from contact until she gets her period…waiting, waiting, waiting...
...more waiting....OMG!
…OK! so I couldn’t do it and thought I would text her a funny joke. I asked her if I could call her period “George” so I don’t have to say the word “period” – it just sounds so funny to be asking my niece that question. Plus it's what a pack of girls I was very close to in high school used to call their periods so it was familiar to me. We laugh (as much as we can via texting) and I feel better. More waiting…ugh.
July 3, 2009
It's 5 pm on Friday night and I am exhausted from thinking about the pondering of George's arrival. I decide to lay down and try to get a nap in before the crazy July 4th weekend..."ding ding" my iPhone tells me I have a text message. It's from KK -- "george arrived abt ten minutes ago. at least he didn't interrupt my nap."
I couldn't have been more happy to be woken up from a nap in my life! I jumped up from the bed and Bill and I celebrated. I called KK right away and we all shared the moment together. She said it was perfect timing because she and Ellysa had been watching a marathon of vampire movies – I guess to induce George?! I’ll have to remember that one if we ever do this again (hopefully not but good to know for the superstitious). We all laughed. And then I got that lump in my throat again and had a moment of realization -- this is really happening…what a lucky man I am...
July 16th
So that was over a week and a half ago and things have been going somewhat smoothly. We are just waiting for KK to have two more of her cycles and then she starts the fertility medications, and THEN we go to India. As for as a date, we did get confirmation from Rotunda and Dr. Kadam on a date we would have to be there in September, which was very hard to do, by the way. It seems these clinics are INCREDIBLY busy and I knew that after reading a lot of information online, but sometimes it's just makes me crazy when no one (including PH sometimes) is hearing you, or responding to you! Heap on top of that all the things we are putting my niece through it's just been a bit nutty. But again...breathe, stretch, relax...we are in this for the long haul.
So one of the exciting things is that we are close to booking our tickets for the dates of September 16-30 to Mumbai. As we've shared our story with friends, some who have airline benefits have offered buddy passes and miles to help with our travel costs. This is another example of friends and family coming forwards to help us fulfill this dream. I have to say it again, we are so overwhelmed with the support that comes out of the woodworks at time like these. We are soooo lucky...have I said that enough, yet? :)
I'm now pushing to get some answers from PH on visas, estimates for fertility treatment for my niece before we go (we have an option of doing that in India but that would mean more time away from work, etc), shipping "the goods", choosing a surrogate!, and more money talks...all exciting stuff if I could just get an answer.
So that puts us up to date for the time being...I'm happy to have this all down "for the record" and hopefully blog on things as they happen. Bye for now.
Next Up: Baby Hiccup
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