One of the first things you learn about being an infertility patient is that it’s all about waiting. Wait until you have the time and money to pursue treatment at all. Find the right doctor, and then wait for the right time of month to start medications. Wait until you’ve taken the medications long enough. Wait to ovulate. Don’t just jump into bed - wait until the time is just right (or wait until you’re in the proper clinical location - no romantic jumping in bed with a bottle of wine!). Every day or two for two weeks or so out of the month, wait in the doctor’s waiting room. Finally, some action - egg retrieval! Wait for the phone call to find out how many (if any) viable eggs you have. Wait by the phone for a few more days to see how many fertilize…how well they divide…how many good embryos you’ll have…wait for the word on when the transfer will be. Then it’s transfer day - and you’re pregnant! Or maybe not…wait two weeks to find out whether any of your embroys implanted or whether you’ve just spent a ton of time and money for nothing.
If you’re really, really lucky - like I was, finally - the news at the end of those two weeks is joyous. You’re pregnant! Now you keep waiting…nine more months until you can meet this miracle that’s growing inside of you.
And by the end of those all that waiting and preparing and waiting, you’ll be so very tired of waiting, and so ready to meet this little person…and yet you’ll still feel so completely unprepared for everything that will mean.
Still waiting, and hoping to meet our baby girl on her terms and not at a scheduled c-section in three days.