Yesterday was my repeat follicular ultrasound, and we were able to see about my ovarian reserve. But unfortunately, we did not get a "good news" day. We got a very bad news day; a worst case scenario, end of the road kind of day. I am, medically speaking, completely infertile. It was heartbreaking to hear. It is more heartbreaking to process.
I've been praying for clarity since this journey began. So many brave souls have joined me in that prayer. I am thankful that our diagnostic testing was very clear. I'm glad for the clarity but I fear that I am breaking apart. I really needed a good news day.
There were two tests for me that were all the evidence that Dr. Feinberg needed to make this fertility potential determination. I failed both miserably. There is nothing about this that is borderline or questionable. It's one of the first things I have ever experienced in a medical setting that seems very black and white. One of the tests was an AMH level. The other test was the antral follicle count. (The links provide more detail on these terms if you are interested.) For the AMH level, I was informed that anything around 1 would be a "good score." My AMH result was 0.03. For the antral follicle count the doc didn't actually say what number would be a passing score, or a number she could work with and expect successful outcomes in the lab. She just said my number wasn't it. I have done my own research that suggests an average number would have been between 15-24. A number less than 5 means a woman is not likely to reproduce, even with assisted technology. My number was 2. I'm not used to failing so miserably, not even in the medical realm.
Dr. Feinberg's facial expression yesterday when giving me news is one I will not soon forget. She was pained. She is in the business of and has dedicated her work to changing challenging fertility situations. She had to tell me she recommend that I pursue other avenues to parenthood. She also reminded me not to give up hope and said that, "sometimes babies fall out of the sky." It is, and will always remain true that we have other options to establish parenthood in the future, if we decide down that path. But I left the doctor's office yesterday with the knowledge that, barring a miracle of biblical proportions (see Abraham, Sarah, & Isaac), there will be no children in this world who share my DNA.
I am proud of myself for walking all the way out of the medical building before (actually twice because I forgot my jacket the first time) I broke down in tears. Today has been a sea of tears - salty, angry, and sad.
A friend sent me this bible verse today. Psalm 34:18 reads "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
As I reflect on the last week, these words honestly seem a little empty. I know they are not. I know and I trust that these words are a true promise of the true God. But my grief is overshadowing everything that is knowledge right now. I am in a place of emotional brokenness that previously could never have imagined.
I've been praying for clarity since this journey began. So many brave souls have joined me in that prayer. I am thankful that our diagnostic testing was very clear. I'm glad for the clarity but I fear that I am breaking apart. I really needed a good news day.
There were two tests for me that were all the evidence that Dr. Feinberg needed to make this fertility potential determination. I failed both miserably. There is nothing about this that is borderline or questionable. It's one of the first things I have ever experienced in a medical setting that seems very black and white. One of the tests was an AMH level. The other test was the antral follicle count. (The links provide more detail on these terms if you are interested.) For the AMH level, I was informed that anything around 1 would be a "good score." My AMH result was 0.03. For the antral follicle count the doc didn't actually say what number would be a passing score, or a number she could work with and expect successful outcomes in the lab. She just said my number wasn't it. I have done my own research that suggests an average number would have been between 15-24. A number less than 5 means a woman is not likely to reproduce, even with assisted technology. My number was 2. I'm not used to failing so miserably, not even in the medical realm.
Dr. Feinberg's facial expression yesterday when giving me news is one I will not soon forget. She was pained. She is in the business of and has dedicated her work to changing challenging fertility situations. She had to tell me she recommend that I pursue other avenues to parenthood. She also reminded me not to give up hope and said that, "sometimes babies fall out of the sky." It is, and will always remain true that we have other options to establish parenthood in the future, if we decide down that path. But I left the doctor's office yesterday with the knowledge that, barring a miracle of biblical proportions (see Abraham, Sarah, & Isaac), there will be no children in this world who share my DNA.
I am proud of myself for walking all the way out of the medical building before (actually twice because I forgot my jacket the first time) I broke down in tears. Today has been a sea of tears - salty, angry, and sad.
A friend sent me this bible verse today. Psalm 34:18 reads "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
As I reflect on the last week, these words honestly seem a little empty. I know they are not. I know and I trust that these words are a true promise of the true God. But my grief is overshadowing everything that is knowledge right now. I am in a place of emotional brokenness that previously could never have imagined.
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