I love when a plan comes together.

So we had a plan...we HAVE a plan and we have been sticking too it and getting great news along the way!!

So...since the last blog entry I have done a few things.

1) The HSG test, aka. the dye test. This was the test where they injected dye in me that outlined my uterus and showed if it was shaped right and made sure that there were no other anatomical issues (bad tubes etc). For those people that have done this...I'm sorry. For those people getting ready to do this...it is uncomfortable and hurts. But it's not horrible and nothing like a miscarriage. :0)

Good news from this = my uterus is shaped just fine!!! AND my tubes are just great! So that was a HUGE relief. Since those are anatomical things...they would be harder to fix than other things I'm working on. So that was GREAT news for us.

2) Chromosome test...it's a blood draw that they test to make sure that my chromosomes are in the right order. If Mike's were wrong and mine were wrong...we would never successfully make a baby because my body would always reject it due to "chromosomal abnormalities".

Good new from this = my chromosomes were great!!!

3) Egg quality test...this is a blood draw as well. This tests to make sure I have good eggs and that they are top shelf vodka and not Natty Ice beer.

Good news from this = my eggs are of "excellent quality"! WAHOOO!!!!!

Another part of the plan that I did NOT explain in the last post was my functional medicine part of life. What that means is...is that deep in my soul...i know there is a reason my body rejects our babies. I know that it's not just as easy as shooting me up with hormones and MAKING me keep the babies. I want to know WHY. I want to know what is causing my body to do this and I want to fix it. Not just so we can have babies...but so that the body God gave me lasts for as long as it can. Most doctors would just say I'm unlucky...or it's just what happens...or maybe next time you'll get lucky...or we can give you injections to make your body think everything is ok. Functional medicine doctors find the cause of the symptom.

I'm not saying that anyone who takes the injections is wrong. I'm saying for me...I'm an answers type girl. I don't want to cover up the problem and not figure out what the heck is going on. So...luckily for me...I have a good friend from college who is a doctor. And not just any doctor. He's a functional medicine doctor...which means that he gets to the root cause. He follows the issue back using all kinds of tests to track what exactly is going on and why my body is behaving like this. He helps women like me figure out why we miscarry or why some can't get preggo at all. We've been chatting back and forth about my issues and he offered to help me even though he is in Iowa! So, of course, I took him up on it!

So I've been working with Zac to figure out what the issue is. I will attempt to explain in a very basic way (since I'm not smart enough to do any more than that!). Basically from the tests we've done so far...we know this. We know that my body is stressed out. And while I don't feel stressed...something inside my body is causing it to think it's stressed. So then we did another test...it showed some other things that helped him know that my "stress" was causing my hormones to go out of whack. It appears as though...my intestines are not absorbing the right amount of vitamins. Which means that...they are releasing bacteria into my body. And because of that...my body attacks this bacteria and fights with all it's might to keep it away from all my parts. This bacteria causes stress to my body...which is causing my body to say...."I will only help those things that are necessary and anything other than the basics is out of the question to support". Therefore...baby is out of the question. So...now we go deeper. We need to figure out why my intestines are freaking out. It could be a food allergy...but it also could be a metal sensitivity. Which is the path we are going down right now based on a few other findings.

So this week...i'm going to get blood drawn and send it off to the lab to get tested to see if I have a sensitivity to metals. The reason this is important is....if I have this sensitivity then what would happen is...the metals would be in my body causing stress and pissing off my hormones. When the hormones are pissed...babies don't work out. So I need to see if metals are an issue for me. You might be wondering...how exactly does one acquire metals...it can be from a LOT of different ways. It can be from second hand cigarette smoke, from work environment, a factory, foods we eat, and losing weight. So...anything can cause metal to come into our bodies...the difference is...is that some people have a sensitivity and others don't. Most people go on with life and never know a difference. Other people don't have immediate reactions (nausea etc), but rather have long term implications (like me and miscarriages). So I need to see if I have this sensitivity and if i do...i need to stop with foods that contain metal and also get rid of the metal (which I'm not quite sure of that process yet).

The summary is...body is stressed...could be because metal is in there and it doesn't like it. So find out if it's metal and get rid of it...thus getting rid of the stress. If it's not...go down one of the other paths to see what is causing the stress.

I know this is a lot of information...but the takeaway from this is. I have no anatomical issues which is awesome!!! I just have hormone balance issues that can be fixed! We just have to figure out what is causing it. After we figure that out...we can adjust...and then test my hormones again to make sure all is good and then....try again!!!!

So...

ute = great

eggs = great

chromosomes = great

Upcoming plan...

Metal test

Each day we find out a little more. We are willing to be patient and find out what is going on. We are willing to spend the extra money on non-insurance covered tests to help us get answers. And mostly we are willing to trust God's timing and be sure to learn the lessons along the way making this experience that much richer.

I love it when a plan comes together...