Tuesday, May 22, 2012

gggrrr health professionals can be so blinkered

Today I went back to my family Dr, as I had some questions that in aftermarth of the specalist appointment we fogot to ask.

Once the shock had worn off and we had time to think, there things that just didn't make sense.
Why after all this time had my cycles come back. And if they were anovulatory why was I getting a thermal shift in my BBT. We also want to know what else we could do to increase our chances of getting pregnant.

I was disappointed to turn up and find that my dr had not read the referral letter from the specialist. He also did not have any copies of my old notes from my visit to an Endocrinologist a few years back. This was the last time my horomone levels were tested.
And his answer like the specialist was my weight. They both have just looked at the obvious and don't have the time or inclination to look closer. So I was pushy. And asked directly why they think it that there are not eggs being realsed in the end he his only answer was that based on past records, these test and records are years old and don't take into account the last six months of cycles. The only way to know for sure would be to do a progesterone test He booked me in right there and then. According to my BBT I am close to ovulation so now is the perfect time. They will test again next week. This will give us an answer for certain either way.

I also asked about going back on metformin I was taking it years ago and it restored my cycles after a year. I am hoping that now I have a cycle the metformin will help my horomones level out. But again I had to suggest and push. It is almost like it is too much effort and the easiest answer is to tell me to go away and lose weight. I now have a script for a low dose.

But would it not make sense to have all the facts and up to date info before writing me off.?
So any other couples out there with PCOS don't just let the health professional fob you off. Arm yourself with factual info, and preferably not for forum sites ( I will update my links page with the good creditable ones I have found), and go in and push for your health and future.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Information evening, and moving forward.

We are now officially on the adoption path.
There were only 7 families at our evening meeting (there was also one that morning) Ourselves and one  other couple, the other 3 where there on their own, two may have been married. Was interesting to see the mix in ages and nationalities.

It was wonderful, sad, exciting and scary all rolled into one.
The session was overwhelming at times, and I often got confused with the terminology - who was a guardian - the birth parents or the foster parents? They used the term for both.
A large portion of the first half was about fostering and how to minims risk of allegations. This scared the b-jesus out of hubby and I. I thought 'oh my' what have we got ourselves into, we just want a child to complete our family. But they explained the background of a lot of fostered children and that protecting yourself and the child needs to be a priority.

They then went on to talk about the different kinds of care.


  • Fostering - short term care: you know the child is going to be returned to the family once CYF is happy that they have the ability to care for the child themselves.

  • Home for Life - this is where you bring a child into your home, and they stay, they become a member of your family. They have been for ever removed from their own family. They may have been in foster care before as their family has tried to get it right. As the foster family you share guardianship with the birth family, and have to consult on major events and decisions such as schooling, medical issues. CYF still is involved and manages contact with the birth family. After a few years and all going to plan they then are no longer considered to be in CYF's care, and they are considered your child. The child stays in your care until they turn 16. This is more common than adoption. And from what I can see in all the information we were given it is just about the same. I chatted to the co-ordinator after and she told us that it is highly unusual for a child to be given back to the birth family. It would have to go to court and a judge would decide what was in the best interests of the child. Talking to her made us feel so much better about this option. As initially we have been very wary of 'Home for Life' but are now going to be on the list for this.

  • Adoption - this is where the birth family have chosen to give up the child, and the child then legally becomes your child, including getting a new birth certifcare. The info sheets describes it 'as if the child was born to you'. This is our ideal, but only happens once in a blue moon here in NZ. International adoption is our of the question for us, as it is expensive and takes a long time.


They showed us pics of different children and told us their stories. Our hearts melted and we both want to just say give us all of them, we will take them home and love them. Made me so sad that these innocent darlings have ever had to suffer, and made me angry that 'parent' could ever be so self serving. Yes we all make mistakes but these are adults, and these are choices that they made.

So I am going to have a conversation with my younger sister who is an early childhood teacher, and has a degree in that area, and talk to her about what age group we should look at. As when we submit our application we specify what age group, gender and ethnicity we are open to. We know it is a toddler or younger we would like to bring into our home but need her expert option on this.

We also need to start preparing our spare room. My youngest sister is about to have her first child, and my first nephew and we are very excited!! She and her husband intend for him to spend time at mums and our house. In that effort, mum has gone out and got a car seat that can easily be interchanged between her car and mine. We are also going to get our spare room set up, so that it is ready for when we have our nephew comes to stay and then there is a room ready for when we eventually bring our own wee one home.

It is feeling more positive. It is moving now and we can see the end in sight. We are still realistic and know what we may never get chosen and may end up being a childless couple.

But there is hope, and we need to have faith.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Pain and progress

I hope that I will eventually get to the point where hearing about babies and pregnancy doesn't hurt. The baby faries can be so cruel. People that don't deserve to have children do, and people who don't truly know and appreciate the blessing that being able to have a child get pregnant at the drop of a hat. And us a married couple with the heart and ability to truly care for a babe, struggle. The world is not a fair place. We go to the first adoption info evening tomorrow. I am excited to get the ball rolling. There may not be a child for us, but we want to give it ever chance possiable. I am also going to go back and see my doctor. I want to find out exactly where we are at with my cycles. I have started recording my temputure again. As I don't believe that my cycles would suddenly return without explanation. The specialist did not order new blood tests, so we have no idea what my horomones are doing. From what I have read it is unusual to get a thermal shift in base body temp, and to also consistently have a cycles of similar length. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anovulation But seeing the doctor will help sort all of this out. Will update tomorrow after the adoption meeting.

Friday, May 4, 2012

We have dates.

I phoned CYF on Wednesday to just fine out where things where at as it had been over 2 weeks since I last heard from them. Again I only got an answer phone, so I left a message. The only time I have ever had a live person answer is when I ring the national number.
So the very next day I get a call that they need my postal address as they would like to send out all the dates!! WOW
And low and behold they arrived today!! The info evening in on the 15th and if we go ahead the training classes start the following month. How exciting that by July we will be well on our way. Oh oh maybe we could be on the list by Christmas. But I get ahead of myself, we will get all the facts and detail on the 15th.
I am just going to keep a happy face on and hope and pray that what ever fate has planned it has a happy ending.