My period came yesterday morning. It was four days early which is suspiciously unusual as my period is almost always late. It explains the nausea I had been getting late at night which resulted in lousy sleep throughout the weekend. Anyway, now that I have my period I can finally start the monitoring cycle with Dr C for my egg donation procedure for T.
I called the clinic yesterday to make an appointment to see Dr C but she could only accommodate me this afternoon. Talk about being busy! If you're an aspiring medical student reading this blog, I'd advise you to go into Obstetrics and Gynecology and especially into fertility. Your services will always be in demand as more and more couples get married later and have kids later in life. And it's an immensely interesting field with all that eggs and sperm and creating life and saving lives...
So it's back to Dr C again today for the blood tests - FSH, LH, Oestradiol and Prolactin - and I will have to be taught how to use an ovulation detection kit on Day 10 of my cycle. Once I get a positive surge, I will be required to return to the clinic for another test.. but that's another story for another day.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Last blood test for M (first recipient of my donated eggs)
I went to the clinic for a final blood test (for HIV) around noon today - one last poke in the arm - and just like that, it's all done.
Good luck, M. I wish you the best of luck for you to get pregnant and hold a little one (or possibly more) in your arms.
Good luck, little eggs. I wish you the best of luck; I can tell you now that you sure need it because growing up is often painful and full of challenges. Then again, life is very special and one beautiful journey that you will be very privileged to have.
Good luck, M. I wish you the best of luck for you to get pregnant and hold a little one (or possibly more) in your arms.
Good luck, little eggs. I wish you the best of luck; I can tell you now that you sure need it because growing up is often painful and full of challenges. Then again, life is very special and one beautiful journey that you will be very privileged to have.
Friday, 7 August 2009
to London, and back
The trip finally happened - it was all a bit of a flurry of events, one after another, a quick succession of outcomes, but isn't life just like that. T was a wonderful host who planned my stay extremely well and all the little nice touches (making sure the hotel is aware I will have a very early check-in; having a driver to greet me at Heathrow; planning to meet me only after I have enough rest to get over jet-lag, etc) made me appreciate her more. We finally met at a bustling restaurant overlooking Covent Garden on Thursday lunch-time. She is a beautiful and terrific woman, and is everything I expected of her through our numerous correspondences over email.
On Friday morning I made my way to Baker Street to meet the counsellor for the mandatory counselling session. It was a great session - words flowed easily and she went through pretty much all the questions I have thought of previously. She is quite the opposite of the stoic doctor who counselled me in HK. There were a few points she brought up which were a surprise to me, e.g. the child born from my donated egg has the right to sue me once he/she turns 18 should I not disclose any pre-existing medical condition that I am aware of. But of course I have my entire family's medical history disclosed so it's more likely a case of knowing a little too much!
I was then off to the clinic (the ARGC), housed in a nondescript building right at the end of the street just like any row of identical houses in London. It wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be and in fact I found it quite quiet. T arrived soon after and we had the meeting with one of the head nurses - no doctors as they were too busy - and she talked us through the egg donation procedure together. It seemed that the ARGC needed me to do a lot more than my procedure with Dr C and I found myself wondering if it was all necessary. Of course T and myself just wanted everything done and over with but there is so much to do: first of all I had to undergo the whole series of blood tests, then choose a monitoring cycle to be done in September, followed by the actual cycle in November. We decided that November will be better for the both of us for the actual cycle as it will give us more time to work out several logistical issues.
I was told that I have to go on the nasal spray when I begin ovulating prior to the actual cycle. After about ten days of the spray my period should start and I will then begin the injections. At this stage I will still be in Hong Kong and going in to Dr C for (more) blood tests and monitoring. On day 5 of my injections I will then fly to London for the rest of the treatment, which by then will just mean about a week left to the egg retrieval.
There is a lot to digest and work out, like the timing of my injections while I'm still in HK. With the previous egg donation, I injected at about 8-9pm and this made sense as the last jab will have to be exactly 36 hours before the retrieval (which is usually scheduled for 9am). With the 7-hour time difference between Hong Kong and London, I will have to inject the Gonal F at about 3-4am while I'm in HK! That will be quite a task indeed.
It was a short walk to the other clinic for the blood tests and once that was done, T and I parted ways. We said our goodbyes and I gave her a warm hug - she has been nothing short of gracious and wonderful - and deep down, I am truly delighted to know that my donated eggs will have a mom like her.
*
Now all I have to do is to enjoy my summer (a lot of travelling!) and wait till September when I will begin my monitoring cycle with Dr C. Hopefully the blistering hot humid summer of HK will pass soon. I can't wait for autumn!
On Friday morning I made my way to Baker Street to meet the counsellor for the mandatory counselling session. It was a great session - words flowed easily and she went through pretty much all the questions I have thought of previously. She is quite the opposite of the stoic doctor who counselled me in HK. There were a few points she brought up which were a surprise to me, e.g. the child born from my donated egg has the right to sue me once he/she turns 18 should I not disclose any pre-existing medical condition that I am aware of. But of course I have my entire family's medical history disclosed so it's more likely a case of knowing a little too much!
I was then off to the clinic (the ARGC), housed in a nondescript building right at the end of the street just like any row of identical houses in London. It wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be and in fact I found it quite quiet. T arrived soon after and we had the meeting with one of the head nurses - no doctors as they were too busy - and she talked us through the egg donation procedure together. It seemed that the ARGC needed me to do a lot more than my procedure with Dr C and I found myself wondering if it was all necessary. Of course T and myself just wanted everything done and over with but there is so much to do: first of all I had to undergo the whole series of blood tests, then choose a monitoring cycle to be done in September, followed by the actual cycle in November. We decided that November will be better for the both of us for the actual cycle as it will give us more time to work out several logistical issues.
I was told that I have to go on the nasal spray when I begin ovulating prior to the actual cycle. After about ten days of the spray my period should start and I will then begin the injections. At this stage I will still be in Hong Kong and going in to Dr C for (more) blood tests and monitoring. On day 5 of my injections I will then fly to London for the rest of the treatment, which by then will just mean about a week left to the egg retrieval.
There is a lot to digest and work out, like the timing of my injections while I'm still in HK. With the previous egg donation, I injected at about 8-9pm and this made sense as the last jab will have to be exactly 36 hours before the retrieval (which is usually scheduled for 9am). With the 7-hour time difference between Hong Kong and London, I will have to inject the Gonal F at about 3-4am while I'm in HK! That will be quite a task indeed.
It was a short walk to the other clinic for the blood tests and once that was done, T and I parted ways. We said our goodbyes and I gave her a warm hug - she has been nothing short of gracious and wonderful - and deep down, I am truly delighted to know that my donated eggs will have a mom like her.
*
Now all I have to do is to enjoy my summer (a lot of travelling!) and wait till September when I will begin my monitoring cycle with Dr C. Hopefully the blistering hot humid summer of HK will pass soon. I can't wait for autumn!
Friday, 17 July 2009
been a long time, but eggs are never far from my mind
It has been a crazy summer, one filled with a lot of ups and downs: we got another dog (a sweet Labrador-cross from the local shelter), my mother suffered a mild stroke, more tragedies with missing airplanes and more unrest (Iran and China), Michael Jackson died... well, the last bit shouldn't even be on the same line as the others but he's still an icon who has played an influential role in my childhood. I will miss him.
As for the egg donation with T, it's all coming along nicely. Tickets are booked and arrangements made for the short trip in London. I am strangely excited to meet T - it will be such an honour to meet this wonderful woman who trusts me enough to have my eggs fertilized with her husband's sperm and then put into her womb. Sometimes when I look at this from another angle, it's just so mind-boggling. The wonders of science indeed.
I feel very positive about this particular donation to T, like I said in my previous post, partly because this is an open donation. T has been very open with this right from the very beginning, telling me all about herself and her family. I found it refreshing and somehow knowing that she is so open about this, gives me a sense of security that there will not be any drama later on in the child's life. Because the child will grow up knowing about me and my gift for T, she will not get a nasty shock when she suddenly finds out and starts her search for all the answers.
Less than two weeks before my trip to London. Ohh I am getting quite excited!
As for the egg donation with T, it's all coming along nicely. Tickets are booked and arrangements made for the short trip in London. I am strangely excited to meet T - it will be such an honour to meet this wonderful woman who trusts me enough to have my eggs fertilized with her husband's sperm and then put into her womb. Sometimes when I look at this from another angle, it's just so mind-boggling. The wonders of science indeed.
I feel very positive about this particular donation to T, like I said in my previous post, partly because this is an open donation. T has been very open with this right from the very beginning, telling me all about herself and her family. I found it refreshing and somehow knowing that she is so open about this, gives me a sense of security that there will not be any drama later on in the child's life. Because the child will grow up knowing about me and my gift for T, she will not get a nasty shock when she suddenly finds out and starts her search for all the answers.
Less than two weeks before my trip to London. Ohh I am getting quite excited!
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
confirmation from all fronts
Dr C has been away the last week or two so T didn't get a confirmation that she will do the first half of the egg donation procedure with me till yesterday evening. Now that she has confirmed in writing, we are all set to go!
I will be arriving London on 30 July with all appointments fixed on 31 July, Friday. There will first be a session with the counsellor at 11am, followed by the appointment with the doctor at 1pm. The latter will also include the whole she-bang of tests - transvaginal ultrasound, blood tests (for Rubella, Hep B&C, HIV, etc). So it's back to being prodded and poked again. How fun.
The procedure will then begin once my period arrives in August which means it's back to Dr C's for a few days, and the final trip to London for the second half of the treatment. The egg retrieval will be done in London and I will then fly back home to Hong Kong about two days after. Hopefully there will be no agonizing aftermath. While the memory of the awful cramps and heartburn from the first egg donation has almost receded to the dark corners of my brain, it is still painful enough for me to want to avoid it as much as possible.
Otherwise, I am very much looking forward to meeting T. This is a new experience for me as it will be an open egg donation: I will meet T and her family and I believe we will keep in touch for many years to come. T is also open to me meeting her child(ren) from my donated egg(s) so it's all pretty exciting. I have a lot of thoughts on this but it will take a longer blog post so I shall save this for another day.
I will be arriving London on 30 July with all appointments fixed on 31 July, Friday. There will first be a session with the counsellor at 11am, followed by the appointment with the doctor at 1pm. The latter will also include the whole she-bang of tests - transvaginal ultrasound, blood tests (for Rubella, Hep B&C, HIV, etc). So it's back to being prodded and poked again. How fun.
The procedure will then begin once my period arrives in August which means it's back to Dr C's for a few days, and the final trip to London for the second half of the treatment. The egg retrieval will be done in London and I will then fly back home to Hong Kong about two days after. Hopefully there will be no agonizing aftermath. While the memory of the awful cramps and heartburn from the first egg donation has almost receded to the dark corners of my brain, it is still painful enough for me to want to avoid it as much as possible.
Otherwise, I am very much looking forward to meeting T. This is a new experience for me as it will be an open egg donation: I will meet T and her family and I believe we will keep in touch for many years to come. T is also open to me meeting her child(ren) from my donated egg(s) so it's all pretty exciting. I have a lot of thoughts on this but it will take a longer blog post so I shall save this for another day.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
changes galore
Oh well, I knew it was wishful thinking to have everything planned accordingly to my schedule. T emailed to say that the clinic can only accommodate me on 31 July for the first consultation. That is a good 1.5 months away!
At least that gives me some time to get all my travel plans sorted, and also time to build up my strength and stamina (aiming to complete the 50km run/hike next February!), eat well, and produce healthy eggs for T :)
At least that gives me some time to get all my travel plans sorted, and also time to build up my strength and stamina (aiming to complete the 50km run/hike next February!), eat well, and produce healthy eggs for T :)
Friday, 15 May 2009
all set to go
After a lull in the egg donation arrangements with T, I finally got the email that started a flurry of events. T's clinic has agreed to let me do half the treatment with Dr C and the other half with them in London, including the egg retrieval. I'm just really glad that I don't have to spend two full weeks in the UK and that at least I have a familiar doctor who understands my ovaries + follicles. That's a huge relief!
So it's now planning, planning and more planning. I have to make an initial trip to the UK to see T's doctors - Dr T and Dr G. After doing some research (thanks Mr Google) I know that T's clinic is a very large one and has some of the highest success rates in IVF and ICSI in the UK. However, Dr T is quite controversial as he is one of the highest paid IVF doctor (think millions and millions of sterling pound), had several run-ins with the fertility authority and not every patient who has seen him likes him. I take this with a pinch of salt; after all, a doctor of such prominence and who sees thousands of patients a month will surely not be liked by every single one of them, eh?
The dates are tentatively set on 17-21 June, giving me two full days to visit the clinic for the full range of tests I have to undergo (more pokes and prods, how exciting) and another two days to visit family and friends. Hopefully when I'm there the London weather will be kind enough for me to have a ice-cold Pimms at a pub and not look weird drinking it.
The actual treatment should take place some time in July/August. The sooner the better, I suppose. I have another diving holiday in October and I certainly don't want it to be a repeat of the last egg donation when I was bleeding so heavily.
Friday again! Bliss.
So it's now planning, planning and more planning. I have to make an initial trip to the UK to see T's doctors - Dr T and Dr G. After doing some research (thanks Mr Google) I know that T's clinic is a very large one and has some of the highest success rates in IVF and ICSI in the UK. However, Dr T is quite controversial as he is one of the highest paid IVF doctor (think millions and millions of sterling pound), had several run-ins with the fertility authority and not every patient who has seen him likes him. I take this with a pinch of salt; after all, a doctor of such prominence and who sees thousands of patients a month will surely not be liked by every single one of them, eh?
The dates are tentatively set on 17-21 June, giving me two full days to visit the clinic for the full range of tests I have to undergo (more pokes and prods, how exciting) and another two days to visit family and friends. Hopefully when I'm there the London weather will be kind enough for me to have a ice-cold Pimms at a pub and not look weird drinking it.
The actual treatment should take place some time in July/August. The sooner the better, I suppose. I have another diving holiday in October and I certainly don't want it to be a repeat of the last egg donation when I was bleeding so heavily.
Friday again! Bliss.
Friday, 8 May 2009
stop-gap measure
Since there's really nothing exciting to blog about - at least nothing related to egg donation, I thought I'll put up the long-due ultrasound picture of my ovaries. This was scanned after the egg retrieval when my follicles were still puffy and enlarged, and while I was gritting my teeth and putting up with the worst cramps and heartburn ever. Gosh, I'd almost forgotten those days of misery!
On another note, it's Friday! Happy days.
On another note, it's Friday! Happy days.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
it's a waiting game..
It's not that I have been too lazy to update my blog but there's just nothing to report. It's quiet from T's end because they are still getting clarity on the egg donation process - am I able to do half the process in HK with Dr C and have the egg retreival in the UK? It seems like her doctor wants control of everything, which I can understand why, but for situations like mine certainly some degree of flexibility can be exercised?
On another note, it's a brilliant week in Hong Kong, weather-wise. What a rare day it is to wake up to sunshine and blue skies, cool weather (20 degrees celsius), a soft breeze.. and then my grin can only get wider when I see the weather forecast's prediciton of an entire week of "fine" days. I find it harder and harder to resist the temptation to leave the office cubicle and make a trip to Shek O for some surfing!
On another note, it's a brilliant week in Hong Kong, weather-wise. What a rare day it is to wake up to sunshine and blue skies, cool weather (20 degrees celsius), a soft breeze.. and then my grin can only get wider when I see the weather forecast's prediciton of an entire week of "fine" days. I find it harder and harder to resist the temptation to leave the office cubicle and make a trip to Shek O for some surfing!
Sunday, 19 April 2009
other donor blogs and compensation for eggs
Thanks to @asianeggdonor, I have been devouring as many egg donor blogs as I could read in the last couple of hours. They are such an invaluable tool to help other egg donors start out on their wonderful journey.
One common theme that runs through most of the blogs is compensation. The donors in the U.S. are usually compensated (sometimes quite handsomely) for their time and effort to undergo this process. I have to insert a disclaimer here that I'm definitely not against monetary compensation in exchange for donating eggs but it is illegal for anyone in Hong Kong to sell their eggs/sperm so it is decidedly not an option for me. Of course it will be nice if I can get a bit of monetary compensation for the frequent visits to the clinic, the discomfort from the ultrasounds and injections and the risk of the surgery, but I know deep down it is all about giving something priceless to a couple who yearns to hold a little one in their arms.
I have touched on this issue before, and understandably, it can be a little weird for someone to spend so much time and effort to give up a part of herself without expecting anything in return. Like this (rather self-serving) blogger from the U.S. wrote:
"...surely one wouldn't expect (very many) egg donors to endure some-odd ten weeks of drugs, injections, specifically-timed doctor visits, egg retrieval under general anesthesia, and lost income during this period out of sheer altruism. While I could see doing such a thing for, say, one's own sister, I would kind of wonder about the mental health (or potential martyr complex?) of anyone who volunteered to do such a thing for a stranger -- what is it that this person really wants back? I think you might be getting some crazy-lady genes for your baby. How nice!"
I laughed out loud when I first read it, and I'm still laughing now. It just reminds me how pathetically human we all are - if it doesn't benefit me, why bother at all? But don't you forget, there are millions of people who put aside a part of their monthly paycheck and donate it to the tens of thousands of charities worldwide. A modest sum is automatically debited from my credit card every month and goes straight to two charities: WWF and World Vision. Every once in a while, I dig deeper and donate more to other charities like Save the Sharks. I do this without even thinking of what I will get in return for my altruism. It's not as if a tiger shark will personally swim up to me in my next dive trip and say 'thank you very much for the US$100 you donated, it certainly helped prevent 'em greedy fishermen from finning my wife's sexy dorsal fin', and then do a menacing pose for me to capture on my camera, although I have to admit if a shark did that, I would be SO thrilled. And similarly for the monthly donation to WWF and World Vision, I don't expect pandas to send me a thank you note written with bamboo stalks nor the 8 year-old Nepalese girl that I am "supporting" to give me intricately-made Thanka art pieces.
So is it that difficult to imagine someone who would give her eggs to a stranger for free? Instead of donating money, I'm donating my time and a part of myself. I reckon it's pretty much the same as going to the local dog shelter and volunteering to clean the kennels and walk the dogs every week. The only thing I get in return are the happy dogs greeting me with licks on my hands and the gratifying satisfaction that I have made a difference.
Just reading this entry from a fellow egg donor makes me want to donate my eggs again and again:
"Actually, the other day when I was in for my ultrasound and blood, another patient was in the adjoining room. She must have gotten bad news cause she wailed and sobbed for a good 10 minutes...so loudly that my heart broke for her. I think that's the sound a mother makes when she loses a child. I hope whoever she is, she is able to pick up the pieces and move on to try again. My heart goes out to her. For those that come to my blog to find out if it's the money that drives us--no. If you had been there that morning...you would know it couldn't be about the money. It's about stopping that cry. It's about tears of joy instead of sadness and loss..."
That's some eggs for thought to get you through Monday..
One common theme that runs through most of the blogs is compensation. The donors in the U.S. are usually compensated (sometimes quite handsomely) for their time and effort to undergo this process. I have to insert a disclaimer here that I'm definitely not against monetary compensation in exchange for donating eggs but it is illegal for anyone in Hong Kong to sell their eggs/sperm so it is decidedly not an option for me. Of course it will be nice if I can get a bit of monetary compensation for the frequent visits to the clinic, the discomfort from the ultrasounds and injections and the risk of the surgery, but I know deep down it is all about giving something priceless to a couple who yearns to hold a little one in their arms.
I have touched on this issue before, and understandably, it can be a little weird for someone to spend so much time and effort to give up a part of herself without expecting anything in return. Like this (rather self-serving) blogger from the U.S. wrote:
"...surely one wouldn't expect (very many) egg donors to endure some-odd ten weeks of drugs, injections, specifically-timed doctor visits, egg retrieval under general anesthesia, and lost income during this period out of sheer altruism. While I could see doing such a thing for, say, one's own sister, I would kind of wonder about the mental health (or potential martyr complex?) of anyone who volunteered to do such a thing for a stranger -- what is it that this person really wants back? I think you might be getting some crazy-lady genes for your baby. How nice!"
I laughed out loud when I first read it, and I'm still laughing now. It just reminds me how pathetically human we all are - if it doesn't benefit me, why bother at all? But don't you forget, there are millions of people who put aside a part of their monthly paycheck and donate it to the tens of thousands of charities worldwide. A modest sum is automatically debited from my credit card every month and goes straight to two charities: WWF and World Vision. Every once in a while, I dig deeper and donate more to other charities like Save the Sharks. I do this without even thinking of what I will get in return for my altruism. It's not as if a tiger shark will personally swim up to me in my next dive trip and say 'thank you very much for the US$100 you donated, it certainly helped prevent 'em greedy fishermen from finning my wife's sexy dorsal fin', and then do a menacing pose for me to capture on my camera, although I have to admit if a shark did that, I would be SO thrilled. And similarly for the monthly donation to WWF and World Vision, I don't expect pandas to send me a thank you note written with bamboo stalks nor the 8 year-old Nepalese girl that I am "supporting" to give me intricately-made Thanka art pieces.
So is it that difficult to imagine someone who would give her eggs to a stranger for free? Instead of donating money, I'm donating my time and a part of myself. I reckon it's pretty much the same as going to the local dog shelter and volunteering to clean the kennels and walk the dogs every week. The only thing I get in return are the happy dogs greeting me with licks on my hands and the gratifying satisfaction that I have made a difference.
Just reading this entry from a fellow egg donor makes me want to donate my eggs again and again:
"Actually, the other day when I was in for my ultrasound and blood, another patient was in the adjoining room. She must have gotten bad news cause she wailed and sobbed for a good 10 minutes...so loudly that my heart broke for her. I think that's the sound a mother makes when she loses a child. I hope whoever she is, she is able to pick up the pieces and move on to try again. My heart goes out to her. For those that come to my blog to find out if it's the money that drives us--no. If you had been there that morning...you would know it couldn't be about the money. It's about stopping that cry. It's about tears of joy instead of sadness and loss..."
That's some eggs for thought to get you through Monday..
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