I'm less than thrilled.
I wish was here updating you with good news, but it seems we have yet another roadblock on this journey to parenthood.
We had our follow-up/re-evaluate/next steps appointment with our fertility doctor late afternoon on Monday of this week. I truly thought we were just going to go and sit in his office to discuss if we keep trying the IUI route, or if it's best to move to IVF.
We did have that conversation but it also included a recommendation for more tests––like another blood test to check the quality of my eggs (easy). Those results should be back later this week.
He also wanted to do a test called a sonohysterogram. Right then. In the office.
OK, sure. What's yet another test where foreign items are put in me to see my reproductive parts? I got this.
What is a sonohysterogram?
Big word Tuesday (that's what my husband would say). Anyway, a sonohysterogram is an imaging study of the uterus. The doctor inserts fluid into the uterus via the cervix to examine the uterine lining. This approach allows them to identify more structures than if ultrasound with no fluid was used.
Forget the science-y mumbo jumbo and let me just tell you about it:
First, they put lots of pads down on the table and floor (think: pee pads for dogs)
Then, it's just like an IUI where they insert the speculum (updated score––Speculum: 3 Teri: 2)
Then a catheter goes in through my cervix to the uterus
They fill up the uterus with liquid, remove the speculum then insert the ultrasound wand to look around
That's when they found Pixie the Polyp, a uterine polyp attached to the inner wall of my uterus (remember, another name for uterus is WOMB–this is important for later)
Once it was all over, I realized why they put so many pads down. WHOOOOSH. All the fluid comes out and I feel like my inner child has returned to wet the bed.
Get to Know Pixie the Polyp
When did she arrive? Well, that is such a great question that we cannot answer. Could be a month. Could be 2 months. Could be 6 months. All we know is that she wasn't there a year ago when I had all my tests done.
Where did she come from? Again, no way to know for sure, but it is likely she developed from the influx of hormones I've been taking during these IUI cycles. Uterine polyps are estrogen-sensitive, meaning they grow in response to circulating estrogen.
What exactly IS she? Uterine polyps are growths attached to the inner wall of the uterus that extend into the uterine cavity. They most commonly occur in in women who are going through or have completed menopause, but younger women can get them too.
What havoc has she caused? Here's the kicker. Because of Pixie the Polyp's placing, she can act as a contraceptive (something you definitely DON'T WANT WHEN TRYING TO GET PREGNANT!!!). And because we don't know when she developed, it's hard to say if she could have been the cause of all the failed IUIs.
Wait, what? The polyp is located on the lining of the womb, exactly where an embryo would implant. Which means it could have been there during all these cycles and caused the IUIs to fail. Again, this is not a definite thing but it is a possibility.
Could she be cancerous? That was my first question. I think we associate the word 'polyp' with cancer. I asked that right away and the doctor said it is very unlikely. She will be sent for a biopsy just to be sure though.
Pixie the Polyp has GOT TO GO!
I am having surgery to remove Pixie THIS FRIDAY morning. It is a simple surgery where they will go in through my vagina and cut her out. Surgery should take about 30 minutes. However, I WILL be completely sedated so it will take a bit longer for me to come out of anesthesia etc.
Even though it's a pretty simple surgery, I am still nervous. As a someone who suffers from anxiety on a daily basis, surgery is something I DO NOT WANT TO DO (I mean, who wants to??). But knowing that this could be the answer to our failures and our future, it needs to be done.
Here's Where You Come In
I need you. I need support, love, cheerleaders and prayers.
Specifically, prayers for:
Smooth surgery
Easy recovery
Non-cancerous polyp
And finally, that THIS could be the answer to our prayers. THIS could be the road block that has been causing the failures. THIS could mean that the next IUI sticks.
As always, thank you for your love and support. We share our story to help others who are experiencing similar situations. We also share because this is a dark chapter in our lives and we need our friends and family more than ever.