Tradition

It is almost upon us... National Blog Posting Month!

"It takes longer."

"It costs more to have someone born than to have someone killed!" Tina Fey in Baby Mama

From what I have learned in talking with the infertility nurses and reading stories from different folks there are few people who have a copay or don't have to pay anything out of pocket for infertility treatments. The majority of couples have to pay 50% or 100% of the cost for their infertility treatments.

50% at Kaiser is as follows...

Preliminary lab tests $134.00

Initial visit w/ infertility doctor $140.50

Nurse visit w/sonogram (multiple times a month) $130.00

Follow up visit w/ IUI (once a month) $204.50

Follow up visit w/infertility doctor $95.50
Nurse visit $40.00
Hysterosalpingogram w/inj $351.50
hCG prescription (per month) $ 24.02
Clomid prescription (per month) $14.67

This takes you through first visits, 3 months of treatment on Clomid, and a look inside to make sure nothing is blocked. If one was to move on to the next step it would get insanely more expensive. The injectible drugs which would be used cost between $300-600 a month, and that is just one of the medications and assumes you can get by on the lowest dosage!

I am just sharing because it blows my mind how much those who cannot conceive and want to so badly pay for even a small chance at it.

Celebrating 10 Years of US

The third week in October means Idyllwild time. Every year we visit Idyllwild to camp, stay with friends or take a day-cation to celebrate the beginning of US since 1999.

Here is the NEW updated version

(specifically the engagement and photos):

The Story of US

In the beginning... July 1999

Paul and I were introduced through Moe. Moe and I went to Disneyland which is where Paul was working at the time. Paul was a tram operator, so Moe and I ended up riding around on the back of the tram a few times while they talked. I said some sarcastic comment about sitting well back into your seat and he shot one back at me. (ahh love)

October 1999
It was early October and the show Roswell was on for the first time, Angela and I were hanging out in the dorm. I was on bubbs and noticed that Paul was online, I mentioned this to Ang. She said invite him to chat and I replied why would I do that, I don't really know him. After a few minutes I did end up beginning a chat with Paul. I told Ang I felt like playing basketball and for anyone who knows Ang knows she couldn't play a sport to save her life so she suggested I ask Paul if he wanted to come down and play. He for some unknown reason said yes. So I got my basketball and Ang and I headed over to the court, Paul met us there. About 5 minutes after Paul got there Ang got a call from an old BF and decided to talk to him so we were left alone, we shot hoops for a couple hours. Paul then drove Ang and I over to Denny's where we met up with a group from Biola and Moe tried to introduce me to Paul again, I mentioned that he was the one that dropped Ang and I off and a look of surprise and then approval spread across Moe's face. Paul had to leave pretty quick because he had Spanish early the next morning (like he ever went to Spanish class).

Well that was Oct. 7th. The next Monday Paul and I decided to go to a church service where we were packed in like sardines and after about 15min. Paul fell asleep. I kept nudging him the whole time. I found out afterwards that if he was in an uncomfortable position or it was to hot that he falls asleep.

Paul and I in our many conversations talked about movies that were coming out soon and for some reason we both wanted to see The Story of Us. So that Friday Paul picked me up from work (Chuck E. Cheese) and we went to AMC in Fullerton. Paul's roommate Daryl and some of their other friends met us there. By the end of the movie we were holding hands. We will forever "discuss" who held whose hand. All I know is that some how when the couple on screen was reconciling our hands found each other. When we stood up we stopped holding hands, Daryl looked at us funny like Paul had forgot to tell him we were dating or something, even though we weren't.

The following week was Torrey which means about half of Biola uses the time off from regular classes to take a mini vacation. Moe, Nick, Paul and I decided to go camping next door to the camp where Paul worked at for a couple summers. Paul and I took a walk, he wanted to show me Camp Maranatha and town. We went back into some small shops where there was a wooden porch swing and sat down. We just talked about nothing and everything for quite sometime. Then Paul tried his best to ask me out, but it came out something like this... we should stop doing what we are doing (holding hands) if we aren't gunna be together... you know. I agreed, so we officially started dating October 21, 1999.

October 2000
A year later Moe, Nick, Paul and I decided to head back up to Idyllwild. In order to have some "girl time" and because Nick had to work a night volleyball game Moe and I drove up a day early. The evening the boys were coming up Moe decided we should go surprise them, watch the game and then we could all drive back up together.

Boy did we surprise them alright. I saw Paul walking around, I snuck up behind him and hugged tightly. I could feel his entire body stiffen. He swung around and the chin dropped. Immediately Paul said he need to go use the restroom. I turned to Moe and said that was weird. We dismissed it as he was just surprised to see us. The three of us watched the games and waited for Nick to complete the press release, it was finally time to head back up the mountain. It was really late by the time we got back to Idyllwild. Quickly the 4 of us started a fire and sat around talking.

Paul and I decided to go for a walk again as we had the year before. Slowly Paul and I made our way through town and back to the very spot where we started our relationship, the bench. Once again we sat down and talked about the past year. Paul began to tell me how much he loved me, and suddenly stood from the bench, knelt down while pulling a box out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. Before the boy could even open the box I said YES, while trying to move to hug him and nearly fell off the bench. Paul slid the ring on my finger and we kissed.

On our way back to camp we decided to play it cool, pretend nothing happened. Moe and Nick kept looking at us like uh, you two going to spill it or what. You see Moe and Nick knew of Paul's little proposal. After a few minutes we did confirm that yes indeed the twos of us were engaged.

October 21, 2000We go back and visit "OUR" bench every year.

October 2001October 2002

October 2003 October 2005
October 2006October 2007

Still an Infertile Myrtle

It has been a long 7 months since we have updated on here about what is going on with our infertility process. We are not going to go into graphic explanations and specifics of everything, if you want to know that stuff you can google the names of the medical procedures.

After meeting with the infertility specialist in March we were told that they could find no medical reason for why we cannot get pregnant.

There are certain things the doctors will try in order to give a better chance of conceiving even when they cannot pin point what the problem is. So at the beginning of Cyndi's cycle in April she went into meet with the infertility nurses. The nurse did a Transvaginal Echography Ultrasound to check for abnormalities which would mean we were not a candidate to move forward at this point. Cyndi was cleared and we were started on the first of 3 Clomid cycles. Multiple times Cyndi had to go back in for the ultrasound to see if the medication was working, during each month and it was. For 3 months we used Clomid and insemination. Unfortunately we never got the news we wanted to hear.

Most medical companies have strict policies about how long they will have you on Clomid. Kaiser will only do it for 3 months, then you have to go back and meet with the Dr. to talk about what the next steps are and what additional tests need to be run. We had that Dr. appointment in August and we were told that Cyndi would have to go in and have a Sono-hystergram.

In September it was finally time for Cyndi to go in and have the Hystergram, which according to Cyndi was very unpleasant. This procedure let us know that there were no issues internally. So to sum it up, the Drs. still do not have any reason we shouldn't be able to conceive.

Next up is a meeting with the Infertility Nurses to discuss what happens now.

Please remember to respect that we do not want to go into more detail than what has been put on the blog. We praise God for strength as we have been moving through this process. Paul and Cyndi are grateful for all the test results that have come back with absolutely nothing wrong with either of us but it is also frustrating that there is not a "problem" we can fix. Our marriage is strong, and we continue to lean on each other because no matter what happens we are lucky to have one another for always.

We would love your prayers as this is emotionally, physically and financially draining for us, and especially the financial aspect as Cyndi is a trooper and can get through the physical pain and emotionally we have each other, our friends, family and God to turn to.

Thank you for all the support, hugs, prayers and love you have given to us through this process.

Raisin' a Bobberballer

Just shy of our first offical Bobberball Tournament, our little man decided to pick up the sport. He doesnt quite have the rules down but he is learning.

Celebrate

Paul and I had the fantastic opportunity to celebrate Adrienne's 4th birthday with the fam at Disneyland.

We met up as the Collins' family was finishing up driving lessons

The 6 of us then headed over to small world and toon town. We rode some delightful white steeds. Made ourselves dizzy at a Tea Party.
Visited with Jack.

Such a wonderful family!

Happy Birthday Kiddo!