Treatment Planning Appointment

The appointment where it felt like we were finally starting, only to have to sort out more tests and paperwork.

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Do you ever think to yourself that it’s pointless getting your hopes up? Only to do it again and get your expectations shattered once more?

Okay, that’s probably a bit dramatic but I’ve reached that stage of our infertility journey where the rational part of me is quickly evaporating from every aspect of my life. Sarcastic humour is still going strong though.

We finally made it to our treatment planning appointment. The nurse was lovely and talked through everything in detail. Once daily injections starting from day 2 of my cycle, then a 2nd injection added in from day 7 along with scans every other day until they are happy with the size of my follicles and bring me in for egg collection. All sounding very straightforward so far. If I’m being truthful I’m nervous about the injections, I work in healthcare and have injected hundreds of people but there’s something very different about the needle being used on me. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, or at least accept it, but it still doesn’t calm my nerves.

Then we reach the moment my hopes were shattered - or more realistically temporarily knocked back down the ladder a bit. The clinic need more test results from me before they will order the medication;

• Proof of MMR vaccination or rabies status

• Up-to-date cervical smear

• Negative chlamydia result within the past year

Rational me knows it’s a small glitch but I’m so fed up with the constant hurdles. Why they couldn’t tell me this weeks ago I don’t know. The MMR vaccine and smear were relatively straightforward, although the NHS app doesn’t put any identifiable information on your results page so I had to contact my GP surgery to ask for a printed copy, another few days of waiting. Having been with my husband for 11 years the last time I did a chlamydia test was when we were first referred to the NHS fertility clinic nearly 4 years ago - not acceptable, has to be within the last year.

That’s fine, I tell myself, the sexual health clinic send out swabs by post.

Another few days waiting for that to arrive.

Swab returned by post, clinic informs me it can take up to 10 working days to get your results. Fan-f**king-tastic.

Result takes 7 days to come back. I’ll take the tiny wins where I can.

Result is only a text message, no patient identifiable information on it. I give up.

In the end I was able to get screenshots from my online portal which the clinic thankfully accepted but I wish the NHS would change how results are displayed on their apps!!

Finally, the medication arrived 2 weeks after the treatment planning appointment and it suddenly feels very real now.

A wonderful friend made this for me after our second miscarriage. It hangs by our keys as a little reminder every day to remain hopeful.

L xx