Next Steps

It's been 5 days since we got the devastating news that Mr. Worry Bud's S/A yielded less than desirable results. Since then, I have taken a step back and really took time out to think about what we will have to face. I'm not gonna lie - I'm scared...terrified, but I'm trying to be strong & optimistic. A true God send in this whole ordeal has been Dandelion Bud - she is going through the same thing I am right now (just a little further along), so she has really helped me get through all of this. During our phone conversation today, she helped me develop a plan of action for the next few weeks before our follow up consultation with the RE on December 18th.

First, Mr. WB needs to get a copy of his medical records from his surgery. He has never been exactly sure of WHAT he got the surgery for. He thinks, based on the symptoms described for testicular torsion, that it is what he experienced & had surgery for. He was a senior in high school, I think 18 years old at the time, but he didn't ask too many questions - just went ahead with the surgery the doctor his mom took him to said was necessary to relieve the excruciating pain. He's originally from about 4 hours away, so I have tasked him with sending the necessary request tomorrow so that we can get a copy of his medical records ASAP.

Second, we need to have Mr. WB see a urologist. I plan on looking for one that accepts our insurance tonight & I want him to call & make an appt. for this week if possible. I would LOVE to have the results prior to our RE appt. on December 18th, so that we know exactly what's going on & we can formulate a plan once we sit down with the RE. In speaking with Dandelion Bud, she asked how long we had abstained prior to him giving his sample & I told her about 2 weeks. She (& Obessive Bud too) told me that the time we had abstained prior to him giving the sample was too long & probably skewed the results & that we should definitely do a repeat S/A to confirm or rebut the original findings. She said she is surprised that the RE's office didn't question that before even accepting Mr. WB's sample. How amazing would it be if the fact that we abstained from sex for too long caused the less than stellar S/A results? This is a possibility, but I'm not getting my hopes too high.

Third, we both have to get some routine b/w done that is a part of the IF work up & that we haven't gotten done yet. The RE also sent additional lab slips for Mr. WB to get his hormone levels tested to ensure that his hormones aren't causing the S/A results & that the problem can't be simply corrected with drug hormone therapy.

Fourth, it is insurance open season right now for my job (ends Dec. 14th) & I am fortunate enough to have several plans to choose from. However, I did a quick review of all of them & saw that of the plans that covered IVF require a 2 year period of IF before they will pay for it (& a 1 year period of IF before they will pay for ANYTHING else related to IF testing & Dx). Dandelion Bud said that her insurance had a similar requirement, but that those policies normally apply to female infertility & that when she had her insurance scare, the fact that they were dealing with MFI made a difference & factored in to her insurance ultimately approving their IVF cycle. So, what I am going to do is go back and look at all the insurance companies that even partially covered IVF & call their customer service & find out if the 2 year waiting period applies to MFI as well. Cross your fingers that we can find an insurance that will cover this, b/c if not we are looking at $10K + for just ONE IVF cycle & that's not including the meds!

And finally, I checked out a really great book at the library the same day Dr. G called me with our our S/A results. It is written by Elizabeth Swire Falker, who suffered through infertility for over 7 years before adopting. It has a lot of good information for women & couples having to face the horrible reality of IF. I have a bunch of other books I want to read about IF after I finish this one as well.

Photo Credit

So, that's the plan - I am hoping for good news from Mr. WB's repeat S/A, but am trying to also remain realistic that most likely the results will be the same/similar & we will be in the same boat after S/A #2 that we are in now. I want to thank everyone soooo much for all the kind words you have sent our way - they mean so much to us both. Please continue to keep us in your T&P as we figure all of this out.