Wow, It's Been a While

I just realized it's been a couple weeks since I updated.  A couple things have happened since my last post.

First, my IPs found a new egg donor they like, who is availble for a November donation.  They are getting her screening appointment set up, and hopefully she will be cleared soon.

Next, I STILL haven't seen a rough draft of my contract.  My IPs cleared it to be sent to my attorney a week and a half ago, and my attorney still hasn't received it.  I will keep my comments on the other attorney's timeliness to myself.

Finally, I am still having problems getting clearance due to my thyroid issue.  My second blood draw came back with a TSH level even higher than my previous one - 9.0.  My T3 and T4 levels were within range, and everything else looked fine as well.  The doctor decided that he would go ahead and put me on a low dose of thyroid medication.  When I asked about a clearance letter, he passed me off like a hot potato to an endocrinologist (a doctor who specializes in thyroid disease, among other things).

So I had to make yet another appointment with yet another doctor.  I had that appointment yesterday.  Luckily, I like this doctor much better than the primary care physician.  Also, she seemed to know what she was talking about.  She had a specific protocol for pregnant women and everything.  Since we have some time before transfer, she decided to keep me on the low dose I'm on and get it checked in 4 weeks.  She says she likes her pregnant women to have a TSH level under 2.5, so she thinks she will probably end up doubling my dose after my first results come back.

Since I have a family history of thyroid disease, she also wants to test me for TPO antibodies.  If I test positive for that, it means I have an autoimmune disease and have a slightly elevated risk of miscarriage.  Unfortunately, there is no way to treat it, so she basically just wants it for knowledge purposes.  After talking to my mother (who also has hypothyroidism), my husband (who is a medical professional), and my agency, I am considering opting out of this test for several reasons.  First, there is nothing they can do to treat it, so all it will accomplish is that I will be more anxious about any future pregnancies, whether surrogate or my own.  Second, neither my mother nor I have any history of miscarriage, and I have absolutely no hypothyroidism symptoms.  Third, the clinic does not require this test, they only want my thyroid levels to be within a reasonable range.  Fourth, once I am diagnosed with any disease, including autoimmune, it will be in my file forever, and could possibly cause me problems with doctors, insurance companies, etc. down the road.

I have decided that I will leave whether to get the test in my IPs' hands.  They have already been through the ringer when it comes to miscarriages, suffering several of their own before turning to surrogacy.  If they would choose to drop me if I tested positive, I would respect their choice.  I would hate for any of us to have regrets or guilt if they were to invest their hopes and money in my body only for it to fail them.  If they opt to not have me take the test, I am going to approach my doctor about whether I absolutely need it in order to get clearance from her.