So I officially started the adoption process in January by selecting my agency and paying my deposit. The home study agency was hired in February, and I started the paperwork chase in March. I thought that nothing could be harder than stabbing myself in the belly three times a night, undergo surgical procedures, then wait... and wait... and wait... for the results while I was undergoing fertility treatments. I was wrong.
In March I met with the director of my home study agency and a couple of weeks later the social worker came to my house for my official "home visit." After answering tons of questions about my childhood, my family, my thoughts on discipline, and my plans for the future, I took the social worker on a tour of my home so that she could inspect it and make sure there was enough room for a child and that it was safe for a child to reside here. The whole process took about 90 minutes, but it was truly the longest 90 minutes of my life. Now, at the end of May, I still don't have my official home study documents in hand although I have been assured that I "passed with flying colors." Heck, I have even read the home study report, but there is something still disconcerting about not having it in hand, knowing that it's official. And so I wait... and wait... and wait...
Tonight my coordinator called to let me know that all my dossier paperwork had been received in the home office and had been reviewed and that everything looked good, except.... Yep - that little word indicates a problem. *sigh* I failed to have two of the documents apostilled as I apparently misunderstood what to do with them, so now she is FedExing them back to me, along with one of about a hundred addendum that they need which I apparently forgot to sign. I am normally pretty organized and this failure on my part is so frustrating, and will now cause further delays in getting everything sent off to Russia to really get this process rolling. So, you guessed it, I wait... and wait... and wait...
I keep trying to focus on the goal at the end of this process and am doing my best to keep my chin up. We'll see how long that lasts.
Lilypie Trying to Conceive Event tickers
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
1st post jitters!
So, here it is, my first official post on my brand-spankin' new blog - yay! And yes, I have NOTHING to say - imagine that! Me, who never seems to be at a loss for words, can't find a single thing to write about! Guess I'll start at the beginning - why the blog in the first place?
Over the last few years I have been truly faced with the realities of time. Several years ago I was diagnosed with endometriosis, and underwent two surgeries in a matter of six months in an effort to stop its spread. Unfortunately, this provided only some sort-term relief, and after subsequent years of medications, visits to the pain clinic which involved hard-core pain meds and three spinal block procedures, my ob-gyne informed me that if I ever wanted to have children I needed to do it... now. As luck would have it, my on-again, off-again long distance relationship had ended, for good this time, and I was in no mood to try for another relationship just yet. Sooooo... with the help of my parents and great medical insurance, I went through a year and a half of fertility treatments.
I always thought that if you wanted something badly enough you would get it, and that's the attitude I went into fertility treatments with. I'll spare you the gory details, but after one failed ICI and four failed IVF treatments I was monetarily and emotionally broke and had gained 45 pounds due to all the medications. If that weren't enough, the endometriosis had spread and I was in constant agony, so back to the doctor I went, and three weeks later I found myself in the hospital for a complete hysterectomy. Ahhh.... the joys of being female. I feel much better now (despite the fact that I have lost only about 10 of those 45 pounds - ugh!) but in some respects still feel as if I failed, as the whole idea behind the fertility treatments was to have a child.
After my grieving period, and yes - time spent feeling sorry for myself, I picked myself up and threw my energies into adoption. After countless webinars, interviews, and research I settled on adopting from Russia, which is thrilling and nerve-wracking at the same time. I started the process in January (officially) and just today my dossier paperwork was received by the agency. I could go on and on and on, but for the sake of time I'll end with this - more to come soon!
Oh, and did you notice that for someone who started out with nothing to say I've managed to babble on and on and on - welcome to me! :)
Over the last few years I have been truly faced with the realities of time. Several years ago I was diagnosed with endometriosis, and underwent two surgeries in a matter of six months in an effort to stop its spread. Unfortunately, this provided only some sort-term relief, and after subsequent years of medications, visits to the pain clinic which involved hard-core pain meds and three spinal block procedures, my ob-gyne informed me that if I ever wanted to have children I needed to do it... now. As luck would have it, my on-again, off-again long distance relationship had ended, for good this time, and I was in no mood to try for another relationship just yet. Sooooo... with the help of my parents and great medical insurance, I went through a year and a half of fertility treatments.
I always thought that if you wanted something badly enough you would get it, and that's the attitude I went into fertility treatments with. I'll spare you the gory details, but after one failed ICI and four failed IVF treatments I was monetarily and emotionally broke and had gained 45 pounds due to all the medications. If that weren't enough, the endometriosis had spread and I was in constant agony, so back to the doctor I went, and three weeks later I found myself in the hospital for a complete hysterectomy. Ahhh.... the joys of being female. I feel much better now (despite the fact that I have lost only about 10 of those 45 pounds - ugh!) but in some respects still feel as if I failed, as the whole idea behind the fertility treatments was to have a child.
After my grieving period, and yes - time spent feeling sorry for myself, I picked myself up and threw my energies into adoption. After countless webinars, interviews, and research I settled on adopting from Russia, which is thrilling and nerve-wracking at the same time. I started the process in January (officially) and just today my dossier paperwork was received by the agency. I could go on and on and on, but for the sake of time I'll end with this - more to come soon!
Oh, and did you notice that for someone who started out with nothing to say I've managed to babble on and on and on - welcome to me! :)
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