Legal contract is finished

Well, it needs to be signed by all parties, but everything has been settled. A letter of completion is supposed to be sent to the fertility doctor. After they receive the letter, I can schedule my medical consultation/clearing. The appointment needs to be scheduled 6-12 days after the start of my cycle so the sonogram can be performed to check the condition of my uterus. My last period started Oct.30, so my next should be arriving in the next week. Hopefully, the appt. can be scheduled for this coming month, rather than waiting a whole other month. I am supposed to call the fertility doctor back at the end of the week.

Legal contract phase

The legal contracts are going back and forth with questions and minor changes. It can be a little stressful at times, making sure everyone is protected and feels secure with moving forward. We all are taking medical, emotional, and financial risks. I understand the need for all the legal issues to be hammered out. However, I am looking forward to it being finalized and getting on to the pregnancy and passing on a much desired baby to a loving family. During the legal phase, we are advised to forward all questions to the attorney, not the intended parents, or anyone else. I understand this, but have not liked not being able to talk to the parents. I look forward to being done with this phase and sharing a pregnancy with the parents. Hopefully, this part will be completed soon.

Update

Just a quick note to say that things are progressing quite well on the surrogacy route. Last month, I talked to the fertility doctor who filled me in on the methods, medications, and procedures that I will have to go through. I will have to have a sonogram to check that my uterus is still in good condition. If I am medically cleared, then I will start oral hormones, then add Lupron injections, and vaginal suppository hormones. If everything goes well, there will be 2 embryos transferred to me via IVF.

Before the fertility doctor will start, all the legal contracts have to be completed. The contract between the agency and myself has been completed and signed. The direct agreement between the intended parents and myself is being revised and reviewed right now and soon shall be done.

I am learning all kinds of new things throughout this process. I love new experiences and sharing it with others. The attorney has advised me to NOT share certain things, so feel free to ask any questions, but please be understanding if I can't disclose certain information.

I am looking forward to moving on to the medical aspects of this journey. It will be very exciting.
It is interesting how much more serious I am feeling about it all the closer it gets to a REAL pregnancy. Initially, I felt that it would be a nice thing to do for others and thought it would be "cool" to go through the experience. After discussing it in depth with attorneys and doctors, I fully understand the risks I am taking. I understand the DEPTH of this experience. If things go as planned, it will go smoothly and I will have a wonderful pregnancy/delivery and hand over someones beautiful baby/ies. This is what everyone wants and will hope for.

There ARE risks that everyone involved is taking though. The intended parents have to trust that I will do the best job I can carrying their baby/ies and hand over healthy babies. The intended parents are taking huge financial risks along the way. I am taking medical risks that can not only affect my body, but my life and family's lives. I feel the depth/seriousness of these issues now.

I hope to write another update soon!

Psychological results in!

The psychologist sent us all her report. Everything is fine and we can move forward. The agency forwarded the report to the fertility doctor. I scheduled a phone consultation with the fertility doctor for later this month. After this phone consultation, we can schedule an in-person medical screening. I will need to travel to Chicago suburbs to complete the medical screening.

I have been updating the intended mother (IM) directly through e-mail. We have had small personal exchanges which have been nice. I also gave her this blog url so she can view my progress/feelings through this adventure.

I need to contact the agency representative to inquire when I need establish contact again with the attorney. I wish there was not so much time between appointments, but am very glad things keep moving forward. I am excited and anxious to get to the more exciting/interesting parts of this process. I can only imagine the feeling that the intended parents (IP) feel as they approach getting closer to their baby growing.

I will keep you updated!

MMPI

Brian and I attended our psychological evaluation yesterday. We had a consultation with the psychologist, then took the MMPI - a personality test that had over 300 questions.
The doctor was pleasant enough. We had a discussion that hopefully left her satisfied that we were not totally crazy.

During the testing, Brian and I were placed in separate rooms. I laughed out loud at some of the questions - especially the paranoia ones. After we left the appointment, Brian and I discussed our answers. OMG! They are going to think that Brian is egotistical, cheating, has no respect for authority, unhappily married and I am a lier!!!!

Some of the questions we discussed:
I always tell the truth. I marked T (true). Well, I sometimes don't tell the WHOLE truth. Sometimes, I am more tactful, I avoid saying the truth, or avoid the question. I like to be truthful, but sometimes being kind outweighs the depth of the truth that exists. Sometimes, I want to spare someones feelings, so I lessen the blow. Brian says this would be lying. hmmm... difference of semantics, I suppose.

1 or both partners in a marriage are unhappy. Brian marked T
Most men cheat on their wives. Brian marked T
Everything would be better if we got rid of most laws. Brian marked T
I have had to take orders from someone who knew less than me. Brian marked T
I am about as capable as others around me. Brian put F, because he feels he is more capable!

Geesh - can we say EGOTISTICAL? Brian IS a smart, capable guy, don't think highly of most people, and is very libertarian minded. When asked about the marriage and cheating, he responded that it is a statistical fact that majority of marriages end in divorce, hence being unhappy. He doesn't think high of most men. The question was in regards to most men/most people, NOT him. OK.

I am interested in gender differences for the MMPI. I am sure his responses are more in the norm for males than females, but still! I keep telling him that he going to be pulled back in for counseling before we can move forward! I sent the remainder of the day fretting and stewing over the answers. geesh!

The psychologist will call us back in if there needs to be further discussion. We will hear how we did soon, I suppose.

Hopefully, we can start moving forward on the legal contract and medical consultation soon. I am looking forward to moving on to the more exciting parts of this process!

Fertility Clinic

Just a quick note to say I have a phone call into the fertility clinic of the intended parents to have a phone consultation with the fertility doctor. I will post an update after I have the conversation. Most likely, there will be discussion of medical procedures involved in the surrogacy process. They probably want to make sure I am fully informed of what I am getting involved in.

I am scheduled for my psychological evaluation this Friday. After I am cleared/considered stable enough to be a surrogate, the intended parents and I can get started on the legal contracts and I will schedule a medical screening/consultation with the fertility doctor. I know how anxious I am to get things moving.....I can only imagine what anxiety the intended parents have...trusting in the surrogacy process and waiting for their babies......

Immunization received

I saw my primary physician today and received my MMR vaccine. Ouch - it hurt! Babies are tough lil' suckers for having to get all those shots! My doctor looked at the labs from when it stated that I no longer had immunity. I still had some immunity left, but not in the desired range. Mine was either 8.75 or 8.93 and it needed to be above 9.99. I will have to get the medical records showing I received the shot sent to the agency. Now, I just need to wait for the psych eval.