Hubby and I are home from our jaunt to la grande ville. After a bit of a slow start (some confusion at reception that delayed us for about an hour), we got to see the urologist. He had read our case notes and examined hubby, before sitting down with us and giving us some good news.
I think.
I reserve the right to take that back, cause I simply refuse to believe that we EVER get good news. As we all know, I fall on the wrong side of the stats every time... so I am hyper cautious about anything that has even a semblance of optimism here. It just doesn't happen to me.
Anyway, the urologist said, "I am 99.9% + positive that we can aspirate good sperm without using MESA/TESA in your case." He could have knocked me over with a feather. Do what now?!? Yup. You read that right. He plans to use aspiration -- in a different location than our previous doc; not from the vas but rather the head of the testes -- closer to the source of production, to extract the sperm we need for IVF/ICSI. What this means is: (1) financial savings, (2) no surgery for hubby (pretty important in both our books if it can be avoided) and (3) Oh. My. God. We MIGHT get to use hubby's sperm and not need our last vial of donor sperm. No way. I'm shocked. I still disbelieve to some degree, but I'm shocked to think it might be a real option for us.
He reiterated that our case is complex, but he really doesn't feel that we will require MESA or TESA to find sperm that will be usable. He is sure that when the time comes, hubby will be good to go. He looked at me and said, "So we're good with him. Now to finish getting your case lined up." He asked if all our tests were done and I told him I still have one appointment to go.
He brought us out to our doctor's administrative assistant, and I got a peek at some of the results from last week's testing. Not all the results have arrived yet, but I can go to pick them up myself at the various places we had the tests done. I'll do that tomorrow to ensure I have copies. I'll need them for next week at the RE appointment on April 8. When I see that RE, either I'm done with my tests/follow-up and we move forward with some sort of calendar or I need to consult someone else. One day at a time, right?
Not a necessarily productive appointment today. But as hubby said as we wound our way out of Montréal, "That was just one necessary step to get us to the other steps."
One heckuva staircase we're climbing. God... I hope we get to the top.
Showing posts with label urology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label urology. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Urology Appointment
Yesterday hubby and I had an appointment at a local hospital with a renowned urologist. Long story short: I am glad I didn't have my hopes up for the "further surgery for hubby" route.
Because of the short vas that hubby seems to have, and the difficulty in performing the first vasovasotomy, there is no point in doing another, or attempting to reattach the vas to the epididymis itself. It would make his testicles rise higher in the groin and generally be very uncomfortable for him all the time. That isn't worth it.
We inquired about a semen analysis, using the semen we're able to obtain through the extractions with the syringe that we've been doing all along (to use for IUIs). He indicated that the sample would likely be far too small to work with and that our fertility specialist would better be able to speak to the quality and motility of the sperm given that he checks it through the microscope just after extraction.
All this to say, no surgery will help hubby at this point. There is nothing that a urologist could do. So... that option is ruled out.
We're coming down to the short list folks. On Friday (my stepdaughter's 12th birthday), we have a consultation booked with the fertility specialist. I expect to learn the results of my bloodwork, maybe to get another prescription for Clomid for next month, and... to discuss the donor option.
My emotions and my psyche are battered and bruised with all of this. If I weren't going on 37 years old, I'd take a break for a few months to just try to be "me" again, because I've kinda lost sight of that. But with my "advanced" age, time is of the essence. Time is something we just don't have much of anymore.
Because of the short vas that hubby seems to have, and the difficulty in performing the first vasovasotomy, there is no point in doing another, or attempting to reattach the vas to the epididymis itself. It would make his testicles rise higher in the groin and generally be very uncomfortable for him all the time. That isn't worth it.
We inquired about a semen analysis, using the semen we're able to obtain through the extractions with the syringe that we've been doing all along (to use for IUIs). He indicated that the sample would likely be far too small to work with and that our fertility specialist would better be able to speak to the quality and motility of the sperm given that he checks it through the microscope just after extraction.
All this to say, no surgery will help hubby at this point. There is nothing that a urologist could do. So... that option is ruled out.
We're coming down to the short list folks. On Friday (my stepdaughter's 12th birthday), we have a consultation booked with the fertility specialist. I expect to learn the results of my bloodwork, maybe to get another prescription for Clomid for next month, and... to discuss the donor option.
My emotions and my psyche are battered and bruised with all of this. If I weren't going on 37 years old, I'd take a break for a few months to just try to be "me" again, because I've kinda lost sight of that. But with my "advanced" age, time is of the essence. Time is something we just don't have much of anymore.
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