This is the second article bya series that follows the daily life of Amélie and Mathilde in their PMA project. It’s a journey that can be long, with moments of pause: the regularity of this logbook follows that of their evolution in real life!
To find the start of their logbook (January – July 2022), it’s here.
August 2022, an account that brings joy
August 1st. That’s all ! We have received the invoice confirming the order of a seed straw. In total, it costs us €975 : €600 for the glitter and €375 for the conservation. We have never been so pleased to receive such a large bill!
Still a small apartment: the €375 of conservation corresponds to 3 years of conservation and we cannot choose to pay only for one year.
A few days later, the invoice is paid and the straw ordered! But the whole process still seems far away: let’s not think too much about it.
September 2022, glitter has arrived
September 22nd. Today is a great day! Two important novelties in our journey.
To start, we had an appointment with our attending physician. We were stressed that he wouldn’t (or couldn’t) prescribe us the medications and blood tests we needed to get through the process. In the end everything went well: we left with a prescription for medicine (including hormones that stimulate and block ovulation, to prepare the follicles for puncture) and blood tests to monitor Mathilde’s cycle.
The only hitch: we need a drug that in France is not exactly the same as in Belgium, where we are followed up for PMA. It will then be necessary to check that everything is in order!
Second news, the sperm straw we ordered has arrived in Belgium! It took a month and a half to receive it. This is great news, because it means that from now on ovarian stimulation can start whenever you want. We are very happy with these events and can’t wait to start the treatments!
All you have to do is look at our diaries to find out which cycle we will start with. It will probably be in November. Mathilde is taking over a farm and because hormone treatments can be hard on the body, she wants to be available and not have too much physical work during the stimulation. Well: between November and February you work much less, if at all.
October 2022: outgoing and returning prescriptions
Armed with French prescriptions provided by our doctor, we go to the pharmacy. There, the pharmacist informs us who cannot give us medicinebecause these can only be prescribed by gynecologists… Back to square one!
At the moment, we feel a mixture of disappointment and annoyance. It seemed strange to us that our doctor did not know that she had no right to prescribe this type of medicine.
November 2022: tutorials and injections on YouTube
It takes a few weeks to go back to our OB/GYN to get these prescriptions, then back to the pharmacy again.
We order drugs because they don’t have them in stock. Two days later, we learn that one of them it is out of domestic stock. We then had to get back in contact with the Belgian clinic, which gave us the name of an equivalent drug.
The cycle starts again: we call our gynecologist to get the right prescriptions, and we leave the pharmacy a few days later with everything we need. It’s such a relief!
In practice, however, we have some doubts. Mathilde’s medicines must be taken by injection and when she asked the pharmacist for information on how to proceed, the latter gave her a vague and imprecise answer. In the evening, we have Had to watch the tutorial videos on YouTube know how to mix powder and solvent, dose, then inject with a syringe.
November 27th. A few days before the start of treatment, which corresponds to the first day of menstruation, we realize that two analyzes (which must be carried out on day 2 and day 9 of the cycle) will fall on a Sunday. Except for every exam, we have to send the results to the Belgian clinic before 1pm.
Monday 28 November. It’s stress. We call laboratories, hospitals and clinics around us, all closed on Sundays… There are five days left before the start of treatment, and there is a bit of panic: will this force us to postpone everything? Let’s hope Mathilde’s period comes a day or two late.
Stressed out, we call the Belgian clinic during the day to find out how to proceed. We were told very calmly and kindly that it doesn’t matter: we can do blood tests and ultrasounds the day before or the day after the scheduled day. They know that medical services are closed on Sundays and they are used to doing it with foreign couples!
It is Mathilde who will undergo treatment, and she is not very happy with the idea of having to inject yourself. This will be the challenge of the month of December! Amélie tries to find solutions and information, to reassure her… Fortunately, these sometimes stressful moments don’t create tension between us.
We are reassured and look forward to the start of the next cycle!
In each article, Mathilde and Amélie share the resources that have been most helpful to them on their journey over the past few months.
- the podcast How mothers like IVF about the journey of a Belgian couple who are undertaking a PMA journey
- the podcast Free from desire about asexuality
- the podcast The children are fine especially the last episode.
And, like last month, the association Les enfants d’arc-en-ciel and the Instagram account Ask your mothers.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
