I called clinic # 2 today and was shot down. I need a Dr.'s referral.
I'm asking D to discuss this with our GP on Thursday when she goes in for some test results. I'm not going to bother calling clinic #3 because I know the same thing will happen. I feel like I'm being really picky.

With 2 clinics booked we're still thinking about the Sperm bank we are going to use. We had started out with CanAmCryo, Repromed and Xytex as our choices and now I'm definitely down to Repromed and Xytex but I think Xytex is winning. It's too early to seriously think about a donor so I've tried not to get too into the Xytex basic profiles for now.

One of my co-worker friends has a partner who used Repromed (with a previous partner). I asked her opinion and found out that the cost of the Repromed profiles may be more than I'm willing to pay. She said that 4 years ago they were charging $600/profile which included picture and medical history. Xytex is $150 for 3 months unlimited access per their website. A much better deal if you ask me.

I went to see my GP today and I have my instructions to go off of my current medication. All along I have been told that it would be fine to continue during pregnancy but I do not want to take any chances. I'm going off slowly over the next 9 weeks.

I requested referral to Fertility Clinic #2 but it appears that I was not referred correctly and I'm going to a clinic I had never heard of. Let's call this referral to clinic #4. I asked about Clinic #3 and my Dr. had never heard of them. I find this odd since my previous GP was going to refer me there.

Is it wrong for me to want to have multiple consultations to choose the clinic I want to use? This is expensive and life altering.

That said:
#1 - booked in March. This place is hands down the most convenient choice. It's across the street from my office building - could you ask for better than that? I could be inseminated over lunch. BUT... I've met 2 of the staff and they seemed like flakey morons and I'm not sure how "Same Sex positive" they are. Also, they are affiliated with a specific Sperm bank that I'm not yet sure I want to use.

#2 - I'll try and book my own appointment. This place is close to home but that won't help much on a workday. I've read good things about them and was looking forward to checking this place out.

#3 - Not sure if I'll call this one. I'll see how calling #2 goes. If they reject me due to no dr. referral, I may try here. From the website their offices look really nice compared to #2 and #1.

#4 - Booked date TBD, April? Glowing Dr. reference, apparently lesbian couples who have gone love this guy but it looks a lot more intimate than the others. Nice website.

I'm thinking we should start earlier but the project I'm currently working on is huge and stressful and the most stressful part of it will be in June/July. That's why I had decided to wait until August for try #1. We have our first appointment in March so we'll have time to cycle monitor (perhaps more than needed).

What if it does take 5 or 6 or more tries? Is it worth starting at a high stress time?
My June will probably be 12 hour+ days running my ass of. It may calm down by July but I'm not sure. We may be able to start in July. If I started earlier (May?) and became pregnant would the stress of June be bad for the baby?

I've also realized that it won't be possible for us to sleep together when I'm pregnant. Our condo is just so small and our bed is against a wall. Right now I climb over D to get out. I obviously will have a hard enough time without climbing so either she'll have to climb over me (which doesn't sound fun either) or I'm going to have to move into the nursery on a twin bed.

The good news is the nursery will not be set-up (other than painting) until close to the end of my pregnancy. Although we are the type to buy a bunch of stuff we're really going to restrain.

Apparently, there are studies saying that fathers under 29 have 6x less chance of fathering a child with Autism than men over the age of 40.

Repromed Ltd boasts an average donor age of 31.

Autism scares the hell out of me. My nephew is suspected to be autistic and my cousins son was diagnosed a few years ago.

Maybe we should go back to Xytex where I'll be inseminated with college kid sperm.

I need to look into this more.

I got my period today. Marked it down to track my cycles. I usually do not care to record it.

I am eating like Mad today. I've been so good up until now. I haven't had a drop of diet coke or caffeine. I've been eating food that is good for me.

Today - I had 3 chocolate bars and a latte. Hold me back.

I knew that I craved foods during my period in the past but with generally poor eating habits it's never been so obvious. Now that I know it was just my period talking, I should be able to get back on track soon.

I told my co-worker friend today about our plans to conceive while we ate lunch at Pizza Pizza.

She seemed really excited for us.

The thing is, I've never really told her about "us" but she knew anyway.

Last night while out to dinner for D's bday we told our friends that we were starting the process. We've spoken about it for years and they have always asked questions and we've always kept them up to date.

Well, I guess they thought we were just talking.

They reacted poorly. They said we should get a dog instead. I don't know why they were so shocked.

Oh well.

A consultation has been booked at Clinic #1
Their website said I needed a referral but they didn't request that on the phone.

Our Doctor wants to do the insemination and although that seems too easy I need to find out what is best. This is going to be expensive and what if during a cycle she is on vacation, booked or not working that day? I'd rather be at a clinic where conception is their #1 business and goal so they are there when I need them and I do not miss an opportunity because I'm on their schedule.

Choices

This is a lot to think about.

I've joined the DSR (Donor Sibling Registry) . www.donorsiblingregistry.com I had never thought of half-sibs before. It's weired and scary. Could our child have 45 siblings? It seems that with the American banks that's possible.

Before reading the DSR message boards my opinion of our options was based on the services provided by the different Canadian Providers.

Can-Am Cryo has a lot of free info (including voice clips) which makes me feel more attached to their donors.

Xytex has a sample profile up that shows child and adult photos of the donor.

Both use American Sperm. Both have excellent profiles, pictures and the option for identity release (at the age of 18).

Repromed Ltd. the only Canadian Sperm bank does not offer Pictures of the donor (you get a collage with pieces of the face) and identity release is not an option in Canada.

Which would you choose?

But then... After reading the DSR I've seen and read things that makes me very uncomfortable with the US banks.

First, the number of possible siblings. How regulated is the use of Donor sperm? If only 30% of pregnancies are reported, and there are already 45 half-sibs on the registry, how many babies are there out there?

Articles about Genetic disorders being known (Fairfax) and donors not being pulled is terrifying. Can-Am Cryo uses sperm from this bank.

The idea of Sperm banks paying college students $75 a sample and college students using this as an income. Are they telling the truth on their profiles? Do they understand the implication of mass procreation with Donor Identity Release? Do I want my child to know that their Donor sperm came from a college kid who did it only for the money?

But then again, why would anyone do it? Except for the Money? In Canada the donors do not get paid. Ugh.

So after all of this research, Repromed Ltd in Toronto has come out on top. No, I will not have a picture to show my child and I will not hear a voice recording..... it's not a closed deal. I'm still considering Xytex but Fairfax is OUT. I will not use their services.

Happy New Year!

2007 is our year to make a baby.