Oddly enough, another agency that called last week has now called me again to tell me that they also have a match for me. The other couple would allow for me to do my monitorig and retreival in my home state. When it rains, it pours ;). For those that keep up with my blogs, I have always said that I would do 3 or 4 donations and then I would most likely stop. For some reason that number 3 and number 4 has been elusive. Cancelations and couples just disappearing after a match agreement has been signed.

I may just take both of these matches and then retire. In my life, I have done things that I have been proud of. But donating for these couples has been the most fulfilling of all those things. And as I get older and find myself in a different state in my life, I realize that I too would like kids someday. These donations have showed me how much the IPs struggle, their worries, their risks, and their hopes that they place on someone else. It's alot of pressure for us, the donors. But I feel like we all take it in stride. We do the best we can to make sure we don't disappoint.

My biggest worry is that I don't respond well enough to the meds and the IPs don't get the shot they need. But I guess that is out of my hands. All I can do is follow the diet and the meds to a T. The agencies that I am working this this time are new to me (been registered with them but no matches), my previous two donations were through two other agencies. I have been taking vitamins and folic acid in preparation. I hope the donation(s) go 100% as planned and that I respond well!

Some interesting new developments this morning. One of the agencies contacted me and confirmed a match! They originally contacted me about a donation in a few months but I guess that couple must have changed their minds. So here we are with a new match :)! I don't know any of the specifics until later this week. Wish me and my IPs luck!

I was just reading a few blogs and came across an interesting comment from an IP saying that she noticed a discrepancy between two agencies' listings for the same donor. (***Not trying to call anyone out, just wanted to throw my opinion out there)I can see where an IP would be wary and wonder why the differences. They might feel like she has something to hide or whatever. Totally understandable. I would be cautious too. As someone that has been listed on a few different sites/agencies, I, too have noticed discrepancies on my profiles too. Unfortunately, I only become aware of them when the agencies are trying to tidy up house and contact me. Otherwise, I have no access to my online profile or whatever profile IPs see. In the past I have noticed differences in what I wrote on paper (I usually fax so I have the paper copies) and what they actually have. Anything from the compensation (I have seen a few list my compensation way higher for reasons unbeknownst to me), to my height, to my ACT score, GPA, my siblings age(s), and etc. Very odd. But people make mistakes. It happens. I am not saying that this particular donor wasn't trying to misrepresent herself, just that I have experienced the human error side of this myself so I find it totally possible that it was just a mistake. But it could also be an indicator of the organization of the agency or the morals of the donor. It could be so many things.

Sorry for the long ramble....just wanted to throw out the two cents. Oh, and to those that emailed me, sorry I haven't checked the emails lately. But I am back on that and if you have questions, please feel free to ask. Good luck to all!

I took a bit of time off from donating and blogging. Things in my own life have been chaotic (at best) and borderline depressing. But, what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. So on to the post!

Since the last failed donation, I have received 5 calls about 5 different couples. Unfortunately, nothing has been set in stone. Just alot of people asking if I am available and when my blackout dates are, if any. I am starting to think that I may not get to do another donation because after the canceled one, I signed match agreements for two separate donations, only to hear nothing back from those couples. It's been a really frustrating road, these last few months. I know IPs often times worry that EDs will back out on them mid-cycle. But from my own experiences, it seems more common for the IPs to back out. I understand, they have more on the line, but what happens the to ED?

In my case, I have been bouncing around, waiting for another match. I worry that the next couple will also cancel or drop off the face of the Earth. Makes it really hard for me to put myself out there --- when I feel like I am getting jerked around. I worry that the IPs will end up with another RE that jerks them around and misinforms them. I worry that the meds will be wrong the next time too. I worry that the ultrasound tech won't see all the follies and count the wrong ones. At the end of the day, I still want to help. Maybe that's why I am still out there, just waiting. I have also been visiting many of the message boards and looking up prenatal vitamins and folic acid to take before and during my donation to better the quality of the ovums for my IPs. From this ED's perspective, having couples back out and disappear into the thin air, (4 couples thus far in the journey), it just makes me tired, worried, and frustrated. But I continue on. When the right match comes along again...it will be right from the beginning. So I have to have faith.

On a completely different side note--I wonder if anyone is still reading this blog? I don't post as often on here when I am not currently in a cycle. I think I may have lost a few readers. Sorry dear readers. I hope to have something to post about soon.