Its been too long between posts !!

Hello blog world, I haven't left :)
Its been a busy few months. Some lows and then a very big high..So where to start ?
Well we have had a couple transfers without success, but that is the way with these procedures that we have become a part of. But lets go back a little further....

We were successful in effecting eight fertilised eggs. The first two transfers only gained us a betaHcg test result of 2 (both times only a 2).  Our first surrogate was allowed to rest again before her next transfer and during this time we had the opportunity to work with another wonderful lady who would act as a second surrogate during this resting period. After these two negative tests I was starting to feel a little (well maybe a lot) disheartened. I just pictured this happening in a fluid motion. Eggs, fertilised, transferred, 9 super-quick months, then a baby !

We had decided under the expert guidance of the SI doctors to try for blastocysts for the third transfer. Two fertilised eggs were allowed to develop in culture for a few extra days, while one fertilised egg was transferred to our original surrogate. After a couple days of waiting for news on our blasto's we received the unfortunate news that the fertilised eggs didn't develop to blastocyst stage. So, with only one egg transferred we decided that we needed to wait for another unsuccessful betaHcg test result then prepare for our last opportunity to do a transfer.

Then came the unbelievable high we had been waiting for.
On the 24th of September, while I was on my train home, an email came through. I tucked myself away in the corner of a seat and read, then re-read. Called Cam and got him to check and re-check. I have to admit, that train driver went slower than any before him, it wasn't me I am sure :)
We were pregnant. One transferred egg and we were pregnant. My boss even said to me 'One will be the magical number maybe' and she was right.
The test results came in thick and fast then..787 became 2395. Then that became 5877.

We were on our way to becoming a family. Dads, daddies, pop, poppy Mark ? Time to price nappies and formula. Organise cribs and the spare room. Not wanting to get ahead of our journey, but, here we go.

Lilavati

So after a weekend off, some retail therapy and getting out and about, we start the next stage and head over to Bandra Reclamation and to Lilavati Hospital.
Second floor, doors on the left. Second floor, doors on the left. It feels a little cloak and dagger at first. Head down..second floor, doors on the left. Just keep saying it. Didn't want to go right, or mess up !!
And after all that, it was an easy find.. right next to the cafeteria. As soon as we entered the room, it was obvious that we were in the right spot.
I am not sure what we were expecting, well what I was expecting, but Lilavati Hospital seemed very modern. As you would expect a hospital to be. It even smelt like a hospital would smell. Great facilities. And even though we weren't there for long enough to use the cafeteria, from my quick glance, I could and would highly recommend it for a bite to eat.

Thanks to Jaya and SI we were ushered into the process extremely quickly. It was a bit of a blur really, but welcomed. No sooner had we sat down, then it seemed we were ready to head back to the hotel. Back out into the heat of Mumbai, although I felt like I was getting used to it and back to the hotel. We spent the afternoon back at Holiday Inn.  Emails, calls back home and the like seemed to take up the rest of the afternoon.
Another tick in the list of things to be done. Everything seemed to be happening pretty smoothly to date. Fingers crossed !

Just a little side note, the best piece of advice I could give anyone is to have ALL the paperwork with you and double check before you go that everything is in order. It just makes things flow smoothly. Have copies of things. Have passport numbers, dates and all the little things on hand, it will make the process so much easier.

The beat of a different drum...

So we have some days off before our next round of visits to hospitals and clinics and we decide to make our way to South Mumbai and the Gateway of India. Maybe some usual tourist spots but with such a short visit this time, it seems to be the best place to go. Some shopping, and be prepared to bargain. Everyone we met told us this. And it seems to ring true. 'Set price'.. just doesn't ring true. It takes a little getting used to, but soon you find your rhythm. Just must remember not to try it when I get home.

Lunch at Leopold’s (which I can highly recommend). Indian fare, Butter chicken and Chicken Tika with naan it’s all here for the taking, and I have discovered the refreshing qualities of Kingfisher beer.

There are the usual hawkers, ‘Come to our boat to Elephant Island’, ‘This is best pashmina you will find,Sir’...it could all get a little overwhelming, until you realise that it is merely the chorus of the soundtrack that is India.

There are such a number of vendors, all clamouring fort the almighty rupee. It is the same the world round, just ten, no twenty fold in this overcrowded yet well visited destination.

There is a real heartbeat to this city. It takes  little while to hear it, but it is there.  A sometimes, in your face, thumping of a heartbeat, but none-the-less a life blood and rhythm that keeps things rolling along.

The noise of car horns suddenly becomes almost poetic.And it would almost be wrong not to have, what we would consider unnecessary honking, car horns bleating. Cars that seem to be following each other in such a random way... then suddenly, veering off into a side street that almost seems to have appeared from nowhere.  It all seems to work. The squeezing of cars. There seems to be spaces that open up where there wasn't a space before.

Righto, two days off, now bring on the next stage !

Day 1 in Mumbai...

After a wee sleep in, we made our way over to the Si clinic. Vikas has become our best friend. Weaving and ducking through the traffic, I think I left my lunch back there, round a corner than to a halt. we are there !
Upstairs, water and a little wait. Dr Yash and Dr Sudhir are introduced And then it feels real, really real. Where did all the questions go that we had thought of. Papers, photos, signing, passing back and forth and *phew* we had bought everything. Although with the checking and double checking I would have been most upset if something was left behind.
So the next appointment has been organised for Sunday at Lilavati, an hour or so spent with the Dr's has allayed any fears-so far-that we might have had about the sincerity of the organisation. The feeling of family is what I noticed the most. They really care about what is happening, going to happen and can happen. There is more to deal with, but a good..no, a great start.

Standing outside the Galleria

 Back into the throng that is Mumbai and we bundle ourselves into the back of Vikas's car and off again. Thankfully we found (well Vikas did) the Galleria shopping center and we pop in for supplies. It starts to become apparent that somethings in India are remarkably cheaper than back home.
The volume of people and traffic can be a little overwhelming. Short, sharp little trips seem to be our fill of the outdoors for now. It's always a relief to get back to the safety of the hotel. Even with the car check and bag screening to get back in.
For this trip, the Holiday Inn has been great. Seems to be central to most things we need, although we haven't been up to Lilavati Hospital yet. restaurant is great, breakfast has been epic (well for me anyway-I do love my breakfasts) Clean and safe, what more could you ask for.

Looking into the room through the clear bathroom wall. A screen comes down for privacy.

Leaving..on a jet plane....

So the day has  come and we made our way to the airport..admitedly, there were some nerves while waiting to board. Will our SM like us? Will we find our way through the myriad of paperwork that has been all encompassing in the last few months? Have we filled everything out...with the right spelling...a little sad maybe, but just what’s been on our mind (well  mine maybe, i can’t vouch for cam-although i usually do-ha)

So we finally get to Sydney, then onboard to seats on the a380, huge i must admit. And we settle in to a flight to Singapore before changing again to finally arrive in Mumbai. I keep thinking what will our child look like? Of course it seems a little premature to be thinking these thoughts.or is it really? Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Although, thoughts of prams and cribs and travelling back with a newborn in tow is a little exciting to say the least. I am not sure if Cam feels the same way. He may hijack this blog at some stage and have his say too, but for now its the ramblings of well...me...Mark...dad..pa..what will i be called.

Made it to Mumbai at 2.30am on Friday morning (Mumbai time). settled into our room, and crashed. Locals are very accomodating and have, so far, made us feel completely welcome. Will get some pics up, still waiting to hear from SI, but a beautiful arrangements of flowers were waiting for us, so....I guess they know we are coming !

First of....

Hello blog world,
Well after a many years of thinking about it. Plugging away at the numbers, annoying friends and family with the what-ifs and but's, we are finally at a stage where it feels real.
We are getting our things together to head off to Mumbai for our the retrieval of eggs from our Egg Donor, meeting our surrogate and her family, doctors, Mumbai traffic, you name it.
We've paper, rock, scissored our way to who goes first (not really-that was a long and furrowed brow discussion). getting passports organised. Roping in sisters. getting Nannas ready for what we hope to be an imminent experience.
Wondering if there was any way we could be more organised. But no, its time for both of us to get there and get started.
Family always seem to throw a curve ball in the plans. Two sick parents, but we are sure their blessings and those of our sisters will fly us there with thoughts and prayers.
Accom is booked and seems OK?? Monsoon season here we come.......