Worth the reputation?

So now I know what a “real” fertility clinic looks like. It is set amidst spectacular mountain scenery at the southern end of Denver sprawl. Doctors work out of a brown and gold brick building boasting the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine logo from both the streetfront and entry doors. It goes without saying that there is easy, ample and free parking – very important to San Franciscans. Nurses greet you with big, self-assured smiles and always make sure you pay before services are rendered. And American express is not welcome.

But really what matters is what goes on in the clinic. Our visit started on Friday. When we scheduled the workup, I’d been told that it was impossible to do everything in one day so Dave’s andrology (semen evaluation) and blood work had to be done earlier. Well, all of that took just 30 minutes and $950 and he no longer had to return with me on Monday. We were not off to a positive start.

I returned on Monday morning at 7:30 am sharp. Good thing for the coffee cart in the lobby but unfortunately, I was still off caffeine. After an hour overview of the clinic and policies with other newbies, I really got started. My $600 baseline ultrasound was performed by a nurse – at UCSF, it is always an RE or resident under supervision. While I sat in stirrups, I had a full view of my uterus and growing follicles on the screen in front of me. She showed me my c-section scar, the residuals from last months IVFs and the beautiful dominant follicle that might just might be my rainbow.

Next up was the $750 hysteroscopy procedure and my first chance to meet an actual doctor. Feet back in stirrups, speculum and a camera inserted into my uterus to get a closer look. All of three minutes later and the doctor announced that he saw nothing abnormal. We retreated to a consultation room for a 15 minute regroup where the doctor basically repeated most of what I heard on the phone during my initial consultation with the additional information that Dave’s sperm is great, if a little viscous (sticky).  I have unexplained infertility. I had a 75% chance of a getting a normal embryo and then a 60% chance of that embryo implanting – so we are back to 50/50. I wondered out loud about trying naturally – odds are 10-15%/cycle but given my age, there is a 40% chance of miscarriage.  Of course, if we don’t get a normal embryo, its unlikely we would with another cycle. That would be our answer. All for just $30,000. The doctor is smart and sure of himself while he watches the clock. After 20 minutes, my time is up.

I kept my pants on the rest of the morning as I indulged in dark chocolate, met with the business office, my primary nurse, got 10 vials of blood taken (another $1300), watched a video on CCRM’s  chromosomal testing and received consent forms to sign.  I walked out the door at 12:30 (an hour early) arms full with my information book, consent forms, prescriptions and a return box for another blood test in San Francisco.

Was I sold? Yes, if we decide to do another round. I cant get over the rigormarole we subject ourselves to just to have a second child. Shouldn’t my body be able to do this naturally?  Yet when I return to my brothers house where I have been staying and Miles greets me with “Wheres Daddy?” before chasing the cat, I know its something we have to do. 

And for what its worth, I was more than slightly peeved when a nurse let it slip that there tons of openings on Monday for Dave’s appointments and they could have easily accommodated us on 1 day. Like we didn’t have anything better to do than spend two extra days in Denver! As long as the doctors and embryologists know their stuff, I guess we can live with the admin's mistakes.