Monday 29 December 2014

A Year in Review

So, 2014 was definitely a tough year! I still laugh at how I feared that 2013 would be unlucky. Here is a look back at the good and the bad that transpired.

January
  • Ran two 10K races in an improved time. Find that Cross-Fit is allowing me to run faster with less training. Score!
February
  • Ran two Half Marathons.
  • Auto accident claims the life of a friend and co-worker. Miss her very much.
March
  • Compete in two swim meets. Relay teams earn two USMS Top Ten finishes.
  • FET#1 "The Chosen One" yields a BFN.
  • Days after my BFN, I learn that two other women in my office are pregnant and a male colleague's wife is expecting.
  • Run the final Across the Bay 12K. Will miss this race. It was one of my favourites.
  • Twins arrive a little early for Kimberly, but everyone is thriving! 
April
  • Travel to Nashville with my Dad to watch the University of Connecticut Women's Basketball team earn their record setting 9th National Championship. Unexpected highlight of the trip: The UCONN Men's team also wins the National Title. Second time in NCAA Division I Basketball history the Men's and Women's Champions are from the same school. Second time in history; it's UCONN.
  • Clean out the freezer with FET #2 "The Leftovers" to no avail. Officially nothing to show for our first IVF cycle.            
  • My aunt is diagnosed with breast cancer.
  • 90 year old grandmother fractures her hip.
May
  • Compete in USMS National SCY Swim Meet. Other competitors include Olympian Josh Davis, Olympic Gold Medalists Anthony Ervin and Matt Biondi, as well as the current 100 Metre Free Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Adrain. Relay team just misses top ten finish.
  • Beloved cat Angus receives a fatal diagnosis.
  • A beautiful baby girl is born to The Gypsy Mama!
June
  • Second stim cycle produces a baker's dozen plus one. Seven blasts are biopsied and four are euploid. Regret that we didn't cancel the retrieval from my first cycle.
  • Hearts are broken as we say goodbye to Angus.
  • Recovery from stim cycle limits training for Long Course Metres Championship. Enter fewer events, but manage PB in 50 Free.
  • Maryland friend gives birth to her second daughter. She received the BFP with her firstborn the same month we started TTC. We have officially become 'lapped'.
  • Molly joins the Beloved Burnt Toast family! 
  • Fellow member of the 5 Transfer Club, Aubrey delivers twin boys!
July
  • Nearly decapitate the tip of my finger in a Mandoline slicer accident. Fortunately, it heals well.
  • My Jetta dies after nine years and 145,000 miles together. Find a great deal on a new used one.
  • Welcome kitty Tyler into our home and into our hearts. The only possible understanding for Angus's death is that it was to bring Tyler into our family.
  • Jessah learns she is expecting her baby sunshine thanks to a very special egg donor! 
  • Aramis brings home a unique souvenir from the Czech Republic - a Chalupa Batman!
August
  • Two outstanding new colleagues join our practice.
  • After a long and full life, my Grandmother passed away.
  • FET #3 "The Hopeful One" is yet another failure. We really suck at IVF.
  • Lilee Davey becomes 'that girl'!
September
  • Pass Re-certification Board Exam. I can keep working. Yay.
  • Amanda announces her exciting plans for adoption!
  • CCRM finds the right formula to bring My Lady Bits her first BFP!
October
  • Trip to the East Coast to visit my parents and Myrtle. Pleasant surprise as I get an opportunity to meet up with Maryland friend who is visiting her parents in Boston. Watch Husband umpire top level NCAA field hockey teams including defending (later to be repeat) Champions, UCONN.
  • Run 10 K and 5 K (post transfer).
  • A year after the painful loss of her twins, Conceptionally Challenged welcomes her Strawberry Baby!
  • A successful hysteroscopy helps put a plan in place for The Run Away Stork.
  • Urban Legend Torthuil gives birth to her baby girl!
November
  • FET #4 "The Kitchen Sink" produces a BFP!
  • My aunt completes her adjunctive cancer treatment just as a close friend and swim teammate is diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42.
  • At last, initial ultrasound reveals a viable fetus! We celebrate by attending UCONN/Stanford women's basketball game. Stanford prevails in overtime. How long are the odds of us having a good scan on the day when UCONN women lose a game? Must be a sign of the Apoclypse.
  • Run 10 mile race, a 10K and a half marathon.
  • Shay welcomes her baby boy!
  • A long awaiting BFP and viable ultrasound arrives for Maddie!
  • Meet up with Isabelle for lunch IRL. Toast the five embryos from her mini IVF cycles.
  • Pre-eclampsia brings an early delivery for Nina, but her little boy is a fighter!
December
  • My mother officially retires.
  • After two and a half years, I am finally able to leave my RE.
  • Run 10 K trail race. Blow past a young and fit looking guy. Tempted to tell him "better speed up your game bro, you're getting beat by a preggo".
  • While kicking for two, still manage a sub 8 minute finish in USMS Postal 400 Yard Kick for Time.
  • After many failed cycles, a close friend in England has a BFP to bring her baby#2!
  • Infertile Girl in a Fertile World has success with her first IVF cycle!
  • Thanks to a very special surrogate, Suzanne receives a BFP for Christmas!

19 comments:

  1. What a great year for so many people. Still so, so very excited for you. Hope you had a nice Christmas!

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  2. I love this, Jane. Such a beautiful tribute to this wonderful group of ladies. 2014 was a good year for so many of us and I have high hopes for 2015. I'm waiting anxiously to hear how you broke the news to your parents and their reactions as surely you must have told them by now.

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  3. Wow- Go US! What a great summary of our wonderful community. So much good news and hope for 2015. I also feel like I need to go run 10 miles after reading this. Thanks for the motivation and inspiration sweet friend.

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  4. It has been quite a year filled with many unexpected twists and turns. So long 2014, cheers to a 2015 with only happy surprises!

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  5. I love this year in review... So much to look forward to in 2015 my dear friend!!! xo

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  6. Aw, thanks for including me and Strawberry Baby :)
    I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend and the cancer diagnosis of another. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42. It's sad and scary and unfair.

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  7. What an excellent year! 2015 will have amazing recaps as well!!! XO

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  8. I would just like to say, as I sit here eating Christmas cookies and picking crumbs off my belly, that I hate you just a little bit for running trail races and half marathons while pregnant. ;)

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  9. An eventful year indeed! how lovely that you included the blog community in your year in review - we have really gone through a lot together! sending you wishes for a happiest of happy new years.

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  10. This is so nice how you included so many fellow infertiles in your review. I'm so glad that you are also on this list with a bfp! What a year of ups and downs. I'm sorry for the losses in your life this past year. I also have to tell you how much I admire you for your active life! That is a lot of races and pregnancy hasn't stopped you (yet)! May 2015 bring you the biggest gift of your lifetime!

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  11. This was awesome! Thanks for adding us all into your year :)

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  12. What a fabulous year in review!!!
    Oh boy do I wish we could connect in real life...I'd love a work out buddy like you! :)
    Cheers to a great 2015! So many wonderful things await you and your husband!
    Have a wonderful Holiday Jane! And keep being you as you are fabulous and make a difference in people's lives everyday! Xoxo

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  13. So many wins for this community this year - thanks for including me! And I'm with Aramis...the amount of cookie crumbs that are probably still residing in my oversized cleavage are just a horrible reminder of my lack of exercise in the past 6 months. Good for you for keeping up with running and swimming...but I'm totally jealous.

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  14. How thoughtful of you to include us. What a year it was for so many of us!

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  15. aww I love your review! So sweet of you to include your highlights and ours! Thanks for being a top referer for me! I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for your new little family!

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  16. First of all, you ran a lot in 2014... I'll live vicariously through you because I'm pretty sure I ran five steps all year! So glad that once a good embryo met the kitchen sink protocol everything fell into place. Happy New Year! 2015 is going to be a great year!!!

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  17. I can't believe how much you run/swim/etc, I am envious and in awe! Love the break down, happy new year!

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  18. what a great recap! as well as recapping the rest of us infertiles in our battles with IF. And your year ending so happily! :)

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