Fertility

I've recently visited my sweet nephews in NM over the 4th of July. They are so precious to me. I'll be hitting 32 this year and will need to be on Tamoxifen for another 3 years. My oncologist believes I'll have the capability to naturally conceive.

From what I have learned, if you are close to menopause or even in your mid or late 30's you may be thrown into complete menopause after finishing your treatments, mainly chemo and hormone inhibitors. I completed chemo at age 29 and will finish Tamoxifen at 2011 and right before my 35th birthday. My cycle returned 4 months after my last chemo treatment and while I was on Tamoxifen.

Because everything was such a whirlwind, I never looked into fertility assistance. I met with a counselor prior but the cost and the uncertainty of whether or not it would work made me leave my fate of having my own biological children to mother nature. I would adopt if I was left infertile.

Fertile Hope is an organization that helps provide resources and financial assistance to those that need it. http://www.fertilehope.org/

I never wanted any children until I had my second batch of students here in Austin. They were the sweetest, funniest and most darling group! From that point I thought having one child would be ideal for me. I'm not the typical woman that wants 2 to 3 children. I taught children for 8 years and adore them. However, I also know what I can "handle" and one is where I think (hope) I would make the best parent.

There is a test to see if I am or am not fertile. I go see my ob/gyn today so I'll need to inquire some more about that. I need to do more research on this but will keep you posted. I also posted about Jessica Queller who wrote Pretty is What changes. She faced this same problem not due to treatment but due to age.

Of course, I would not be able to breast feed. Mother's Milk Bank costs around $4 per ounce of milk! There are many things to ponder.