Lymphocyte Immunization Therapy (LIT)

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What is Lymphocyte Immunization Therapy (LIT)?

Lymphocyte Immunization Therapy or LIT is a procedure whereby white blood cells from the prospective father are injected into the skin of the prospective mother to prepare the maternal immune system for pregnancy. Because pregnancy tissues are the product of both the mothers as well as the father's genes, LIT assists the mothers immune system in the development of immunologic tolerance to the genetically foreign pregnancy tissues. (Source: www.repro-med.net)

First Meeting with the Reproductive Immunologist

Dr. Caroline T. Gloria

I set up an appointment for the reproductive immunologist, Dr. Caroline Gloria, at Asian Hospital. Via text, her secretary informed me of my appointment.

I arrived an hour before my appointment and luckily, the patient who was scheduled before me didn't arrive. I filled out a form and waited a few minutes.

Interpretation of Blood Tests and SIS

I had a Saline Infusion Sonohysterosalpingogram (SIS) which you could read here at St. Luke's Global. The result would be available after 1-2 hours. Since Dr. Guinto had a clinic in the afternoon, I decided to consult with her after getting the SIS result.

Saline Infusion Sonohysterography (SIS)

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On my Cycle Day 9 (CD9), I was scheduled to have a Saline Infusion Sonohysterography (SIS) at St. Luke's - Global. My ultrasound was at 10:30 a.m at the Women's Healthcare, 2nd floor. I brought Inay with me for emotional, and probably physical, support. Dr. Leovigildo Comia was my OB-GYN Sonologist, as referred by Dr. Guinto.

Lipid Profile and FBS

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With seven blood tests done which you could read here, I now needed to have the two tests -- Lipid Profile and Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) -- done at a hospital near where I live in the province. My cousin-in-law, T, suggested that I ask a doctor to give me a request for those two blood tests, since Manila Endocrine Laboratory got my prescription after I got my blood extracted.

First Round of Blood Tests in Manila Endocrine Laboratory

After my first consultation with Dra. Valerie Guinto which I wrote about here, she requested a list of nine blood tests for me to have. She recommended that I do them in Manila Endocrine Laboratory, which was located near her clinic at Joshua Center.

First Consultation with Dra. Valerie Guinto

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Dra. Valerie T. Guinto is a perinatologist. She's an expert in maternal and fetal medicine. She's the doctor of my cousin-in-law, whom I wrote about here.

Last Saturday, together with my cousin's family, I went for my first consultation with Dra. Guinto in her clinic in Manila. Her clinic hours are from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. We arrived around 10:30 am and, the worrier in me thought that I might be in the queue for a loooong time. You know how it is with specialists and from what I've experienced with my previous Reproductive Endocrinologists, you need patience as you wait for your turn. Amazingly, when I asked the secretary to list me, I was patient #6 and Dra. Guinto was already with patient #3. Wow!

Human Heart Nature Coffee Body Scrub and Feminine Wash for Red Days

I visited a Human Heart Nature store and found out they have new products available: Coffee Body Scrub and Natural Feminine Wash Protection for Red Days.

Starting a Vegetable Garden

Pechay, mustasa, marigold seedlings with my cactus

Another project of mine is a vegetable garden. With the positive reinforcement of my sister-in-law who's a licensed agriculturist, I started a vegetable garden in front of our house. She provided me with pechay and mustard seeds and planted them in seedling pots.

My Sunflower!

I've started gardening again. Last year, it was with basil. This year, I tried planting sunflowers. You can get sunflower seeds from a poultry feeds store at P35-50/kilo. Mine, I got the seeds from the hamster food I bought at Cartimar a few months ago.

SSS Maternity Benefit of Voluntary Members

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I didn't realize that I could file a claim a maternity benefit from SSS. Although my OB told me about it during my follow-up check-up after my miscarriage, I didn't pay much attention to it, thinking since I'm a voluntary member only, maybe I wouldn't get much. Thought that the effort to get the requirements from the hospital and filing the claim would not be worth it for the amount I would be getting.

I Lost at The Food Club

Inay and I went to The Food Club Lifestyle Buffet a few weeks ago to use the vouchers I've bought. We were excited. We were ready.

We got to the restaurant a few minutes before its opening hour. We waited awhile outside. Good thing, there were tables and chairs for guests.

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

I rarely buy new books. Second-hand book shops are my go-to whenever I wanted to buy books. I get excited whenever I'm going to these book stores since I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt whenever I browse different titles, check out the back covers for the story's gist, and see how much I could save.

Preparing for an Eat-all-you-can

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Late last year, I bought two vouchers for a discounted lunch buffet at a restaurant that I've been wanting to try. I'll be using these vouchers with Inay soon and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to give her her first encounter with an eat-all-you-can restaurant.

Nami and Bruno

I noticed that there are still readers of my blog. A big thanks to you!

Anyway, enough stories about my D&C. It just makes me sad whenever I think about it. Not to mention, a local host also lost her pregnancy recently, it brings back memories of what I went through. For now, I'll be writing about my dogs, Nami and Bruno.

The Aftermath

www.michaelsamuels.com

It's been two months since I had my D&C. Sometimes, I think about our would-be twin babies. I think about what I did wrong. Were we not that careful in our activities and actions? Should I have gone to a specialist instead of a regular OB GYN? Should I have undergone a complete bed rest during the pregnancy? Too many questions and wishful thinking.

Sometimes I still cry whenever I think about what happened to me and our babies. I tell myself that I should move on and think about what I can do to help my body and mind heal.

Waiting for an Open Window - The Last Part

Inay and I went to my OB and told her about my condition. Dra. did an internal examination of my pelvis and she said that it was a good thing my uterus wasn't open. 

She diagnosed "Threatened abortion." I was stunned! You don't want to hear the word "abortion" when you've waited so long to have a baby.

Waiting for an Open Window Part 2

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As a first-time pregnant couple who waited five years to conceive, we tried hard to keep the good news to ourselves. I asked my husband to postpone telling his family about it and make the announcement on Christmas. But, since he's so excited, he already told his family even before we visited an OB GYN. :)

On Christmas Eve, we gave my parents a small gift. Inside was a pair of little socks and a note. At first, Inay didn't get the information on the note which said to expect someone coming in mid-August, 2015. When it dawned on her that I was with child, she cried hard and thanked God for an answered prayer. We were all misty eyed during dinner.

Waiting for an Open Window Part 1

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In 2013, my husband and I stopped having fertility treatments. Not only was it expensive, it was emotionally exhausting. After taking several rounds of Clomid, follicle monitoring sessions, taking an HSG, two IUIs, a year of acupuncture, tons of Chinese herbal tea, we decided that it was enough for us now. Whew!

We put our plans on hold to have a baby. I resigned from a stable employment to stay at home and start doing freelance work. Most of our income was put into doctors' fees, laboratory fees, medicines, and transportation costs. We're thankful that God gave us the resources to pursue treatments which we thought would help us conceive.

Where to Start...

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It's been more than half a year since I last visited my blog. I've been kept busy with freelance work, construction of our house, budgeting our budget while keeping sane, etc.

I have a lot of stories to tell, but not enough time to do it. So, I'll just take it one at a time, in no chronological order.