So, Andy and I have been trying to fill out our egg donor application which is turning into an Olympic feat to say the least. Along with listing our own characteristics, we are having to tell them about our personality, temperament, hobbies, religion, ethnic background, etc.
The most important part is that we have to come up with two separate lists of characteristics that we require and desire in a donor. If you know us in real life, you could probably guess that this was very entertaining to us. Hey, this ridiculousness has been going on for nearly 6 years, so we have to find the humor in it.
My intention is not to offend anybody by this post, nor be greedy and try to design the ideal child. When it comes down to it, we just want to be parents. However, you have to understand that this is the only child that Andy and I are going to have, and we are trying to request quantifiable traits that most closely resemble myself. People love to play the "Who does the child look like" game, and it's probably going to be *secretly* uncomfortable enough when someone tells me that our child has my eyes or nose, or looks nothing like me. I am not saying that it is all about looks. Please think of what you would want if you happened to be in our shoes. Genetics is a complete toss-up, so I'm happy that our child will at least be half Andy's. I will love our child regardless...but I have to be completely honest that a little piece of me is still hurting because I will not be able to carry on my family's genetic line...or my infamous ghetto booty.
Anyway, we were cracking up while creating this list...and we obviously got less serious towards the end. You will probably notice that I have a huge tooth fetish. Andy made me cross off the dental entries because he said that you can control how healthy a child's teeth are going to be by raising them with healthy habits. I disagree. I know for a fact that snaggles are genetic. I can make the child brush and floss, but if he or she only grows 8 permanent healthy teeth, then that's a problem.
Drum roll....
Let me justify my double-jointed spider monkey toes:
And the bow staff...Napoleon Dynamite is my hero. Our kid better be this fly for a white guy:
I don't think the list is too much to ask. Of course, it is evident that several of these will not be on our application. Once we mail it in, we will have to undergo an excessive amount of lab testing, another saline sonogram, another trial transfer, go through counseling and be approved by a psychologist, and then be placed on a waiting list for a donor. Our nurse says that it takes an average of 6 months to be matched. Once matched, the entire cycle will take 3 months.
We're not even close to mailing the application, so we're not even looking at anything happening until this time next year or later. For this, I would like to give a shout-out to our bank for our refinancing fiasco. I'm about to go postal on them.
This is when I could really use Napoleon and his bow staff skills. Vote for Pedro.




19 comments:
LOL!!! I love that list! You're a funny one, aren't you? :)
Another thing that you should consider is if she has donated before. If someone didn't do well the first time, she won't be asked to do it again. The people I know that had success used women with experience. I wish I knew that before I shelled out all that money and didn't get great results. Good luck!
T
Wow...I didn't realize how much went into this process!! GL!!
I needed a good laugh so thank you. You may also want to consider no history of depression or mental problems. If you want to chat about the process, I'm here...
Hey Jessica, I found the process of the "wish list" for the donor to be quite a feat also. The ugly grief may pay you a visit when it's time to start reviewing profiles like it did for me. Yeah, it's a huge deal...so don't feel guilty for the feelings you have about the selection process because they are normal. I had them too. We are 9 days away from our transfer and still from time to time get a little sad that the embie does not have my genes. I sometimes get overwhelmed about how I'll answer or process such comments of the "he looks like you, etc." and how I will answer those inquiring questions from our child as he/she gets older (we will be making full disclosure to the child). But I don't have to know the answers to these challenges right now and I trust that I'll answer them as best I can. But the sting has largely worn off and actually I embrace the issue now. I know for me my anxieties about DE greatly decreased once we found and picked the donor. This donor matched our characteristics beyond our dreams and thus we are excited to have a part of this stranger join our family. Good luck with the selection process. I'll be rooting for you and Andy every step of the way. We only plan to have one child as well. OH and my husband has the same name as your husband - we're so alike!!
We didn't get to be that specific with our DS, but I get it. We have NO IDEA how this kid will look, and we wonder how that will play out down the road when we meet people who don't know we had to use a donor. It's weird. HUGS. Oh, and I like the no cankles thing. And I totally have a unibrow...rules me out!
Bawhaha....I'm laughing at your list because I agree--you must find the humor in the situation! My little man has the longest toes which I find funny because I have spider monkey toes too! I understand what you mean about the genetics. There is a itsy bitsy tiny little part of me that wishes I could sit here and find some of my adorable quirks in him :). But at the same time, I am just so enamored with him that I find all of his little expressions the best thing ever. I just keep focused on the things that I'm happy not to pass along instead of the loss of the things I want to pass along.
I have to say that the comments about who he looks like cracks me up! It doesn't make me uncomfortable because I secretly smirk inside. He's my kiddo heart and soul--the rest of it doesn't really matter.
I don't think you should have to apologize for any of your feelings about the process. They are what they are. I am pulling for the two of you!!
Great list! I hope the process goes smoothly. I know several people that have done donor egg with success!!
--nice spider monkey toes....and weird that your 3rd toe is longer then your 2nd? :)
Might as well dream and have some fun in the process! :) Good luck with the process!
Definitely NO cankles! lol! p.s. There ain't no spider monkey toes like mine! Love y'all!
i'd like for you to email me about this donor process and why there is this long waiting list and what not. i really thought you could go to the doctor and say i need a donor, here are my requirements, lets find her.
it looks like i might have to take this route. so I'd really like to talk to you about this.
jensays at gmail
Just found your blog! I hope your donor cycle works out and your dreams come true. I've been through two donor egg cycles and I have to say that the process of selecting a donor turned out way different than I thought. Yes physical characteristics and personality are important, but the #1 criteria you should look at is the donor's cycle history and # of frosties she's had. I made the mistake of selecting my first donor who had was 100% proven (4 cycles) but never any frosties. I did get pregnant but the baby had a terrible birth defect and we terminated. With no frosties to fall back on, we had to purchase a new fresh donor cycle. My second donor I picked primarily because she had stellar numbers. Fortunately she has a similar build and blue eyes like mine but she doesn't look anything like me. You can read more in my blog (it's a shared blog--I'm goldenbud!) Good luck to you!!!!!
I think it would be really hard to make up that list, and I'm glad you're injecting some humor in there, too! Hoping that you're matched quicker than you expect :)
Oh you crack me up! Snaggles are genetic....seriously rolling right now!
Good luck! :-)
Wow, it's fascinating to see how many more hoops you have to jump through when going the donor egg route. I understand the availablity, and difficulty levels are extremely high as oppossed to donor sperm, but it's interesting that it's a much more rigid process.
I'm sorry that timeline is a little further out than you (deserve) hoped for, so here's to 2011 flying by!
Cute list!
Jessica you crack me up! You and Andy are hilarious. I think of yall often. Good luck to yall!!!! Hope to run into you over Thanksgiving. Sending love and hugs!
Somehow this never appeared in my feed.... hmph.
Anyway...keeping my fingers crossed for you! Your humor is refreshing. You guys are always looking at the better side of everything. That's such a wonderful trait to have. So glad to know you in real life!
I think your list ROCKS! It's your list, you put what you want on there. :)
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