From the beginning....

In late May 2010 I began scouring the internet for a surrogacy agency, and preferably one that was close to home. I came upon Open Arms Consultants, who happen to be right down the road. I applied online after reviewing their website and within a week or so I got a response from Souad Dreyfus, the founder of Open Arms Consultants.
Souad is a wonderful person, very sweet and very professional. They asked for my insurance information and had a set of IP's (Intending Parents) waiting to meet me as soon as the IP's came in from France.

The process was explained as I had many questions. Hopefully, I can answer many questions as I write more. You have to be in good health, have had at least 1 biological child of your own, have the full support of Family and no mental health issues. Those are the basic requirements.

I was told that once an IP couple chose me, I would then be going for a Psych Eval and then meet with the Doctors at the Fertility Clinic in Tampa and get blood work to check for infectious disease (i.e. HIV, AIDS etc.) and then they would get both the Intended Mother and my periods in sync where we could coordinate for the embryo transfer.

So, around the 26th of June I got a call to meet with the first set of IP's that liked my profile and we met at a local Starbucks. (This was also the first time I met Souad as well!!) It went well and we exchanged questions and stories. I got a call from Julie, Souads assistant, that the couple was ready to move forward, but we would be waiting for them to get their blood work back from the Fertility Clinic in Tampa. I found out a week later that somethings needed worked on, and that the couple would not be needing me until they got whatever issues worked out. I was sad =(

I then got another call from Souad a few days later and I had a phone call with her and another French Couple! We had a wonderful, long phone conversation about all the do's and don't's and beliefs and any problems and promises to meet in person and so on. Souad calls me later and tells me we need to set up my Psych Eval and get the ball rolling!
(Also, in the particular case, which could happen, the IM (Intended Mother) has had a hysterectomy so we will be using a donor egg, which means her and I sync up rather than myself and the IM)
I got my Psych Eval scheduled for 8/2/10 and drove to Tampa with my husband and went and met the Agency Psychiatrist. It was a lot of questions and a personality test (I don't know, it was strange!!). I was told they want to make sure you are in good mental health and in the right mind not to try and take the baby as your own upon the birth and what not.

My results came in good (as I knew they would) and I moved on to going to a Fertility Clinic in Miami. (The reason for the clinci in Miami and not in Tampa is because of the Paternal age....Tampa clinic has a limit). I'm only allowed to reveal so much information, so sorry If I am vague.

The agency booked me a flight and I set out for a day long trip to Miami on 8/9/10. I had a great flight there, and back and Miami is beautiful. It rained the whole time I was there, but it was still beautiful!
I met the Dr. in charge of my case at the clinic, had blood work and a hysteroscopy done. A hysteroscopy in case you don't know is when they use a camera and go inside your vagina and look at your cervix and uterus and tubes to see their conditions and make sure you are in good enough shape for the procedure ahead!

Well, I got my blood work results yesterday and I am soon to start all my medicines to get me ready for the transfer, which the nurse stated was Luprin injections and birth control pills.
I will update as I get more info, but for now, that's all!!