by Melissa Willets posted in Pregnancy

Over the next 7 weeks, we invite you to come along on an IVF journey, step by intense step. From making the decision to go forward with in-vitro fertilization, to the meds involved and what they?re really like, and to finding out whether this emotional and sometimes painful roller coaster ride yielded the results so dreamed of and prayed for. BabyCenter blogger Melissa Willets will be documenting every detail in a series of blog posts. 
If you've followed along with my IVF journey, or are an IVF warrior yourself, you know the process can be emotional, painful, and lonely. It's easy to feel vulnerable as you endure seemingly-endless injections, and try desperately to block out doubts and fears about whether your efforts will be successful. You're already dealing with all of this, and then, you must face early morning monitoring. Basically, your body is being pumped with hormones during the egg stimulation phase, so doctors monitor you closely through blood work and ultrasound. This must be done very early in the morning as your doctor needs same-day results, for proper adjustment of your meds.
I got used to driving 45 minutes to my doctor's office most mornings before anyone else in my family was awake, as this video proves.
I also got used to being poked with needles hours prior to when I'd typically have my morning coffee. I even grew accustomed to having a vaginal probe ultrasound inserted in me, pre-dawn, almost every d...