Step 1

So the first thing I did was to look up open arms and fill out their brief application. Once that was sent, Heather, their intake coordinator, emailed me a much more lengthy application to fill out. It asked me different medical history questions, family medical history, and some psychological questions like my philosophy in life and what my goals are. It also asked what types of people I would be willing to help, single parent, couples who already have children, gay, married, etc. I submitted my insurance information for them to look up and see if any coverage is offered.  I also signed a medical release form so they can get medical records from my OB. 

They use this more lengthy application not only to make sure I am still a good candidate but also to build a profile to show to IPs they are trying to help. 

I got confirmation from Heather that everything looked great and we moved to the next step.  She sent me an agreement of intent to get signed and notarized basically listing what I would be agreeing to working with them and what financial compensation would be. This is not the actual surrogacy contract. I can still back at at this point at any time up until medical procedures actually start. It's just as it says, I am intending to do this and this is what I am agreeing to. 

So now that this part is done we move to the next step which is kind of like a matchmaker service. Nella, the person who matches IPs and surrogates will make a profile about me and show different IPs she is trying to help. If they like me and want to work with me she will then submit their profile to me. I get to review it and see how I feel about them. Once I find the "right" couple then we met to see if we truly do click and want to go through this process together. Depending on where they live it might be Skype calls or actually meeting face to face. Once we have found that couple who we want to help and we want to go through this with then we move on to the next stage of medical exams, contracts, and psychological exams. 

So I still have a ways to go before this becomes real but I am so excited to be taken my first steps towards being a surrogate. 

I can't wait till I get to see a profile. I pray that we find a truly good couple that we can help. 

I'll post again once anything new happens.