In this episode of the diary, I’m breaking down the two sentences that shattered my silence and threw me back onto the fertility rollercoaster when I thought I was finally getting off.

When you first start looking for a fertility clinic or an egg bank whe you may transition to using donor egg IVF, everyone tells you to check the "normal" things—like their website success rates and basic reputations. But what about the actual, day-to-day stuff that keeps you sane?

In this episode, I’m sharing my honest, real-life experience traveling to a clinic two hours away from our local clinic then travel to a satellite clinic for our transfer, choosing an egg donor from an egg bank from another country, and everything I wish someone had told me was important when you are actually doing it.

• The "Closest Clinic" Trap: Why your regular doctor might just refer you to the nearest clinic because it’s close, and how to know you can always switch (plus, why you should do it before you bank your eggs!).

• Our Amazing Donor Nurses: Why having a kind, empathetic nurse team is a total lifesaver for us "donorzillas" who are dealing with IVF trauma, and how a direct communication portal keeps you sane.

• The Suppertime Emergency: My scary experience fainting in the bathroom, what it’s actually like to call the after-hours on-call doctor, and the simple script you could use so you don't feel awkward interrupting their dinner.

• The Egg Bank Handshake: Making sure your clinic and your egg bank know how to work together, shipping frozen cells through international winter storms, and navigating the tough choice between genetic testing and pregnancy guarantees.

• Travel Secrets & Public Restrooms: How we managed a quick 4-day trip for our transfer, why you should always buy travel cancellation insurance, why splurging on the closest hotel is a total game-changer, and the unglamorous reality of taking your vaginal medications in highway public bathrooms!

DISCLAIMER: For informational and educational purposes only; NOT medical, legal, or financial advice. Decisions should be made in consultation with licensed professionals. © 2026 Donor Egg Diary. All rights reserved. Personal use only.

Are you binging this diary right now in your car or your couch, feeling totally stressed out? If you are seriously considering donor egg IVF or deep in the thick of a cycle right now, you shouldn't have to wait months for my regular podcast episodes to catch up to your real life.

And hey—if you are under 45, still using your own eggs, but starting to wonder about the donor path and the actual costs so you can make better financial and emotional decisions NOW for your family... this is for you, too. You don't have to wait until you hit a wall to get educated.

I am absolutely no techie, but I couldn't just sit on everything we went through while you may be needing much more information quicker. I

So my solution to that is the "Not-Done-Yet" Vault. It is a set of documents and guides I created you an instantly download right to your phone or computer. It’s not a polished, corporate product—it's just my almost formatted pretty working files, but it contains the exact tools we used to get where I am today.

Inside the vault, you get instant access to:

• Our 50-Page Donor Selection Guide: To cut through the database paralysis and show you exactly how we chose our donor without the agonizing second-guessing.

• Our Stage 1 to 50 Journey: Tracking every single granular step and protocol leading right up to our beautiful prego BFP test, so you know what to expect day by day.

• The Top 50 Searchable FAQs: To give you instant "our actual experience" answers when your anxiety spikes so you can finally stop doing those toxic 3 AM Google searches.

• Our Actual Financial Sheets & Checklists: To lay bare the real costs for us and show you exactly what to be careful about so you can plan better.

Because this is a work in progress and not 100% finished yet, I am opening up the doors to my podcast family for a 1/2-off special of just $29. Don't wait for the regular episodes to catch up to your life.

👉 Go to DonorEggDiary.com right now to buy the "Not-Done-Yet" Vault so you can get what you may need now. I hope it helps.