How to donate my eggs
It made me
happy and satisfied 
"Donating my eggs made me feel like I was doing something wonderful for someone."
How I did it: I'd been considering egg donation for four years when I finally decided, this is it. I am doing this. I needed the money, but i also really wanted to do something altruistic, and this seemed like the most generous gift I could give someone, so egg donation it was.
I went online and found a world-famous fertility center in the San Diego area, filled out their application, and was called in for an interview. Little did I know this process was barely beginning. I had two interviews, a psych consult, a session with a genetic counselor, innumerable blood tests for every possible genetic disease, STD, autoimmune disorder, and genetic disease carrier status. I created a family tree of health problems including my siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins, second cousins, and my children.
After I was finally approved, six months later, I waited a month to be chosen as a donor, then took the 20 days of medication. I had to do one or two self-injections with long needles every night, take pills and vitamins, and go in for an ultrasound and blood draw four more times.
I happened to be exceptionally fertile (as my twins prove), and they had to cut my dose on the medication to keep me from spontaneously ovulating before retrieval.
I know a lot of people compain about extreme discomfort during the process, but everyone is different, and I personally did not feel very unfomfortable. The two days before the retrieval I felt a bit achy and sore, and the three days after the retrieval I felt bruised in the pelvic region, but it was not by any means debilitating pain. I only took aspirin after, and I probably didn't really NEED to take it.
It wasn't until a few days after the retrieval that it really sunk it that I had finally donated my eggs. After four long years, it had finally happened. I felt so happy and satisfied with myself, knowing that I had done something amazing for someone else.
Next month, I begin another donation cycle for another couple. I would absolutely recommend anyone interested in this consider it very carefully. Take your time to think it over, but if you really want to do it, I know you will never regret it.
Lessons & tips: 1, FIND A WELL-RESPECTED CLINIC. I cannot emphasize this enough. Hospitals often conduct these procedures, but I felt more comfortable going with a clinic that did donations and INV exclusively. Ask how many porcedures they do every year, and make sure you do your homework online to find out how well-respected that particular clinic is.
2. Be committed. Once you start taking the drugs and doing self-injections, you cannot stop the cycle, or else you will have to pay for it. You have to really want to do this.
3. Know that it will take a long time. If you work with a good clinic, it will take months to get approved. It took me a full six months to actually achieve donor status, so this isn't a get rich quick scheme. It's a serious undertaking that changes your life, and someone else's life.
4. be prepared to give up all rights to your eggs. To donate, you must sign a legal document to this effect, and if you have any strong feelings of attachment to your eggs as your potential children, or if you are at all uncertain about this, do not do it. Only if you know that you will never in your life feel qualms about having completely given up a potential child should you do it.
Resources: The Internet
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