I’m a collegiate athlete that goes through strenuous work outs five days a week. Will being on the medications affect the physical effort I put into these workouts?

There will need to be a few adjustments made to your workouts, yes.  Just a bit ago, I answered a similar question, and I think it will be a sufficient explanation of the process.  Look at this post:

http://askaneggdonor.com/ive-been-matched-now-what/

Hopefully, that will answer your question.  Please write in again if you have anything else I can help you through!

I have been matched successfully through BHED and am starting to get nervous! I am concerned about future fertility, which I’ve been reassured isn’t an issue. I am also worried about scheduling- do the doctors and nurses work with you as far as appointments go? I can’t miss work or school, but have time off every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Do they assign times and dates or do they work with you to find a time that works for everyone? My last question is, I’m about to hire a personal trainer and fix up my diet. I am doing this because when school starts in a couple weeks, I need an outlet and I need to pay special attention to my fitness. Will I be able to work out how I want to? I noticed you said you couldn’t run, does that go for all types of workouts?

The thing about all of this is that your schedule is definitely taken into consideration, but once you start meds, it’s all about how your body reacts, and it will trump your schedule, unfortunately.  If you are locked into work on Thursdays and cannot get away, it will definitely be a problem should your estrogen levels be high and the doctor requires you come in to be checked out.  You will have to go in and be checked out. At the end of every one of my cycles, the doctor would be concerned about my levels, and I was sitting in the waiting room for bloodwork and an ultrasound every morning for 7 days.  Here’s the thing:  You’re under a contract.  And like anything else, a contract means they own you, and you kinda can’t call the shots until it’s all over.  So, unless your schedule is very flexible, then it could be a problem, yeah.  I’m just being honest.  But I’ll also honestly tell you that all you have to do it go have a sit down with your HR department and let them know that you are undergoing a procedure and you will need some leway with your schedule.  Most companies have a policy for medical leave, and as long as you have a note from your doctor, you will be allowed to do what you need–that’s just a suggestion.  I donated 6 times, and I did the same thing every time.  I gave them enough information for them to get it that I was doing what I was saying I was doing, but not enough info that they understood that it was not up for discussion.  Make sense?

As for the working out, here’s the best way I can describe that:  You know how you listen to your iPod, or you’re wearing your ear buds to use your cell phone, and you take them out of your ears and put them down and when you pick them up,  the cords are in a knot or tangled up?  And it’s like, how did that happen?!, all I did was place them on the counter!  Well, that’s kinda like your fallopian tubes.  They are really thin, long strings, and they can get tangled.  And when there is 3 pounds of fluid-filled-sac dangling from them, it can happen far easier.  You will feel your ovaries. It is the weirdest thing–super cool, but totally weird.  They will be heavy and they pull down.  You won’t want to run.  You won’t want to walk fast, for that matter.  I do Pilates, and ab work is very hard towards the end of the cycles because your ovaries take up so much room in your abdomen. You’ll know what you can and cannot do based on how you feel.  But don’t push it.  No running, stick to fast walking.  No jumping jacks, stick to walking up stairs.  Take it easy.  That’s all I can advise.  I’m very much in shape and very athletic, but about 6 days into injections, I am wiped out and the most I can muster is a power walk just to wake me up and burn off some steam at the end of the work day.  Between the way you feel physically, and the fatigue of the hormones (it’s like being on intense period–you just feel exhausted at the end of every day) you will be sleeping and taking naps instead of worrying about your fitness, I promise.  BUT, when it’s all over and you’ve recovered from the retrieval, you will be back to running and working out in about 10 days.

That’s another thing:  If work is an issue, you may have trouble when it comes time for the retrieval.  You will need a few days off from work, if not a whole week.  My cycles were a BREEZE…I ran until about the 6th day of a 12 day cycle, I was NEVER cranky or in pain, or disabled or slowed down in any way.  But after the retrieval, I was out for a week.  I tried taking two days off, but then, I ended up calling in and taking the rest of the week off because it was a solid 5-days of rest that I needed before I felt like I could be back at my job 100%.

I am so happy for you that you’ve been matched…welcome to the BHED family.

I am 25 yrs old and have been told that I am unable to have kids, but I can carry a child and my husband and I are ready to start our family. OK so now you know a little bit about me here is the question.
My sister is 17 yrs old and will be 18 in January 2011. Would it by any chance be possible for her to donate her eggs to me and still be able to have a family of her own later on down the road? Also what about an approximate price range to do everything as well?

Yes, your sister can donate eggs to you.  Like I’d tell any other donor, there are no long-term effects of egg donation.  As for the cost, the majority of that is for the IVF itself, not the donor’s compensation.  As a donor, I cannot speak to the prices for a cycle of IVF, or how having your sister as your donor will affect it.  When you’re looking for doctors, explain your plans, and whether this has a significant effect on the price.  Good luck!

Do I need health insurance in order to donate?

Nope!  The agency you sign up with will have an insurance policy for you.  If they don’t, then I’d suggest turning around and walking away.  My agency, BHED, purchases an insurance policy for each donor in the event anything comes up.  But in terms of your out-of-pocket costs or personal investment in this process, there is none for you.  Truly.  You are well taken care of–show up when and where you’re supposed to show up, follow your doctor’s orders to the letter, and all should go quite smoothly!

Hi Kate! Great website! You answered so many of my questions! I just heard about being an egg donor when I was brainstorming with friends about helping my sister raise the money for IVF as she was told her eggs are old. I told her I would gladly give her my eggs but she said they cannot afford the procedure. My friend had a cousin who sold her eggs as a way to pay for her own IVF. I started researching tonight, but quickly (and sadly!) learned that I may be too old? I am 34. I am very healthy and in great shape and seem to meet all the other requirements listed. I would love to help my sister and also love to help a same sex couple start a family as well. Do you know if anyone works with “older” donors and/or have any advice for me? I live in Oregon. Thanks so much!

Like so many other factors in the world of egg donation, age is yet another that is ‘regulated.’ More than a regulation, it’s a standard. I know, Kelly Preston is, like, 47 her kids’ll probably grow up to rule the world and cure the common cold. But that’s Hollywood, it’s not typical, and it’s not optimal for potential parents when looking for an egg donor. In egg donation, age works against you, as can latent genetic traits, hair color, country of origin or even SAT scores–the age range for most donors is 21-29. As such, most donation agencies have a similar cut-off date. My agency’s (BHED) age limit is 29 years old for first-time donors (though, if your tenure goes through your 32nd birthday, they’ll retain you–and your eggies–until then).  I’m not saying at all that there’s no agency or doctor who won’t take your eggs, but it’s not you or the relationship you have with your sister, it’s the standards set forth by the powers-that-be, and it may be out of your hands.

I am currently researching whether I want to start donating my eggs. I have 2 concerns. First, the self-injecting. I’m just not good at doing uncomfortable things to my own self. I can’t even put eye drops in my eyes. However, I have a friend that has offered to do it for me. So problem solved there. 2nd…my time. I have a full time job that does not offer a whole lot of paid time off. Looking at many sites related to the egg donating process, I know that there are many AM appointments. How often are they? Daily? Weekly? Is there ever an option for late afternoon appointments? I really want to do this, but don’t see it working if morning appointments are all that are available. If I can increase the likelihood that I won’t miss days of work, this may be do-able though.

Can’t do eye drops?  Mmmmm, injections are gonna be tough.  Like, tough.

If you have a friend who will do them for you, then you’ve got a good friend and more power to both of you!  HOWEVER, the injections will make or break this process, and should your friend not be available for every single injection, it’s game over. The injections are done every night of the cycle, start to finish, and they must be administered at the same time every night.

You are taking a pretty big gamble if there is no chance you’ll be giving yourself the injections.  But that’s up to you, completely; you know your situation, I do not.

With regard to work, it’ll be tough if your job is inflexible.  Your chances of success are extraordinary if you sit down with your HR department or boss and explain that you have a medical ‘thing’ going on and you’ll need some leway with doctor’s appointments that are upcoming and top-priority.  There’s no harm in laying it out there, you won’t even need to go into specifics.  That said, you will need quite a bit of time away from your office.  While most doctor’s offices do have 7:30am appointments, most doctors don’t arrive until 8 and you aren’t seen until 8:30, sometimes.  I never got to the office before 8:45/9 on any given day of a doctor’s visit.  And there are few, if any, offices which would have after-work appointments.  I was at the doctor every morning during the last week of all of my cycles because I ran the risk of overstimulating, and the doctors wanted to keep a very close watch on my ovaries and estrogen. And once you have your retrieval, you should be out of commission for several days to give your body time to heal.  I took one week off of work each time–I took two days off for my first cycle and ended up calling my office and telling my boss I’d need the whole week.

Not everyone can make this work.  It’s a committment and you have to make it a top-priority.  Not doing so could jeopardize the entire process and then what, you know?  Just make sure you have this 100% figured out before you sign on the dotted line.  It’s very doable, just make sure you have a solid game plan going in.  Good luck!!

I was just wondering about the post donation. How long until you felt back to normal? Did you gain wieght? How long until you had a normal period?

The post-retrieval situation is very manageable. If you’re active and healthy–which you would be–then there’s no reason at all you shouldn’t bounce right back. Make sure you take about a week to recover–take it easy, drink lots of Gatorade or Vitamin Water, take your antibiotic and allow yourself the time to heal–and you should be fine. You’ll get your period about 10 days after your procedure (10-12 days after you take the HCG shot) and once that’s come and gone, you’ll feel like a million bucks. The weight gain is fluids, and if you drink enough electrolytes, the swelling and retention will go down quickly. Of all parts to the egg donor experience, the “aftermath” will be your easiest. Let the body do it’s thing, and just be good to yourself, and you’ll be smooth sailing in no time!! If you wish to donate again, you’ll need to have 2 periods before you’re cleared to go for another cycle. And trust me, you’ll want that time. ;)

How do you respond to people who say “there are so many orphans in this world, don’t you think everyone should just adopt? why is egg donation so important?

Adoption, surrogacy or IVF is a very personal choice and shouldn’t be dertermined by something that would fit on a bumper sticker. The reasons a parent chooses to adopt or use an egg donor have nothing to do with my choice to become an egg donor, much like my eggs have no bearing on their decision not to adopt.  I can understand a jillion and one percent why someone would choose an egg donor over adoption, and I think comparing the two are like apples to oranges.  But, again, that’s not a decision I need to make or justify–or one you’d need to make–in being an egg donor.

I live in a jurisidiction where egg donation is altruistic, not paid for, and I donated eggs soley because I wanted another couple to experience the joy of becoming a family. My egg donor family now have a beautiful little girl who is 4 months old and want to keep in touch with me as the egg donor, which I’m thrilled about, but I’m finding myself spending a lot of time thinking about that little girl and “what if” and feeling really connected with her. Did you feel like that ever and how do I work through it to make it a really positive connection?

I so completely get how you’re feeling, which is why I chose to donate anonymously. Truthfully, I cannot imagine personally knowing the babies resulting from a donation. I can assume it’s the equivalent of an open adoption, which I could not handle either–emotionally. And this is a very selfish, self-centered answer, but I’m trying to be as honest as I can in saying that I wouldn’t know how to handle the situation.

I can tell you that, objectively, I don’t think you’ll have any easier of a time as the baby gets older. If your contact with the baby continues and increases, you will, naturally, feel more connected. There is no way to undo that emotional relationship, so perhaps it’s best to scale back your time with the baby. Maybe only see pictures and hear updates, but have no physical contact…? I have a very dear friend who had two children before she was 18, and she gave them both up for adoption to the same family so both babies could grow up together as brother and sister. This was an open adoption, and they ended up calling her “Aunt,” and her parents were “Nana” and “Papa” who would babysit on the weekends. I’m not here to assess anyone’s situations, but I have concerns about the children at that point. The decision for openness in a relationship like this is made by adults to, in a way, assuage their emotional struggle–which is a natural turn of events. But to what affect of the child when s/he is 3 and 4 and 5 years old and is growing up with two women who are emotionally attached as mothers? And then what?, does the natural mother decide she needs to step back and then a 5-year-old wonders where his or her “Aunt” went? I cannot see it going well for you, or for the child, which is why most things are sealed until an 18th birthday.

I have no direct advice, and I’m sorry. I can only say that I understand your anxiety. Completely. And I am only speaking from a “how would I feel?” point of view–I, in no way, am judging, condemning or “teaching,” I’m…thinking aloud. I think it’s amazing that you’re involved–AMAZING, but it’s also very mature and commendable that you’re recognizing the potential “problem” of this scenario, and if you’re going to change the conditions of the relationship, you should do it now, because there is a too-late point, and it’s fastly approaching–for you and for the baby.

Good luck, and know that there is no right or wrong answer; do what your heart tells you, and mediate that with your head.

I just graduated from college and the main reason I am looking into this is for help with paying student loans. I know that act of donating will leave a much bigger impact than any “paycheck” I may get, but I am still curious about the financial aspect and process. Did you need to put up any finances to get started? Were you ever charged during the process for any of the tests were run? And were you paid along the way or was it all done at the end?

I am confident that this is something I want to do, but need to make sure it is a process I can afford. At this point I have just started a new job and am curious if this can become a part of schedule smoothly. Did you have a difficult time balancing work and donating?

I’ve never been asked this question. I mean, like, out in the open. It’s the easiest one there is: The money is a magical byproduct of this process. Whether it’s the reason you’re here, the reason you keep coming back or the or the reason you inconspicuously pay for group dinners every now and then, the fact remains: It’s good money.

Money is not why I started BHED, but that’s certainly what made it so easy to fall in love with this process. There is one thing I paid for with every cycle–and only one thing: Parking when I’d go to the doctor’s offices, and I found out on the last day of my last cycle at my last appointment that USC validates for donors–last appointment of my last cycle…I’d been paying $6 a visit and got 2 parking tickets along the way. But that’s beside the point. One thing you MAY be asked to pay out of pocket is birth control–you will be reimbursed for this, however. I have insurance, so it was $40 per cycle, and if you play it right, you can save BC and not always have to fill your prescription–all doctors put me on the same BC. Oooh, also, if for whatever reason you’re taking birth control for longer than the 28 days, you’ll need to refill and even if you do have insurance, insurance companies only allow you to refill BC every 30 days, so you have to pay full price. Interesting, right? So, make sure you “rollover” your birth control to avoid more out of pocket expenses than you need.

And as for the terms of payment, I believe that will depend on your agency–the amounts are controlled by the some important institution like the AMA or the government or someone all-powerful, so that’s standard across the board–and if an agency is offering more than $10K-ish for any one cycle, you should be wary. But how it’s paid out may be different. I received a little bit once I started medication–not birth control, but injections. And I was then paid the balance with my retrieval. You are paid by your agency, not by any individual; the money is in a trust, so it’s guaranteed. My checks were not taxed, so my agency 1099′d me at tax time as if I were a contracted employee. And my agency pays more to donors who are from a top-tier school. I went to NYU, so my stipend was higher.

All this said, the money is amazing. And to deny that, or to pretend like people aren’t dying to ask you about it, is like really thinking no one knows your breasts are fake and you pretending they’re not. It is what it is. Before started down this path, I was a single girl, living in what I thought was a brilliant apartment in a glorious part of town, but I couldn’t really enjoy any of that because I was working my tail off and I was only ever around this very expensive, very amazing part of my life to sleep. During my donations, I was able to afford to come into my own. I put a lot of money in savings and made all my parents’ dreams come true. And some of it (a lot of it) I spent. I could finally afford to quit one of my two jobs. I could afford to make my house a place that not only I, but my friends, want to be–and I had the time to spend there. I could afford to fly home for Christmas for the first time in two years–and you best believe I flew first class. I could afford to say yes when my friends asked me to go to dinner at a restaurant with cloth napkins. I could afford to ask someone else to do my nails. I could afford that freaky cat I saw in Austin Powers and have been saving for since–and now, Smalls is my life (I attached her photo so you can agree with me). Whatever you do with your paychecks is your own thing, and I feel like to assume the burden of guilt..maybe shame–is that the word I’m looking for?…is counterproductive.

I didn’t have any trouble with work, no. That said, I have a completely “unrealistic” job. I walked into my HR department (luckily for you, most HR departments are headed by women), I sat down, I told her that I was having a procedure on my ovaries in a few weeks and, leading up to that, I’ll be late several times so I can go for my routine appointments, and once those are finished, I’ll have that procedure, and I’ll need one week to recover. That’s exactly what I said to her. She looked at me and said “whatever you need.” I did that 6 times. Not a second of what I said was untrue and, had I not done it, I never could have donated. The population of the office teased me about being an addict, because you have blood drawn at every visit and you come in with a bandage on your arm. And eventually people ask what’s going on (and they will) you say “it’s a girly thing” and then conversation will be over. It sounds kinda weird, but you really have to commit to this. It’s not a minor thing, and it needs to be important to you. Unless you embrace it, it’s not just the unease with the money aspect, you’ll also have an uneasiness about something else along the way. I assure you. You need to be okay with ALL of this.

Do not be ashamed, be so grateful and appreciative and feel so blessed that it really, truly fulfills you all the way around.

Okay, here’s Smalls:

Thanks for your advice, reading all of your feedback to others has really helped!

Will I be able to have a baby after I donate?

For sure! If it helps, think of donating as actually having a baby. When you have one, you can still have another, another, yet another and another still. I think the Duggars hold the record for 19ish kids, so unless you have 19 kids already, I think there’s still some power in your reproductive system to make one more. ;)

*Author’s Note: Please do not have 19 children. That doesn’t seem like the best idea. It was just an illustration.

Am I going to be able to have another baby after I donate? Does the egg donation process leave any scars (inside or out)?

I think I can safely say no. I can assure you that there are absolutely NO visible effects of donating your eggs. Not one single thing during or after the egg donation process changes you permanently, physically speaking. You may gain 5ish pounds, but that comes off immediately after your cycle is completed. As for your poor little ovaries, they definitely go through the wringer a bit. They’re pierced how ever many times it takes for the doctor to get all of the eggs, and there is blood and healing and recovery all going on inside your abdomen. But once it’s all healed and recovered, it’s over and done with. I’m not sure if there are scars on your insides or not, but I highly doubt it. And I’d think scarring would matter less than some sort of lingering pain or affectation, and the answer as to the existence of either one of those things is 100% NO. I donated 6 times over 2 years, and if I didn’t know I’d gone through it, I’d never know. If you’re considering, but hesitant because of what the impact may be on your life and/or body once you’ve completed your “run,” then breathe easy…you can cross this concern off your list!

I formerly had Hepatitis C that I cleared from my body, I went to donate blood and because the antibody was in it, they wouldn’t accept the blood donation. I am wondering,even if I am healthy and everything seems to be in working condition, would this be a potential eliminator in the process?

Yes, unfortunately, it could take you out of the running. It’s like anything else: If there is an imperfection–especially medically speaking–you could be crossed off the list outright, not just with possible recipients, but before it even gets to that level. In the world of egg donation, standards that trump all others are those put out by the FDA or American Medical Association. If you can’t donate blood, chances are you won’t be cleared to donate eggs. One of the greatest benefits to undergoing the screening process is finding out everything you could possibly imagine about your health. For the most part, we know if we have the flu or not. We know if we’re diabetic or not. We know if we are allergic to what-have-you. But when you go in for all of your blood work, you are worked over for everything under the sun. You may discover you have high blood pressure before it’s too late…you may find out you have an irregular heartbeat before it’s too late…you may find out you are a carrier for a genetic trait that you should know about with regard to your own health. I can’t speak with authority on Hepatitis C, but not not passing the screening is a valid concern, if not for your agency, certainly in keeping with government guidelines.

I am only on Lupron at this time, but start the follistim this Saturday. I have been having such a hard time falling asleep at night for the past week! Is this a Lupron side effect? If you experience this how did you in turn deal with it? I’m so tired during the days!

I was just telling someone today, actually, that any side effects you experience during meds are probably just a coincidence.  If you have a headache, a stomach ache or a weird pain in your breast, it’s a random thing that just happened to occur while you’re taking these meds.  If you’re truly worried about whatever it is you’re experiencing, you should definitely tell your doctor.  But if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, I bet you’re just anxious about going through this experience.  I honestly, truly never experienced an emotional or physical side effect of these medications.  Towards the very end of the cycle, I was a bit fatigued, but that’s because like anything else that requires full attention, this is one life experience that is particularly needy, so as it nears an end, you get tired of being so aware of everything all of the time.  But it’s not because of the meds, it’s because you’re human.  Try not to psych yourself out, make a conscious effort to be easy going about it, because it’s a pretty cool thing to go through, and it’s be a shame to go through it all anxious.

When you were in a cycle did you ever develop a cyst in the beginning of your cycle and/or have high estrogen levels? What did they do?

I never developed cysts, no.  I did, however, have very high estrogen levels with every cycle that I did.  I never overstimulated, but I was monitored with daily visits to the doctor and blood work.  It got tedious, and I was late for work a lot during that time, but it was never more than a looming threat.  I never felt any differently, I never presented any differently.  Make sure you drink a lot, a lot, of fluids.  Not water so much as Gatorades and Vitamin Waters (yes! this is your excuse to ignore calorie counting and ENJOY a die-licious Vitamin Water), because you need electrolytes.  I wouldn’t worry about it, though.  It’s not so much that it’s rare to happen, but more that the doctors closely monitor EVERYTHING that happens during your cycle, and if there’s a problem in the road up ahead, they’ll catch it.  You just need to concentrate on taking care of yourself while it’s all going on.

I currently just went through the phone survey (egg donor) and I had forgot to ask what the % of women characteristics do majority of Recipients look for? I have honeyish brown green eyes and Strawberry/golden red hair (orange).. and 1/2 the amount of freckles as my mother… but am Darker than most pasty red heads, and 5′2… Are my chances slim or higher in finding a Recipient?.

I really have no concrete answer for this.  I mean, why do you like cats better than dogs?  Or spring more than fall?  You kinda like what you like, and when the recipients are looking for a donor, every single one will have a different reason for choosing–or not choosing–a donor.  Maybe the recipient has strawberry blonde hair and both she and her husband have green eyes and he has freckles.  They’re gonna be in need of someone who looks exactly like you.

I am an active egg donor who has completed one egg donation cycle so far. I am from Canada and was wondering if you know how to go about claiming for taxes?

I don’t know how it works in Canada, but in the US, I receive a W2 from my egg donation agency just as I do from my full-time job.   I claim my donor income at tax time as if it were pay from an employer.   Hope this helps!

When you started taking the lupron did you ever feel like your boobs were getting huge?

Ugh.  Yes.  And I hated it.  I hated being on birth control, too.  But, there’s no way around it.  It’s like 25ish days of being on your period.  Period.  And, quite honestly, it’s the worst part about it.  And looking at the cost-benefit analysis of the situation, it’s a pretty minor side-effect.  Embrace it, you’re giving someone a child!

I’m an active donor with Beverly Hills Egg Donation, and I am just wondering how long I should expect to wait before being matched with a recipient? I am an academic achiever and I was told during the interview that my profile would likely have a quick response from a recipient, but it has been a little over a month. I am so ready to go through this and help a couple or person start a family, and it would be really nice if I had a ball park time in mind for how long it might take.

Unfortunately, there is no concrete answer to that question.  To be honest, I was matched immediately.  And I remember the head of the agency telling me that some registered donors wait a year before being matched.  I feel incredibly blessed to have been a working donor for 6 cycles and 2 years straight.  I never planned on it, every cycle was unexpected.  As not an actor, I imagine it’s kind of like acting–you’re picked or you aren’t, and there is really no rhyme or reason.  After speaking with two different prospective recipient couples, I came away with no insight into why people pick certain girls.  I still don’t know.  Like anything else, you can’t always explain what draws you to one person or another.  Wait it out, be patient, and when you are picked, it will be the kind of high that doesn’t go away for a while.   Good luck!

To what degree would you say it affected your life? My main concern is that I have a boyfriend, and I know you have to make some changes during your cycle, such as no sex. Did you have a significant other while you underwent the process? If so were they supportive? And besides the previously mentioned issue, what other ways were you affected during the egg donor process?

I never had a boyfriend during my cycle.  But I can imagine it would be a bit complicated.  I did most of my cycles with a reproductive specialist in Pasadena, and this particular doctor required every consent I signed to be also signed by my boyfriend were I to have one.  He would also have had to undergo all the requisite blood testing as I did, too.  If you have a boyfriend who is willing to go through this process with you, then you will have no problems whatsoever.  That said, it’s not something you can keep from him because of the involvement.  And I’ve said it before:  This is an experience that will change a few lives–not just yours, but the prospective parents to a far greater extent.  And for lack of a less severe term, they own you.  When you sign up to be an egg donor, you need to understand that you’re giving up your normal life for a hot minute.  This is an invasive few weeks.  It just is.  Everything else kinda takes a back seat for about 25 days.  And it’s worth every second of every day.  At NO point did it negatively affect my life; but it will affect your life, so you need to make good and sure it’s a direction you want to go.  You won’t regret it!