One of those days

This morning a few minutes before my alarm went off I got a text from the hubby. He informs me that the bridge heading westbound (the way I need to travel to work) is shut down. Humm!!! So I figure it is from an accident orsomething and it will be cleared up soon. Even so I decide to hurry up my morning routine and end up leaving my house 30 minutes early. I was so proud of myself I made it out of the house early!!!! That hardly ever happens. Anyway I guess it turns out I didn't leave early enough. My 25 minutes commuted ended up taking a total of 2 hours and 15minutes. Had the hubby been home I totally would have turned around and we would have had a weekday fun day, but no such luck since today is his shift. Oh well. The worst part about all of this is that late to work means late to go home too, since I don't really have the time on the books since I would rather use them for fun things like vacations. Most days I love that I live on an island...........Today might not have been one of those days.

Enter The Phantom

 

Nope not Phantom of the Opera, Major Phantom Symptoms. I am currently 1 week (7 days) past my IUI and the phantom symptoms have kicked in, in full force. Over the weekend I started having the major aversion to food. Like I didn't want any (which is crazy for me since I LOVE food)and I had that feeling like I was going to throw up constantly. Once I started eating I was fine. So I kept eating small amounts so that I wouldn't get that pukey feeling back. But then there was Saturday and I was up at the Firehouse, we were waiting for my FIL so that we could head to the state fair. That pukey feeling hit me, and then before I knew it I was praying to the porcelain gods. I really hope that this is a sign that the IUI worked. This is going to be the longest week ever as I wait to find out.

IVF Consult

The time came that went in for our IVF consult. Not a whole lot happened. I mean I am not even sure if this is update worthy but I will go ahead and let you know what we know.

Dr. M sat us down in his office and explained the process BCP, then a mock transfer, then start stims for about 10-15 days, Egg retrieval, and then 3-5 days after that is Embryo Transfer. All things I pretty much expected. We didn't really discuss the meds that I would be on or anything like that. Dr. M really feels like this last IUI had to work and that was the thing that sealed the deal and I will be pregnant. If only it were that easy Dr. M...... We met with Nurse D and signed all of the IVF paperwork just so that we could get it out of the way. The one thing that hubby was unsure on before this meeting was if we should freeze and embryos that we may have left over, I was all for it since it would mean I wouldn't have to go through the entire process again if it doesn't work or if we decide we want to add more to our family. After talking with Dr. M the hubby realized that this would be a great idea, unfortunately that is the only thing our insurance does not cover. So I have set aside enough money in my Flex Spending account to cover this if we need to use it. I am not worried about losing any money that goes into my Flex account since I wear glasses and contacts and can always buy new ones if the end of the plan year approaches and I haven't used the amount that is in there.

While Dr. M explained the timeline to us for the IVF cycle we mentioned to him about our upcoming vacation in the first week of October. We all came to the conclusion that we should do 1 more IUI if needed before we go on the cruise and then if neither of the IUI's work then I will start on the BCP in the begining of October and then we go from there.

Here's to hoping that Dr. M is right and this IUI works. Come on Sept 4th please bring me an early birthday present.

Another one in the books

Another IUI complete. Yep put it in the books. It wasn't my normal RE, it was his partner. I don't care for this RE as much as mine but hey, he knows how to do the job too. So first thing out of his mouth was "You have 3 very mature follicles. Are you sure that you are ready to possibly have twins?" I told him that of course I would be ready for it ( I may have to to take lessons for K&J my friends who just had twins). Anyway then we got into the housekeeping of the appointment, making sure it was my hubby's sample and what not. Anyway the RE seemed happy with the numbers but I was a little disappointed since this was the lowest post wash count that hubby has ever had. It was 5.1 million and I know it only takes one, but it is such a difference from our first IUI with 17.6 million post wash. Oh well! There is nothing I can do except wait for the 4th of September. That is Beta day and that is when we find out if this worked. Keeping my fingers crossed. Any good vibes you can spare please send them my way. I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Monitoring Appointment

So this morning i woke early on a Saturday morning but it was worth it. Lining is 9.23mm, follies are 21.4mm, 21.4mm and 18.9mm triggering tonight. IUI on Monday at 1015. Yeah!!!!

Weekend Update

Well the weekend wasn't very exciting. Hubby had to work a 48 so I was home all weekend by myself. Good sides to being home by myself are that I can get caught up on sleep, do lots of reading and work on craft projects if I want.
So what did I get done over the weekend? All 3!!! I slept for probably 20 of the 48 hours that hubby was gone. I also finished Mockingjay, now I need to start a new book. And I finished the corkboard for my office. Check it out.

Getting ready for the weekend

How does everybody love to start out their Friday??? For me it was with the vag cam. CD3 appointment was today and all looks well. Starting the Clomid tonight. I also have an award banquet to go to with the hubby. This will really be the only time that I get to hamg out with him all weekend since he is working a 48 starting Saturday. Boo!!!!! At least it will give me plenty of time to sit around and read. I might even get to finish my book. I am currently reading Mockingjay (The last book in The Hunger Games series). What are you reading? Anyone with some great reads please send them my way.

And go

Tuesday night the spotting starting and Wednesday morning was at the point of full blown flow. And her we go again. Let's start IUI #4. My meds will arrive today. I go in for day 3 monitoring Friday and then I start the Clomid days 3-7, then 2 vials of Bravelle on day 9 and back for monitoring on day 11 and probably triger that night with an estimated IUI date of Monday August 20th. Yep it's a whole bunch of the same old stuff. Let's hope it works this time.

Here's the plan

So yesterday afternoon when my nurse called we had a long discussion about what my plan should be and what we need to do to get to the point I want to be (pregnant). Nurse D asked me if I wanted to come in and meet with Dr. M for a consult so that we could talk about IVF. Well I was already a step ahead of them all I have an appointment scheduled with him for August 22nd. I know that seems forever away but it was the earliest I could do with him on vacation. So then Nurse D and I discussed what we should do in the meantime. I told her that I wanted to try another IUI or 2 since DH  and I are going on a cruise in October. I told her I didn't want to start any of the IVF meds until after the cruise, the only exception to this rule might be BCP's which she said I would need to be on for 19 days. She agreed that it would seem silly to not have a treatment cycle or two while waiting for us to get back from the cruise so she said yes we could do another IUI. I was a little upset that she did not want to change my meds at all for this 4th IUI. She said that with the way I have responded there really is no reason to change it. Last cycle I had 2 great follies at 24mm and my lining was at 12.6mm so they really don't see a reason to change. So here we go again......That is as soon as I get my period. AF where are you????? I am sure she will be here before the end of the week. My meds have been ordered and they arrive on Thursday, so we are ready to get this show on the road.

Standing by

Well today is Beta day. I woke up an hour early so that I could make it to my appointment on time. I figured I should test at home so that way I will be better prepared for when the nurse calls me. Well you guessed it, the test at home was negative. :::insert tears:::
I wish that this somehow go easier.....but it doesn't. Now I sit and wait for my cell phone to ring so that my nurse can tell me how Dr. M is really happy with the way I responded and that he just can't understand why it didn't work. I mean everything was textbook, 2 follicles at 23mm, great lining, a good count from DH, so what went wrong. Who knows?????
So now I sit and stand by, waiting for the phone call. I am not sure how this phone call is going to go. I am hopeful that they will want to do another IUI since we are going to be going on a cruise in the begining of October, otherwise we will just have to try on our own until we get back from the cruise at which point we can move on over to IVF land. I hope that I don't have to go there, so I guess only time will tell.
Since I'm standng by you may as well too. I'll keep you posted on how the phone call goes.....whenever I get it, so stand by.

Maybe this week will be better

Last week was crazy!!!! It all started with Monday morning having IUI #3, the hubby had to take off the first part of his shift since I needed him there. We were able to meet at the RE's office, do our thing and then both go back to work. Then work for me was crazy. It was the first week that my boss was gone. I am now doing a million times more work than I used to do. I hope this will be reflected when they do my annual review soon. Then after a crazy day at work it was carnival week at the fire house. So basically every day I woke up around 7am so that I could leave for work by 8am. I would work until 5pm then head home. As soon as I walked in the door I let the dogs outside then I changed into some shorts and a firehouse shirt and then I let the dogs back in the house and then I left for the carnival. I worked at the carnival each night until 10pm and then I would go home do a load of laundry and then go to bed. It really made for a long week. At least it helped me fly through the first week of my 2WW. So only one more week until beta day. I hope that this was it, lucky #3. This week should prove to be pretty busy too but nowhere near as bad as last week...... at least I hope so.

I'm a bad blogger

It is very possible that I am the worst blogger on earth. I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have provided you with an update. Well let's see where do I begin????? On the TTC front, I am currently in my 2WW. I had IUI#3 on 7/23. My body responded very well to the Clomid and Bravelle again. I had 2 follies on my right side both at 23mm when I triggered so here is to hoping that this time worked. I still have not been able to get my IVF consult moved up so if this IUI is a fail we may try 1 more while waiting for that consult.
Things at work have been crazy!!!! While I was on vacation in June, my boss called me to tell me that he was leaving the company. I started to get very anxious since I had no idea who I would be reporting to and how my job duties would change. My boss gave the company 4 weeks notice so that was nice, since we needed time to wrap up stuff he was working on and redistribute his work load since they will not be replacing him. Well on the Monday of his last week, the company did a huge work reduction and 30 people lost their jobs. I thank goodness was not one of those people. But with the company downsize and the change in my department I have been working my butt off. I have felt like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. So as if that wasn't a bad enough day, I came home to find my kitchen had flooded while I was at work. So now we are trying to deal with the clean up and repair of that. If it is not one thing it is 20 million other things. I am getting to a better place workwise and our house is getting back to normal so hopefully that will mean that I will become a better blogger. I have missed you all and I hope that you have missed me. I will try to be better.

I'm back

Well after another vaction, this time to Hilton Head, SC I'm back. We had a great time while on vaction. Lots of beach time and lots of great food, both things that I love. The only down side of the vacation was starting my period the day we had to leave. What a double whammy!! Having to end vacation and start a new cycle in the same day, it just doesn't seem fair. So this means that we are on to start IUI#3. We are doing the exact same protocol as the first 2......because apparently my body responds so well. Right?? I would think if it was responding so well I would be pregnant by now :::sigh::: Anyway I went in for my CD3 appointment and we are a go. So tonight I will start the Clomid for 5 days and then I get a day off, then a shot of Bravell and then back in to see what's going on in the ovaries. If all goes as it has the past 2 cycles we are looking at IUI#3 on 7/23.
I spoke with the head nurse today and she and I thought it was a good idea to get on the schedule to have another consult with Dr. M about where we go next (IVF) since we are on the 3rd cycle and that is how many we initally spoke about doing before moving on. I am glad I had the conversation with her since Dr. M's next available appointment isn't until August 22nd. They have put on the wait list so if I can get in before that we will try to do that. Ideally I would like to see him before the first week of August so that we can hopefully roll right into the IVF cycle if we need to. I am still hoping that we won't need to and that IUI#3 will work but I need that back up plan just in case.

Quote

I often hop around blogworld and read various blogs, from cooking, fashion, travel, family, pregnancy, adoption and infertility. Today I was reading a post from a freind who is currently in the long process of International Adoption, You can check out her blog here. It has made me think a lot about adoption and understanding more about the process. Hubby and I have come to the conclusion that it is not a road that we choose to ever go down, but I admire those that do go through with it for their strength in such a trying process. As I was reading her blog I came across a quote which is the purpose of my post today.

As I near the end of yet another 2WW I hope that this is the cycle we have been waiting for. I know deep in my heart that when I do finally get pregnant this will be the baby we have been waiting for and it will be so worth it, but sometimes it just gets really hard to wait for something that you know will be so great.

I hope that you all had an amazing 4th of July!!!!

MIA

So perhaps I have been MIA. I have a great excuse though. We did our second IUI on June 22nd, as soon as we left Dr. M's office we hit the road for a week long vacation at the beach in Ocean City, MD. We had such a great time and it really helped keep my mind off that evil 2WW. We actually got back from vacation on Friday night the 29th but a pretty bad storm hit our town and we ended up running fire and ambulance calls until 3am. Saturday we worked on our washroom project which is basically finished. YEAH!!!! Then Saturday afternoon we went to a party and then the hubby and I went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse, Yummy!!!! Sunday more work around the house and then Monday I am back at work. I am not really a big fan of having to be back at work but at least I only have a 3 day work week before we go on yet another beach vaction. This time we will head to Hilton Head Island, I can't wait!!!!
Sorry that I was MIA. I will try to get better at this blogging thing.