IUI #2 was WAY better

We went in this morning for IUI # 2 and OH MY Goodness was this one better! A's numbers were almost 10 TIMES more than yesterday! Right now I cautiously optimistic about this, but I still have 2 weeks to wait to find out! My beta is scheduled for 10/08, and A made me promise not to test before then, but I'm not sure I'll be able to hold out. I'm thinking maybe the 5th or 6th I might actually test. I'll be 13 days past the IUI at that point, that should be more than enough to give me an answer. Plus there's that excitement of actually seeing those 2 lines before you know they are coming, and I'll probably get the call at work, so I'd really rather be prepared for whatever the news is so I don't freak out there. We shall see. In the mean time it's still a LOT of waiting.

IUI - Good and Bad

The IUI went ok this morning. Everything was great from my end. Catheter went in super easy, and I know our timing is right on because I have lots of ovulation symptoms today. Bad part, A's pre and post wash numbers SUCKED!!! :-(

I don't understand it. 6 months ago his numbers were "low side of normal" according to my OB. How does that drop so much in that little time??? We're hoping it was just a fluke, that they'd been sitting too longm but I'd be lying if I didn't say the news totally deflated me. I was so excited about this cycle and the IUI, and now I'm not really all that hopeful.

We did lean something today. The statement "It only takes one sperm" is actually totally false. It takes about 50,000 releasing their enzymes to break down the calcium barrier around the egg enough for 1 sperm to get in. I never knew that!

We go back tomorrow morning for a second attempt, and I'm hoping for some better numbers. If not, A will be going to see a boy doctor. I was really hoping this was going to be the end of our journey, but it looks like its just another intersection.

Blood work & Ultrasound

I had blood work and an ultrasound done this morning to check the status of my reaction to the meds, but I won't know the officialy results till after noon. I"m hoping ti all went well, but not too well. Dr. RE won't proceed with the IUI with more than 4 folicles, and doesn't reccommend it with more than 2. The tech said I had 3 on EACH SIDE (YIKES), but I don't know how big any of them were. I just have to sit and wait for the phone call.

On another note, A and I had a gread day yesterday for our 6th anniversary. We just laid around the house and watched football, and I scrapbooked. I was really glad that he didnt want to do anything special, it was really a bittersweet day for me. We've always said from the day we got married that we would wait till we'd been married 5 years to have kids. Everytime we were asked the response was "When we've been married 5 years". Well here we are at 6 with no kids. *sigh* Hopefully we won't make it to 7.


*ETA* only 1 folicle was mature, but Dr. RE wants me to trigger tonight and come tomorrow AM for the IUI!!!

1 down 3 to go

Well I actually managed to do my first injection last night. I was doing great until it actually came time to stick myself. I don't have any problems with shots, never have. I got alergy shots from the time I was 5 until highschool. I gave myself anti-coagulation shots after my car accident 6 years ago. For whatever reason, this one just created a mental block and I couldn't do it. I couldn't rely on A to do it either, he's not a fan of needles. He says he has no problem with me doing it to myself, but I know there's no way HE would even stick me willingly. Either way I finally sucked it up and got it over with, and it wasn't near as bad as I was thinking. Shoot I didn't even feel the stick really.

3 to go.

Good news--that's potentially dangerous

So I found out this weekend that my sister is ENGAGED! I am so excited for her, but at the same time a little nervous. They have already set the date, June 19th 2010, and IF the IUI is successful this cycle that would put my tentative due date at June 18th!!!!! I don't mind being ready to pop at her wedding, but I sure don't want to miss it! I've even contemplated not doing this cycle just to give us a little window. OK that thought only lasted a couple seconds, but I did have it.

I can't schedule my life around hers, and I can't ask her to schedule her life around a maybe. IF I was already pregnant, it would be a totally different story, but I'm not. And its only a 25% chance the IUI will work, so its a BIG maybe.

I have faith that God has a plan for all of this, and whatever His plan is, so be it. There have been several things that have happened in the last 2 years that I wouldn't have been able to do or take care of if I had been pregnant, so there's a reason He's waiting. I need to stop questioning it and just trust. It's hard sometimes, but I'm getting there.

Home from my trip...on to the injectables

I have been gone for the past 3 days on a business trip to Atlanta. It was a good trip, I learned a lot at the conference, but I am glad to be home. The timing worked out just perfectly, I start the injectables tonight for 4 days.

While on my trip, I got the opportunity to see my mom. 2 years ago she and her husband (they got married long after I was gone to college so I don't really view him as my step-dad) moved from Illinois to South Carolina. They left with all of about 14 days notice to my sister and I, and I didn't get to see her before she moved a 12 hour drive away. Not for lack of trying mind you...they drove right past the city I live in on their way to SC, but it was at 6am and they didn't want to "inconvenience" me that early in the morning, even though I was the one who offered to meet them at a gas station right off the highway so I could at least give her a hug. Needless to say, our relationship has been strained for a while, and even more so after that.

Anyway, when I found out I was going to be a little over an hour from where she lives, I decided to take a chance and see if she wanted to come to Atlanta and see me. I didn't have a rental car, and wasn't really going to have the time to drive to see her, but I would have some time to spend with her if she could come to me. I really didn't expect her to accept the offer, but I thought I would try. Sure enough, she jumped at the chance to get away for a little bit and come see me...sans hubby. Long story short, we had a great visit, better than we've had in a really long time, and she is really excited for A and me that we are going ahead with a treatment cycle. She also had trouble conceiving, and although clomid was all it took for her, she at least gets it a little.

Day 1

Well it's official, we've started our first IUI cycle. I picked up half my meds today, the other half are being delivered Tuesday. I'm nervous and excited all in one big ball. I'll got days 2-6 with oral meds, then days 7-10 with injectables. Blood work and an Ultrasound on day 11, and we go from there.

I had a minor breakdown last night though. I had a really bad evening, and it just kept getting worse and worse. A came home from his meeting at church, and I was a mess. He finally just flat out asked me if I needed a good cry, and looking back I think he was right. I had my good cry, got a hug from him and then had some happy in my Dr. Pepper and felt much better :-)

Surgery follow-up

So we went back to the RE today for the follow up to my laparoscopy this t afternoon, and he started the conversation with good news and bad news. The good news, everything looks really good, I have beautiful insides. The bad news, everything looks really good, I have beautiful insides. Basically it boils down to my PCOS is probably causing "overcooked" eggs that just aren't good enough to do what they need to. So what do we do I ask. And here's the plan to start with my next cycle:
1. Meds to stimulate those folicles to grow
2. More meds to stimulate those folicles to grow bigger (injectables - ouch)
3. Ultrasound to check those folicles are big enough
4. More meds to stimulate those folicles to release an egg (more injectables)
5. Wait 2 days
6. Trip to RE's office 2 days in a row for IUI.
7. Wait 2 weeks.
8. Find out if it worked

I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. Given A's "low of normal" SA, Dr. RE wants to skip the "at home insemination" and go straight to the assisted one. The best of all of this, is our insurance is AWESOME for it. It will cost us only about $150 out of pocket for the whole cycle!!! Meds and all!!! From what I've heard from othe women who've been through it, this is WAY cheap. So here's to hoping all goes well.

And another bonus, I've lost 10 pounds since I was at his office 6 weeks ago! HOLY COW!

Bittersweet

Today has been bittersweet. Its my 29th birthday, and I honestly never believed I would make it this far childless. I am officially older than my mom was when she was DONE having kids. ( and she was pg 3 times, 1 mc) Today also marks the 2 year point from when A finally gave in to my prodding for starting.

It was still a good birthday. I got sweet phone calls from all of my family, a really GREAT conversation with my mom (more on that later), and some great Bears gear from A as my gift. Plus a nice dinner out and then a football game tonight. so once I got bast all the milestones this day holds, it was a good day. Hopefully by this time next year I won't be repeating this post, just a lot more forlorn because I'm officially 30!

Really?????

I heard this news today:
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=8461762

Really? I mean really? Here all I'm asking for is 1, maybe 2 someday, and she's getting ready for #19????? UGH

I know its totally selfish and really not at all relevant to my live at all, but I can't help but just be so GREEN when I hear things like that.

On the up side, at least they have the ability to support that many children, unlike so many other parents who just cant keep their legs closed; but that's a whole other rant