Went in for my blood test this morning. I’m becoming good at this… I know where everything is, just pop in to the office, sign the sign-in sheet and mark off “IVF” and “Lab”, get my lab script from them, go downstairs to the lab, hand over the sheet and my insurance card, then sit in the waiting room until someone calls me back (usually very quick). This time I offered my right arm for the poking; my left still has a large bruise on it. I drank a whole bottle of water in the truck on my way, in an effort to pump up my veins… they can be hard to find. Guess it didn’t work too well. She choose a vein on my right arm, stuck the needle in, then had to root around a little bit to find the damn thing – it had moved on her. Thankfully I am used to needles by now so I can just watch. I used to have to look away and focus on my breathing. Now it’s no big deal. Strange.

I just got the call from the nurse… my E2 level today is 179, totally acceptable for them, so they’re keeping in me on the same dose of 150IU of follistim. Just keep doing what I’m doing, return in two days. Of course that puts it on a thursday, which could be a little tricky… that’s the one day I am supposed to pick up the order for work (and it has to be done between 8 and 9am). Hmmm. Will have to look at the instructions for ultrasounds to see how I can accomplish both in the proper timeframe. I might have to put off the order until friday, we’ll see.

So it turns out that bloodwork and ultrasounds must be done before 9am on the day it needs to get done. I have to drop Den off at work at 7:30am, then drive there – say that’s 30 minutes of driving (rush hour). The order for work also needs to be picked up by 9am. Now I’m usually there and on the road by 8, latest 8:15. It’s kind of on the way. Think I can pull that off? I don’t know if I want to try. I might just tell work I’ll do the order on friday instead. I don’t think there would be any problem with friday. In fact I need to be in work early friday anyways, so it kind of makes more sense.

Did I ever mention that at that AFA conference I went to I was given a free copy of The Essential Fertility Log? Well I did. I’ve been using it from the start of this IVF cycle. It helps me check off all the meds I take every day, and write little notes to myself. Much like what I do here, but on paper. And paper is pretty cool, I like paper and pens. (Just not to write long notes on – I get hand cramps. But lists? Oh yes.) If I didn’t have this fancy little book I probably would have just grabbed a blank notebook and started my checklists that way. I’m anal like that. But it’s nice to have a little log to keep myself straight. I keep it in my purse so I can check things any time I want to.

Ice really is god.

I am a walking pharmacy. Not only do I have a box full of syringes and vials of medication sitting on my dining room table (and some in my fridge), but I also have a bunch of pill bottles lined up beside it. I’m taking four pills a day: my prenatal, the doxycyclin, baby aspirin, and of course my celexa. The doxy really screws up my schedule, though – I used to have my celexa and prenatal on my nightstand and take it right before bed. But the doxy has to be taken twice a day, with food… so the whole schedule had to be changed. So now I just take all of them in the evening at the same time as my injection.

I also have to remind Den to take his doxy as well…. I swear that man has the memory of a gnat. I tell him it’s time for my injection, he says, “I’ll be right there!” and five minutes later I’m still sitting there waiting. “Honey?” That’s when he says, “Oh shit! I’m such a spacehead.” I really couldn’t disagree with him. (Earlier this week I asked him for his brother and sister-in-law’s new address. He said, “What for?” I explained it was their first anniversary and I have a card to send them. He stares at me and says, “It was? God. You are SUCH a better person than I am. I never would have remembered that.” I told him that’s why men get married… to remember things.)

I have a big meeting with a potential client tomorrow. I am so nervous about it. I know I shouldn’t get all worked up right now, but it’s really an opportunity I can’t pass by, it could mean a very big job for me. Just need to chill out until then and try not to worry overmuch about it.

I had to try on my dress slacks for the client meeting today. I couldn’t even do one of my pants up. It was horrible. So just for shits and giggles today after the meeting I took my measurements.
Waist: 30.5″
Hips: 40.5″

I just looked up my past measurements from last year. Surprizingly, I haven’t put on any inches at all. I’m a little shocked by that…. I thought for sure… huh. Well. I guess it’s a good thing I write down actual numbers.

I wish those numbers would go down, but I can settle for them not going up. (And what pants I can and can’t wear definitely fluctuates throughout the month and depending on what I’ve eaten.)

This morning was my first ultrasound after the baseline. It’s been 5 days of stims on 150IU of Follistim, and I was anxious to see what was going on in there – especially since I don’t feel anything.

My left ovary had 11 follicles total. Half (5) of them were small. 6 of them were around 10mm.
My right ovary had 13 follicles total. Same as the other, half (5) of them were small, 8 of them were 10-11mm.

They were really happy with that!! They said my body definitely likes this protocol, and is responding very well to the medications… and there’s no sign of any follicle being a hog and outpacing the others.

Just a reminder that at my baseline scan I had only 11 antral follicles total. Guess more decided to join the party!

After they get my estrodial blood test results back this afternoon they’ll call me to tell me when to come back in for the next ultrasound, but she said it’ll probably be this weekend, possibly sunday. They are saying that I’ll probably be ready to trigger around sunday or monday!! Which would mean I’d have my egg retrieval on tuesday or wednesday! Holy cow!! :twirl:

Just so exciting. But it really makes me wonder and get angry at my body too. Everything we’ve tried, every test we’ve done, has come back “good” or “excellent”… every test is normal… every meds makes my body stimulate REALLY well. So why the hell am I not pregnant on my own?? Yesterday marked 18 months of trying. 18 months!! Several of those with multiple eggs. I will be THRILLED to get pregnant from IVF…. but I think I’ll always wonder why the heck my body can’t do it on its own.

But other than that little bit of frustration at myself it is a good day! I also had a positive meeting with the client yesterday and he wants me to do a whole bunch of work for him, which means a lot more money coming in! I’m so relieved and excited and nervous all at once. This is my biggest client to date… it’s been very slow getting started. It’s not great timing, with being in the middle of IVF and everything, but I think it’ll go very well. And I won’t have to go out and get a second (third?) job somewhere.

Edit: I forgot to add that my lining was a nice “triple 6”. :)

My friend Kristen just got a second pink line yesterday after her second clomid cycle! Please send her some thoughts and good vibes for a very sticky baby for her. I’m so excited for you, girl!

Just got a call from one of the nurses to tell me that my E2 level was 796 and that they want to reduce my dose a little to 125IU of Follistim – something about the small follicles trying to catch up. Works for me! Everything else is to stay the same.

And I go in Sunday morning for another ultrasound. :)

Yesterday at my ultrasound the nurse was saying that discomfort and aches from my ovaries are totally normal. I told her I haven’t felt a thing yet. She replied, “Oh… you will.”

This morning I’m feeling little twinges of what could be my left ovary, could be some kind of stomach pain. I’m just going to keep running on the notion that I’m not having any side-effects. ;) But I plan on wearing a skirt (elastic waist) to the bridal shower I’m going to tomorrow. You know… just in case. (Besides…. I am not so sure that any of my “nice” pants will even button up at this stage. And I don’t blame the injections for that one.)