We got to hear Baby Hopeful Bud's heart beat this morning for the first time. It was right at 160 bpm and was the most wonderful sound that I have ever heard. I smiled the whole time and Mr. Hopeful Bud stood there taking a recording smiling from ear to ear. Up until today I had been so jealous of so many other ladies getting ultra sounds on their first visits, but today all of those feelings just went away and I was in love! I heard my baby's heart beating and it just made it so real. My pregnancy symptoms have been so minimal that at times I was worried. Not any more. I got to hear my baby's heart beating today. (Did I mention that already? :) )
It's hard to believe that this is the last week in the first trimester. Baby HB is the size of a peach.
I'll report more after I come down off my cloud.
Take care and stay hopeful!
:) Hopeful Bud
November 30, 2009
November 29, 2009
Next Steps
It's been 5 days since we got the devastating news that Mr. Worry Bud's S/A yielded less than desirable results. Since then, I have taken a step back and really took time out to think about what we will have to face. I'm not gonna lie - I'm scared...terrified, but I'm trying to be strong & optimistic. A true God send in this whole ordeal has been Dandelion Bud - she is going through the same thing I am right now (just a little further along), so she has really helped me get through all of this. During our phone conversation today, she helped me develop a plan of action for the next few weeks before our follow up consultation with the RE on December 18th.
First, Mr. WB needs to get a copy of his medical records from his surgery. He has never been exactly sure of WHAT he got the surgery for. He thinks, based on the symptoms described for testicular torsion, that it is what he experienced & had surgery for. He was a senior in high school, I think 18 years old at the time, but he didn't ask too many questions - just went ahead with the surgery the doctor his mom took him to said was necessary to relieve the excruciating pain. He's originally from about 4 hours away, so I have tasked him with sending the necessary request tomorrow so that we can get a copy of his medical records ASAP.
Second, we need to have Mr. WB see a urologist. I plan on looking for one that accepts our insurance tonight & I want him to call & make an appt. for this week if possible. I would LOVE to have the results prior to our RE appt. on December 18th, so that we know exactly what's going on & we can formulate a plan once we sit down with the RE. In speaking with Dandelion Bud, she asked how long we had abstained prior to him giving his sample & I told her about 2 weeks. She (& Obessive Bud too) told me that the time we had abstained prior to him giving the sample was too long & probably skewed the results & that we should definitely do a repeat S/A to confirm or rebut the original findings. She said she is surprised that the RE's office didn't question that before even accepting Mr. WB's sample. How amazing would it be if the fact that we abstained from sex for too long caused the less than stellar S/A results? This is a possibility, but I'm not getting my hopes too high.
Third, we both have to get some routine b/w done that is a part of the IF work up & that we haven't gotten done yet. The RE also sent additional lab slips for Mr. WB to get his hormone levels tested to ensure that his hormones aren't causing the S/A results & that the problem can't be simply corrected with drug hormone therapy.
Fourth, it is insurance open season right now for my job (ends Dec. 14th) & I am fortunate enough to have several plans to choose from. However, I did a quick review of all of them & saw that of the plans that covered IVF require a 2 year period of IF before they will pay for it (& a 1 year period of IF before they will pay for ANYTHING else related to IF testing & Dx). Dandelion Bud said that her insurance had a similar requirement, but that those policies normally apply to female infertility & that when she had her insurance scare, the fact that they were dealing with MFI made a difference & factored in to her insurance ultimately approving their IVF cycle. So, what I am going to do is go back and look at all the insurance companies that even partially covered IVF & call their customer service & find out if the 2 year waiting period applies to MFI as well. Cross your fingers that we can find an insurance that will cover this, b/c if not we are looking at $10K + for just ONE IVF cycle & that's not including the meds!
And finally, I checked out a really great book at the library the same day Dr. G called me with our our S/A results. It is written by Elizabeth Swire Falker, who suffered through infertility for over 7 years before adopting. It has a lot of good information for women & couples having to face the horrible reality of IF. I have a bunch of other books I want to read about IF after I finish this one as well.
So, that's the plan - I am hoping for good news from Mr. WB's repeat S/A, but am trying to also remain realistic that most likely the results will be the same/similar & we will be in the same boat after S/A #2 that we are in now. I want to thank everyone soooo much for all the kind words you have sent our way - they mean so much to us both. Please continue to keep us in your T&P as we figure all of this out.
First, Mr. WB needs to get a copy of his medical records from his surgery. He has never been exactly sure of WHAT he got the surgery for. He thinks, based on the symptoms described for testicular torsion, that it is what he experienced & had surgery for. He was a senior in high school, I think 18 years old at the time, but he didn't ask too many questions - just went ahead with the surgery the doctor his mom took him to said was necessary to relieve the excruciating pain. He's originally from about 4 hours away, so I have tasked him with sending the necessary request tomorrow so that we can get a copy of his medical records ASAP.
Second, we need to have Mr. WB see a urologist. I plan on looking for one that accepts our insurance tonight & I want him to call & make an appt. for this week if possible. I would LOVE to have the results prior to our RE appt. on December 18th, so that we know exactly what's going on & we can formulate a plan once we sit down with the RE. In speaking with Dandelion Bud, she asked how long we had abstained prior to him giving his sample & I told her about 2 weeks. She (& Obessive Bud too) told me that the time we had abstained prior to him giving the sample was too long & probably skewed the results & that we should definitely do a repeat S/A to confirm or rebut the original findings. She said she is surprised that the RE's office didn't question that before even accepting Mr. WB's sample. How amazing would it be if the fact that we abstained from sex for too long caused the less than stellar S/A results? This is a possibility, but I'm not getting my hopes too high.
Third, we both have to get some routine b/w done that is a part of the IF work up & that we haven't gotten done yet. The RE also sent additional lab slips for Mr. WB to get his hormone levels tested to ensure that his hormones aren't causing the S/A results & that the problem can't be simply corrected with drug hormone therapy.
Fourth, it is insurance open season right now for my job (ends Dec. 14th) & I am fortunate enough to have several plans to choose from. However, I did a quick review of all of them & saw that of the plans that covered IVF require a 2 year period of IF before they will pay for it (& a 1 year period of IF before they will pay for ANYTHING else related to IF testing & Dx). Dandelion Bud said that her insurance had a similar requirement, but that those policies normally apply to female infertility & that when she had her insurance scare, the fact that they were dealing with MFI made a difference & factored in to her insurance ultimately approving their IVF cycle. So, what I am going to do is go back and look at all the insurance companies that even partially covered IVF & call their customer service & find out if the 2 year waiting period applies to MFI as well. Cross your fingers that we can find an insurance that will cover this, b/c if not we are looking at $10K + for just ONE IVF cycle & that's not including the meds!
And finally, I checked out a really great book at the library the same day Dr. G called me with our our S/A results. It is written by Elizabeth Swire Falker, who suffered through infertility for over 7 years before adopting. It has a lot of good information for women & couples having to face the horrible reality of IF. I have a bunch of other books I want to read about IF after I finish this one as well.
So, that's the plan - I am hoping for good news from Mr. WB's repeat S/A, but am trying to also remain realistic that most likely the results will be the same/similar & we will be in the same boat after S/A #2 that we are in now. I want to thank everyone soooo much for all the kind words you have sent our way - they mean so much to us both. Please continue to keep us in your T&P as we figure all of this out.
Bloomin' Babies Giveaway #2 Winner Is.....
(Not sure you can see this - but the random number was #8 (again!); click on the photo to enlarge. I'm still trying to figure out Photoshop, so please forgive me!)MacKenzie!! Congrats lady!! Thanks for entering, we are so happy you enjoy the blog! Please email us at bloominbabiesinfo@gmail.com with your IRL name & home address by 5pm (EST) on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 so we can send over your prize...enjoy!!
To everyone else who entered - thanks for following Bloomin' Babies - we promise to have another giveaway in the near future. :o)
November 28, 2009
Patiently waiting.....
Well things over at the LB Home have been good :)
We decided to tell our immediate family on Thanksgiving that Baby Love Bud was on the way. Everyone was beyond thrilled.
Me on the other hand, I'm still ridiculously nervous.
I've been feeling "okay" which worries me. Aside from being tired all the time, sore tatas, and nausea here and there I've been alright.
I feel like I should feel worse!
Our next u/s is on 12.3 and we,ll be looking for a baby and a heartbeat. I'm just praying everyday that it goes well.
We've been thinking of the future in an effort to remain positive. It's all so wonderful to think about. Next holidays, god willing, there will be 3 of us. Well, 4 including the pup :)
We decided to tell our immediate family on Thanksgiving that Baby Love Bud was on the way. Everyone was beyond thrilled.
Me on the other hand, I'm still ridiculously nervous.
I've been feeling "okay" which worries me. Aside from being tired all the time, sore tatas, and nausea here and there I've been alright.
I feel like I should feel worse!
Our next u/s is on 12.3 and we,ll be looking for a baby and a heartbeat. I'm just praying everyday that it goes well.
We've been thinking of the future in an effort to remain positive. It's all so wonderful to think about. Next holidays, god willing, there will be 3 of us. Well, 4 including the pup :)
November 25, 2009
I so wanted to find a picture of Joey from Friend's when he showed up for Thanksgiving wearing a pair of Phoebe's maternity pants and called them his "turkey pants." The thought of buying a pair of maternity jeans for tomorrow has crossed my mind more then once. I'm still able to wear my regular jeans, but I plan on eating a lot of mashed potatoes tomorrow so wearing something a little more comfortable sounds like a good plan to me.
This week I have been fighting a terrible cold. It sucks to be sick, period. But to be sick and
pregnant is even worse. The two things that finally helped me were Mucinex D and Shower Soothers. I think I will probably use Shower Soothers by Vicks even when I'm not sick and congested. As soon as you turn on the water your shower is filled with eucalyptus vapors. It's heavenly. Shower Soothers gets two thumbs up from me.
pregnant is even worse. The two things that finally helped me were Mucinex D and Shower Soothers. I think I will probably use Shower Soothers by Vicks even when I'm not sick and congested. As soon as you turn on the water your shower is filled with eucalyptus vapors. It's heavenly. Shower Soothers gets two thumbs up from me.Also this week I am 12 weeks pregnant. The only new that I can tell is that I get really dizzy, especially after eating. I've also been getting more headaches then usual. Considering I had very minimal morning sickness and very few other pregnancy symptoms I will take the brief dizziness episodes.
On Monday we have our second appointment, we will be 13 weeks!! I can't wait to hear the heartbeat for the first times. I will post about our appointment next week.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take care and remain hopeful!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi everyone! I just wanted to give a quick update on the pregnancy so far and to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Well, so far everything is going pretty well with the pregnancy. Today I am 5 weeks and 5 days along based on the first day of my last period. I will be having my first appointment next Tuesday, December 1st. I am so excited and so scared all at the same time. I have been having the typical "pregnancy fears." Ya know - what if something is wrong? What if I have had a missed miscarraige? What if, what if, what if...
However, I will say that I am optimistic because I am having some insane nauseous and upset stomach, I am super tired all the time and still no cramping or spotting. So, say a prayer that all these are wonderful signs.
On that note, I am going to leave you all by saying Happy Thanksgiving and eat lots and lots!
Bad Blogger
I must admit I have been a bad blogger. My life has been chaotic with all sort of things to fill my days.
DH got laid off finally. It sucks, but honestly, I am glad that the waiting game is over so we can't keep getting our hopes up for more time. Now we can just move on.
I also hosted a Twilight:New Moon premiere event with some friends, and while you can criticize me all you want about the fact that I am almost 29 and head-over-heels for a fictional vampire, I seriously had a ton of fun. Aside from the movie itself, it was just great to get together with people. I don't get to do it much, so I had a blast.
My quarter-life crisis is definitely in full-swing. Suddenly I feel as though I am truly looking at my life for the first time.....or maybe just more closely than I ever have before. Thinking about what I truly want, and why. Thinking about why I have become such a cynic. Realizing that the reason I haven't followed many of my dreams is because I was afraid of what people would think. Scared to NOT follow them anymore. I am putting myself out there. I have made it my goal to do at least one thing every day that scares me. Simple or small, no matter. Yesterday the thing that scared me was to go to the gym and do 10 miles on the bike. I didn't think I could. And I did. So today I am going to do 12. Because now I know that I can.
I also made an appointment for a consult on the tattoo that I want. I have a tattoo that I got on my 18th birthday from a place that gave 50% off tattoos on your 18th birthday....so needless to say, I am now ready for a cover-up! I have spent a LONG time deciding what I want to do and I finally came up with a design that is super meaningful and beautiful, and I hope to get myself inked really soon!
Lastly, I booked a trip to NYC in March. A good friend lives out there, and I have been wanting to see her for years, but schedule and money and all sorts of other excuses prevented me from going. Not this year. I am going. I realize there is a possibility that I could be KU at that point in time, but I am going regardless. I don't want another opportunity to pass me by. I also was invited to the Sundance Film Festival in January, and that one might be a little bit more of a stretch for me, but I am going to weigh it out and see if it is feasible.
In any case, the point of this long drawn-out post is to say that 1) I am still here and 2) If you get one message from this post at all, let it be this. Never ever ever give up on your dreams! We never know how much time we have....all of our days are numbered. So how will you live them??? In the words of Thoreau: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined."
Pep talk concluded. Have a wonderful day!
DH got laid off finally. It sucks, but honestly, I am glad that the waiting game is over so we can't keep getting our hopes up for more time. Now we can just move on.
I also hosted a Twilight:New Moon premiere event with some friends, and while you can criticize me all you want about the fact that I am almost 29 and head-over-heels for a fictional vampire, I seriously had a ton of fun. Aside from the movie itself, it was just great to get together with people. I don't get to do it much, so I had a blast.
My quarter-life crisis is definitely in full-swing. Suddenly I feel as though I am truly looking at my life for the first time.....or maybe just more closely than I ever have before. Thinking about what I truly want, and why. Thinking about why I have become such a cynic. Realizing that the reason I haven't followed many of my dreams is because I was afraid of what people would think. Scared to NOT follow them anymore. I am putting myself out there. I have made it my goal to do at least one thing every day that scares me. Simple or small, no matter. Yesterday the thing that scared me was to go to the gym and do 10 miles on the bike. I didn't think I could. And I did. So today I am going to do 12. Because now I know that I can.
I also made an appointment for a consult on the tattoo that I want. I have a tattoo that I got on my 18th birthday from a place that gave 50% off tattoos on your 18th birthday....so needless to say, I am now ready for a cover-up! I have spent a LONG time deciding what I want to do and I finally came up with a design that is super meaningful and beautiful, and I hope to get myself inked really soon!
Lastly, I booked a trip to NYC in March. A good friend lives out there, and I have been wanting to see her for years, but schedule and money and all sorts of other excuses prevented me from going. Not this year. I am going. I realize there is a possibility that I could be KU at that point in time, but I am going regardless. I don't want another opportunity to pass me by. I also was invited to the Sundance Film Festival in January, and that one might be a little bit more of a stretch for me, but I am going to weigh it out and see if it is feasible.
In any case, the point of this long drawn-out post is to say that 1) I am still here and 2) If you get one message from this post at all, let it be this. Never ever ever give up on your dreams! We never know how much time we have....all of our days are numbered. So how will you live them??? In the words of Thoreau: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined."
Pep talk concluded. Have a wonderful day!
Time to put on my big girl panties...
WARNING - this may be a LONG post, with lots of jumbled up thoughts, but I am just putting it all out there.
I know it's been a while since my last post, but not too much has been going on with the Worry Buds - just getting ready to host our first married Thanksgiving at our house this year. That alone has been keeping me VERY busy to say the least & then add in the renovation of our master bath and I'm sure you can understand why I have been MIA. I have been feeling optimistic lately - my cycles seem to be normalizing (even think I may have O'd yesterday - on CD 13!!) & all of my tests were coming back perfectly normal. I was just truckin' along, that is...until yesterday - November 24, 2009. Yesterday my whole world was turned upside down with one phone call.
I was sitting at my desk at work checking the voicemail I had missed while away from my desk & I saw my RE clinic name pop up on the caller ID as an incoming phone call on the other line, so I switched over. It was Dr. G. He never calls to deliver results, usually it's my nurse, Jane. But, then again, I have only been working with them for just about a month, so maybe this was normal?? This is how the conversation went:
Dr. G: "How are you today?"
WB: "I'm great & you?"
Dr. G: "Good...so, I'm calling b/c we got back you husband's S/A results."
WB: "Mmmmhmm"
Dr. G: " And we identified some problems."
::heart drops::
Without going into the specific counts & percentages, etc. - I may later, but I'm just not ready to do so at this time - we have a problem...major problem. I didn't even know how to think/act/feel at that moment. It has seriously been my biggest fear ever since learning about Dandelion Bud's story. In all honesty, I did not want to be honest with myself. I knew it was possible that there could be a problem - I knew years ago when my serious boyfriend at the time (now Mr. Worry Bud) told me he had undergone emergency surgery on his testicles when he was a senior in high school. At the time, he told me it could be difficult for him to have children, that it was possible, and I heard him, but I just didn't think it would be a problem if we ever got to the that point. I wasn't even thinking about kids then. I was an undergrad in college for goodness sake. Who thinks about kids at that time in life?
Fast forward about 4 years later to after we are married & when we start TTC & I notice that I'm having short LP issues. I suggest going in to see an RE, who, as a matter of routine, tests my husband's sperm in addition to looking in to my problem. And come to find out, I am perfectly fine (at least seems that way from the tests so far), but there is a issue with my husband's sperm. Let me back up a bit here - when you are preparing for your first RE visit, they send you a big packet with a lot of paper work to fill out. During the course of us filling out said paper work, I finally discovered exactly what Mr. WB had gone through. I had never really asked too many questions about the surgery before. Frankly, I did not ever really think it would be a huge concern for us & Mr. WB was a little sensitive about the topic, so I just pushed - no forced - it to the back of my mind. He had undergone surgery for testicular torsion.
Here is an illustration of his condition at the time; the picture below shows one normal testicle (left) & one of a torsed testicle (right):
I know it's been a while since my last post, but not too much has been going on with the Worry Buds - just getting ready to host our first married Thanksgiving at our house this year. That alone has been keeping me VERY busy to say the least & then add in the renovation of our master bath and I'm sure you can understand why I have been MIA. I have been feeling optimistic lately - my cycles seem to be normalizing (even think I may have O'd yesterday - on CD 13!!) & all of my tests were coming back perfectly normal. I was just truckin' along, that is...until yesterday - November 24, 2009. Yesterday my whole world was turned upside down with one phone call.
I was sitting at my desk at work checking the voicemail I had missed while away from my desk & I saw my RE clinic name pop up on the caller ID as an incoming phone call on the other line, so I switched over. It was Dr. G. He never calls to deliver results, usually it's my nurse, Jane. But, then again, I have only been working with them for just about a month, so maybe this was normal?? This is how the conversation went:
Dr. G: "How are you today?"
WB: "I'm great & you?"
Dr. G: "Good...so, I'm calling b/c we got back you husband's S/A results."
WB: "Mmmmhmm"
Dr. G: " And we identified some problems."
::heart drops::
Without going into the specific counts & percentages, etc. - I may later, but I'm just not ready to do so at this time - we have a problem...major problem. I didn't even know how to think/act/feel at that moment. It has seriously been my biggest fear ever since learning about Dandelion Bud's story. In all honesty, I did not want to be honest with myself. I knew it was possible that there could be a problem - I knew years ago when my serious boyfriend at the time (now Mr. Worry Bud) told me he had undergone emergency surgery on his testicles when he was a senior in high school. At the time, he told me it could be difficult for him to have children, that it was possible, and I heard him, but I just didn't think it would be a problem if we ever got to the that point. I wasn't even thinking about kids then. I was an undergrad in college for goodness sake. Who thinks about kids at that time in life?
Fast forward about 4 years later to after we are married & when we start TTC & I notice that I'm having short LP issues. I suggest going in to see an RE, who, as a matter of routine, tests my husband's sperm in addition to looking in to my problem. And come to find out, I am perfectly fine (at least seems that way from the tests so far), but there is a issue with my husband's sperm. Let me back up a bit here - when you are preparing for your first RE visit, they send you a big packet with a lot of paper work to fill out. During the course of us filling out said paper work, I finally discovered exactly what Mr. WB had gone through. I had never really asked too many questions about the surgery before. Frankly, I did not ever really think it would be a huge concern for us & Mr. WB was a little sensitive about the topic, so I just pushed - no forced - it to the back of my mind. He had undergone surgery for testicular torsion.
Here is an illustration of his condition at the time; the picture below shows one normal testicle (left) & one of a torsed testicle (right):
Photo Credit
The condition requires emergency surgery in order to prevent a loss of the effected testicle. It is extremely painful. In Mr. WB's case the effected testicle was "saved", but I am assuming got damaged somehow. What I don't get is why it has caused problems now - if only one testicle was effected, and he has two, and you only need one normal testicle to make a baby, then why isn't the other one functioning as it should? All questions we will be discussing with my RE & most likely, a urologist at some point.
So where do we go from here? The RE said that they would like to do a repeat S/A, and do some hormonal testing on Mr. WB to make sure that the results weren't due to a fluke/bad day & that there are no underlying hormonal issues. However, Dr. G seems to think that the problem was caused by the surgery. He also said that we will most likely need to pursue a more aggressive treatment than he originally thought - possibly IVF. Ugh. I am absolutely TERRIFIED of IVF. It flat out scares the bejesus out of me - the emotional toll, the cost, the physical toll, the shots, taking BCPs again to gear up for an IVF cycle, etc. etc. Ugh again. I didn't cry & I haven't yet....I am trying to be strong for my husband. This is devastating news for us both, but truly devastating to him - he wants to be a daddy more than anything & I wish I could just wave a magic wand & fix this, but I can't.
There is a possibility that the second S/A could show that there is nothing wrong, but I doubt it. I am only 26 years old - I never imagined having to deal with anything this earth shattering at such a young age & in our first year of marriage. I don't know what to do or how to feel, but I know I need to do SOMETHING to occupy myself. Yesterday, I ordered some books about infertility that I will be reading to familiarize myself more with my new reality. I also already follow several blogs of women who have gone through IVF, plus of course Dandelion Bud is a friend. I am trying to learn as much about all of this as possible. I am going to make a list of questions for the RE when we meet again with him on December 18th, but I am holding off on considering us "diagnosed" with MFI until we have our follow up appointment with Dr. G. I am looking into different insurance options that are available to me (thankfully, it's open season at my job & there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions for our health care options). We will talk to the Dr. about counseling & see if he thinks we should be talking this out with someone. My biggest concern right now is with my husband - I know he feels horrible & I have been telling him that it's not his fault - and it's not. Sometimes life hands you lemons & I truly do believe that the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. If that is true, I hope that this is it - I don't think I can handle anything else, but I guess He knows best. Please keep us in your prayers - I will update as much as possible. I feel like I just got on a roller coaster that I don't want to ride. Please, please let me off.
So where do we go from here? The RE said that they would like to do a repeat S/A, and do some hormonal testing on Mr. WB to make sure that the results weren't due to a fluke/bad day & that there are no underlying hormonal issues. However, Dr. G seems to think that the problem was caused by the surgery. He also said that we will most likely need to pursue a more aggressive treatment than he originally thought - possibly IVF. Ugh. I am absolutely TERRIFIED of IVF. It flat out scares the bejesus out of me - the emotional toll, the cost, the physical toll, the shots, taking BCPs again to gear up for an IVF cycle, etc. etc. Ugh again. I didn't cry & I haven't yet....I am trying to be strong for my husband. This is devastating news for us both, but truly devastating to him - he wants to be a daddy more than anything & I wish I could just wave a magic wand & fix this, but I can't.
There is a possibility that the second S/A could show that there is nothing wrong, but I doubt it. I am only 26 years old - I never imagined having to deal with anything this earth shattering at such a young age & in our first year of marriage. I don't know what to do or how to feel, but I know I need to do SOMETHING to occupy myself. Yesterday, I ordered some books about infertility that I will be reading to familiarize myself more with my new reality. I also already follow several blogs of women who have gone through IVF, plus of course Dandelion Bud is a friend. I am trying to learn as much about all of this as possible. I am going to make a list of questions for the RE when we meet again with him on December 18th, but I am holding off on considering us "diagnosed" with MFI until we have our follow up appointment with Dr. G. I am looking into different insurance options that are available to me (thankfully, it's open season at my job & there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions for our health care options). We will talk to the Dr. about counseling & see if he thinks we should be talking this out with someone. My biggest concern right now is with my husband - I know he feels horrible & I have been telling him that it's not his fault - and it's not. Sometimes life hands you lemons & I truly do believe that the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. If that is true, I hope that this is it - I don't think I can handle anything else, but I guess He knows best. Please keep us in your prayers - I will update as much as possible. I feel like I just got on a roller coaster that I don't want to ride. Please, please let me off.
I've been a bad blogger
I've been a bad blogger and I do apologize. So I'll provide several posts over the next few days to catch readers up.
On Tuesday, Nov 17th, I had an ultrasound as it was CD 16 and I hadn't seen an LH surge yet. My RE didn't want to miss the surge thus throwing this cycle out the window.
The ultrasound showed 3 follicles on the left that were large and ready to release. On the right side was 2 large and 1 nearly ready follicle that were ready. My lining looked great - 3 layers and nice and fluffy is what the u/s tech told me.
Now there were concerns over the number of follicles that were ready to release. We had to have a conversation discussing the fact that 4-5 of the eggs could be fertilized. We are just hoping for 1 egg - but honestly, I'm well aware of the potential for more.
At the end of the appointment, I was given the HCG trigger to help the eggs release within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Well that's it for the appointment on the 17th. The next post will be about the actual IUI.
Until next time,
Sunshine Bud
On Tuesday, Nov 17th, I had an ultrasound as it was CD 16 and I hadn't seen an LH surge yet. My RE didn't want to miss the surge thus throwing this cycle out the window.
The ultrasound showed 3 follicles on the left that were large and ready to release. On the right side was 2 large and 1 nearly ready follicle that were ready. My lining looked great - 3 layers and nice and fluffy is what the u/s tech told me.
Now there were concerns over the number of follicles that were ready to release. We had to have a conversation discussing the fact that 4-5 of the eggs could be fertilized. We are just hoping for 1 egg - but honestly, I'm well aware of the potential for more.
At the end of the appointment, I was given the HCG trigger to help the eggs release within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Well that's it for the appointment on the 17th. The next post will be about the actual IUI.
Until next time,
Sunshine Bud
November 24, 2009
6 weeks already!
Time is flying by. I can't believe I'm 6 weeks already. It definitely didn't go by this fast first time around. I have a little bit of m/s, so before noon I pretty much live on Gatorade and cereal bars. Nothing else sounds good.
My new job involves a lot of physical work which is exhausting! I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep my pregnancy a secret. I kind of think one of my male co-workers might be on to me. (His FI is pregnant.) He offered to help me with a bunch of the heavy lifting today, which I greatly appreciated!
We are planning on telling Mr. Daisy Bud's family about the new little bud on Thanksgiving. I am a little nervous about telling them this early (FIL has a big mouth!). SIL had a m/c 2 years ago, so I know if anything happens, at least I have her support which will be nice.
My new job involves a lot of physical work which is exhausting! I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep my pregnancy a secret. I kind of think one of my male co-workers might be on to me. (His FI is pregnant.) He offered to help me with a bunch of the heavy lifting today, which I greatly appreciated!
We are planning on telling Mr. Daisy Bud's family about the new little bud on Thanksgiving. I am a little nervous about telling them this early (FIL has a big mouth!). SIL had a m/c 2 years ago, so I know if anything happens, at least I have her support which will be nice.
I'm in love with my doctor.
Not really. Or maybe. My OB/GYN takes me so seriously. I really do love how much he respects me. And best of all believes me.
So lets talk about my appointment yesterday. I went into to see Dr. Jenkins and this was our conversation.
Dr. J : Mrs OB, you are back? I guess you aren't pregnant yet.
Erica: Yep, I know something is wrong. My husband has great counts and I feel like his sperm don't get a real chance at surviving. I don't have a normal Luteal Phase and I know its causing problems. I used to be so normal... until I gained weight but I promise I'm trying to lose it. I promise.
Dr. J: Oh I know. I see you all the time working out with Elaine. I know you are trying.
Mrs OB: Umm what the hell? How the hell do you know my personal trainer's name?
Dr. J: Oh she's my trainer also.
Mrs OB: I promise I'm not stalking you. I promise its the only good gym around here.
Then we go on to talk about my cycles and LSU football. And then working out. And then LSU football again.
He really is a great doctor. We decided the weight could have caused some issues with me however, I am working hard to lose it and I could probably use some progesterone supplements and maybe some clomid.
So here I am today. A happy duck with a plan. A plan to continue working out, a plan to use the progesterone and maybe the clomid this cycle. I'm excited! Not only for the plan but for our vacation!
Sorry guys, I will be gone for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of bliss with my wonderful husband. I'm so excited!
I decided I would also give a thank you shot out for Thanksgiving.
5 months ago today, Mr.OB went under the knife to have his first surgery, brain surgery. 5 months later my husband is healthy and we are going on a trip of a lifetime. Its truly amazing and unbelievable what has happened in 5 months. 5 months ago I was praying to God just to not take away my husband. 5 months later, I am thanking God for a wonderful life he has given us. I am so thankful for this opportunity we have. 5 months after our horrific ordeal we are going on an unbelievable vacation. 5 months later I am packing our bags with my husband, who won't let me pack the dogs. I'm thankful for the friends and family who got us through this roller coaster. 5 months later, you can even tell we experience what we experience.
And that is what I am thankful for.
So lets talk about my appointment yesterday. I went into to see Dr. Jenkins and this was our conversation.
Dr. J : Mrs OB, you are back? I guess you aren't pregnant yet.
Erica: Yep, I know something is wrong. My husband has great counts and I feel like his sperm don't get a real chance at surviving. I don't have a normal Luteal Phase and I know its causing problems. I used to be so normal... until I gained weight but I promise I'm trying to lose it. I promise.
Dr. J: Oh I know. I see you all the time working out with Elaine. I know you are trying.
Mrs OB: Umm what the hell? How the hell do you know my personal trainer's name?
Dr. J: Oh she's my trainer also.
Mrs OB: I promise I'm not stalking you. I promise its the only good gym around here.
Then we go on to talk about my cycles and LSU football. And then working out. And then LSU football again.
He really is a great doctor. We decided the weight could have caused some issues with me however, I am working hard to lose it and I could probably use some progesterone supplements and maybe some clomid.
So here I am today. A happy duck with a plan. A plan to continue working out, a plan to use the progesterone and maybe the clomid this cycle. I'm excited! Not only for the plan but for our vacation!
Sorry guys, I will be gone for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of bliss with my wonderful husband. I'm so excited!
I decided I would also give a thank you shot out for Thanksgiving.
5 months ago today, Mr.OB went under the knife to have his first surgery, brain surgery. 5 months later my husband is healthy and we are going on a trip of a lifetime. Its truly amazing and unbelievable what has happened in 5 months. 5 months ago I was praying to God just to not take away my husband. 5 months later, I am thanking God for a wonderful life he has given us. I am so thankful for this opportunity we have. 5 months after our horrific ordeal we are going on an unbelievable vacation. 5 months later I am packing our bags with my husband, who won't let me pack the dogs. I'm thankful for the friends and family who got us through this roller coaster. 5 months later, you can even tell we experience what we experience.
And that is what I am thankful for.
November 23, 2009
Week 2 of the 2WW
So I finally made it to Week 2 of the 2WW. Week 1 flew by, and I hope week 2 is the same. My beta was originally scheduled for November 27, 2009 but due to the holidays I am going for my beta Monday November 30, 2009 with Dr. B. I got strict instructions from Nurse K this afternoon not to POAS.
So how am I going to get through Week 2? Thanksgiving of course, and I started reading Breaking Dawn...
Here is wishing all of you a very Blessed Thanksgiving, and God willing I will have some good news to share next week...
Until Next Time,
I'm a Debbie Downer
AF arrived today, which means today is the first day of cycle 10. I feel bad that all my posts are gloomy and sad, but that really sums up my TTC journey so far. I thought this would be the best time of mine and Mr. CB's life, and so far it's just been heartbreaking. I have my next appointment on Wednesday and we'll see what the doctor wants to do since the estrogen patches didn't thicken up my lining like she thought they would. In addition to whatever she suggests, I stopped by the health food store today and bought some pomegranate extract pills. Maybe this natural remedy will boost my lining.
Since my last post, I also have thrown away my BBT. I was holding on to temping so I could have a pretty BFP chart, but with all the meds I'm on I knew temping was basically pointless. I don't know if it was not temping or just not feeling optimistic about this cycle, but this was the fastest, least stressful 2WW I've had. I'm thinking this cycle will go by fast as well since I have Thanksgiving, a trip to NYC and winter break right around the corner. I'll let you know later this week what my cycle 10 plan will be.
May Be MIA for Awhile
I may be a bit absent from this blog over the next month. Not that I don't love you all (and thanks for the comments on my last post) but we are FINALLY selling our home and having to move during this busy holiday season, so my access to the computer will be very limited. I will try to post if I can, but I wanted to let you all know why I won't be here as much for a little while. I plan to be back in 2010! I am so grateful that God found buyers for our home after a year and 4 months on the market. I am so excited to start the hunt for our forever home, the home we will bring our child home to and raise in! Thank you all so much, and I promise to do my best and stay in touch!
Faith, Love and Baby Flutters,
Brainy Bud
22 Weeks down!
I think Baby GB's growth must slow from here on out because I only get my fruit updates from thebump.com every month instead of each week.
Here's what Baby GB is up to during my 5th month of being KU!
Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.
Apparently Mr & Mrs GB need to watch their mouths from here on out also since Baby GB is able to hear our every word :) This may be more difficult for Mr GB than myself - he's got quite the potty mouth. I think that I'm also going to have to invest in some new soothing iTunes to calm Baby GB! I've heard that classical music is great to play for your baby while he's still in the womb.
Here's what Baby GB is up to during my 5th month of being KU!
I'm definitely feeling him tumbling around in there now a days and if he punches me low enough it makes me feel like I have to pee... fabulous feeling :) I haven't been able to pinpoint his sleep cycles as suggested above but he must sleep the same time I am because he's not keeping me up at night. This morning he was REALLY active about an hour after I had my breakfast! Thebump.com also recommends to set aside some time each day to count kicks - once you start feeling them regularly - ideally, you'll feel ten kicks, swishes, rolls or jabs within an hour. If after two you aren't to ten it's suggested to give your doctor a call. I'll have to keep that in mind!
Well, other than these few little tidbits we haven't been up to much - so we're focusing on Thanksgiving right now! On Wed we are heading 4 hours west to visit our families. I'm SO excited - they haven't seen us since we were about 12 weeks along!
Well, other than these few little tidbits we haven't been up to much - so we're focusing on Thanksgiving right now! On Wed we are heading 4 hours west to visit our families. I'm SO excited - they haven't seen us since we were about 12 weeks along!
A Plan in a bag
Is what I told the nurse when I walked out of my appointment this morning with my welcome kit and all my information after meeting with the RE.
The apt went great, the doctor is extremely knowledgeable, understanding and explained anything and everything and assured me that even after having multiple m/c 's we can have a healthy full term pregnancy.
The doctor did my exam and noticed that I was still spotting so she wanted to run my beta levels again to make sure that they were at 0 before any other blood work.
After leaving the appointment for the first time after this m/c I started to see things different and am anxious to start testing. At first I was kind of scared and just wanted to stop trying, but that is not going to solve whatever problem we might have. I hope we have some answers and are able to start trying in the New year.
So Here is our plan... Hopefully I can keep track
The apt went great, the doctor is extremely knowledgeable, understanding and explained anything and everything and assured me that even after having multiple m/c 's we can have a healthy full term pregnancy.
The doctor did my exam and noticed that I was still spotting so she wanted to run my beta levels again to make sure that they were at 0 before any other blood work.
After leaving the appointment for the first time after this m/c I started to see things different and am anxious to start testing. At first I was kind of scared and just wanted to stop trying, but that is not going to solve whatever problem we might have. I hope we have some answers and are able to start trying in the New year.
So Here is our plan... Hopefully I can keep track
- I need to fast and then draw blood for RPL (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss... I have heard that they take around 32 vials of blood.. Holy Moly!!)
- Mr. Bud Draws blood (genetic testing)
- Wait for AF ( I have never been so anxious for her little butt to show up)
- Day 2-3 after AF - Hormone u/s (Pelvic u/s)
- After AF & Before Ovulation - HSG (X-Ray to evaluate the Uterine cavity, cervical canal, and tubal patency).
- Ovulation - use OPK and once + call doctors to schedule:
- Progesterone blood Test (To determine P4 blood level after ovulation) 7-10 days after + opk
- Endometrial Biopsy (A small piece of the tissue lining of the uterus is removed for evaluation) 11-13 days after +opk
Welcome to the wonderful world of Side Effects... up first: GI upset
So, I just started week 6 on the devil pills (AKA BCPs). I'm taking comfort knowing that the side effects I've been having on the pill are almost over. I will take my last pill on thursday. "On this Thanksgiving, I am thankful I won't have to take ANY more BCPs."
So far, the wonderful side effects I've been having on the BCPs include: TERRIBLE breast pain (I am 36FF and I have been sleeping in an underwire bra... taking it off even for a shower has been awful) and itchiness because they're getting BIGGER!!!!, mood swings to make Lindsey Lohan look stable, i'm crying at everything and i haven't had skin this bad since I was about 14. Let's not forget the complete lack of interest in sex. Poor Mr. DB.
Now I'm taking the Lupron. A little shot, which is honestly not that bad at all (not nearly as bad as the PIO -Progesterone in Oil- will be). Each morning, DH does his job - goes downstairs, gets it out of the fridge and shoots me up before he gets in the shower. We're alternating arms. It stings a little, but no bruising so far, and we only saw blood once.
Interestingly, the only FDA approved uses of Lupron are for prostate cancer (!!!) and precocious puberty. However, ovarian function suppression falls under it's off label uses.
These are the recorded side effects of Lupron:
The bolded items are the ones I'm ALREADY experiencing from the BCPs. How happy does this make me? I guess these symptoms aren't going away any time soon.
For now, the good news is that I get to stop taking the BCPs on thursday. And in less than a month, they'll be retrieving what I hope is LOADS of eggs from my ovaries while I am completely unconscious and while DH is "providing his sample" in another room.
There is something completely wrong with this entire process. But as long as I get my baby - i don't care.
Is that wrong too?
So far, the wonderful side effects I've been having on the BCPs include: TERRIBLE breast pain (I am 36FF and I have been sleeping in an underwire bra... taking it off even for a shower has been awful) and itchiness because they're getting BIGGER!!!!, mood swings to make Lindsey Lohan look stable, i'm crying at everything and i haven't had skin this bad since I was about 14. Let's not forget the complete lack of interest in sex. Poor Mr. DB.
Now I'm taking the Lupron. A little shot, which is honestly not that bad at all (not nearly as bad as the PIO -Progesterone in Oil- will be). Each morning, DH does his job - goes downstairs, gets it out of the fridge and shoots me up before he gets in the shower. We're alternating arms. It stings a little, but no bruising so far, and we only saw blood once.
Interestingly, the only FDA approved uses of Lupron are for prostate cancer (!!!) and precocious puberty. However, ovarian function suppression falls under it's off label uses.
These are the recorded side effects of Lupron:
- bone pain
- Swelling, Rapid Weight Gain
- pain, burning, stinging, bruising, or redness where the medication was injected
- feeling like you might pass out
- Urinating more often than usual
- sudden headache with vision problems, vomiting, confusion, slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, or slow breathing.
- pain or unusual sensations in your back
- numbness, weakness, or tingly feeling in your legs or feet
- muscle weakness or loss of use
- loss of bowel or bladder control
- acne, increased growth of facial hair
- dizziness, weakness, tired feeling
- hot flashes, night sweats, chills, clammy skin
- nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain
- skin redness, itching, or scaling
- joint or muscle pain
- vaginal itching or discharge
- breast swelling or tenderness
- testicle pain
- impotence, loss of interest in sex
- depression, sleep problems (insomnia), memory problems
- redness, burning, itching, or swelling where the shot was given
The bolded items are the ones I'm ALREADY experiencing from the BCPs. How happy does this make me? I guess these symptoms aren't going away any time soon.
For now, the good news is that I get to stop taking the BCPs on thursday. And in less than a month, they'll be retrieving what I hope is LOADS of eggs from my ovaries while I am completely unconscious and while DH is "providing his sample" in another room.
There is something completely wrong with this entire process. But as long as I get my baby - i don't care.
Is that wrong too?
November 20, 2009
17 weeks down and lots of excitement
One more week is almost done in the 40 week wait to little Daffodil Bud's arrival.
This week I had a doctors appointment where of course I got to hear that sweetest little swishing sound of baby's heartbeat. Things are progressing normally and the heartbeat was 140 this week. So far I have only gained 2 lbs but my weight is shifting to where people say they can tell I am pregnant and not just my normal overly fluffy self.
The biggest event so far for this week was getting the big ultrasound scheduled. Next Friday the 27th, Black Friday, instead of joining the madness of shoppers we will be sleeping in and then going to see if our baby will co-operate so we can find out if this is a Boy or if it is a Girl.
Thankfully we have a few things happening before Friday so I can not obsess for a whole week about the ultrasound. My baby brother is a senior in high school this year and he and the rest of the football team are still in the playoffs for the state championship. They play this Saturday for Semi-Finals at 1pm so there is that fun and then of course Turkey Day on Thursday.
Of course if my brother and his team beat their opponent this Saturday then it is on to the state championship game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday afternoon so Friday may be a busy busy day.
So hopefully next week I will have lots of exciting news to report. Until then here is the 17 week "bump" picture :)
I love fruit!
Especially when it is being used to describe the size of Baby Hopeful Bud. This week our baby is compared to a lime. 
I love limes, especially when they are in frozen Margaritas. Oh I would love a Margarita about now (kidding)! Next week he or 
she grows to become the almighty plum. I can't believe I'm almost out of the first trimester. While I can't say that I actually have a baby bump, my stomach is looking very funny. It looks as though all of my organs have decided to be pushed over to the right. Very strange looking.
I love limes, especially when they are in frozen Margaritas. Oh I would love a Margarita about now (kidding)! Next week he or 
she grows to become the almighty plum. I can't believe I'm almost out of the first trimester. While I can't say that I actually have a baby bump, my stomach is looking very funny. It looks as though all of my organs have decided to be pushed over to the right. Very strange looking. Also, as of today (11 weeks and 4 days) we are under the 200 day countdown. I haven't told Mr. Hopeful Bud this yet, because it would really freak him out. He is working on a pretty big deal right now, that if everything goes according to plan (yeah right!) will be a great commission for us to have for our little nest egg. It will really help us out professionally and personally. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes and praying that Baby HB is crossing all of his or her fingers and toes too since they are now unwebbed.
Yesterday I took the test on http://www.babygenderpredictiontest.com/ and it said 74% boy for Baby HB. Although I had a couple friends take the test who already know what they are having and it gave them the opposite sex then what was confirmed on u/s. So maybe I'll take the test with a grain of salt. We are just praying for a healthy Baby HB.
Well that's about it. Nothing too exciting going on in the life of Mrs. Hopeful Bud and her growing fruit. Morning sickness has seems to subside, even though I had it very minimally in the first place.
Take care and remain hopeful and prayerful!
Well that sucked.
My wonderful AF is here. She blows and sucks. My boobs hurt like hell and I'm cramping. Niiice. Well looks like its on to cycle # 6 and I had a huge let breakdown last night. It sucks. Its ONLY cycle 6 for goodness sake. I guess why I get so worried is because I always hear of the "Oh I got KU on my first cycle, oh it was an accident, oh yeah we weren't even trying". You know what? You suck. Seriously though I am happy for them. I'm happy that they never had to go through this crap.
Honestly in my head I thought TTC would be all fun and games. I never understood how hard it could and can be. Its depressing but at the same time.. I can't give up. It just sucks. It blows because this is the one thing I can't seem to fix.
You know in high school if you want good grades, you study, you get good grades. You want to be a better athlete , you work out, you become a better athlete. You want a baby, you have sex during your fertile time, you have.. wait no that doesn't work for me. It sucks.
Yesterday I hated my body. I just wished it worked right. I wish I didn't spot. I wish I had a longer LP .. Granted I know its okay but I want a good one. I just want more than 10 days and no red. Thats all. Is that too much to ask for? Obviously.
Today, I love my body. I can't sit and be sorry for myself. I'm going to fix this. Today I'm calling my doctor and asking to be put on something. I know my body better than anybody else and I know this isn't normal. Spotting 3-4 days before my period isn't normal and my LPS are getting shorter instead of longer.
Now on to the good news. 5 more freaking days until I am on a cruise sipping.. lets see wine, vodka water, beer, margaritas.. really anything. Could I do that pregnant.. UM NO! So hell yeah! This is a dream come true for Mr. OB and me. And I can't believe we are so close to being on a vacation of a lifetime.
Wouldn't it be awesome if I could tell everyone he knocked me up in international water? HA! Or even on the balcony of a cruise ship after a scandalous night of drinking? HAHA! Wouldn't that be nice.
Maybe this will be the place of conception.
Finally.... Game On
This past friday, my 13x13 box of medications arrived!
Wednesday afternoon, Mr. DB and I had a visit to the RE. I knew we were going to learn about our first medications... and possibly having an internal ultrasound as well. Dr. Z wanted to check my ovaries, make sure they were at rest (since I've just started week 5 of the devil BCPs). He told me that my ovaries are behind my uterus (of course it is, why wouldn't it be?), but that wouldn't be a problem. It just makes them a little bit harder to see. And then he looked at my antral follicle count. According to this link I found, I have pretty good numbers. He saw at least 7 antral follicles on each ovary. So, based on that link - i'm in pretty good shape.
So - the plan....
Yesterday, i started taking baby aspirin, which I will continue to take daily, through 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Tomorrow morning, at 7:30, I start Lupron injectibles in the backs of my arms (apparently I'm too fat to take them anywhere else, thanks). I will continue these injections through December 6th, when the dosage will be dropped by half.
On thanksgiving, I get to take my last devil pill. No worries - the lupron should be giving me plenty of side effects by then!
On december 3rd, we get to go back to Dr. Z for another med teach, and the following morning, I get to go in for another vagcam date, to check how well the lupron has been suppressing my ovaries.
December 6th, I start my stims.
photo credit photo credit
Over the next 10 days, I will have 4 shots daily and will likely have 5-6 visits to Dr. Z's office at 7am for blood work monitoring and vagcam ultrasounds.
Sometime between december 16-18, I will have my egg retrieval. Looks pleasant, right? Can someone tell me how it's fair that I have to go through ALL of this, and Mr. DB gets to just "provide a sample"?
Then depending on the numbers, how well they fertilize and divide and the quality of our embryos, 3-5 days following my retrieval, we'll have our transfer.
It seems crazy.... but we could potentially find out that we're having a baby on New Years Eve.
I can't believe after all that we've been through... this is finally here.
Wednesday afternoon, Mr. DB and I had a visit to the RE. I knew we were going to learn about our first medications... and possibly having an internal ultrasound as well. Dr. Z wanted to check my ovaries, make sure they were at rest (since I've just started week 5 of the devil BCPs). He told me that my ovaries are behind my uterus (of course it is, why wouldn't it be?), but that wouldn't be a problem. It just makes them a little bit harder to see. And then he looked at my antral follicle count. According to this link I found, I have pretty good numbers. He saw at least 7 antral follicles on each ovary. So, based on that link - i'm in pretty good shape.
So - the plan....
Yesterday, i started taking baby aspirin, which I will continue to take daily, through 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Tomorrow morning, at 7:30, I start Lupron injectibles in the backs of my arms (apparently I'm too fat to take them anywhere else, thanks). I will continue these injections through December 6th, when the dosage will be dropped by half.
On thanksgiving, I get to take my last devil pill. No worries - the lupron should be giving me plenty of side effects by then!
On december 3rd, we get to go back to Dr. Z for another med teach, and the following morning, I get to go in for another vagcam date, to check how well the lupron has been suppressing my ovaries.
December 6th, I start my stims.
photo credit photo credit
Over the next 10 days, I will have 4 shots daily and will likely have 5-6 visits to Dr. Z's office at 7am for blood work monitoring and vagcam ultrasounds.
Sometime between december 16-18, I will have my egg retrieval. Looks pleasant, right? Can someone tell me how it's fair that I have to go through ALL of this, and Mr. DB gets to just "provide a sample"?
Then depending on the numbers, how well they fertilize and divide and the quality of our embryos, 3-5 days following my retrieval, we'll have our transfer.
It seems crazy.... but we could potentially find out that we're having a baby on New Years Eve.
I can't believe after all that we've been through... this is finally here.
November 19, 2009
First u/s.....
Well today was our first u/s! RE basically wanted me to come in to check on he progress and most importantly make sure our little bagel had implanted in the right place.
AND everything looked great !
We got to see the sac and the yolk sac. RE say I'm measuring 5 weeks and 3 days. Right on target.
We will go back in 2 weeks 12/3 to hopefully see a hb and our little "bagel" (as my DH has so lovingly named him/her).
I'd also like to add to this how much I absolutely LOVE my RE. She is truly amazing. When she first walked in to the u/s room she said "and look at where we are today!" then she proceeded to tell me we wouldn't see a hb because she didn't want me to freak out and asked me how I've been doing. I asked her about the pains from yesterday she said it was all normal and that I'd probably continue experiencing all kinds of fun stuff. DH pointed out that I have been very irritable (thanks DH! lol) and the Dr. told him he was gonna be dealing with that for a while so he should just suck it up!
She did the u/s we went over my PNV's and continuing progesterone and told me to go back in 2 weeks. Before she left she gave me the biggest hug. A REAL hug, like the kind your mom would give. Again, love her!
The nurse, Judy, is fabulous too. I'm so truly lucky!
For now, I feel like I can breathe a little easier for the time being. I know come the week of the next u/s I'll probably be a nervous wreck but for now I'm content that the bagel is growing in the right place :)
AND everything looked great !
We got to see the sac and the yolk sac. RE say I'm measuring 5 weeks and 3 days. Right on target.
We will go back in 2 weeks 12/3 to hopefully see a hb and our little "bagel" (as my DH has so lovingly named him/her).
I'd also like to add to this how much I absolutely LOVE my RE. She is truly amazing. When she first walked in to the u/s room she said "and look at where we are today!" then she proceeded to tell me we wouldn't see a hb because she didn't want me to freak out and asked me how I've been doing. I asked her about the pains from yesterday she said it was all normal and that I'd probably continue experiencing all kinds of fun stuff. DH pointed out that I have been very irritable (thanks DH! lol) and the Dr. told him he was gonna be dealing with that for a while so he should just suck it up!
She did the u/s we went over my PNV's and continuing progesterone and told me to go back in 2 weeks. Before she left she gave me the biggest hug. A REAL hug, like the kind your mom would give. Again, love her!
The nurse, Judy, is fabulous too. I'm so truly lucky!
For now, I feel like I can breathe a little easier for the time being. I know come the week of the next u/s I'll probably be a nervous wreck but for now I'm content that the bagel is growing in the right place :)
One week F/U appointment
Not much to report... I'm still spotting and the nurse says its completely normal (boo woo).
Hopefully I should have today's beta's by tomorrow afternoon.
Monday is the big day, I'm meeting with the RE. Since yesterday I have been calling my old Ob/Gyn and have been requesting all of my medical records. Hopefully this will give us some answers.
Bloated!
I am currently 5weeks 2 days pregnant. So far, I'm feeling pretty good. I've had a couple of days where I've felt somewhat nauseous. I'm almost always tired, but that could also be from taking care of a toddler or working at 5:30am. Bloating is my biggest issue. I feel huge!
It's crazy, but we might have already figured out our name choices. At this point, if Baby Daisy Bud is a boy his name will be Logan Curtis and if it's a girl her name will be Allison Marguerite. I'm amazed that we came up with ideas for names this early. Little Daisy Bud didn't have a name until after 3owks. We have our first appointment November 30th.
It's crazy, but we might have already figured out our name choices. At this point, if Baby Daisy Bud is a boy his name will be Logan Curtis and if it's a girl her name will be Allison Marguerite. I'm amazed that we came up with ideas for names this early. Little Daisy Bud didn't have a name until after 3owks. We have our first appointment November 30th.
And now we wait...
Yesterday was a big day - I had my HSG & Mr. Worry Bud dropped off his "sample" for the SA. Those were the final two big tests that we have to go thru. We need some additional routine b/w done as well & will probably get that done tomorrow on our day off. I will be sooo happy when we get thru with all this testing & *hopefully* find that there is nothing wrong with either of us! As I have mentioned before, we will go in for the followup consultation with the RE on December 18th & we will discuss next steps with him. Although, I think we are pretty firm in our decision to continue to try on our own for a few months if the test results raise no concerns. Especially if this cycle's LP is as long or longer than last cycle's.
Results:
My HSG was relatively uneventful. I took 4 ibuprofen about an hour beforehand & then drove in for the test. The HSG itself was very quick - took less than 5 minutes total! I had slight cramping while the dye was going thru my uterus & tubes, but it was fine once it stopped. I also had slight discharge of the dye for a few hours after the procedure, so I just wore a panty liner the rest of the day yesterday & it was all good. This morning, I am having slight cramping, but nothing unbearable. The Dr. said that I got the "fastest HSG of the day" award because the dye went straight thru my tubes quickly & he also said everything looked "textbook normal" - my uterus was the normal triangular shape & my tube were nice & straight & clear.
Photo Credit
Results:
My HSG was relatively uneventful. I took 4 ibuprofen about an hour beforehand & then drove in for the test. The HSG itself was very quick - took less than 5 minutes total! I had slight cramping while the dye was going thru my uterus & tubes, but it was fine once it stopped. I also had slight discharge of the dye for a few hours after the procedure, so I just wore a panty liner the rest of the day yesterday & it was all good. This morning, I am having slight cramping, but nothing unbearable. The Dr. said that I got the "fastest HSG of the day" award because the dye went straight thru my tubes quickly & he also said everything looked "textbook normal" - my uterus was the normal triangular shape & my tube were nice & straight & clear.
Photo CreditIt was huge sigh of relief for us that basically everything looks fine as far as my testing goes!! Mr. WB's SA results will take 3-5 business days, so I will be anxiously awaiting those. But, I bet everything will be just fine & we really didn't have anything to worry about at all (which is what he said all along)! I really think I talked about it a bit in a previous post, but I feel like the fact that my LP lengthened was a sign from God to just continue trying on our own & we will get PG eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later), so I am pretty comfortable with waiting on his timing at this point if all of our test results come back normal.
In the mean time, I am just getting ready for Thanksgiving (Mr. WB's family is coming up from about 4 hours away & we are hosting our first married Thanksgiving at our home), and also focusing on finishing up our Master Bath renovation project - which has been quite the challenge! Hopefully I will O in the near future here & we can start trying for our Christmas baby! Thanks for all the kind words & well wishes - they keep my spirits up!
In the mean time, I am just getting ready for Thanksgiving (Mr. WB's family is coming up from about 4 hours away & we are hosting our first married Thanksgiving at our home), and also focusing on finishing up our Master Bath renovation project - which has been quite the challenge! Hopefully I will O in the near future here & we can start trying for our Christmas baby! Thanks for all the kind words & well wishes - they keep my spirits up!
November 18, 2009
In Spirit of the Holidays...
My latest craving...
Photo Credit
Photo CreditPeppermint Candy Canes!!! Hmm... at least they aren't TOO unhealthy for me right?? It's a little early but hey, they are in the stores and hopefully I won't get burned out on them before Christmas actually rolls around! :)
Holy Moly, I'm Pregnant!
Well, this crazy cycle was "the one!!!" I am so freaking excited, you wouldn't even believe it!
I hit 10 DPO on Monday (11/16) and had talked to my good friend Stephanie about whether or not I should test soon or wait until Friday (11/20). We both concluded that I should wait. Well, all night Monday night, I could not get my mind off of it and when I went to bed I prayed really hard for God to give me some sort of sign of what I should do. Well, he did just that. Usually when Mr. SB wakes me up to take my temp, I take it and go right back to sleep. Not Tuesday morning, I had to pee so bad and was wide awake. So, I tested and what do you know? "Pregnant" appeared. I stood up and said "Yes!" like I had just scored a touchdown or something. I then pulled my pants up and calmly walked into the bedroom and said to Mr. SB "Babe, I have to show you something." He looked at the test and said "Alright!" and hugged and kissed me and quickly claimed "My sperm work!"
Ok, so here is how it all went down:
You guys remember this post and this post? Well, apparently a weird cycle and lots of stress = baby. Who knew?
I hit 10 DPO on Monday (11/16) and had talked to my good friend Stephanie about whether or not I should test soon or wait until Friday (11/20). We both concluded that I should wait. Well, all night Monday night, I could not get my mind off of it and when I went to bed I prayed really hard for God to give me some sort of sign of what I should do. Well, he did just that. Usually when Mr. SB wakes me up to take my temp, I take it and go right back to sleep. Not Tuesday morning, I had to pee so bad and was wide awake. So, I tested and what do you know? "Pregnant" appeared. I stood up and said "Yes!" like I had just scored a touchdown or something. I then pulled my pants up and calmly walked into the bedroom and said to Mr. SB "Babe, I have to show you something." He looked at the test and said "Alright!" and hugged and kissed me and quickly claimed "My sperm work!"So, what's next? My first doctor's appointment is on December 1st at 1:45 and Mr. SB is going to go with me. Woohoo!
November 17, 2009
Not Much To Report!
Well, it's very odd going from full blown TTC to TTA. Your life becomes so non-consumed with things that were previously so important to you.
I noticed that I haven't been to FF in a week or two, I haven't thought about AF coming, or whether or not I should have a drink, or whether or not I remembered my B6. I tell you, it's all so boring!
We are still on track to continue TTC in a few months, and that's okay. Mr. Snow Bud and I talk about having babies constantly, although I think he's trying to get out of the mentality more so than I am. He just keeps saying that our time will come. He's right.
I'm currently waiting for AF to show up, once she does, I am going to TTA with charting. I don't think charting will be QUITE as fun knowing that I'm not TTC, but it will be good to figure out my body and know it inside and out when our time comes.
So, I suppose back to my somewhat normal before TTC life, a lot of that revolves around school. I graduate December 5 from massage therapy school, I cannot wait.
Until next time,
Helloooo Out Thereeeee
Well, I am not sure if any of you really read my posts anymore since I don't get any comments, but I thought I'd update you anyway...
Wednesday (at 8 weeks, 3 days) I had my second OB/GYN appointment.
I was immediately taken back to THE ultrasound room. I say THE because it was a big open room with a small table for me to lay on and had a sofa with enough room for 3 people in that room. Across the room at the top of the wall was a tv screen that showed me the ultrasound instead of looking at the one on the machine. I loved the tech, she was very nice. She thought that we may be able to pick up Baby Brainy on a abdominal U/S instead of a vaginal one, so I was very happy about that. It took her no time to find the baby. It was so cute, even though I could barely see that far away without my glasses. Remind me to bring them next time.
She said that the baby was in the "gummy bear" stage as she calls it, but I don't think I'll use that phrase since my latest food craving has been gummy bears and sour gummy worms. There is something definitely wrong with that!
Next, I was taken into a holding cell, wait, a patient room to await the doctor. I was instructed to continue the Prometrium until my next visit/2nd trimester and to see him in 4 weeks.
U/S photos to come once I don't fall asleep using the scanner!
Wednesday (at 8 weeks, 3 days) I had my second OB/GYN appointment.
I was immediately taken back to THE ultrasound room. I say THE because it was a big open room with a small table for me to lay on and had a sofa with enough room for 3 people in that room. Across the room at the top of the wall was a tv screen that showed me the ultrasound instead of looking at the one on the machine. I loved the tech, she was very nice. She thought that we may be able to pick up Baby Brainy on a abdominal U/S instead of a vaginal one, so I was very happy about that. It took her no time to find the baby. It was so cute, even though I could barely see that far away without my glasses. Remind me to bring them next time.
She said that the baby was in the "gummy bear" stage as she calls it, but I don't think I'll use that phrase since my latest food craving has been gummy bears and sour gummy worms. There is something definitely wrong with that!
Next, I was taken into a holding cell, wait, a patient room to await the doctor. I was instructed to continue the Prometrium until my next visit/2nd trimester and to see him in 4 weeks.
U/S photos to come once I don't fall asleep using the scanner!