Aren't we always moving forward? Sometimes it seems like we're moving faster than other times. We've got many countdowns going in life right now...
1. Christmas is only 4 days away! In my last post I expressed my frustration with the holidays this year...and here they are!
2. My wonderful, full-of-memories Ben Franklin Store will be closing, for good, in 7 days. So sad, so so sad. It's the end of an era! We continue to joke about things...especially stupid customers, but the truth is that is what holds us together at this time.
3. My IVF baseline blood test and ultrasound is scheduled for January 7th. That is very soon!!
Since my last post I've been busy. Haven't we all been busy?! I ordered most of the drugs I will need for my IVF. My doctor advised me, without advising me, to order them from a company in England because they will be about half the price. I wired money to England, at the cheap "half price" of $3,766...! Yeah, that's the "cheap" price! I'm nearly speechless at this price. That's ONLY for medications. That's ONLY for 3 medications. Injections that will happen every day for roughly 2 weeks.
And insurance won't cover a dime.
I had an appointment on the 13th. They called this an "IVF lecture". Amanda and I went and we sat in a room with a nurse as she explained everything there is to know about IVF. It was really good. It was helpful. It put things into perspective. It made this real.
We received a calendar, tailored to me. It includes what days to take birth control pills, what days all my appointments will be, when I am to start injectable medications, the week of my egg retrieval...wow!!
I was told things like, "this medication will make you produce a lot of eggs. Maybe as many as 15. You'll feel full. I've had women come in already looking 3 months pregnant because their ovaries were so full."
And, "we use a needle and actually inject the egg with a sperm."
And, "the spot where you inject the progesterone in oil will be quite sore."
So, we got lots of information. After the transfer (when they put the fertilized embryo into my uterus) I will be on bed rest for 2 days. I think the most "painful" part of all of this will be after that. The waiting to see if it worked (See my post titled, "the dreaded two week wait").
My next appointment was yesterday, the 19th. I had a hysterosonogram. Also called a water sonogram. This is a procedure that I take ibuprofen, an antibiotic and valium before it begins. They fill my uterus with a saline solution via a catheter through my cervix. Then they do a vaginal ultrasound while my uterus feels like it will burst. The doctor is looking to make sure that i don't have any abnormalities that will interfere with implantation. He says that I have a small uterus which isn't a big issue. He says my uterus is tilted backwards which only means that when he does the egg retrieval (I'll be under anesthesia) he will have to attach a string to my cervix so that he can manipulate it when transferring the embryo back in... My cervix will be a puppet!! Other than those 2 minor things...it was normal! So again, we're moving forward.
Merry Christmas to you all!!
While we were waiting we enjoyed the holiday season, we got to see my brother graduate with an electrical engineering degree from Western Michigan University, and we took in our last days at the family store.
