Let me sum it up. Keep in mind that it really seems to have been "divine timing" since I had the summer off :).
***************************************************************************
Daily Schedule:
Between 7:00-8:00 a.m. - wake up ravenous and nauseous; eat something (i.e. crackers, then usually cereal or oatmeal).
Til 10:00 a.m. - watch TV in bed
10:00-12:00 p.m. - nap
12:00 p.m. - wake up and eat lunch
1:00-3:00 p.m. - watch TV (maybe even in the living room)
3:00-5:00 p.m. - nap
5:00 - wake up, eat crackers/snack, watch tv
6:00 - eat dinner
6:30-9:00 p.m. - play frisbee w/Charlie (dog), watch tv, and do whatever I absolutely had to do around the house
9:00 p.m. til 1:00 a.m. - eat some more crackers, watch tv and/or read (in bed)
Between 12:00-1:00 a.m. - eat something (i.e. crackers and cheese, cinnamon swirl bread, or ramen soup)
1:00-3:00 a.m. - try to fall asleep (even on rare occasions when I didn't nap half the day - I had a very hard time getting to sleep at night)
3:00-7:00 a.m. - sleep
Repeat
***************************************************************************
My feelings most days:
1) Nauseous (although I didn't really "get sick" - I just didn't feel well)
2) I had an overly sour or sweet taste in my mouth (yuk)
3) Very thirsty (although unable to drink too much water due to acid reflux)
4) Very tired, and
5) Generally apathetic (not wanting to do much of anything or even socialize because it all seemed like "a lot").
*Kelly would probably say I was a bit irritable, particularly when especially tired and hungry. I know I was irritable for most of the 10th and 11th week because I was getting tired of not feeling well.
Food:
1) Mostly ate comfort foods, like mashed potatoes and gravy, mac-n-cheese, and dressing (a la Boston Market), chicken noodle soup (a la Chic Filet), chicken, and roast beef w/gravy.
2) Not too interested in anything spicy or that might give me heartburn.
3) Avoided chicken wings (something about the bone) and Mexican food.
Drinks: Mostly just water. Anything sweet just left a disgustingly sweet taste in my mouth. Couldn't drink coffee because it gave me heartburn (even our own healthy coffee :(. The thought of alcohol was nauseating (very surprising! ;).
Weight gain: Not too much. I think I lost a few pounds those first couple of weeks - purely from not drinking alcohol. ;) So, I gained about 3 pounds.
Showing: Not really. Kelly and I would laugh at my growing belly, and my friend, Loretta, basically told me I was getting fat. ;) Otherwise, most people probably wouldn't really notice.
Overall: I was very grateful that I didn't really "get sick," I was off of work during this time, and I know it could have been much worse. I felt pretty lucky!
More to come soon...
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Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Mother's Day
The first day of my last cycle began exactly on Mother's Day (May 8th). After not having access to our sperm last month (on Easter Sunday), we made sure to get the sperm early this time! Good thing, because we ended up going in for the IUI on Saturday, May 21st. This will be the 5th time we've tried, although the first time since my laparoscopy when I had ovarian cysts and endimetriosis removed. It's been about 1 year since we began this whole process.
Typically, if you're pregnant, implantation occurs between 8-12 days past ovulation. A pregnancy test will only come up positive after implantation happens, typically at least 10 days past ovulation. We decided to start testing at 9 days past ovulation (or Monday, May 30th); then we would continue testing until I got a positive test or started my next cycle.
Below are the first 3 tests. What do you think?
(A plus sign in the circle to the left means you're pregnant, while a lone horizontal line means you're not):
Well... Kelly and I weren't really sure. We even saught advice and sent this picture to Mandy and Loretta via text because they had babies recently and we really thought it was questionable (or too faint). We pretty much got the same response from both of them - a resounding: "What do you mean? You can't get a false positive!!! There IS a faint line - you're pregnant!" Followed, of course, by their own shreeks of joy.
Kelly and I were still needing a little convincing. So, here was the last test we took last Friday (June 3):
We think I'm pregnant! *pause for celebration* And, to add to the positive evidence, I am now officially a few days late. :)
Typically, if you're pregnant, implantation occurs between 8-12 days past ovulation. A pregnancy test will only come up positive after implantation happens, typically at least 10 days past ovulation. We decided to start testing at 9 days past ovulation (or Monday, May 30th); then we would continue testing until I got a positive test or started my next cycle.
Below are the first 3 tests. What do you think?
(A plus sign in the circle to the left means you're pregnant, while a lone horizontal line means you're not):
Well... Kelly and I weren't really sure. We even saught advice and sent this picture to Mandy and Loretta via text because they had babies recently and we really thought it was questionable (or too faint). We pretty much got the same response from both of them - a resounding: "What do you mean? You can't get a false positive!!! There IS a faint line - you're pregnant!" Followed, of course, by their own shreeks of joy.
Kelly and I were still needing a little convincing. So, here was the last test we took last Friday (June 3):
We think I'm pregnant! *pause for celebration* And, to add to the positive evidence, I am now officially a few days late. :)
Monday, April 25, 2011
And... the results are in...
Not quite pregnant yet. In this case, no news is usually bad news (well, not really bad news, but not-so-pregnant news).
Anyway, in February, I went in for my insemination - but didn't get pregnant. The next month - end of March - I went in at the beginning of my cycle (day 1) for a sonogram. They had to check and make sure I didn't have any cysts left over from the last cycle (as taking clomid can cause cysts for some people). Unfortunately, I had at least one cyst on my right ovary. The doctor said it was still just small enough that we could try to take clomid again that month and see what happens. So, we did. Unfortunately, it just caused the cyst to grow.
At that point, we decided it would be best to go ahead and get the laparoscopy (on April 1st) to remove the cyst and see if there were any other problems. I, of course, didn't think this "procedure" was that big of a deal and just went ahead and took 1 day off of work (the day of the procedure). Let me just say - not wise. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone. I'd recommend at least 3-5 days off work. Apparently, with your stomach being the core of your strength - you don't feel so well when it's been poked and prodded (even if it's just through 3 little incisions). Besides the fact that they blow your abdomen up with carbon dioxide that then lingers around in your body for a few days (often causing pain all the way up in your shoulder). Thank God for pain medication. That's all I can say.
What they found: 1) My right ovary had 3 cysts (1 pretty large one and a couple of smaller ones), 2) The die did go through the right fallopian tube (although the HSG test had previously indicated that this tube was blocked), 3) The die did NOT go through the left fallopian tube - indicating it is now somehow blocked, and 4) I had a couple of spots of endometriosis.
What does all that mean? Who knows? The good news is that I'm better off having the cysts and endometriosis removed. The not-so-good news is that we have no idea if my tubes are going to work on any given day. Also, I'm not a good candidate for the super-ovulation technique (with clomid) because it caused super-cysts for me instead.
Where do we go from here? We are going to continue trying the old-fashioned way (well... as old-fashioned as an IUI in a doctor's office can be). We are no longer going to monitor which side I ovulate on and I'm not going to take any meds. We're just going to wait for my next surge and go in for the insemination whenever that happens.
Okay - so I have to admit though - it's going to be another month before we can try again. Because... I surged much earlier this month than expected (cycle day 12) AND on the weekend. I usually surge no earlier than cycle day 14. Why does it matter that it was a weekend? Because the sperm bank is closed on the weekends and we hadn't picked up our vial yet! So, we could have inseminated on Easter Sunday - but had no sperm. Oye!
We now wait for May...
Anyway, in February, I went in for my insemination - but didn't get pregnant. The next month - end of March - I went in at the beginning of my cycle (day 1) for a sonogram. They had to check and make sure I didn't have any cysts left over from the last cycle (as taking clomid can cause cysts for some people). Unfortunately, I had at least one cyst on my right ovary. The doctor said it was still just small enough that we could try to take clomid again that month and see what happens. So, we did. Unfortunately, it just caused the cyst to grow.
At that point, we decided it would be best to go ahead and get the laparoscopy (on April 1st) to remove the cyst and see if there were any other problems. I, of course, didn't think this "procedure" was that big of a deal and just went ahead and took 1 day off of work (the day of the procedure). Let me just say - not wise. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone. I'd recommend at least 3-5 days off work. Apparently, with your stomach being the core of your strength - you don't feel so well when it's been poked and prodded (even if it's just through 3 little incisions). Besides the fact that they blow your abdomen up with carbon dioxide that then lingers around in your body for a few days (often causing pain all the way up in your shoulder). Thank God for pain medication. That's all I can say.
What they found: 1) My right ovary had 3 cysts (1 pretty large one and a couple of smaller ones), 2) The die did go through the right fallopian tube (although the HSG test had previously indicated that this tube was blocked), 3) The die did NOT go through the left fallopian tube - indicating it is now somehow blocked, and 4) I had a couple of spots of endometriosis.
What does all that mean? Who knows? The good news is that I'm better off having the cysts and endometriosis removed. The not-so-good news is that we have no idea if my tubes are going to work on any given day. Also, I'm not a good candidate for the super-ovulation technique (with clomid) because it caused super-cysts for me instead.
Where do we go from here? We are going to continue trying the old-fashioned way (well... as old-fashioned as an IUI in a doctor's office can be). We are no longer going to monitor which side I ovulate on and I'm not going to take any meds. We're just going to wait for my next surge and go in for the insemination whenever that happens.
Okay - so I have to admit though - it's going to be another month before we can try again. Because... I surged much earlier this month than expected (cycle day 12) AND on the weekend. I usually surge no earlier than cycle day 14. Why does it matter that it was a weekend? Because the sperm bank is closed on the weekends and we hadn't picked up our vial yet! So, we could have inseminated on Easter Sunday - but had no sperm. Oye!
We now wait for May...
Sunday, February 27, 2011
The Donor!
It just dawned on me that we haven't really shared info with everyone regarding our donor (at least that I could tell).
How do you choose a donor?!! Oh my head, not an easy task! We thought it might be easy... but really - what are the most important characteristics or traits?! Let's just say that I learned a little something about myself in the process - I care more about "looks" than I would have thought. I really HAD to see the baby picture (at least), and paid special attention to how the staff described and percieved the donors! So, we narrowed it down to 2 donors that we liked. One - we liked better because of his answers and philosophy, and the other - we liked better because he was described as "the full package" (including stunning good looks ;)
Which one did we go with???? Uhm... yeah... stunning good looks dude.
Well, we started out with that one anyway (for the first 3 inseminations). However, we found out in January that this donor had retired! Yep. At that point, we only had 3 vials left. But, we really want Kelly to be able to use the same donor later (so the children will be half siblings, at least). Given that "full package" dude was retired, we decided to sell back the remaining 3 vials (at half price) and buy from the other donor.
The website link is below which will take you to the cryobank page that describes our current donor. If you would like to see the baby picture, email Kelly or I and we can send it to you personally. The baby picture is a little obscure... like not great quality and from a distance... but he still looks cute enough. :)
http://donorsearch.fairfaxcryobank.com/donorinfo.cfm?sr_donorid=5536&u_sortby=0
How do you choose a donor?!! Oh my head, not an easy task! We thought it might be easy... but really - what are the most important characteristics or traits?! Let's just say that I learned a little something about myself in the process - I care more about "looks" than I would have thought. I really HAD to see the baby picture (at least), and paid special attention to how the staff described and percieved the donors! So, we narrowed it down to 2 donors that we liked. One - we liked better because of his answers and philosophy, and the other - we liked better because he was described as "the full package" (including stunning good looks ;)
Which one did we go with???? Uhm... yeah... stunning good looks dude.
Well, we started out with that one anyway (for the first 3 inseminations). However, we found out in January that this donor had retired! Yep. At that point, we only had 3 vials left. But, we really want Kelly to be able to use the same donor later (so the children will be half siblings, at least). Given that "full package" dude was retired, we decided to sell back the remaining 3 vials (at half price) and buy from the other donor.
The website link is below which will take you to the cryobank page that describes our current donor. If you would like to see the baby picture, email Kelly or I and we can send it to you personally. The baby picture is a little obscure... like not great quality and from a distance... but he still looks cute enough. :)
http://donorsearch.fairfaxcryobank.com/donorinfo.cfm?sr_donorid=5536&u_sortby=0
Super Ovulation
Wow! I totally suck at keeping ya'll updated. My last post on Jan. 21 said that we would be going in for the IUI. Well, not really. We did have an egg on the left; however, we went back in on day 16 because I hadn't surged yet. We found out that I had actually already surged, but my body didn't produce enough of the FSH hormone for the ovulation kit to detect the surge when it happened - thus, we couldn't inseminate.
But, now it's February. As planned, I took chlomid from cycle days 3-7 so that I would develop bigger, better, and more eggs! They call it Super-Ovulation (for reals). I basically needed a little help matching the Super-Sperm! At any rate, when they did the sonogram on day 12, we had 2 viable eggs on the left. YAY! So, we waited for the surge... which... by cycle day 15... hadn't come. A sonogram done on that day showed that I hadn't released the eggs yet. So, they gave me an injection shot of hCG on day 16 to cause my body to ovulate. And, we went in for the insemination on cycle day 18 or last Thursday (2/24/11)! The doctor told us that we had a good batch of little swimmers (apparently many moving in the right direction).
We'll test in about 10 more days. The crazy thing about this journey is that - even though we began last June, we've only actually inseminated 4 times now. Who knew?! At any rate, we're excited and hoping for good news. The medications seemed to have worked well for me. Although, the hCG shot has caused some side effects - like a strange nauseous feeling (possibly similar to mild morning sickness). But, it hasn't been awful. Now, we just wait and test. :)
But, now it's February. As planned, I took chlomid from cycle days 3-7 so that I would develop bigger, better, and more eggs! They call it Super-Ovulation (for reals). I basically needed a little help matching the Super-Sperm! At any rate, when they did the sonogram on day 12, we had 2 viable eggs on the left. YAY! So, we waited for the surge... which... by cycle day 15... hadn't come. A sonogram done on that day showed that I hadn't released the eggs yet. So, they gave me an injection shot of hCG on day 16 to cause my body to ovulate. And, we went in for the insemination on cycle day 18 or last Thursday (2/24/11)! The doctor told us that we had a good batch of little swimmers (apparently many moving in the right direction).
We'll test in about 10 more days. The crazy thing about this journey is that - even though we began last June, we've only actually inseminated 4 times now. Who knew?! At any rate, we're excited and hoping for good news. The medications seemed to have worked well for me. Although, the hCG shot has caused some side effects - like a strange nauseous feeling (possibly similar to mild morning sickness). But, it hasn't been awful. Now, we just wait and test. :)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Happy New Year!
This is the year we will become moms... one way or another... and that is pretty exciting! I'm convinced of it and affirming that every day! :)
December recap:
Went in for the sonogram about Dec. 21 to see if I was ovulating on the right or left. As luck would have it, I was ovulating on the right again. So, no IUI for December.
We did follow up by having a consultation with a specialist, Dr. Moghadam, at Austin Fertility Institute. The purpose was to really help us understand if we needed to do something about my blocked fallopian tube or not. And if so, what?! First, let me say, that we really appreciated the time that Dr. Moghadam took to sit down with us in his office and explain our options at this point - giving us a lot of factual information and statistics. I like data. :)
Bottom line, the first fact that we clung to is that whenever a person has an HSG showing a blocked fallopian tube, only about 40% of the time is there actually a problem that may need treatment. The tube may not even be blocked, as it could have just been a muscle spasm that occurred at the time of the HSG test. Even if the tube is blocked, due to old scar tissue or endometriosis or whatever, it doesn't necessarily need to be treated. Once you get pregnant (which can happen through the open fallopian tube), the blocked fallopian tube no longer matters. And... people with endometriosis don't have a significantly higher rate of miscarriage - which was something I really wanted to know. Even if you get a laporascopy to remove existing endometriosis - only about 1 out of 12 people (8%)- are more likely to get pregnant as a result of the procedure (although a much higher percent experience less pain during menstruation due to the procedure). But really, I don't have a whole lot of pain during menstruation right now. Dr. M expressed that I didn't really present as a person with a high chance of having endometrisis or any other major problem - given my history and current condition - although he obviously couldn't say for sure.
Now, let me explain the options we were presented with, along with the costs. ;) We could:
1) Bypass the fallopian tubes altogether - by doing an Invetro Fertilization (IVF). This is where they take the egg out and fertilize it and then put it back in, ensuring the egg and sperm meet. Then, it just has to implant in your uterus - and you're pregnant. Now, this only costs about $11,700 each time you do it (plus the cost of sperm), and you should be pregnant within 1-3 months.
2) Get a laporoscopy to see what (if anything) is going on with my fallopian tube and/or uterus. For me, this would cost about $2500 - because I have a high deductible insurance. Most likely, this would not open the tube - but we'd know if there was a major problem. Then, we could do what they call "ovulation induction." This is where you take hormones (orally and through injection) in order to produce bigger and better eggs. With this option, given you produce more viable eggs on each ovary, the likelihood that we'd have an egg released on the left side each month is higher. We would still get a sonogram each month to make sure I have an egg being released on the left before doing the IUI. Doing this method - we should be pregnant within 3-4 months. The cost for us each month (after paying for the laporoscopy) would be about $1800 per month (plus the cost of sperm).
3) Do the same thing as option 2, but only use oral hormones (no injections). Apparently, this increases the chances of pregnancy some, but not as much as option 2 (may take 4-6 months). The cost for us for this option is about $1300 per month (plus the cost of sperm).
These were basically the options presented. At first, we thought we'd go with option 2 and just end up having to pay a bunch of money - but we were pretty confident it would work and would probably be worth it. It would possible take a less time than what we were doing now.
But then, we decided to come up with our OWN option - based, in part, on faith that we can still have a baby as naturally as possible - if we're just patient. First, we decided - the laporoscopy doesn't seem to be necessary at this point. Then, Kelly brilliantly thought, "Why can't we just take the oral hormones (chlomid) and do the IUI with Dr. Nash?" Right?! So, she called Dr. Nash's office - and we can do that. Yep. And, it only cost us about $500 per month (plus the cost of sperm). Much better option. :) Go Kelly!
So, the plan for next month is to take Chlomid, get a sonagram, and do the IUI if there is a viable egg on the left. This month (yesterday) - we went in for the sonogram - same as we have the last 2 months - and we just happen to be ovulating on the left! YAY! So, we will go in for the IUI next week. We decided to go in for an IUI for 2 consecutive days rather than just 1 day (figuring that would give us better odds too). Likely, this will be next Tuesday and Wednesday... so we'll keep you posted.
December recap:
Went in for the sonogram about Dec. 21 to see if I was ovulating on the right or left. As luck would have it, I was ovulating on the right again. So, no IUI for December.
We did follow up by having a consultation with a specialist, Dr. Moghadam, at Austin Fertility Institute. The purpose was to really help us understand if we needed to do something about my blocked fallopian tube or not. And if so, what?! First, let me say, that we really appreciated the time that Dr. Moghadam took to sit down with us in his office and explain our options at this point - giving us a lot of factual information and statistics. I like data. :)
Bottom line, the first fact that we clung to is that whenever a person has an HSG showing a blocked fallopian tube, only about 40% of the time is there actually a problem that may need treatment. The tube may not even be blocked, as it could have just been a muscle spasm that occurred at the time of the HSG test. Even if the tube is blocked, due to old scar tissue or endometriosis or whatever, it doesn't necessarily need to be treated. Once you get pregnant (which can happen through the open fallopian tube), the blocked fallopian tube no longer matters. And... people with endometriosis don't have a significantly higher rate of miscarriage - which was something I really wanted to know. Even if you get a laporascopy to remove existing endometriosis - only about 1 out of 12 people (8%)- are more likely to get pregnant as a result of the procedure (although a much higher percent experience less pain during menstruation due to the procedure). But really, I don't have a whole lot of pain during menstruation right now. Dr. M expressed that I didn't really present as a person with a high chance of having endometrisis or any other major problem - given my history and current condition - although he obviously couldn't say for sure.
Now, let me explain the options we were presented with, along with the costs. ;) We could:
1) Bypass the fallopian tubes altogether - by doing an Invetro Fertilization (IVF). This is where they take the egg out and fertilize it and then put it back in, ensuring the egg and sperm meet. Then, it just has to implant in your uterus - and you're pregnant. Now, this only costs about $11,700 each time you do it (plus the cost of sperm), and you should be pregnant within 1-3 months.
2) Get a laporoscopy to see what (if anything) is going on with my fallopian tube and/or uterus. For me, this would cost about $2500 - because I have a high deductible insurance. Most likely, this would not open the tube - but we'd know if there was a major problem. Then, we could do what they call "ovulation induction." This is where you take hormones (orally and through injection) in order to produce bigger and better eggs. With this option, given you produce more viable eggs on each ovary, the likelihood that we'd have an egg released on the left side each month is higher. We would still get a sonogram each month to make sure I have an egg being released on the left before doing the IUI. Doing this method - we should be pregnant within 3-4 months. The cost for us each month (after paying for the laporoscopy) would be about $1800 per month (plus the cost of sperm).
3) Do the same thing as option 2, but only use oral hormones (no injections). Apparently, this increases the chances of pregnancy some, but not as much as option 2 (may take 4-6 months). The cost for us for this option is about $1300 per month (plus the cost of sperm).
These were basically the options presented. At first, we thought we'd go with option 2 and just end up having to pay a bunch of money - but we were pretty confident it would work and would probably be worth it. It would possible take a less time than what we were doing now.
But then, we decided to come up with our OWN option - based, in part, on faith that we can still have a baby as naturally as possible - if we're just patient. First, we decided - the laporoscopy doesn't seem to be necessary at this point. Then, Kelly brilliantly thought, "Why can't we just take the oral hormones (chlomid) and do the IUI with Dr. Nash?" Right?! So, she called Dr. Nash's office - and we can do that. Yep. And, it only cost us about $500 per month (plus the cost of sperm). Much better option. :) Go Kelly!
So, the plan for next month is to take Chlomid, get a sonagram, and do the IUI if there is a viable egg on the left. This month (yesterday) - we went in for the sonogram - same as we have the last 2 months - and we just happen to be ovulating on the left! YAY! So, we will go in for the IUI next week. We decided to go in for an IUI for 2 consecutive days rather than just 1 day (figuring that would give us better odds too). Likely, this will be next Tuesday and Wednesday... so we'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A lesson in patience
It's taken me a while to write this blog because I was... just a tad bit disappointed. We had not gone in for an IUI for 3 months in a row - prior to November. Missing our chance in early September was our choice because we were getting married on or about the day we would have had to go in for the IUI. Late September was because I received a call from my doctor (the same day I surged) advising me that I needed to go in for a sonogram that day (within 2 hours) in order to be able to do the IUI the next day. I wasn't able to rearrange my schedule that quickly. And then, in October, we were on a cruise during the week of my ovulation. The bottom line is, by late November, we were ready to get back in the game! But fate would have it's own idea...
Where we left off prior to this month, was that my HSG or dye test revealed that my right fallopian tube was not open (i.e. the dye didn't go through). To be clear - no one ever really explained to us what might cause that. So, me being me, I invented my own reason. The sonogram we had done just prior to the HSG test showed a possible cyst (or just a nice-sized follicle - no one really knew) on one of my ovaries. I decided it was obviously the right side and it was blocking my fallopian tube. That being said, in my mind, we were going in for the sonogram in order to make sure that the cyst had disappeared over the past 3 months and the fallopian tubes were now both open for business.
So, on Tuesday, November 23, off we went to the appointment. Sure enough - my ovaries looked great - no sign of a cyst. Just one plump follicle on the right ovary. We were pretty excited! The doctor would call us back that day to give us the green light. So, when the nurse called me back and reiterated that the sonogram looked great - I was happy! However, when I mentioned that my right fallopian tube had been blocked (just to verify my theory that it was good to go now too) - the nurse changed her tune. She "double-checked" my chart to verify that my HSG revealed a block. Then, she let me know that we would need to "just go ahead and skip this month" (AGAIN)! Of course, she didn't seem to think that was a big deal (especially given she probably has no idea it had been 3 months since we tried last). Of course, I was confused and asked for clarification about what would cause a blocked fallopian tube (and explained that I was thinking maybe it would have just cleared up by now). She went ahead and let me know that - in fact - it was VERY UNLIKEY that it had just opened up. Apparently, blocked fallopian tubes may be caused by: a previous infection, scar tissue, pelvic inflamatory disease, or endometriosis (to name the most common causes). But NOT because of an ovarian cyst. Hmmm... seemed that would have been good to know in September when they told me the fallopian tube was blocked! Just a thought. Anyway, putting all bitterness aside (which - in all fairness - my doctor had gone on maternity leave in late September) - I was a little befuddled. Another month? Seriously? Don't worry - I asked, "So what if we wanted to have the IUI - and take our chances that I'd somehow get pregnant anyway?" The nurse informed me that this would not be a good idea because (if anything) - it would end up as a tubal pregnancy (which really doesn't end well for anyone). Damn it!
So, now we have a couple of options. We could schedule another "procedure" in which they try to clear out the fallopian tube and any endometriosis (if present). Then, proceed with IUI's some time after that. Or, we can go in each month and get a sonogram - and PRAY that the follicle is being released on the left side. By the way, isn't it something that even my ovaries favor "the left"?! At any rate, if the egg is released on the left - it would be able to go through the open fallopian tube and have a chance to be fertilized. If it is being released on the right - we have to skip that month.
We've taken a little time to think this over now, and we've decided to take our chances - at least for December. So - if you're bored over the Holidays - go ahead and pray for a dominant follicle developing on my left ovary! :) We should be going back in for the sonogram around 12/26. If my dominant follicle is on the left, we'll inseminate just before the new year.
Just FYI - emotionally, it caught up with me this month. Frustration and doubt definitely started to creep in, leaving me to wonder if this is going to take before we run out of sperm - or patience. Obviously, we can buy more sperm - but how long do we try before we decide it's Kelly's turn? I feel for all the women who are struggling or have struggled to get pregnant. It's only been six months for us (and we've only actually tried 3x) - but some people try for years... and there's like a 90% chance that they don't have another Mommie to fall back on. As the person trying to get pregnant, it's hard to not feel like something is wrong with you (even if you know that is not necessarily rational). In reality, I do understand that life is just not that simple. Likely this is actually setting Kelly and I up to have our baby in "perfect timing". But, being human - doubt creeps in - at times. This was just one of those times.
Where we left off prior to this month, was that my HSG or dye test revealed that my right fallopian tube was not open (i.e. the dye didn't go through). To be clear - no one ever really explained to us what might cause that. So, me being me, I invented my own reason. The sonogram we had done just prior to the HSG test showed a possible cyst (or just a nice-sized follicle - no one really knew) on one of my ovaries. I decided it was obviously the right side and it was blocking my fallopian tube. That being said, in my mind, we were going in for the sonogram in order to make sure that the cyst had disappeared over the past 3 months and the fallopian tubes were now both open for business.
So, on Tuesday, November 23, off we went to the appointment. Sure enough - my ovaries looked great - no sign of a cyst. Just one plump follicle on the right ovary. We were pretty excited! The doctor would call us back that day to give us the green light. So, when the nurse called me back and reiterated that the sonogram looked great - I was happy! However, when I mentioned that my right fallopian tube had been blocked (just to verify my theory that it was good to go now too) - the nurse changed her tune. She "double-checked" my chart to verify that my HSG revealed a block. Then, she let me know that we would need to "just go ahead and skip this month" (AGAIN)! Of course, she didn't seem to think that was a big deal (especially given she probably has no idea it had been 3 months since we tried last). Of course, I was confused and asked for clarification about what would cause a blocked fallopian tube (and explained that I was thinking maybe it would have just cleared up by now). She went ahead and let me know that - in fact - it was VERY UNLIKEY that it had just opened up. Apparently, blocked fallopian tubes may be caused by: a previous infection, scar tissue, pelvic inflamatory disease, or endometriosis (to name the most common causes). But NOT because of an ovarian cyst. Hmmm... seemed that would have been good to know in September when they told me the fallopian tube was blocked! Just a thought. Anyway, putting all bitterness aside (which - in all fairness - my doctor had gone on maternity leave in late September) - I was a little befuddled. Another month? Seriously? Don't worry - I asked, "So what if we wanted to have the IUI - and take our chances that I'd somehow get pregnant anyway?" The nurse informed me that this would not be a good idea because (if anything) - it would end up as a tubal pregnancy (which really doesn't end well for anyone). Damn it!
So, now we have a couple of options. We could schedule another "procedure" in which they try to clear out the fallopian tube and any endometriosis (if present). Then, proceed with IUI's some time after that. Or, we can go in each month and get a sonogram - and PRAY that the follicle is being released on the left side. By the way, isn't it something that even my ovaries favor "the left"?! At any rate, if the egg is released on the left - it would be able to go through the open fallopian tube and have a chance to be fertilized. If it is being released on the right - we have to skip that month.
We've taken a little time to think this over now, and we've decided to take our chances - at least for December. So - if you're bored over the Holidays - go ahead and pray for a dominant follicle developing on my left ovary! :) We should be going back in for the sonogram around 12/26. If my dominant follicle is on the left, we'll inseminate just before the new year.
Just FYI - emotionally, it caught up with me this month. Frustration and doubt definitely started to creep in, leaving me to wonder if this is going to take before we run out of sperm - or patience. Obviously, we can buy more sperm - but how long do we try before we decide it's Kelly's turn? I feel for all the women who are struggling or have struggled to get pregnant. It's only been six months for us (and we've only actually tried 3x) - but some people try for years... and there's like a 90% chance that they don't have another Mommie to fall back on. As the person trying to get pregnant, it's hard to not feel like something is wrong with you (even if you know that is not necessarily rational). In reality, I do understand that life is just not that simple. Likely this is actually setting Kelly and I up to have our baby in "perfect timing". But, being human - doubt creeps in - at times. This was just one of those times.
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