Follie Updates

Very brief and very late entry. We had a very long day. I went in for my second follie check today. My right ovary continues to be the champ (if I remember right, it responded best to the fertility drugs every time - why?) with 2 lead follies measuring in at 14mm and "a bunch of" 12s. I didn't officially get a count. My left ovary has a few follies, but they are also smaller. I am hoping they catch up.

My next appointment is Friday. Tomorrow morning I start the Ganirelix and the RE said that should even out the follies. It sounds like maybe we will trigger Saturday night and then have ER on Monday. We'll see what happens then.

Thank you for all the well-wishes and good thoughts!

First Follie Check

As usual, I don't get a lot of information from my RE. But that's okay, I know knowledge is power, but it's something else for me to worry about too!

I have been stimming with Follistim for 4 days (225 iu for 2 days, 150 for the rest), and we have about 8-9 follies that he measured. 5-6 on the right side, all around 11mm, 2-3 smaller ones on the left.

Everyone seemed to think that is fine, and I don't think I'll get my E2 numbers (I don't know what they mean anyway!). I am using an antagonist protocol and usually respond pretty well to stims. We go back Wednesday for another check, and it sounds like ER could be as early as Friday!

Probably the neatest thing about today's appointment was I ran into someone I know who is also going through IVF. We went out to breakfast and talked, it was the first time either of us knew the other was in the same boat.

The other thing I've noticed is lately I've been seeing butterflies everywhere. Okay, so I cheated a little at the Butterfly house, but since then I've seen them all over. I like to think of it as a lucky sign, and they are a beautiful thing to notice flying by. One just flew by the window and I like to think they are the symbol of Hope that goes along with the adorable symbol of Faith that is currently sound asleep under the table I am typing on.

Meet Izzie

It's not official yet (I am pretty sure it could be a year from now and DH still won't be admitting she is staying), but we finally named the little fuzzball that is running around our house. She had originally earned the name of Faith, because we need a little Faith right now. (Pun intended) I never really realized though just how weird it seems to have a pet with a one-syllable name. We have Murphy and Lily and Faith just seemed out of place. So, we decided to use it for her middle name. All the pets have a middle name, so Isabelle Faith came to be. And in case anyone is wondering, Murphy Muldoon and Lily Mae.

I had a very close bond with my grandfather who passed away in 1996. I still think about him all of the time, and I know he is one of my greatest champions in Heaven. I know he watches over us. I have very vivid memories that will pop up, and at one point during the past few months, I heard a line of a song on the radio that reminded me of him. One of his very frequently uttered sayings popped into my head. "Keep the Faith, baby, keep the faith" and I've been trying so hard to do that as we are going through IVF.

When the kitten came into our lives, I thought Faith would be a perfect name. And you know, you gotta keep the Faith, so here she is. I've read now that calico's are lucky, so maybe she is just what we need. Plus it gives me something to nurture :-)

Here are some more!

So we now have two cats and a dog. We need to get a baby in here before we become overrun with furbaby substitutes.

My Husband, My Rock

I have seen this link on a few of my nesties blogs, and wanted to start participating. Every Friday, I'm going to try to remember that this infertility battle is not just about me, and I couldn't have found a better support than my husband.



Warning. . .could get mushy



When we first started trying, my DH had all the confidence in the world that it would happen right away. I faced the situation with hope but doubt, but he was our cheerleader from the start. He was interested in my charts, he asked about my temps, and brought me the pillow to prop my butt :-)



When we first start recognizing problems and decided to see a fertility specialist, his attitude became "Whatever it takes". I know that for some men, that MFI diagnosis hits them hard. Not mine. It's just another thing to deal with, nothing to be upset or embarassed about. He would have been ready to start IVF right away if that was what the Dr. wanted because more than anything, he wants this to work. If that was the only way, then that was the only way. Of course, to be fair, he really didn't have any idea what the process entailed :-)



He comes to every appointment I ask him to come to. He stays for the IUIs to hold my hand, and reminds me to take my medicine. When it came to shots, even if he doesn't give me the shot that day, he stands with me, helps with needle disposal, etc. and gives me a kiss. My bruises bother him, I know, because if he could be the one in pain, I know he would be. He takes his vitamins. He turns down beer in front of friends and family, because we want to do whatever it takes to make his samples better.



I am a hormonal mess on fertility drugs. He holds me when I cry, lets me yell and scream and loves me anyway, and has been very patient with the ups and downs I go through. The term we use is "Progesterone Rage" and he deals with it even when I'm at my worst. I have put on 30 pounds since we got married. Most of that weight came from this IF nightmare we're stuck in. Not only do the hormones affect my body, I am stressed and eating too much comfort food. I get upset about it, and even if he might be lying, he always tells me that he loves me just like I am, and I know he knows that it is all part of the process. He is my Rock.



I have always known that he was good with babies and kids. I have seen him with other people's babies, and it makes me sad that this is his dream that is not coming true too. He is going to be a terrific Dad, and through this process I've learned that being a Dad doesn't start when the baby is born. He is an awesome wannabe Dad, who has taken on this challenge to get there.



I do believe that this whole process has made us stronger as a couple. We have gone through what no couple should ever have to, and come out better. I don't know how much I want to believe that our infertility was for a reason, but I've never seen a much better example of the phrase "What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger." Assuming this doesn't kill us, our marriage will only be stronger, and when we someday do have that baby (or two), we will be able to look back and see how hard we had to work to make that dream a reality. But we did it together, and we did it as a team, and we did it with love.



My husband rocks. How about yours?



As promised, I also did my "Before" belly pics. Ignoring the bloat that just doesn't go away anymore, here is the last belly shot before needles.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Yesterday was our 2nd wedding anniversary. My how the time flies! To celebrate, we took a trip over the weekend to Put-in Bay and Kelley's Island. We had so much fun. Last night we also went out to dinner, and we may or may not have another cat living here. I rescued a kitten yesterday we found behind a trash can, and we're trying to talk DH into letting her stay.

In brief IVF news, I had my baseline ultrasound today and we are cleared for takeoff! Tomorrow I start Follistim, and go back for my first follie check Monday. I hope these ovaries of mine know what they are in for!

I consider myself a photographer and I am in love with my new camera. Pictures are the easiest way to tell the stories. I get to be lazy, and you get to see photos. Here you go!

At the top of Perry's Monument
Two of the gorgeous butterflies we caught at the Butterfly House.

This is called Stonehenge. Neat old house. It was Christmas in July so everything was decorated.Gorgeous Catholic Church on the IslandSunday morning we started here at Marblehead Lighthouse
Riding around in the cart. DH claims this as his favorite thing about the weekend.The Glacial Grooves on Kelley's Island There was so much undeveloped land on the island, there were deer back there (did they take the ferry?) but I didn't get a good picture. See the pretty stone fence though?Happy Anniversary to us! Thank you Dad for the tripod! We can get photos in the front yard without chasing down joggers. Oh, and notice that the dog is looking right at the camera? That's our Lily! Kitten needing a home, or our newest addition? Still undecided. . . we'll see.

Friends and Flowers

This IVF cycle is dragging. Probably not good that I'm home on summer break, and being really lazy. Every step we do, it seems like forever until the next step. I guess that's the only good thing about starting school not long after transfer, at least I'll be working during 1 week of the 2ww so I'm not just sitting home obsessing.

So I figured I would entertain with photos. Last night I had the opportunity to meet up with some of my college friends and their husbands and families. We had a cold and rainy night for a picnic, but it was so nice to see them. It made me realize how lucky I am to have been part of such a wonderful group of women in college. I feel more comfortable and more ME with them than with anyone else.

The lighting was bad (and bad me didn't make the right adjustments on my camera), but here are a few photos:

Jessica and Michael are on home on a visit from Bolivia. They were the inspiration for our get together.DZ girls - two of them were roommates of mine.

Jenn, her husband Eric and their dog Dutch, a poodle/beagle mix.

Natalie and her four month old Andy - he wasn't happy at this point of the evening.

Natalie's husband (another Andy) and daughter Summer.

And just for fun, some of my flowers. I cannot stress how much I LOVE my Nikon D80, and these flowers make a fun and easy subject. These are all growing in my front yard.

I think I might be happy now

With my blog layout that is! I finally found a background I like, and if anyone has been seeing this blog change every day for the past few days, I think that is over for now. Sorry!

I have pictures to post tomorrow, but for now I really need to go to bed. What hours I keep in the summer, it's like I'm a teenager again.