All Systems Go...

This morning we had our baseline ultrasound at Stanford. I thought this was to check for follicles, but this is actually to make sure that your ovaries are truly resting and getting ready for the next cycle.

The doctor saw one small cyst on each ovary, but they were nowhere near a size that he said we should be concerned about.

We opted to push my cycle out four days as I didn't want to deal with the hassle of taking the medications on the airplane, figuring out how to keep them cool, etc. Plus, what's the fun of a college reunion if you can't have at least one drink.

Our current tentative schedule is:

Start shots on 10/27
First stim u/s 11/2
Projected egg retrieval 11/8
Projected embryo transfer 11/11

All these dates, of course, are subject to change.

And, please visit my Conceive blog to hear me complain about no sex this week.

Two days until baseline

The hysteroscopy went fine on Thursday. For more details, check out my next Conceive blog posting.

On Monday morning we will get our baselines ultrasound. I am not expecting miracles...like suddently having 10 resting antral follicles on each side, though if I had a total of 10 I'd be ecstatic.

If I was a betting woman, I think we are going to see four on each side. Eight total would make me happy. You then start doing the math...eight eggs, four fertilize, two are decent...then you have something to put back.

I am still struggling to get my head in this cycle. There is still too much going around me like remodeling the house, taking care of Grandma, looking for work. This weekend we are going to try and restore some order in the house where we can. I need for some area of my life to feel settled [besides my love life]. I suppose though it wouldn't be my life if it wasn't totally crazy like this.

Officially on the IVF path...

AF came yesterday. Even though I knew five days ago, there is still always the hope up until the very end that maybe this was the month.

I started the birth control pills yesterday....still is always odd to me that you use birth control pills to increase your fertility, but I trust that the doctors know best. I am now saying no to adult beverages....I can only hope it will be 12 months before I have another! I am trying to get back on the organic, good for you multi-grain diet, but that is tough. Nobody around me ever shares that desire and brings over yummy lemon rings with nothing but flour and sugar in them.

Still trying to keep my stress levels down. Grandma is now at a convalescent hospital, but she is on a very slow recovery path. My mom and I take turns going to visit her and keep her spirits up.

Tomorrow I will resume acupuncture. I am so looking forward to it. I truly believe I feel better when I get the acupuncture regularly.

Just come already....

If it's CD25, then it must be spotting time. Just once, I was hoping that I wouldn't see the familiar signs. Just one more time, I would get pregnant naturally and there would be no need for the upcoming IVF cycle. No such luck.

After I miscarried the first time, everybody told me, you'll get pregnant again. And there begins the many stories of successes. Next time it was after I had my HSG. That will clear out your tubes, you'll be pregnant in no time. After my failed IVF, there were the stories of women getting pregnant on the rebound. And, even during my IVF prep session, the nurse had the story of the couple who got pregnant while they were beginning their preparations.

I'll just say it. I am grumpy. I am tired and stressed out. This last week has been extremely trying with my grandmother. I have a UTI. At this point, I just want something in life to go a little easier.

I'm done with my self-pity rant.