Helllloooooo 2nd trimester! How very exciting to be here! I feel like we have checked a huge milestone off the list. I wish I could say I was feeling better, but let me share with you how I kicked off the 2nd tri...
Sean & I went out for a quick dinner at Ch.ipotle last night. I have only had it twice since I got pg and it has definitely left me gaggy in the past, but I thought that had more to do with my chicken aversion than anything else. I am only feeling luke warm about red meat and chicken is an absolute no, so I played it safe and ordered a veggie burrito bowl. It was a beautiful night so we decided to dine on the patio. We are eating and chatting when all the sudden my stomach started flipping and churning. I held my hand up for Sean to be quiet and he must have known because he said, "There is a trash can right behind you!" I bolted from my seat and promptly horfed into the public trash can. So much fun, I cannot even tell you. Needless to say, I threw away the rest of my dinner and Chi.potle is off the list for me. Sean said I turned 3 shades of green before all the color drained from my face completely. We had a good laugh about it later! I have no idea what my body rejected about it, but the baby is clearly not a fan! Thank goodness Chipot.le was not a Father's Day dining hot spot and there were not too many people around. It was still embarrassing though.
The night before we dined at our favorite Greek place and I almost lost it there too, but that was directly related to tempting fate and eating a bite of chicken. I have always been a morning barfer so this past week of evening sickness is messing with my head. My food aversions definitely seem worse and barfing in public is definitely a new low for me! So much for the 2nd tri! :)
Sean had a nice Daddy-to-be Day. I bought him a digital picture frame for his office and we went out to lunch and to buy new cell phones. He got an iphone and he is enamored with it! I don't think he put it down all day. He even downloaded the pregnancy app - too cute! I finally got a phone with a full keyboard and even though I am lusting after his phone, I am pretty happy with mine too. We also decided to poke around Babies R Us a bit after lunch. We had fun looking at all the gear and deciding what we might like. You should have seen us trying to get the infant seats out of the strollers - we are hopeless! Sean found a teeny-tiny jean skirt that had him all
a-twitter. He thought it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. I have waited so long to wish my husband a Happy Father's Day - it was like a dream come true. I cannot even imagine what next year will be like when our son or daughter is here to celebrate with Daddy!
In other news, I finally changed the title of my blog and updated some info in the side bar! Big accomplishments for a self-proclaimed blog slacker!
I am also very excited to tell you that my best friend, Amanda, is also pregnant! Not only are we pregnant at the same time, we are due just 10 days apart! It is a girl's dream to share a huge milestone in her life with her best friend. I do pity our husbands though. We are going to be a site to behold!
In other pregnancy news, there are BFPs to celebrate so pop on over and visit Sprogblogger and Bella and share in their happy news!
We have a wedding to go to this weekend and I have NO idea what I am going to wear. I am also nervous about my new "barfing-in-public-while-dining" trick. Can you imagine??? Oh the horror! I would DIE!
Less than 3 weeks to go before I go off of Estrace and Endometrin. I have no idea why, but my RE wanted me to stay on them until 16 weeks. It feels like overkill to me, but I'll do what I gotta do!
Ok, I have not done one of these in a few weeks, so, in honor of the 2nd tri, here is my summary...
How am I feeling? I think we have covered that in detail ;) I have been sleeping A LOT - 12 hours on some nights minus the 10 trips to the bathroom.
Milestones: Second trimester - woo-hooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is Ralphie up to? He or she is about the size of a peach and weighs around 1oz. The baby may be sucking its thumb and is practicing breathing in & out.
What am I craving? Pizza, pizza, & more pizza! Honey nut Cheerios.
Aversions: Chicken and Chipotle
What do I miss? My sex drive is still MIA. Hoping it will kick into high gear as I get into 2nd tri! I think coming off the Estrace will help too! Hoping, hoping, hoping ;)
What am I looking forward to? Oh! So much! I am so excited about this trimester. I can't wait to feel the first flutters & movement! Registering, the big u/s (even though we are not finding out the gender), getting a distinct baby bump, & feeling better (hopefully) just to name a few things!
That about wraps it up! Despite the m/s, I am overjoyed to be pregnant and trying to enjoy every moment. It feels more real every single day and I am looking forward to all the milestones that await. Thank you all for sharing this journey with me...
Showing posts with label progesterone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label progesterone. Show all posts
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
6 weeks
Once again, thank you so much for your responses. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your advice with me. I love how so many new people are coming out of lurker status to comment!
We have decided to wait until Tuesday for the u/s. It is more of a "trusting my gut" thing than anything else, but, the fact that if we didn't see a heartbeat, I would be stuck in limbo for an entire week helped me make a decision because I think that would be worse than waiting until Tuesday. I will be anxiously counting down the moments, but it will be here soon enough, I guess.
I have been taking it very easy since Monday, probably unnecessarily so, but I have not had anything pressing going on, so why not? My anxiety level is way down, but I am not quite back to the happy-go-lucky, little ray of sunshine that I was last week either. I will feel 100% better after the u/s.
I am done with PIO and back on Endometrin suppositories and really hoping that going back to supps doesn't stir up the bleeding. We had an insurance lapse while we were waiting for COBRA to kick in and Endometrin was CRAZY expensive and we already had PIO at home. 2ccs of PIO nightly is really tough on the muscles though and my nurse was anxious for me to get back to the supps ASAP. My butt and hips are sore and I suspect they will be for awhile. Sean is the master shot giver and they never hurt going in, but the effect is cumulative.
I am 6 weeks today and Baby Saucy is the size of a sweet pea and the nose, mouth & ears are taking shape. The little heart is beating, blood is pumping through the tiny body and the lungs and intestines are at the early stages of development. That is a quick development summary from a variety of sources including thebump, babycenter and my pregnancy books.
Symptom checker: The same as they have been for weeks now. I would say my dreams are getting more and more vivid and stranger and stranger. I am ready for a new symptom or two to pop up! I know, I know - be careful what you wish for!
Speaking of dreams, last night I had a vivid dream about my u/s and we saw 3 sac and 3 heartbeats - triplets! Now that would be CRAZY!!! Speaking of, you should swing over to Carrie's blog and read "Could you repeat that?" and wish her well!
Looks like we are going to have a busy movie weekend, busy movie May for that matter. So many good one coming out - Wol.verine, Ghosts of Girl.friends Past, Angels and De.mons, Sta.r Trek...! I can't wait - movie night with Sean is one of my favorite things!
Thank to everyone who has voted on my poll! Keep 'em coming!
We have decided to wait until Tuesday for the u/s. It is more of a "trusting my gut" thing than anything else, but, the fact that if we didn't see a heartbeat, I would be stuck in limbo for an entire week helped me make a decision because I think that would be worse than waiting until Tuesday. I will be anxiously counting down the moments, but it will be here soon enough, I guess.
I have been taking it very easy since Monday, probably unnecessarily so, but I have not had anything pressing going on, so why not? My anxiety level is way down, but I am not quite back to the happy-go-lucky, little ray of sunshine that I was last week either. I will feel 100% better after the u/s.
I am done with PIO and back on Endometrin suppositories and really hoping that going back to supps doesn't stir up the bleeding. We had an insurance lapse while we were waiting for COBRA to kick in and Endometrin was CRAZY expensive and we already had PIO at home. 2ccs of PIO nightly is really tough on the muscles though and my nurse was anxious for me to get back to the supps ASAP. My butt and hips are sore and I suspect they will be for awhile. Sean is the master shot giver and they never hurt going in, but the effect is cumulative.
I am 6 weeks today and Baby Saucy is the size of a sweet pea and the nose, mouth & ears are taking shape. The little heart is beating, blood is pumping through the tiny body and the lungs and intestines are at the early stages of development. That is a quick development summary from a variety of sources including thebump, babycenter and my pregnancy books.
Symptom checker: The same as they have been for weeks now. I would say my dreams are getting more and more vivid and stranger and stranger. I am ready for a new symptom or two to pop up! I know, I know - be careful what you wish for!
Speaking of dreams, last night I had a vivid dream about my u/s and we saw 3 sac and 3 heartbeats - triplets! Now that would be CRAZY!!! Speaking of, you should swing over to Carrie's blog and read "Could you repeat that?" and wish her well!
Looks like we are going to have a busy movie weekend, busy movie May for that matter. So many good one coming out - Wol.verine, Ghosts of Girl.friends Past, Angels and De.mons, Sta.r Trek...! I can't wait - movie night with Sean is one of my favorite things!
Thank to everyone who has voted on my poll! Keep 'em coming!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Beta #3
Beta #3 = 5006. It has been 1 week since #2. The nurse said it is looking good, P4 was "fine" and to schedule my 1st u/s anytime in the next 5-8 days.
I hate to admit it, but I was a little bummed by how much my doubling time has slowed down. I know it is completely normal and I still fall into the average range on betabase.info, but man 28.2 hours sounds so much better than 54.8! The average doubling time for this 5w4d is 50 hours, so I am damn close, but hey, I am a greedy IF bitch! ;)
My nurse transferred me to the front desk to schedule my u/s and, of course, day 5 falls on Saturday as does day 6 & the docs do not not do pregnancy u/s on the weekends. Ok, day 7 then, I'll take the 1st appt! Nope, sorry! You see, my RE will not be in the office on Monday and they apparently get a little snarky about your primary RE doing your 1st u/s, so I have to wait until Tuesday, May 5th! YIKES! How can I survive another 8 days without knowing what is going on in my uterus??? This is sheer torture!
Per reader request, I am adding a poll to the sidebar to get your input on how many I have cooking in there. If you care to know what betabase says, my betas are right smack dab in the middle of singleton levels, but within the average range for twins. My 28.2 hour doubling time was trending more towards twins, but now could fall into either category. According to babymed.com my levels trend high for a singleton. So there you have it - a bunch of meaningless info!
Symptom checker - 5w4d: boobs still sore & heavy, sense of smell still strong, still hungry, a little more tired than usual, still have an achy sensation in the uterus. My newest addition - applesauce is now officially disgusting to me and gum is pretty gross too. I wouldn't mind adding another symptom or 2 just for good measure :)
In other news, we had a pretty quiet weekend. Gorgeous weather here in the Mid Atlantic - almost too hot! Sean is a little freaked about Swine Flu and used this as a reason to update the emergency kit - complete with surgical masks. It figures that it takes me almost 5 years to get PG and it happens to be in the middle of a possible pandemic - oh joy! Sean watched the NFL draft for almost 2 straight days until I was on the verge of breaking the TV, thank goodness I spent time with friends on Saturday and missed the worst of it. I love me some football as much as the next girl, but I am so over the draft. We grilled out for the 1st time last night - a big juicy rib eye to share, grilled organic veggies and corn on the cob - it was HEAVEN!
Countdown to ultrasound - 8 days!
I hate to admit it, but I was a little bummed by how much my doubling time has slowed down. I know it is completely normal and I still fall into the average range on betabase.info, but man 28.2 hours sounds so much better than 54.8! The average doubling time for this 5w4d is 50 hours, so I am damn close, but hey, I am a greedy IF bitch! ;)
My nurse transferred me to the front desk to schedule my u/s and, of course, day 5 falls on Saturday as does day 6 & the docs do not not do pregnancy u/s on the weekends. Ok, day 7 then, I'll take the 1st appt! Nope, sorry! You see, my RE will not be in the office on Monday and they apparently get a little snarky about your primary RE doing your 1st u/s, so I have to wait until Tuesday, May 5th! YIKES! How can I survive another 8 days without knowing what is going on in my uterus??? This is sheer torture!
Per reader request, I am adding a poll to the sidebar to get your input on how many I have cooking in there. If you care to know what betabase says, my betas are right smack dab in the middle of singleton levels, but within the average range for twins. My 28.2 hour doubling time was trending more towards twins, but now could fall into either category. According to babymed.com my levels trend high for a singleton. So there you have it - a bunch of meaningless info!
Symptom checker - 5w4d: boobs still sore & heavy, sense of smell still strong, still hungry, a little more tired than usual, still have an achy sensation in the uterus. My newest addition - applesauce is now officially disgusting to me and gum is pretty gross too. I wouldn't mind adding another symptom or 2 just for good measure :)
In other news, we had a pretty quiet weekend. Gorgeous weather here in the Mid Atlantic - almost too hot! Sean is a little freaked about Swine Flu and used this as a reason to update the emergency kit - complete with surgical masks. It figures that it takes me almost 5 years to get PG and it happens to be in the middle of a possible pandemic - oh joy! Sean watched the NFL draft for almost 2 straight days until I was on the verge of breaking the TV, thank goodness I spent time with friends on Saturday and missed the worst of it. I love me some football as much as the next girl, but I am so over the draft. We grilled out for the 1st time last night - a big juicy rib eye to share, grilled organic veggies and corn on the cob - it was HEAVEN!
Countdown to ultrasound - 8 days!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
7dp6dt - Calm **Updated***
Miraculously, the anxiety is gone & I feel calm going into beta tomorrow. I have felt this way all day today & hope it continues through the morning.
I was dangerously close to POAS last night, but alas, no sticks in the house and a certain package from a certain someone (you know who you are!) that is rumored to contain evil sticks did not arrive. The whole way home from work I'm thinking, "Ok, if the package is there, it is a sign from the universe to test. If not, I'm out of luck and I will wait until beta." Walked in, had to pee sooooo bad, had been holding it for hours and NO PACKAGE, NO STICKS, NO DICE! My fate was sealed, wait until beta.
Ever since, I have been calm, cool & collected.
Beta anytime between 7am-9am, going to Amanda's to occupy myself, results between 1-2pm...EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!
I feel good, I feel hopeful, I feel optimistic, & I am thinking positively. Everything went according to plan - good thaw, good growth, 2 blasts to transfer, one hatching on its own, good hormone levels, smooth transfer, nice lining, some possible symptoms/side effects, no breakdowns, no blood (which can be a good thing, but it terrifies me), no terrible sinking feeling...
Did I mention tomorrow is my doggy, Libby's, birthday? Transfer on Sean's birthday, results on Libby's birthday - works for me!
Please, oh please let tomorrow be the best day of our lives........
16 hours and counting!
*** the package has landed and it contains 2 HPTs from my angels Christi & Jill. One lucky mojo HPT from each of their BFP cycles. Sweetest gift ever, completely made my day and it totally making me rethink my plan ;)! I am off to work for several hours so that will give me some time to think...Thank you ladies!!!*****
I was dangerously close to POAS last night, but alas, no sticks in the house and a certain package from a certain someone (you know who you are!) that is rumored to contain evil sticks did not arrive. The whole way home from work I'm thinking, "Ok, if the package is there, it is a sign from the universe to test. If not, I'm out of luck and I will wait until beta." Walked in, had to pee sooooo bad, had been holding it for hours and NO PACKAGE, NO STICKS, NO DICE! My fate was sealed, wait until beta.
Ever since, I have been calm, cool & collected.
Beta anytime between 7am-9am, going to Amanda's to occupy myself, results between 1-2pm...EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!
I feel good, I feel hopeful, I feel optimistic, & I am thinking positively. Everything went according to plan - good thaw, good growth, 2 blasts to transfer, one hatching on its own, good hormone levels, smooth transfer, nice lining, some possible symptoms/side effects, no breakdowns, no blood (which can be a good thing, but it terrifies me), no terrible sinking feeling...
Did I mention tomorrow is my doggy, Libby's, birthday? Transfer on Sean's birthday, results on Libby's birthday - works for me!
Please, oh please let tomorrow be the best day of our lives........
16 hours and counting!
*** the package has landed and it contains 2 HPTs from my angels Christi & Jill. One lucky mojo HPT from each of their BFP cycles. Sweetest gift ever, completely made my day and it totally making me rethink my plan ;)! I am off to work for several hours so that will give me some time to think...Thank you ladies!!!*****
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
6dp6dt - Anxiety
No major freak out yet, but my anxiety level is definitely on the high end of the spectrum. I know that I could test and get a trustworthy result, but I don't think I am ready to know yet. I would want to use FMU & that window of opportunity has passed for today & tomorrow morning I have tutoring first thing in the am, so that it not at all ideal. So, that leaves Thursday which is Beta Day anyway... I am thinking I am just going to wait it out - change it up!
Two things have happened that have left me feeling a little doubtful. First, my boobs do not hurt AT ALL today. Now, I know I have said myself that there is no rhyme or reason to the soreness that results from the endometrin & that it varies day to day, hour to hour, but it is almost nonexistent right now. In my past 3 cycles, once my boobs stopped hurting, my period was only a day or two away. It was my sign that my IVF BFN was inevitable. In the past though, my wait until beta was closer to 3 weeks long and AF was already due/overdue, whereas right now she is still anywhere from 5-7 days away. But still, to me no sore boobs = no baby.
Second, I had a sex dream last night. It sounds silly, but in at least 2 of the 3 IVFs, I had a sex dream late in the 2ww and sure enough, my period was here within days.
Put these things together and I feel like they are harbingers of doom. I feel like the boobs settling down and the dreams are indicative of subtle shifts in my body's hormones as I near the end of the LP.
I am probably reading way too much into things, but this close to beta, the doubt and anxiety and emotional roller coaster are inevitable.
I wish I had a concrete symptom, but really is there such a thing?
The truth is, I feel remarkably the same as I did with my 3 failed IVFs - mostly normal with a few progesterone & estrogen based side effects thrown into the mix. I have heard women say they "just knew" something was different on their BFP cycle, or the symptoms were subtly different enough that they had a clue that this might be it. I can't say I feel that way. I am still hopeful, still optimistic, still positive, but I wish I knew for sure, or had a strong sense about it one way or another. I will say I was pretty sure IVF #3 did not work and I was right about that and I do not have that feeling either.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! It is maddening! Such a mind fuck! My wait is so short this time compared to my near 3 week HCG booster shot induced waits of the past, but I am realizing that regardless of how long or short your wait is, anxiety level is directly correlated to how close you are to beta. Man, am I close...
2 days until Beta!
Can I please be sedated now???
Two things have happened that have left me feeling a little doubtful. First, my boobs do not hurt AT ALL today. Now, I know I have said myself that there is no rhyme or reason to the soreness that results from the endometrin & that it varies day to day, hour to hour, but it is almost nonexistent right now. In my past 3 cycles, once my boobs stopped hurting, my period was only a day or two away. It was my sign that my IVF BFN was inevitable. In the past though, my wait until beta was closer to 3 weeks long and AF was already due/overdue, whereas right now she is still anywhere from 5-7 days away. But still, to me no sore boobs = no baby.
Second, I had a sex dream last night. It sounds silly, but in at least 2 of the 3 IVFs, I had a sex dream late in the 2ww and sure enough, my period was here within days.
Put these things together and I feel like they are harbingers of doom. I feel like the boobs settling down and the dreams are indicative of subtle shifts in my body's hormones as I near the end of the LP.
I am probably reading way too much into things, but this close to beta, the doubt and anxiety and emotional roller coaster are inevitable.
I wish I had a concrete symptom, but really is there such a thing?
The truth is, I feel remarkably the same as I did with my 3 failed IVFs - mostly normal with a few progesterone & estrogen based side effects thrown into the mix. I have heard women say they "just knew" something was different on their BFP cycle, or the symptoms were subtly different enough that they had a clue that this might be it. I can't say I feel that way. I am still hopeful, still optimistic, still positive, but I wish I knew for sure, or had a strong sense about it one way or another. I will say I was pretty sure IVF #3 did not work and I was right about that and I do not have that feeling either.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! It is maddening! Such a mind fuck! My wait is so short this time compared to my near 3 week HCG booster shot induced waits of the past, but I am realizing that regardless of how long or short your wait is, anxiety level is directly correlated to how close you are to beta. Man, am I close...
2 days until Beta!
Can I please be sedated now???
Monday, April 13, 2009
5dp6dt
The weekend is over, the house guests are gone and my distractions have dried up. All in all, I am hanging in there. Feeling hopeful and positive. Not really obsessing too much. Not feeling the compulsive need to POAS and am leaning towards not doing it at all. No 2ww breakdowns - yet.
We had a really nice weekend with Sean's brother and family. We went out for crabs, went to a museum, out to one of our fave spots for Greek food, watched movies, laughed, talked family stuff, cooked & relaxed. Easter brunch at our house was lovely and it was a nice, relaxing day with family & friends. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter & holiday weekend.
This week is a regular week of tutoring for me & having a schedule & a routine is a good thing :)
Symptom checker: Yesterday I felt pretty normal all day long. Bad taste wasn't as noticeable. Boobs were a little sorer than normal and veiny at night. I had night sweats and woke up to pee twice. When I went back to bed after my 2nd potty trip, I had a very sharp and unusual pain on my left side.
Today: feeling lots of twinges & twangs in the uterus, especially on the left, but I can't say with certainty that it is any different than any other IVF cycle. Hungry! Boobs feel less sore today, but are large and I even broke my bra :) Popped the under wire right through! Tired, but we have been pretty busy since Friday. I have also been more than "regular" - I swear I'm like a puppy - feed me and 20 minutes later, potty break! TMI - sorry ;)
I feel like the signs from the universe continue smacking me in the face every time I turn around. The 10 yr old I tutor is reading a story about a mom having twins, the 17 year old just started the human reproduction unit - complete with pics of embryos, blasts, and fetuses- and the 13 year old just got the word "baby" for her 4th quarter project. The modern art museum went to had lots of fertility/mother related pieces. Realistically, I am probably just wayyyy more in tune to it than usual, but I like it all the same.
Overall, I feel hopeful and optimistic. I have managed to keep the doubt from creeping in too much. I am ready for it to be Thursday!
Hold on little ones...hold on.
3 days until Beta!!!
We had a really nice weekend with Sean's brother and family. We went out for crabs, went to a museum, out to one of our fave spots for Greek food, watched movies, laughed, talked family stuff, cooked & relaxed. Easter brunch at our house was lovely and it was a nice, relaxing day with family & friends. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter & holiday weekend.
This week is a regular week of tutoring for me & having a schedule & a routine is a good thing :)
Symptom checker: Yesterday I felt pretty normal all day long. Bad taste wasn't as noticeable. Boobs were a little sorer than normal and veiny at night. I had night sweats and woke up to pee twice. When I went back to bed after my 2nd potty trip, I had a very sharp and unusual pain on my left side.
Today: feeling lots of twinges & twangs in the uterus, especially on the left, but I can't say with certainty that it is any different than any other IVF cycle. Hungry! Boobs feel less sore today, but are large and I even broke my bra :) Popped the under wire right through! Tired, but we have been pretty busy since Friday. I have also been more than "regular" - I swear I'm like a puppy - feed me and 20 minutes later, potty break! TMI - sorry ;)
I feel like the signs from the universe continue smacking me in the face every time I turn around. The 10 yr old I tutor is reading a story about a mom having twins, the 17 year old just started the human reproduction unit - complete with pics of embryos, blasts, and fetuses- and the 13 year old just got the word "baby" for her 4th quarter project. The modern art museum went to had lots of fertility/mother related pieces. Realistically, I am probably just wayyyy more in tune to it than usual, but I like it all the same.
Overall, I feel hopeful and optimistic. I have managed to keep the doubt from creeping in too much. I am ready for it to be Thursday!
Hold on little ones...hold on.
3 days until Beta!!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
3dp6dt
Sign from the universe: Alarm goes off at 6am for Sean's tee time and the very first notes of Jack & Dianne were playing. We giggled and listened & imagined the possibilities.
Symptom checker: All is quiet on the uterine front. CANNOT get rid of horrible taste in mouth - metallic & yucky! Boobs possibly slightly more heavy feeling today, but I find the Endometrin leaves them feeling a little different on a day to day basis.
Plan for the day: Visit a museum, prep some stuff for brunch, spend time with the fam, quietly obsess & wonder...
Countdown to Beta: 5 days!
Symptom checker: All is quiet on the uterine front. CANNOT get rid of horrible taste in mouth - metallic & yucky! Boobs possibly slightly more heavy feeling today, but I find the Endometrin leaves them feeling a little different on a day to day basis.
Plan for the day: Visit a museum, prep some stuff for brunch, spend time with the fam, quietly obsess & wonder...
Countdown to Beta: 5 days!
Friday, April 10, 2009
2dp6dt
Officially ended bed rest around dinner time last night. Decided to head to the grocery store with Sean after all. He is good, but not that good :) I would trust him with a basic list, but it was all my Easter brunch ingredients, so I thought I would spare us both the torture & just go with him. No worries, I didn't do any lifting and took it very slowly. It felt good to be up off the couch and getting the blood flowing and energy moving.
I worked for a few hours this morning & did a couple of last minute things around the house before company arrives. Sean's brother, his wife & our teenage nephew should be here within the hour. Looking forward to hanging out, eating good food, playing lots of board games and laughing! Going out for crabs tonight - YUM!
Symptom checker: still feeling some pulling on right hand side & some tiny twinges all around. Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy last night. Had vivid and strange dreams. Bad taste in my mouth all morning, but that could be the steroids - they taste nasty & powdery - blech! Overall, I feel 100% normal and probably would never notice any of this except for the over analysis that is happening 24/7.
Relaxing for a bit before the weekend is in full swing! Happy Easter everyone ~ have a lovely weekend!
6 days until beta!
I worked for a few hours this morning & did a couple of last minute things around the house before company arrives. Sean's brother, his wife & our teenage nephew should be here within the hour. Looking forward to hanging out, eating good food, playing lots of board games and laughing! Going out for crabs tonight - YUM!
Symptom checker: still feeling some pulling on right hand side & some tiny twinges all around. Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy last night. Had vivid and strange dreams. Bad taste in my mouth all morning, but that could be the steroids - they taste nasty & powdery - blech! Overall, I feel 100% normal and probably would never notice any of this except for the over analysis that is happening 24/7.
Relaxing for a bit before the weekend is in full swing! Happy Easter everyone ~ have a lovely weekend!
6 days until beta!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
1dp6dt - Implantation Day?!?
After consulting Dr. Google obsessively and talking with our embryologist during transfer, it appears that today is the big day for Jack & Diane/Ben & Jerry! Will they or won't they???
I am nervous and hopeful and feeling like it is all out of our control. All the humans have played their parts and now we need a little help from God, Fate, Destiny, Mother Nature...this is truly where medicine meets miracle, the joining of the hands of God & science.
I am following instructions and staying flat on the couch. Sean spoiled me and pampered me last night and I only got up to potty and head up to bed. He had to go back to work today, but he cooked me breakfast & lunch before he left. Cheesy eggs and toast for breakfast and Ring O'Noodle soup with egg & a pb&j sandwich on whole grain for lunch. He even laid out a cheese stick, yogurt and pineapple for snacks. He is the best! He should be home early tonight and I am contemplating joining him on a trip to the grocery store to do our Easter Brunch shopping. Playing that by ear though!
In the mean time, I have spent a lot of time online, watched trashy TV - 90210 baby! - a few episodes of a Baby Story, developed my Easter Menu, made a grocery list, and talked on the phone. On the horizon, meditate and a nap, maybe a movie...it's a good life!
Symptom checker: Nothing at all. Possible pulling on the right side, but I could be making that up:) Already been on the progesterone for a week, so pretty accustomed to those side effects, which are mild at this point.
Oh please, oh please let this be the day...
7 days until Beta!
I am nervous and hopeful and feeling like it is all out of our control. All the humans have played their parts and now we need a little help from God, Fate, Destiny, Mother Nature...this is truly where medicine meets miracle, the joining of the hands of God & science.
I am following instructions and staying flat on the couch. Sean spoiled me and pampered me last night and I only got up to potty and head up to bed. He had to go back to work today, but he cooked me breakfast & lunch before he left. Cheesy eggs and toast for breakfast and Ring O'Noodle soup with egg & a pb&j sandwich on whole grain for lunch. He even laid out a cheese stick, yogurt and pineapple for snacks. He is the best! He should be home early tonight and I am contemplating joining him on a trip to the grocery store to do our Easter Brunch shopping. Playing that by ear though!
In the mean time, I have spent a lot of time online, watched trashy TV - 90210 baby! - a few episodes of a Baby Story, developed my Easter Menu, made a grocery list, and talked on the phone. On the horizon, meditate and a nap, maybe a movie...it's a good life!
Symptom checker: Nothing at all. Possible pulling on the right side, but I could be making that up:) Already been on the progesterone for a week, so pretty accustomed to those side effects, which are mild at this point.
Oh please, oh please let this be the day...
7 days until Beta!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
FET Madness - Day 18 - Thaw Day
This morning I had to go feed the vampires to have my P4 checked. While we were there I asked if our embryologist was available to talk to us about the thaw. She came right out & said she had good news to report - all 6 frosties survived the thaw! Sean cracked a joke and said, "Yeah, we're from Buffalo. They like the cold." :)
She went on to explain that their definition of a successful thaw is if 50% of the embryo's original cell mass survives. All 6 passed with flying colors! Some maintained 100% of their cells and most lost just one cell. I don't have the specs in front of me, but we have 6 embies ranging from 5 cells - 10 cells. They do not grade them at this early stage, but they were all good quality going into the freezer. We get our next report @ 11am tomorrow! That report will dictate whether we go for transfer on Tues or Weds. We are getting excited!
I am feeling pretty good, but a few side effects are creeping up on me. The bloat has set in & I have been having a touch of insomnia from the prednisone. I started the doxy antiobiotic this morning and had a bit of heart burn from that. Of course, I am a goopy mess from the Endometrin. JOY! Ah well, I will take this any day over the stress and crummy side effects of a fresh cycle.
I do not think I am going to make my weight loss goal of 20lbs before transfer and I have made peace with that. I am still holding on @ 16lbs lost and I feel good about it. I kinda hit a plateau the last 3 weeks and the meds are not making it easy this time - I think it is the addition of the steroids.
In other related news, we had an interesting weekend. A good friend of mine (I wrote about her pg announcement here) had her baby on Friday afternoon and we decided to be brave and head to the hospital to visit with the new family on Saturday. I knew I was in the right mindset to do it and I really wanted to be there. I wasn't sure how I might be feeling about going during the 2ww hell or god-forbid after a negative beta, so I figured a visit now when I am feeling happy & hopeful was a good thing. I am glad we went. The baby is beautiful and I am so happy for E & S. It felt good to snuggle a newborn for a little bit and let myself pretend this might be us in 9 months or so...
The night the baby was born, I received a special message from Jeanine, an acquaintance E & I both have in common. We both taught her boys in elementary school and have stayed in touch over the years via fac.ebook. Jeanine struggled with multiple miscarriages almost 20 years ago and now has a beautiful family and is one of the kindest women I know. She took a moment out of her day to send me this message:
Hi!! Thinking about you tonight--I know when we were having trouble holding onto pregnancies, it was always hard when our friends had babies--even though we were so happy for them it made us yearn for a baby that much more! I know it won't be long until we are sending well wishes your way! Just wanted you to know that I am thinking about you and can't wait to celebrate your little miracle!! Keep good thoughts!!!
It was one of the sweetest and most touching things anyone outside of my immediate circle has ever said to me. I was bawling when I read it. It was so amazing to know someone was thinking of me and my struggle at a time when we were all celebrating E & S and their new baby. I was over the moon for E & S, but it was bittersweet too, which I know I don't have to explain to anyone reading. I feel blessed to have such a wide network of love and support. Jeanine sent me another touching message today to say how excited she was to hear about the thaw. She just totally gets it, she has never forgotten pain and loss even though it was more than 20 years ago. She touched my heart this weekend.
Lots more to say, but I am pooped! I will save it for tomorrow's frostie update.
Thinking of my little embies tonight and hoping they are warm and toasty and growing so big & strong. Can't wait to bring them home...
She went on to explain that their definition of a successful thaw is if 50% of the embryo's original cell mass survives. All 6 passed with flying colors! Some maintained 100% of their cells and most lost just one cell. I don't have the specs in front of me, but we have 6 embies ranging from 5 cells - 10 cells. They do not grade them at this early stage, but they were all good quality going into the freezer. We get our next report @ 11am tomorrow! That report will dictate whether we go for transfer on Tues or Weds. We are getting excited!
I am feeling pretty good, but a few side effects are creeping up on me. The bloat has set in & I have been having a touch of insomnia from the prednisone. I started the doxy antiobiotic this morning and had a bit of heart burn from that. Of course, I am a goopy mess from the Endometrin. JOY! Ah well, I will take this any day over the stress and crummy side effects of a fresh cycle.
I do not think I am going to make my weight loss goal of 20lbs before transfer and I have made peace with that. I am still holding on @ 16lbs lost and I feel good about it. I kinda hit a plateau the last 3 weeks and the meds are not making it easy this time - I think it is the addition of the steroids.
In other related news, we had an interesting weekend. A good friend of mine (I wrote about her pg announcement here) had her baby on Friday afternoon and we decided to be brave and head to the hospital to visit with the new family on Saturday. I knew I was in the right mindset to do it and I really wanted to be there. I wasn't sure how I might be feeling about going during the 2ww hell or god-forbid after a negative beta, so I figured a visit now when I am feeling happy & hopeful was a good thing. I am glad we went. The baby is beautiful and I am so happy for E & S. It felt good to snuggle a newborn for a little bit and let myself pretend this might be us in 9 months or so...
The night the baby was born, I received a special message from Jeanine, an acquaintance E & I both have in common. We both taught her boys in elementary school and have stayed in touch over the years via fac.ebook. Jeanine struggled with multiple miscarriages almost 20 years ago and now has a beautiful family and is one of the kindest women I know. She took a moment out of her day to send me this message:
Hi!! Thinking about you tonight--I know when we were having trouble holding onto pregnancies, it was always hard when our friends had babies--even though we were so happy for them it made us yearn for a baby that much more! I know it won't be long until we are sending well wishes your way! Just wanted you to know that I am thinking about you and can't wait to celebrate your little miracle!! Keep good thoughts!!!
It was one of the sweetest and most touching things anyone outside of my immediate circle has ever said to me. I was bawling when I read it. It was so amazing to know someone was thinking of me and my struggle at a time when we were all celebrating E & S and their new baby. I was over the moon for E & S, but it was bittersweet too, which I know I don't have to explain to anyone reading. I feel blessed to have such a wide network of love and support. Jeanine sent me another touching message today to say how excited she was to hear about the thaw. She just totally gets it, she has never forgotten pain and loss even though it was more than 20 years ago. She touched my heart this weekend.
Lots more to say, but I am pooped! I will save it for tomorrow's frostie update.
Thinking of my little embies tonight and hoping they are warm and toasty and growing so big & strong. Can't wait to bring them home...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
FET Madness - Day 14: Ultrasound Day!
Today was "do or die" for my uterine lining. I was a little worried that the universe might throw a little April Fool's Day shenanigan my way just to spite recent hopeful mood. Alas, karma (and Estrace) have been good to me and my lining was a 10 today, a "perfect 10" in the words of Dr. P. and blood work confirmed that I have not ovulated (for once this is a desired outcome). My prolactin is also back into the normal range after being off meds for awhile - yay! All is well and we are ready to get this show on the road!
Tomorrow: begin Endometrin suppositories and Prednisone.
Sunday: Thaw Day!! Blood work to check P4 levels.
Monday: Embie report - our goal: grow those little guys to blast
Tuesday/Wednesday: Stand by for transfer!
Beta: April 16th - it seems so close!!!
I love that my transfer will be on either Tuesday or Weds, both are good days in my world. Tuesday is the birthday of a dear woman, Carol, who was like another 'mom' to me growing up. She passed away in 1992, but I celebrate her birthday every year. Sometimes Sean even brings me yellow tulips (her favorite) to remember her. Wednesday is Sean's birthday and special to me for obvious reasons. I am always looking for signs and symbols and these dates are good stuff in my book!
Still feeling hopeful, happy and in a good, positive state of mind. I very well know that this might not work either, but that's ok. I need to take that option off the table right now and just focus on the good stuff.
The Year of Hope? Yeah, I'm feeling it...
Tomorrow: begin Endometrin suppositories and Prednisone.
Sunday: Thaw Day!! Blood work to check P4 levels.
Monday: Embie report - our goal: grow those little guys to blast
Tuesday/Wednesday: Stand by for transfer!
Beta: April 16th - it seems so close!!!
I love that my transfer will be on either Tuesday or Weds, both are good days in my world. Tuesday is the birthday of a dear woman, Carol, who was like another 'mom' to me growing up. She passed away in 1992, but I celebrate her birthday every year. Sometimes Sean even brings me yellow tulips (her favorite) to remember her. Wednesday is Sean's birthday and special to me for obvious reasons. I am always looking for signs and symbols and these dates are good stuff in my book!
Still feeling hopeful, happy and in a good, positive state of mind. I very well know that this might not work either, but that's ok. I need to take that option off the table right now and just focus on the good stuff.
The Year of Hope? Yeah, I'm feeling it...
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Halfway to Nowhere
Well, I am about 1/2 way finished with my mock cycle. I had my lining check yesterday and my lining looked "beautiful!" I did not ask for measurements, because I figured why worry about something that does not matter anyway? I get to cut back my Est.race to 2x per day and I started Endo.metrin 3x per day this morning. Lucky me!
Although the mock cycle is easy and boring, I am not really a happy camper. The estrogen put the whammy on my sex drive in a major way and we all know how very romantic progesterone suppositories are to top it all off. Sigh... poor Sean. Poor me.
My endometrial biopsy is scheduled for next Friday the 13th. Looks like Valentine's Day weekend is going to be filled with romance. Sigh...
I stop all meds on 2/15 and call with a period. I can start FET right away pending results and we are leaning towards doing that.
I am down 10.4 lbs since the New Year and going strong. Losing about 1lb. per week for the last few weeks. I am hoping the meds don't blow me up like a balloon though. Sean is down almost 10 as well. I love cooking and am always looking for more healthy recipes!
We are new/used SUV shopping and it is maddening. I will spare you the details, but after spending Friday, Sat and Sun test driving trucks, I think we are getting closer to making a decision. We are terrible at making big decisions like this. We have a tendency to over think, over analyze and over plan things. Hopefully this weekend we will be the proud new owners of an SUV!
We are also making some headway on our "big life change" plans that I mentioned recently. I will unveil the plan soon. Thank you all for your well wishes and support!
Although the mock cycle is easy and boring, I am not really a happy camper. The estrogen put the whammy on my sex drive in a major way and we all know how very romantic progesterone suppositories are to top it all off. Sigh... poor Sean. Poor me.
My endometrial biopsy is scheduled for next Friday the 13th. Looks like Valentine's Day weekend is going to be filled with romance. Sigh...
I stop all meds on 2/15 and call with a period. I can start FET right away pending results and we are leaning towards doing that.
I am down 10.4 lbs since the New Year and going strong. Losing about 1lb. per week for the last few weeks. I am hoping the meds don't blow me up like a balloon though. Sean is down almost 10 as well. I love cooking and am always looking for more healthy recipes!
We are new/used SUV shopping and it is maddening. I will spare you the details, but after spending Friday, Sat and Sun test driving trucks, I think we are getting closer to making a decision. We are terrible at making big decisions like this. We have a tendency to over think, over analyze and over plan things. Hopefully this weekend we will be the proud new owners of an SUV!
We are also making some headway on our "big life change" plans that I mentioned recently. I will unveil the plan soon. Thank you all for your well wishes and support!
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