Tuesday, September 30, 2008

My First Clomid Cycle

Well, after all the disappointing Femara (letrozole) cycles I have had (8 IUIs, 1 chemical), I am embarking on my first Clomid cycle. I had an ultrasound yesterday and there are 5 possible follicles (darn, not many at all!) with a size from 8-10 mm. (great!), so I began my Clomid last night. Yeah!

As an aside, I also had my CD 3 bloods drawn. Well, to get 1 vial of blood, we had to do a total of 5 stick attempts. In between sticks 4 and 5, I went home to drink fluids and get warmed up. I also wanted to calm down. I'm not sure just what the first phlebotomist was doing but he caused such pain on the initial attempt, I started crying and that arm hurt all last night. It throbbed in the muscle even and is still tender today.

So, my HSG is scheduled for Tuesday at 12:30 with an ultrasound preceding the procedure. Maybe, just maybe all will be set for an Ovidrel injection Tuesday night for insemination on Thursday? Dare we hope?

My swimmers will be arriving at the fertility clinic Wednesday. I have gone with a new donor, a guy with blue-green eyes. I selected him because I have a blue eye and a blue-green eye, although I was born with blue eyes (they have changed color over the years). My eyes are so light now, gray is the best descriptor, until I wear something brilliant to dark green, in which case the blue-green eye matches the color of the shirt and my blue eye just looks normal. So I avoid that color, just so that I don't have people stopping, staring, and saying "Did you know your eyes are 2 different colors?" Like I could miss it ... So, anyways, in selecting this donor, it was the usual points I look at - height, weight, IQ, type of hair (no curls for me), and familial health history. It looks like they have a propensity for lung cancer, but the folks who died of it were lifelong smokers. So I will have ammunition with my child to avoid smoking by saying it is a hereditary weakness. My own parents smoked for over 40 years and neither has yet had a cancer scare (God willing there is none in the future). And with just 1 instance of cancer (prostate) in 100+ maternal and paternal family members back to my grandparent's generation, it looks like we don't have much of a cancer gene. So, that said, while the cancer was a concern in the new donor, it did not weigh too much. He's clean otherwise, no thyroid issues, no Alzheimer's. So ... who knows?

Anyways, those are all the updates. On other fronts, I finally have electric service in my bedroom (yes!), have updated the service in the house from 70 amps to 200 (just today!), and will have a new 1/2 bathroom within the month. Mega nice. And the economy is tanking ... so, I am just delighted my mortgage came from my folks and that the rate is fixed and not adjustable. Other than that, same old same old. Have a happy day!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Updates

I have been most remiss. I have not updated until now for 2 reasons. First, I have been incredibly busy with the move. Next, there has really been nothing to update.

Now, though, there is a mite bit of news. I have an appointment at the REs next Friday. That is great news! It is a few days prior to CD 3, which will allow me to have some testing done and .... cross your fingers .... maybe try again this cycle. We'll see. I just have to wait for big expenditures until after October 2nd, which is when my insurance plan takes effect.

I moved from NC to NY this past month and am gripped in all the oddness that renovating brings. Well, maybe I should say, trying to renovate. These tradesmen in NY simply don't seem to want to work! The new job is FANTASTIC. And I am adjusting well.

So, all that said, sorry for the wee post. It's been a slow fertility month!