One week to go!

Got my progesterone level checked yesterday- yes, more blood- I swear I've gotten more blood tests in the past couple months than I have in the last 29 years combined! I am not sure what it is about blood tests that I hate so much- It's not the blood, I can sit and watch people get cut open and operated on all day without feeling even the slightest big grossed out, but the second they get the needle out to do a blood test or put an IV in I have to look away! I have even in the past passed out after getting a blood test! I think I get it from my mom, because she is even worse than I am! I guess it it desensitizing me a bit- I still get a bit freaked out, but my anxiety level is going down a bit more each time!
ANYWAY, just got the results today, progesterone level 43.6! What does that mean? I have no idea.... I think it's pretty high, but I'm guessing maybe because I ovulated 2 eggs??? Oh well, one week to go before I can take a pregnancy test.............

Visualization

Hopefully this is what is happening right now....
I've officially been inseminated! After waiting for a very agonizing hour and fifteen minutes, the doctor finally came in, told us that my husbands "specimen" looked good, and we were on our way! It was a really fast procedure, probably about 5 minutes or under. He basically put the catheter in, injected the sperm, and VOILA! Then he inverted the bed, and told me to lie there upside down for fifteen minutes.
Next week I go in to the lab for a progesterone test, then a week later I can take a pregnancy test! Ahh the dreaded two week wait.  This one will definitely be the longest one I'm sure! Now just lots of positive thinking and visualization...
Oh, I also learned that my doctor became a first time dad to a baby girl yesterday!

1...2...3... GO!

I DID IT!!!

You Want Me To Stick That Needle WHERE?

I stuck a needle in my leg today!!  That's all that has been going through my head for the entire day! I know that all the people who have been doing this routinely must be thinking "big deal", but to me, it was an ENORMOUS deal! I stuck a needle in my leg!!!

And here is the bruise to prove it!
So here's how it went down today... I got to the doctors office for another ultrasound, to see what effect the Clomid had, and lo and behold- two very mature follicles! That means tonight is going to be the night for the HCG shot to make me ovulate.  I have an appointment for 11:30 on Thursday, which means that I need to get the shot at 11:30 tonight.  Only problem is that now I have to do a practice shot.... So I go into another room with my husband, and the nurse asks who is going to do the shot.  Now my husband was supposed to do it, but, control freak that I am, I suddenly decide that I have to do it myself! Did I mention that needles are my biggest phobia??

So I'm sitting there, and the nurse is walking me through mixing the vials, filling the syringe, getting rid of air bubbles etc. etc. Now if my husband were giving it to me, it would have been in my butt, but since I am doing it, it has to be in my thigh, which for some reason seems a lot scarier than my butt!

Anyway, I'm sitting there, holding the needle above my leg for what seems like FOREVER, telling myself  "you can do it, just stick it in!" only it was much easier said than done, I almost had to have my husband do it! I have no idea how long it took, all I know, is that after an eternity of sitting there with my pants down, staring at this needle hovering over my leg, I suddenly gave myself a countdown "3, 2, 1 GO!". And without thinking about it, shoved the needle all the way into my leg!!  I have to admit, that it was not bad at all, in fact, I hardly even felt it!  Now, I had to pull the plunger back a bit, to check for blood, making sure I had not hit a blood vessel (heaven forbid! I would have had to start all over again!). The nurse gave me the all clear, and I pushed the plunger down and injected the saline solution into my leg!

I immediately pulled it out, and OH MY GOD, I'M BLEEDING!  I mean blood poured out of my leg, a few drops even made it to the floor before I could get paper towels on it!! The nurse said that I must have nicked something on the way in! I don't think that it was the blood, but just the fact that I had stuck a needle in my leg, made me suddenly feel like I was about to pass out! I pulled my pants up, disregarding my bleeding leg, and flopped down on the bed as I felt the blood drain from my face. The nurse was trying to get me to put a band aid on my leg, but I said no, I just wanted to lie down. She gave me a couple of syringes, and a cup for my hubby's "donation" and I was on my way! All I had to do was go and pick up the prescription!

Fast forward to 7:30 pm, 4 hours until the moment of truth! I hope that this goes better the second time around and that I don't pass out on the bathroom floor in a pool of my own blood! ;)

Let the Hormones Begin!

April 14th 2010- 1st day on Clomid!! 

Here we go!!!

Baseline

SO, remember how I signed off on my last entry? Something like "Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones who get pregnant after having an HSG"!! Well, that didn't happen- go figure.  After spending the whole day Friday in denial that my period was on it's way despite the many obvious signs (and therefore refusing to call the doctor to schedule my baseline ultrasound like I was supposed to on the first day of my period) it arrived.  In all honesty, it really arrived around midnight, so it was more like Saturday anyway!

So this morning (Monday), I called the doc. to schedule the ultrasound, only to have the nurse call me back telling me that I had to come in today, and if not, by Wednesday, as I had to start Clomid on the 5th day of my cycle. Fast forward two and a half hours, and I'm sitting in the waiting room waiting for my name to be called!

So once again, there I lay staring at a totally blank sonogram screen.  Funny how you always imagine that when you are in this situation, you would be seeing something other than an empty black hole. Oh well, hopefully sometime soon! Needless to say, it was REALLY empty this time! Last time I could see all my follicles, this time, because it was so early in my cycle there was just... well... nothing at all to see! I could almost hear and echo!

So the doctor then proceeds to ask me if we are doing the IUI (intrauterine insemination).  I told him that I thought we had said that we would just try Clomid and timed intercourse.  He suggested that we should go for the IUI, which is actually what I was hoping for.  I just figure that whatever would increase the odds, I would be game for.  So here is the plan...

• On Wednesday, I start taking the Clomid, once a day for 5 days.

• Then on Tuesday next week, I come in for an ultrasound to see what effect the drugs have had. BUT here is what I had NO idea about- My hubby has to come with me, to learn how to give me a shot in the butt!! What??? I had no idea that this required a shot! I guess that when he sees how the follicles are doing, and when he determines that they are ready, I will get a shot to force ovulation, and then come back in about a day and a half later for insemination. 

• My husband then gives another "sample", the doctor examines it, washes it, and then it gets put directly into the uterus, and VOILA!!

So I guess I have two days before I am officially on hormones- crazy thought. I am actually pretty exited to finally be getting the show on the road. Lets just hope the show does not last too long...