Things are starting to happen - which is good, but now the stress of it all is really starting to sink in. Here are some things that have been going on the past several days.
1. I have a job! Last week was our Spring Break and so I went to Jackson for several days. During that time I talked to the director of the preschool at St. James (where I went to church growing up). Other job opportunities had fallen through due to budget cuts, etc so I was in a place of complete desperation. I never thought I would have such a hard time finding a job in Jackson, MS. I mean I've already taught there and I know people - isn't that what it takes? Sadly though there just weren't any positions to be had. So I went and talked with this woman, not trying to get my hopes up. She basically offered me a job on the spot, and after talking it over with R I snatched it up. It's going to be weird working in a preschool. Younger kids, less structure, no papers to grade or lesson plans to write - NO PAPERS TO GRADE OR LESSON PLANS TO WRITE! What?!?! That part is going to be awesome. Plus, it's a half day program so I can spend the other part of my day tutoring to make extra money and taking care of everything else going on (hopefully my pregnancy).
2. Our house is on the market! We still have some things to get done on it - painting, replacing cabinet hardware, cutting limbs in trees, etc. But it is on the market and that's a step in the right direction. We have an open house next week so now the pressure is on to get all of those things completed. I spent my night last night (after being away from the house for 11 hours that day) painting bathroom cabinets. Oh the fun!
3. We may have a house in Jackson! We met this couple (through my mom) who are moving to VA in June. Their house is on the market, but they are taking it off the market April 30. If it doesn't sell, they are going to rent it to us. So hopefully it won't sell in the next 2 days because the house is amazing! It's huge and in a great area. We are very excited!
4. We're getting geared up for Denver! With everything else going on it's easy to forget that oh yeah - we have an IVF coming up! I booked my plane tickets yesterday. I have entered all travel information to the right for anyone who may be going to CCRM and may want the info. Below is the schedule of when I'm going and who will be with me during each part of the trip. I think my family is using this whole process as an opportunity to visit Denver. But hey, can you blame them? If anyone else wants to come out, you're more than welcome!
May 31 - I will travel to Denver. My sister in law, Jordan, and my nephew, Miles, will fly to Denver from NYC.
June 3 - My brother, Jim, will fly from NYC to spend the weekend with us.
June 7 - R will fly out to be there for egg retrieval and Jim, Jordan, and Miles will leave.
June 16 - R and I will fly home
Of course all of this could change. If my next period doesn't start when it's supposed to, it will change everything. If egg retrieval ends up being later, then we'll obviously come home later. Hopefully everything will happen the way it's supposed to so I don't have to go back and rebook anything.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
My Calendar is In!
Well, my period started and I called my IVF nurse at CCRM and she sent me my calendar for IVF. All of these dates are dependent on my next cycle starting when it's supposed to - which with my body is always a guessing game. So here are the projected dates for everything...
May 8: Start my period (we hope!)
May 10: Begin birth control pills. R will start to take an antibiotic for 10 days
May 23: Take the last BCP
May 24: Ultra sound and labs to make sure I am a "go" for the IVF
May 26: start my lupron shots (20 units every 12 hrs) and my Saizen shots (this is a growth hormone - it's what is given to children who aren't growing. I've never taken this during a cycle before and I hope it will be my magic drug!
May 28: start my stim shots in addition to the lupron and saizen: 2 vials menopur in AM and 300 units of Gonal-F in the PM
I will continue all shots and go in for an ultra sound on June 1. At that point they will start to call me when dosage changes. I can have the ultra sound with my local dr, but my plan is to be in Denver by then and just have all ultra sounds out there.
Tentative Egg Retrieval Date is June 8. My transfer date is 3-5 days after that.
It's all beginning to happen! Now it's time to book flights and hotel rooms!
May 8: Start my period (we hope!)
May 10: Begin birth control pills. R will start to take an antibiotic for 10 days
May 23: Take the last BCP
May 24: Ultra sound and labs to make sure I am a "go" for the IVF
May 26: start my lupron shots (20 units every 12 hrs) and my Saizen shots (this is a growth hormone - it's what is given to children who aren't growing. I've never taken this during a cycle before and I hope it will be my magic drug!
May 28: start my stim shots in addition to the lupron and saizen: 2 vials menopur in AM and 300 units of Gonal-F in the PM
I will continue all shots and go in for an ultra sound on June 1. At that point they will start to call me when dosage changes. I can have the ultra sound with my local dr, but my plan is to be in Denver by then and just have all ultra sounds out there.
Tentative Egg Retrieval Date is June 8. My transfer date is 3-5 days after that.
It's all beginning to happen! Now it's time to book flights and hotel rooms!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Acupuncture
A few weeks ago I decided to finally bite the bullet and start going to see an acupuncturist. I have always been curious about it and there are some people (especially in the infertility world) who swear it makes a HUGE difference, so I've always wondered about it. But there were two things that scared me away from it: 1. the amount of time that it would take out of my already busy schedule and 2. the money. (Acupuncture, like most medically related things for me these days, is not covered by insurance - or at least mine - surprise surprise.) The needles didn't so much worry me because HELLO! I have stuck myself with hundreds of needles over the past year..that fear just does not exist for me anymore. Anyway, I finally decided to give it a shot because CCRM recommends it and also because I figure I'm already paying a butt load for all this IVF stuff, what's a couple more hundred dollars a month, right?
Well, I went to my first appointment a couple of weeks ago. First of all, I really like the acupuncturist. When I told her what my diagnosis was and how I have the eggs supply of a 40 year old, plus I have the crazy tube thing going on, she looked at me and just said "well that sucks!" Ha! Most people give me a look of pity, or of misunderstanding, or they try to give me advice (see prior post). This was the first time that someone, especially a doctor, looked me in the eye and said "that sucks!" I just laughed and said "yep, sure does!"
Acupuncture is not like I expected it to be. I mean, don't get me wrong, the whole ambiance that I expected was there - the low lights, the creepy hippie music that's supposed to be relaxing but just makes me nervous - all of that was there. But, I was not expecting how uncomfortable the whole thing is. Anyone who tells you that the needles don't hurt is lying through their teeth. It's not terrible or anything, but it's definitely not painless! However, I was ready for that part - to an extent - what I wasn't ready for was the whole electrode thing. I need to pause right now and explain that this is the one part of this whole trying to conceive journey that I just didn't look into. All procedures or appointments that I've had, I have researched about what to expect, but for some reason I didn't with Acupuncture. I just kind of made the appointment on a whim one day and then didn't think much more of it until I got there. So, as I was saying, she put these clips on the needles to connect them with wires and then turned them on so that there was a pulse going between the needles. It was such a weird feeling! I know those of you who have always done acupuncture are probably reading this and thinking "uh yeah, what did you think they did?" but like I said, I just didn't have any idea what was involved! So it wasn't terribly painful, but it certainly wasn't comfortable. It's hard to relax lying flat on your back and scared to move because of the needles sticking out of your wrists, ankles, stomach, and ears! I guess it will get better though!
All in all it was interesting and I must say that I did leave that appointment leaving very rejuvenated! I went to my second appointment last week and I was more prepared for the whole thing. She wants me to go every other week until May and then I'll start going every week to prepare for the IVF. It does take a lot of time out of my day, but I'm going to try to look at it as a way to make myself take an hour to just lay still and clear my mind. God knows I could use a little chill time!
Well, I went to my first appointment a couple of weeks ago. First of all, I really like the acupuncturist. When I told her what my diagnosis was and how I have the eggs supply of a 40 year old, plus I have the crazy tube thing going on, she looked at me and just said "well that sucks!" Ha! Most people give me a look of pity, or of misunderstanding, or they try to give me advice (see prior post). This was the first time that someone, especially a doctor, looked me in the eye and said "that sucks!" I just laughed and said "yep, sure does!"
Acupuncture is not like I expected it to be. I mean, don't get me wrong, the whole ambiance that I expected was there - the low lights, the creepy hippie music that's supposed to be relaxing but just makes me nervous - all of that was there. But, I was not expecting how uncomfortable the whole thing is. Anyone who tells you that the needles don't hurt is lying through their teeth. It's not terrible or anything, but it's definitely not painless! However, I was ready for that part - to an extent - what I wasn't ready for was the whole electrode thing. I need to pause right now and explain that this is the one part of this whole trying to conceive journey that I just didn't look into. All procedures or appointments that I've had, I have researched about what to expect, but for some reason I didn't with Acupuncture. I just kind of made the appointment on a whim one day and then didn't think much more of it until I got there. So, as I was saying, she put these clips on the needles to connect them with wires and then turned them on so that there was a pulse going between the needles. It was such a weird feeling! I know those of you who have always done acupuncture are probably reading this and thinking "uh yeah, what did you think they did?" but like I said, I just didn't have any idea what was involved! So it wasn't terribly painful, but it certainly wasn't comfortable. It's hard to relax lying flat on your back and scared to move because of the needles sticking out of your wrists, ankles, stomach, and ears! I guess it will get better though!
All in all it was interesting and I must say that I did leave that appointment leaving very rejuvenated! I went to my second appointment last week and I was more prepared for the whole thing. She wants me to go every other week until May and then I'll start going every week to prepare for the IVF. It does take a lot of time out of my day, but I'm going to try to look at it as a way to make myself take an hour to just lay still and clear my mind. God knows I could use a little chill time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)