10dpIUI - 4 days til testing

The 2ww is so uneventful compared to the first part of the cycle. Once the IUI is done I don't have any more appointments for the cycle.

I don't really have any updates. I'm still getting what I like to call "I did too many crunches" cramping in my abdomen, but that's really about the only "symptom" I'm feeling. I know, it's still too early for much else.

The box from Repromedix arrived today. I'm glad I opened it because it has cold packs that needed to be put into the freezer. The step-by-step color coded illustrated instructions that came along for the specimen collection are quite daunting. This is serious stuff. Are you sure we should be doing this at home? Do we need to be in a sterile environment? It makes me feel like if you mess up one tiny little step the entire test(s) will be no good. I just have to say, I love the bio hazard warnings on the baggies. Eeeks.

So, what's included? 1 specimen collection cup, 1 plastic transfer eyedropper, 2 orange cap tubes and 2 orange labels, 1 blue cap tube and 1 blue label, 1 Styrofoam 2-piece box, 2 cool packs, 1 cardboard shipping box, bubble wrap, red tape (always gotta be some red-tape!) and a FedEx air bill and diagnostic bag.

Collection pick-ups are Monday-Thursday only, so hopefully we can get one scheduled for early next week.

The Lucky Knot

This afternoon I went to the mailbox and there it was. The new bracelet I asked fellow T-TTC Nestie Gretchen to make for me.

The Lucky Knot was a Trollbead that I was given for my birthday by one of my very best friends. Instead of investing money into a full Trollbead bracelet, I asked Gretchen if she could make something for me featuring the Lucky Knot bead.

After I had decided not to do a Trollbead bracelet, I had actually exchanged the bead for something else at a little local specialty shop. However, that little bead kept calling to me. The Lucky Knot was very symbolic of our friendship. We met on the Knot back in the days of wedding planning, and she wishes us much luck in our pursuit for baby and life in general. And most of all, I'm lucky to have a great friend like Jess. That was it! I had to have something made using the bead.

Of course Gretchen came to mind immediately! It was fun working with her in selecting the rest of the beads to go into the bracelet. I have to say, I love it!

Thank you Jess and Thank you Gretchen!
Please visit Gretchen's blog for a look at some of her work.

IUI #4 - Complete!

It was another smooth sailing IUI procedure. The doctor did it again today and I truly think it makes a huge difference. He takes his time, talks to me all the way through it, and keeps my mind off of what's really going on.

We had our best collection going in today, so I can only hope we see a different outcome in 14 days.

Tomorrow morning I start back up on the Prometruim and then test on December 3rd. What a Christmas miracle this would be.

Update!

Wow. That was quick. I heard back already.

At least one more day of stims. I'll go back for u/s and E2 on Saturday. So now it's looking like the IUI will be Monday. Monday will still only be cd12, so that's good. That also gives the lining a few days to thicken up along with the follies a chance for a last minute growth spurt!

Getting there...

today is cd8 and I've had 7 days worth of injections. Menopur 150iu for 4 days and then Follistim 175iu for 3 days, along with hCG 100iu on each of those days.

It's looking like IUI could be either this Saturday or Sunday. It seems a little early, but if the follies and estrogen say we're good, I guess I'll go with it.

As of today there are 4-5 good sized follies. Some of those are still at about 14mm so we'd like to see them get a little bigger if we can.

I'm just waiting on a phone call to see what's happening and to get our timeline. Yeah!!!

You know how I love to wait....

well now we get to wait another 6 wks for results from the urologist appt. We go back for a follow-up on Jan 3rd.

Initial exam looks good. The possibility of a variocele has been ruled out. Physical examination is fine. The doctor said he doesn't see anything that should be preventing us from getting pregnant.

So, now it appears that we truly are unexplained. The urologist did request a few more tests for completion sake. We're testing hormone levels, sperm DNA and Karotyping.

I really just want some answers!

My aunt is here

and this time she's even welcomed. She (AF) showed bright and early this morning after getting the all clear to start a new cycle and the okay to stop bcps on Monday.

This time we are doing things a little different. I'm starting Menopur 150iu on cd2 instead of 3 or 4 like normal. Also, instead of using the diluent that comes with the Menopur, I'll be using 100iu of hCG. This is supposed to help boost the thickness of my lining.

It'll be 3 days at the 150iu dosage and then back to the clinic on Monday for u/s and E2 draw. From there, we'll probably make the switch to Follistim for the remainder of the stim period.

If my response is anything like it's been in the past, we're looking at about 10 days worth of stims, then Ovidrel trigger and IUI #4 following 36 hours later. My guess is sometime early to mid week of Thanksgiving for the actual IUI.

We might just have something to be thankful for after all!

Ooops - Sorry - forgot to update!

Yesterday was what, cd21? I finally went in and had a baseline ultrasound. All clear. I'm good to go. Yeah!

I stopped the pill and expect AF to arrive soon. When she gets here, I'll call the RE to figure out if I'm starting stims on cd3 or 4. We have the Thanksgiving holiday coming up so we're still playing the time manipulation game just a little bit.

So far I know I'll be starting with Menopur again just like in the past, but this time instead of using the mixing saline that comes with the Menopur, I'll be using highly diluted hCG instead. Supposedly this will help with the lining issue? We'll see. He did give me a couple of days of diluted hCG before the Ovidrel trigger last cycle to help boost the lining.

Also, in response to the less than ideal SPA results, we got a referral to one of the Urologists at the U of MN. Lucky for us, there was a cancellation, and we got an appointment for next Wednesday, Nov 14th.

Stay tuned...

"Borderline normal"

After all that waiting, the results from the SPA are back, and that's exactly what we were told. Don't you just love that categorization? We were looking for 50% to be normal. We scored 47%.

Just for fun, here's Merriam-Webster's definition of borderline:

1 a: being in an intermediate position or state : not fully classifiable as one thing or its opposite b: not quite up to, typical of, or as severe as what is usual, standard, or expected c: characterized by psychological instability in several areas (as interpersonal relations, behavior, and identity) but only with brief or no psychotic episodes 2: situated at or near a border — borderline noun

It's back to the RE for me on Monday morning. Hopefully we'll get the all clear to start on a new injectable/IUI cycle.