Just call me the slow hen

This morning I was at the clinic for another blood draw and ultrasound.

Different ultrasound tech, different nurse. Still 9 measurable follicles with 5-10 smaller ones on each side.

Just got the call that I'm supposed to continue with the same dosage of meds again tonight and tomorrow morning. Follistim 225iu, Menopur 75iu and 5 units Lupron. Tomorrow will be day 12 of stims. That feels like so long given my past experience with the IUI cycles. I only stimmed for about 6-8 days at a lower dosage and was ready to go.

Anyways, back to the clinic again tomorrow for more of the same.

I think they said my E2 was at 998 yesterday and up to 1234 today. Slow and steady she goes.

And for your viewing pleasure, a shot of our shots. ;) Fortunately, I haven't had the pleasure to meet the big guy just yet.

Still growing

Another Sunday morning starting out with a trip to the doctor's office.

Ultrasound is showing 9 good sized measurable follicles (above 10mm) and anywhere from 5-10 smaller ones on each ovary. I have one lead follicle that's sort of taking off from the pack. Funny, there had been pretty equally sized follicles on each ovary up until now. Thoughts are we let that one go and get some of the rest of them to catch up.

My blood work (Estradiol) has made a nice steady climb all week. I have been in on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. What started out at a low 20, climbed to 39, then 185 and then up to 498 as of Friday.

I go back again tomorrow, but as of now, it sounds like I'll be stimming for a couple more days. "Maybe" triggering on Tuesday with retrieval on Thursday.

After all this time, you'd think I'd be used to all this waiting. The anticipation has me excited, but at the same time, I don't want to get too excited, because things keep changing.

Inching closer

Time for an update.

After two and a half days on stims, 75iu Menopur and 150iu Follistim I had a blood draw yesterday. My E2 was at a lowly 20. Eeeks! It was actually down from 28 earlier in the week. Huh?

Doctor upped my Follistim to 225iu and wanted to see me back first thing this morning. Today my E2 was up to 39. Yeah, making progress!

My first follicle check will be Wednesday. I'm anxious to see how things look by then. That'll be after five and half days of meds.

Come on Follies! You can do it. Grow grow grow.

No news = Good news?

Yesterday was my suppression check ultrasound and blood draw. I'm assuming since I didn't hear anything from the clinic that it's all good and we are clear to go!

My ultrasound showed 17 total antral follicles. Last time I had 23. I guess this is a sign that things were shut down a little better going into this round.

Friday I start both Menopur and Follistim. It's going to be weird doing morning and evening injections. I can hardly believe my last medicated cycle was in January! That feels like so long ago. That was so long ago. Hopefully my body will remember what it's supposed to do with these medicines and produce a good number of excellent quality eggs that mature nicely.

I am more than ready to get this long awaited show on the road. I'm sure there will be lots of updates through next week as I have appointments scheduled for almost every day.

Here we go!

Cooperation

For the first time in a really long time, I feel like my body is actually doing what it's supposed to do, when it's supposed to do it.

Wednesday was my last BCP, and within about a day and a half, AF had arrived. This is progress from last time when the silly lady never showed until after my cycle was cancelled. At least a week later than expected.

Tomorrow is my final suppression check before we kick things into high gear on Friday. I hope the blood work and ultrasound also indicate that my body has decided to cooperate.

*Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow*

Feeling productive

Back in May when our IVF was cancelled, we kicked it into high gear and started on our fence project.

Why not? I'd actually be able to help with a majority of it.

Memorial Day weekend, we started digging post holes. 43 of them. Thanks to the help of some friends, and a rented power auger, all the holes got dug in one day.

Over the course of the next few weekends and many evenings, the posts were all set and many cross pieces attached.

Last weekend, we finally started on some of the vertical slats and now we actually have the beginnings of a very fine looking fence.

We only have about a week's worth of work left in me before I start on lifting restrictions again. Hopefully we can knock out a lot more this weekend and next week and still find some relaxing time in between.

These pictures were taken on Tuesday. One month from starting. It's a big project and hard to put it into perspective. Way bigger than I can squeeze into one frame.

Is this what I really meant when I said I was excited to get some of my summer back?

And Ben, thanks for all the help you've given us on this project.

Keeping "Hope" close to my heart

As I have mentioned before, Hope is what is pulling us through all of these hard times. I recently received this necklace from my best friend who wanted to give me a way to keep our Hope close to my heart.

Thank you. I needed that.