Checking Things Off

Yesterday I had the Mock Transfer done. It was easy and was really quick. I wore the scarf I made on Sunday and got lots of compliments and the nursing staff said I should just make 7 next time :0) Dr. B took a look at my ovaries because “pretty ovaries make her happy.” We got the paperwork we needed for the shared risk program and this morning we went back and paid for it all. We originally were going to do the shared risk that included medications. I called our prescription insurance and they are going to cover a huge portion of the meds, so we saved a bunch but not including the medications in the shared risk. Because we have a separate insurance coverage for medications, they don’t care if we don’t have any coverage through our primary insurance for IVF. So that was a huge relief.

After we went and paid, I had my annual exam appt at the OBGYN. Only they were closed due to the weather. My cell # has changed since the last time I was in and I didn’t think to update it when I called to schedule the appt. So I had no way of knowing the office wasn’t open till we got there. Luckily, it’s not far. I held the door open for a lady in the office next door because she had her hands full and she said “oh don’t you hold that door open for me lady with a baby on board” She’s lucky I didn’t burst into tears.

On my checklist of things I needed done before we can start the injectable medications was my pap smear results. So since I was already cutting it close by having the appt today, I started to freak out a bit that we would have to wait. So I called my awesome nurse, left her a message, and waited for her to call me back. She said that they don’t require the results, but it’s more of a reminder since often women going through infertility forget about the rest of their health. She said that we can continue but if something comes back abnormal, we would reevaluate. I told her that I would make it for as soon as possible, and she told me that she knew I would because I’m her star patient *wahoo* She just likes me because I like making lists and checking them off just like she does.

I talked to the pharmacy and my medications are being delivered on Tuesday. Our injections class is next Friday and next Saturday I start the Lupron.

I thought I’d leave you with some pictures

One of the socks to wear for egg retrieval. the other one is finished too, but I only have 1 sock blocker.

The scarf I crocheted on Sunday. This is the one the nursing staff requested.

Looking from our balcony to the neighbors AC unit. The snow was still coming down.

Mike’s car on Saturday afternoon. The car on the other side that you can barely see is our asshole neighbors car, so I didn’t feel bad that it was totally buried.

We’ve got more snow on the horizon tonight. I’ll be honest, I’m kinda over it.

Headed for the Highway

Actually today and this weekend I won’t be headed anywhere. We got about 6ish inches of snow last night on top of the 5 we got this past weekend that was still ice on the ground, and there is a big storm coming this weekend. Unfortunately, Mike still has to work, so he takes my car and I’m sure not driving his on the slick roads.

Had my blood work and ultrasound done yesterday and the blood work came back perfect and my ovaries look good. I have a cyst on the left side that has apparently been there awhile and isn’t causing any problems. Dr. G said it was small, but it looked gigantic to me. He was measuring the uterus and there are shadows and what-not on the screen and the shadow in my uterus looked like someone signing “I Love You.” Well, I love you too little uterus.

I started my birth control pills last night. I picked a time that coincided with the start of Lost (but not on purpose, I just decided that would be a good time). So I’ve decided it’s my destiny. Maybe I’ll give my embryo’s nicknames from Lost. (btw, what did everyone think who watched? I’d like to say that I ended that episode not confused, but who are we kidding)

So I’ll be on bc pills till 2/22. I’ll start my Lupron on 2/20. Then after I get my period again, I’ll be taking Gonal F and Menopur as well as my vitamins, and an aspirin. Once I go in for my Lupron evaluation after my period starts then we will get tenative dates for egg retrieval and transfer.

Next Monday, I’m going in for my mock transfer and then on the 19th, we will go to our injections class.

So y’all know as much as I know :) I got a big desk calendar so I can keep track of which meds I have to take and at what time of the day. It’s color coded because I’m a nerd. And I like buying new sharpies.

Today’s plan other than staying warm is to work on my stirrup socks. Then, my sweet friend Caryn sent me some yarn that before they wind it up after it’s dyed, they write a word onto the yarn in a darker shade. So we you come across these little flecks of dark, it’s to remind you of the purpose. They have yarn that said faith, hope, healing, joy, family, simplicity. But they also have a colorway for Fertility. Caryn sent me a skein of that along with some fun little goodies as we start our IVF, so I’m thinking I'm gonna make me some socks for transfer out of that yarn :)

Get Your Motors Running

So today was officially CD1. I’ll go in tomorrow for blood work and ultrasound. Then I get my protocol schedule (eecck!). Then we will schedule a mock transfer and injections class. Hopefully the blood work and u/s will be normal and I will start birth control pills tomorrow night.

I will post my protocol tomorrow once I have it in my hand. Today I’m going to try to relax…I’m a bundle of excitement and nervousness and a wee bit scared.

Knitting

I took a bunch of pictures today of the things I’m working on or have recently finished. If you look over on the right hand side, you can see a little snapshot of my works in progress.

I made this neckwarmer for myself because I was tired of wrapping my scarf up around my face. The color is called Boiled Lobster and it’s from Lobster Pot Yarns that I bought when we were in Chicago last year. It’s a mohair/wool mix so I lined it with fleece since it is itchy. I also got a green color that I may make a hat with. I started designing a pair of mittens to match the neckwarmer, but they looked like crap.

I’ve started my stirrup socks. They are in a fabulous blue color called Baltic from Madelinetosh that I ordered from The Loopy Ewe. I’m making them 2 at a time on one long needle. I’m using a size 0 needles which is like a toothpick, so they are taking me a bit longer than expected.

This is the back panel of the sweater I’m “working” on. It’s currently hibernating because well it’s almost past sweater weather and I’ve lost motivation. If you look closely, you can see the cute little sheep stitch markers. This pattern is the Central Park Hoodie

The website that I spend far too much time on is Ravelry. It’s an amazing resource for knitters and crocheters and is chock-a-block full of patterns and ideas. Some pattern designers were donating a portion of their proceeds to different organizations in Haiti. One of the ladies who works for Ravelry designed this little shawlette called Simple Things. I’m making it with Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM).

Digital Scrapbooking

When it comes to traditional scrapbooking, I flat out suck at it. I used to buy all this paper and embellishments and stickers galore. But when it came down to put it all on paper, well I would make a page and decide it looks like crap, so I’d put it all away. I can knit a uterus, but I can’t paper scrapbook.

Over the summer, my sister-in-law, Leigh became a consultation for Creative Memories. I had no idea that there was a whole company for scrapbooking. I was as shocked as I was when I found out that stores other than Michael’s carry yarn!! Who knew. So anyways, Creative Memories has a digital scrapbooking program. Now this is right up my alley. I like doing things in photoshop, and working with the software is pretty neat.

I haven’t actually finished a project yet. I have crafting A.D.D. Which probably explains the 4 knitting projects sitting in the living room :looksaroundaimlessly:

They also have a picture manager program, so you can go in and label all the pictures you want to use for one project and then you don’t have to go searching around through 12k pictures finding the one you need. (I’m not the only with with 12k pictures right?)  They have predesigned layouts or you can create your own. You can add embellishments, text, little designs, change the pictures to black and white. You can make a book and have your picture as the cover. You can print the pages and insert into a scrapbook like you would with traditional scrapbooking, only the design work is done on the computer. 

There are like a bazillion options for design elements that you can buy, but they also have a great selection of free downloads.  What I think is pretty neat is that once you buy or download a page design, you can reuse it. With paper scrapbooking, you have to buy more paper.

If you like traditional scrapbooking, they definitely have you covered in that department as well. Way more stuff than I could ever contemplate finding something to do with.

I’ve thought about doing a scrapbook of our IVF->pregnancy adventure when the time comes.

*I didn’t want this post to be all “you have to buy this or else” I just wanted to share my opinion in case anyway liked scrapbooking but wanted to try something new*

*I would like the FTC to know that I’m not receiving any payment for this review*

I’m So Excited

So it’s been awhile since I posted a real update. I do send lots of mini-updates to my twitter. you should follow me :)

Last Friday I picked up our consent forms for IVF as well as my protocol information. I’ve got my birth control pills on hand and I’m ready to start.

My period should arrive this weekend, or the beginning of next week. I will go in and have CD3 bloodwork done, so the Dr. can decide if we can do the shared risk program or not. Since we have no coverage, we decided this is the best way to go for us if we get approved. They just started offering a shared risk program that includes the medications, so we will be going that route.

I’ll be doing the Luteal Phase Lupron Protocol. I will take the birth control pills for 3 weeks and during the last week, I’ll start the Lupron. In the meantime, I will go in for a Mock Transfer as well as another injection class. I think some of the meds are ones that we will have to mix, so we can learn that. Also Mike will be able to learn where to inject me for the progesterone-in-oil shots into my hinny. I’m thinking he should just do them in one of the blank spots in my tattoo, that way he can’t forget where they go. I’d love to hear from anyone who did this protocol as well.

We went and had our blood drawn this morning to make sure we don’t have any infectious diseases and once I have my annual exam, that will be one more thing to cross off the list of things we need to get done. I’m hoping that the hospital where we got the blood drawn actually sends the information to the Drs. office. My nurse didn’t sound too confident that they would. I had 4 or 5 vials taken and Mike had 3 done. They gave me some pretzels and water after-I guess so I wouldn’t faint. :)

I will have my tentative egg retrieval and transfer dates once I start the lupron (I think). I’m thinking they will be around the beginning or middle of March. A thought that both excites and frightens me. I’ve never had a pregnancy in my uterus. I told Maria that I was afraid my uterus wouldn’t be hospitable and she told me to knit it a scarf :)

The knitting things I’ve been working on…

1. A pair of socks for me. I think this will be my stirrup socks for retrieval and transfer

2. Finishing up a scarf for a friend

3. A shawlette

4. A pink and black and grey felted tote.

5. A cabled hoodie sweater (although it’s kinda taken a back burner)

My goal this year is to not knit so many hats. And make a quilt. Oh and finish my mom’s 60th birthday gift.

So dear readers, what’s new with you?

Before and After

The middle picture is more of the real color as opposed to the bottom picture. Even though we bought the model home, most of the walls were builder beige.  We had a wall in our house in MA that was a real pretty wheat color. This color kinda looks like chocolate milkshake. We are waiting for it to dry a bit more before we hang the pictures back on the wall.