Slacker alert

I am a slacker!  I started back to work so that explains most of it!  We are in our last times intercourse cycle.  I am not sure how I feel about it.  On one hand I am fine with going for IUI, helps our chances and so on.....but and there is always a but.  I want to give us a chance!  I feel like we are just now at the point where we have a chance.  I am sure that with my blocked tube, polyp and PCOS we were doomed before.

On a totally unrelated note, I have been crafting like a fiend to get ready for some shows.  My goal is to make enough money to pay for IUI if we need it.  I hit my goal this weekend!  I am so stoked!

When I was at the craft show this weekend, I was set up by an adoption agency, coincidence or not?  I think it was really God's plan for me to be by them.  I got their information.  I felt great getting it.  It let me know there are options out there for us.

So all in all, things are good!

Here we go again

I started my period on Friday..yay.  We are going to repeat the same protocol as before with the Femara and timed intercourse.  I am hoping I respond to Femara again.  I would like to not have to take the trigger shot since it made me a friggin' hormonal mess, but I will do whatever it takes.  I seriously cry at everything.

I can't believe that I start back to work in a week.  I am not ready, I don't feel as if I have had enough summer!

There was a Fandom Fest in our city and it was awesome!  I got to meet/see some of the cast of The Walking Dead!  I had my picture taken and I got a big hug from Norman Reedus (aka Daryl Dixon)!  He was super nice and took time with every fan and trust me there were TONS of fans there for him!  D enjoyed it so much!  He would stop and hug me every little bit and kept telling me how awesome it was to be there!  This was his birthday present so I am really glad he had a good time.  He got to see people from tons of the TV shows he watches.  I told him for my birthday he could take me to the Supernatural convention!  I do love that show!

Ultrasound

Things never seem to be easy...
I got a positive OPK on Monday night so I called first thing Tuesday morning to set up my Ultrasound (u/s)  to see how well I responded to Femara.  I had one measurable follicle but it was no where near the size it needed to be to create a positive OPK.  So the doctor thinks that my body has been in major fake out mode for some time now.  I produce the hormone to get the +OPK but my ovaries really don't do anything.  He did say there was a REMOTE possibility that I had already ovulated but he didn't really think that was the case.

I was really upset that day but I did make it to my car before I cried.  I had a slight pity party for a day and ate my feelings.  I didn't let it keep me down long.  I am really ok either way.  I know that we have options with doubling the meds next cycle or if I have already ovulated.  Our timing was good if I did ovulate so we will see.

Insurance booted out my surgery so I had to call and have my doctor's office send over the medical records, keep your fingers crossed they will cover it.  If not, I am going to be paying $9000.  Just another bump in the road.

The aftermath

Things have been pretty low key around here.  I have recovered from my surgery totally and started Femara on CD3.  I have some hives...is it connected or not?  I am not sure, but they are irritating.  I take my last dose tonight and now we wait.  I am on CD7 so I will start doing OPKs on CD 10.  Once I get my positive OPK, I call the doctor and set up a time for an ultrasound.  I do love the dildo cam...I haven't had to visit it for a year now so I hope it at least buys me dinner!  :)

I had my niece and nephew for a few days and we had an awesome time!  We went to movies, out to eat, to a birthday party and so much more!  I am exhausted!  Sleeping on our futon is like all night torture!   

Benny has been a terror.  He was totally out of control while the kids were here.  He loved them so much that he was just out of control.  He would bite their feet and even started humping things, WHICH HE HAS NEVER DONE!  I am hoping that was just a phase...it might mean that it is time to get him fixed.  He also went through a food strike.  Thankfully that is over, we went and bought some different food since he had been eating the same food for 8 months now.  Maybe he was tired of it, who knows, he's eating now.

OH and the fireworks...For the love of all things holy, they must stop!  They make Benny crazy!  He shakes and cries and pees in the floor.  It's awesome.  He has always been afraid of loud noises so this is just a terrible time of year.  I love him but man this has been a hard couple of weeks with him!

Surgery

I made it through surgery!  I could not have asked for a better experience!  I got there at 7:30, by 7:45 I am in my room.  I get my IV on the first time, woo hoo!  They let my mom and D come back after I am in my gown etc.  About 30 mins before surgery they give me some really great drugs to relax me before I went back to surgery!  Total side note, why are all anesthesiologists hotties?    They take me back to the OR and that is all I remember until I am in the recovery room.

Once in the recovery room, I remember trying to see what time it was.  Of course I couldn't read the clock because I didn't have my glasses...lol!  I kept falling back to sleep and I could hear the alarms going off and they would come tell me to breathe.  I thought I was!  I just wasn't breathing deep enough to keep my stats up.  I remember being really happy, which is totally different from my last surgical experience.  They had to change the pad while I was laying there, which under normal circumstances, would have mortified me.  I was feeling so good that I didn't care.

I finally get back to my room.  It takes me a while to wake up.  I can remember my mom trying to tell me what they found.  It doesn't sink in for a few hours.  I just could not get awake enough to understand.  Finally I get it.  They found a polyp, endometriosis, my left tube was totally blocked and it was stuck to my bowel.  The doctor removed the polyp, endo, unblocked my tube, and unstuck my tube from my bowel.  They are sending off the polyp and the scraping from my uterus for biopsy.  I was told this was normal so I am not concerned about it.

I just want to say I showed no signs of a polyp or endo.  I was totally shocked by both.  I do not have painful periods or excessive bleeding.  I have very short, light periods.

The final thing thy did was laser wedging on my ovaries.  This is basically poking holes in my ovaries to help induce ovulation.  I hope it works!  The dr told my mom and D that I still need to lose weight...duh, and that I might still need medicinal help for ovulation.  I am ok with that.

Now for the side notes:
1. Surgery didn't suck.
2. Listen to the nurse when she sys not to touch your anti-nausea patch and then touch your eyes.  They will dilate and stay that way for a while!  Learned that the hard way!
3. Trust your gut if you think something is wrong.  I didn't show any signs of an issue other than not getting pregnant.
4. Follow the directions they give you, I took Advil as soon as I left and every 4 hours and did not need any prescription pain meds.
5. They give you pictures of your innards to take home, totally gross, yet awesome!
6. Let people take care of of you for a few days!
7. Don't give up hope.


Overall, I am very happy with the outcome of the surgery.  Now on to our next step!  I am going to finish up the birth control and go from there.  I go back for my post op appointment on the 24th so I will be anxious to hear what the doctor tells me.

It's happening!!!

I am still in shock that everything is going to fall into place!  My insurance is going to cover my surgery!  I am in shock!  I called to schedule it today and it is going to be June 11!  OMG, I need to breathe!  I have NEVER been one to get excited about surgery, anesthesia, hospitals, etc. but I am stoked about this one!  I am unsure of what I want them to find.  Do I want them to find something so we can "fix" it?  Do I want them to not find something and go from there?  I don't know.  All I know is that it is all going to be ok, no matter what.

I *think* my mom is going to come and help me for a few days afterwards.  D stresses about stuff so I would almost rather he just go to work, but that's not fair to him.  I want him to be there, but I can't promise I won't snap at him if he gets all drama queen on me!  :)

I am more concerned about Benny jumping on me after surgery than anything else.  He is a great dog but he just gets super excited about everything and everyone!  He just can't help himself!

Now for some pictures!
Here is a small chest of drawers that D's parents gave us.  It was his when he was a baby...aw!

Here are some of my sweet boy:

Benny is a hoarder, this is what I walk over every morning:

My first RE visit!

It went well! I really liked Dr. H. He wants to start with a Laproscopy (a minor surgery) and check out everything internally and while he is in there, he wants to laser drill my ovaries. I am not exactly sure what that entails but I will go for it if I get a baby! He also thinks he will be able to get my insurance to pay for it. He wants to start a medicated cycle with Letrozole (femara) and Timed Intercourse. Then if that does not work, we will do Inter Uterine Insemination (IUI) with injectible medicines. If I am not pregnant by the end of the year we will move into IVF. HOLY CRAP!!! We have a plan!