First Timer

Hear me now ... I AM A FIRST TIMER AT THIS!!! Please don't bust my chops if I do it wrong, okay? Since this is my first attempt at blogging, I'm going to try to be loyal to it ... and since this is my first blog, it's gonna be a semi-long one. Here it goes ...

So, as I said in my profile, my DH and I have been TTC for over 14 years. I've done 3 IUI's, I've had 3 miscarriages spread across the whole 14 years, with my most recent on this past Mother's day, 2004. That pretty much sucked. Not that anyone enjoys having a miscarriage, but on MOTHER'S DAY? Talk about depression!

So, after all that, we recently started our first IVF cycle, and I thought I was sooo prepared for it after being an "old hand" at IUI's, but I have to admit ... I'm not as smart as I thought I was! The nice thing is that there's NEW technology now ... the Follistem Pen ... WOW!!! What an improvement!!! When I did my IUI's, we had to use a syringe to mix the water with the freeze-dried powder. Man, did that BURN LIKE HECK! I had some really nice welts and a lot of bruise action going on from pressing on my stomach. Now... you just pop in the vial of LIQUID Follistem, screw your needle on, dial up the dossage, and voila... instant injection, no burning! So, here's a few highlights of this cycle...

On day 9 of the birth control pills, I started Lupron injections every morning. By day 19, I got my period. I went in the next day for blood draw and for a sonogram. I thought they were going to look at my ovaries, and see if the cycst I had from the previous IUI had disapeared. What a surprise to look into the monitor and see TONS of follicles!!! Good grief! They told me I had 15, and that by the end of the cycle, they like to see about 20, so because my ovaries were too PERKY, they kept me on Lupron the entire cycle. Gotta love perky ovaries. So, each day, I'd have an injection of Lupron in the morning, and an injection of Follistem and an injection of Repronix (sp?) in the evenings.

Tonight is my TRIGGER night, and yes ... I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED! I have 17 follicles, 8 of them are 20 mm, 5 of them are from 17 - 18.9 mm (for those of you who need a conversion, there are 10 mm in a cm, and 2.5 cm in an inch. So, basically ... I'm carrying a freakin watermelon around in my belly! That's almost 10 inches, people! No wonder I'm hurting inside ... it's not like it's in my uterus where a baby could stretch out and get comfy... it's all in my two little ovaries. I have a new word, too ... it's BLOTATION ... not flotation ... that's what you experience at the end of the day when your belly swells up and you don't fit in your clothes any more. I guess that's what pregnant women feel like at the end of the day ....

So for now, that's all I have to post. Tomorrow, I'll be kicking it around with my DH scrambling to clean the house, stock the cabinets, and catch up on laundry (since I have to take it easy for pretty much all of next week) and of course, NAP!

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers cause trigger shot is tonight, retrieval is SUNDAY (oh, man am I STOKED!), and transfer is WEDNESDAY (some one, please ... tie me down!).

No complaints ... only happiness ... so far.