It's time. 6 years have come and gone, still no baby. I'm not giving up, I just need a break! I will not be taking my Femara, B6, FertileCM, guafenisen, or do hcg injections. No ultrasounds either. I'll keep taking my T3 and doing temps for that once a week. Of course I'll be keeping track of my cycle somewhat, but probably just know what cd I'm on (just in case!). Really, no telling DH that we'll be gettin' busy for the next week!
There are a lot of changes coming up with my team at work, so I'll be busy with that. I'm also going to a 3-day Christian retreat, called Tres Dias, the end of September. I don't know much about it other than it is a spiritual encounter with Christ. I really need to focus on my relationship with Christ right now and this will definitely help jump-start it! DH is also going the weekend before I go (men and women go separately), so I'm very excited about that too.
I will also be leading another small group at my church. This time, it will not be about infertility. I'm super nervous about leading about something that I don't "know" everything already! The group I am leading is also being lead by several other people in the church, so we'll have the same curriculum and it goes along with a 10-week sermon series. I'm excited even though I'm nervous!
If I do any updating, it probably won't have anything to do with TTC, infertility or babies!!
Fall is almost here! ugh!
I found this here and it is soooo true, but soooo hard to believe!!
The Apostle Paul himself experienced God's answer to his prayer. As Paul struggled with his famous "thorn in the flesh," he wrote, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me." The answer, which Paul received to these requests, made him realize that God was clearly saying, "No!" But with God, a "No" answer to our sincere requests never is intended as negative, spiteful, or destructive to our Christian life and relationship with Him. Rather, God ultimately has a positive purpose in everything He does - or doesn't do - for His children. Paul understood this and he declared:
"But he [the Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...For when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Corinthians 12:9-10).
But please be ready for surprises! God's answer to our prayers may not be what we expect or currently hope for. God does things in His own way and according to His own timetable, not ours. Be prepared for unexpected joy from unexpected directions and in unexpected ways!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Happy Infertilaversary!!
This week marks our 6th year of trying to conceive our first child. This sucks and I don't really know what else to say about it. I never, ever thought we'd be in this place. I think I will be taking a break from femara and hcg injections this next cycle...I know we'll still BD around fertile time, but I just need to step away from some of this. Maybe that's what I need...time to relax! Of course, that is when it will happen, when I least expect! HA!!
We watched my 4 1/2 yr old neice and 2 1/2 yr old nephew from yesterday morning until today at church. They were soooo good. Didn't cry or ask for their parents (sorry L and J!!!). It was also a lot of work. We did a little shopping (4 stores, that's a lot of in and out of the car!), played with hex bugs, watched a movie and rested, checked out the garden, took Nissa for a walk, listened to my iPod and danced, had fun with bubbles, colored and put stickers on things, painted toenails, played candyland and shoots and ladders, ate lots of junk food, put princess and super hero tatoos on, had fun singing silly songs with uncle Tim, and played lots with Nissa. All of this in 24 hours with about 9-10 hours of sleep! Very productive I'd say!
We met my sister and bro-in-law at our church. The kids did not last very long after they saw their parents!! Hopefully they will both take naps this afternoon!
The other highlight of my weekend was getting baptised!! I was dedicated as an infant, but finally decided to be baptised recently. I know that my relationship with God has grown through this whole infertility thing. Some days I really hate that, and others I'm glad something good is coming from it!
I can't believe summer is almost over! I'm not ready for that, but I guess we don't really have a choice. Sorry for being all over the place in this post, maybe I need to post more often! ;)
We watched my 4 1/2 yr old neice and 2 1/2 yr old nephew from yesterday morning until today at church. They were soooo good. Didn't cry or ask for their parents (sorry L and J!!!). It was also a lot of work. We did a little shopping (4 stores, that's a lot of in and out of the car!), played with hex bugs, watched a movie and rested, checked out the garden, took Nissa for a walk, listened to my iPod and danced, had fun with bubbles, colored and put stickers on things, painted toenails, played candyland and shoots and ladders, ate lots of junk food, put princess and super hero tatoos on, had fun singing silly songs with uncle Tim, and played lots with Nissa. All of this in 24 hours with about 9-10 hours of sleep! Very productive I'd say!
We met my sister and bro-in-law at our church. The kids did not last very long after they saw their parents!! Hopefully they will both take naps this afternoon!
The other highlight of my weekend was getting baptised!! I was dedicated as an infant, but finally decided to be baptised recently. I know that my relationship with God has grown through this whole infertility thing. Some days I really hate that, and others I'm glad something good is coming from it!
I can't believe summer is almost over! I'm not ready for that, but I guess we don't really have a choice. Sorry for being all over the place in this post, maybe I need to post more often! ;)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Update and Garden Pics
My friend is doing better. She is now doing rehab at the hospital, so that's great.
I had my cycle review and nothing new like usual. I told the nurse how frustrated I am and feel like I'm not doing enough to help us get pregnant. She said the usual stuff: you are doing everything that we are prescribing/recommending, it takes time, you're still young! She told me that she had her last child at age 40. I said, when did you have your first?! Age 30. See, you are already ahead of me! I know she was just trying to be nice and make me feel better, but it didn't help. Finally she asked if I had had a phone consult with Dr. H. I said it was never offered to me except for my one-week post-op phone call after my laparatomy, and only after the nurse had answered all of my questions! So, I now have a phone consult with Dr. H this coming Friday. I'm trying to compile a list of questions and/or recommendations as to what I should be doing to get pregnant...if any of you have any ideas, please let me know!!
This is my current protocol: Femara 5mg cd4-8, Vit B6 500mg SR daily, Fertile CM 3x/day cd 8-p+2, Mucinex 1200mg daily cd 8-p+2 and HCG injections 2000iu p+3, p+5, p+7 & p+9.
Both the femara and hcg injections are to help with immature follicle syndrome and the other three are to help with limited CM. My CM has definitely improved since starting all of this, so that's good. I didn't take femara last cycle due to a mix-up, but had an US on pre- and post-peak. That didn't confirm ovulation I guess. I'm just looking forward to talking to the doctor directly and coming up with a new/better plan!
Now for some garden pics! These are pics from about 3 weeks ago...I will post new ones in a few days. I've actually already eaten a beet, three cucumbers, sugar snap peas, beans and a few grape tomatoes!
I had my cycle review and nothing new like usual. I told the nurse how frustrated I am and feel like I'm not doing enough to help us get pregnant. She said the usual stuff: you are doing everything that we are prescribing/recommending, it takes time, you're still young! She told me that she had her last child at age 40. I said, when did you have your first?! Age 30. See, you are already ahead of me! I know she was just trying to be nice and make me feel better, but it didn't help. Finally she asked if I had had a phone consult with Dr. H. I said it was never offered to me except for my one-week post-op phone call after my laparatomy, and only after the nurse had answered all of my questions! So, I now have a phone consult with Dr. H this coming Friday. I'm trying to compile a list of questions and/or recommendations as to what I should be doing to get pregnant...if any of you have any ideas, please let me know!!
This is my current protocol: Femara 5mg cd4-8, Vit B6 500mg SR daily, Fertile CM 3x/day cd 8-p+2, Mucinex 1200mg daily cd 8-p+2 and HCG injections 2000iu p+3, p+5, p+7 & p+9.
Both the femara and hcg injections are to help with immature follicle syndrome and the other three are to help with limited CM. My CM has definitely improved since starting all of this, so that's good. I didn't take femara last cycle due to a mix-up, but had an US on pre- and post-peak. That didn't confirm ovulation I guess. I'm just looking forward to talking to the doctor directly and coming up with a new/better plan!
Now for some garden pics! These are pics from about 3 weeks ago...I will post new ones in a few days. I've actually already eaten a beet, three cucumbers, sugar snap peas, beans and a few grape tomatoes!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Please Pray!!
A friend from college had stroke-like symptoms yesterday early afternoon and later had surgery on her brain to remove a large blood-clot. She has two children and is 20 weeks pregnant with their third. Please pray for healing and comfort for her family!! Her caringbridge page is here
Thank you!
Thank you!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
SHE is here!!
My new niece, Ellie Irene G*, arrived today at 11:59am. 7# 9oz, 20.5 inches long with a little bit of brown hair! She is so beautiful and doing great...my sister is recovering great too...this was a very fast labor for her!! I can't wait to see her grow up!!
Monday, July 11, 2011
July and another 2ww
I can't believe it's July already!! June went way too fast and I didn't get everything done that I wanted to. We had a relaxing 4th of July at home, up at the cabin and at my sister's house. She is now 39 weeks with her 3rd! She's hoping to deliver soon as she is really uncomfortable. I want her to deliver so I can see if I have a new niece or nephew!!
Not much new with my cycles. I didn't take Femara this cycle due to a mix-up with what one of the nurses told me last cycle. I did ask for a few ultrasounds to see if I'm actually ovulating. I had one on cd15 and then will have another on p+3. I had some big O pain yesterday with a positive OPK the day before, so I'm hoping the US shows that the follie is gone! Yet again, another two week wait! I'm hoping it goes fast and the witch stays away!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!!
Not much new with my cycles. I didn't take Femara this cycle due to a mix-up with what one of the nurses told me last cycle. I did ask for a few ultrasounds to see if I'm actually ovulating. I had one on cd15 and then will have another on p+3. I had some big O pain yesterday with a positive OPK the day before, so I'm hoping the US shows that the follie is gone! Yet again, another two week wait! I'm hoping it goes fast and the witch stays away!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
DH just published a book!!
DH has been busy writing a book for the past year and a half. It is now published!!! The book is about the life of a very influential, yet little known golf professional from several decades ago, Henry Picard. I had never heard of the name when DH first talked about writing this book. One of the players that Picard taught was Ben Hogan. If you golf, you've heard of Ben Hogan. Anyways...if you, your DH or anyone you know golfs and/or loves to read about golf, please let them know about this book!!! Right now it is only available through the publisher's website. Check it out!!! Thanks!!
The Hershey Hurricane
The Hershey Hurricane
Monday, May 23, 2011
another year, another birthday
Well, another birthday is coming up. I will turn 32 on Saturday. I wish it was something to look forward to, but really it isn't. It just means that I'm now only three years away from AMA (advanced maternal age). That scares the crap out of me! Everyone always tells me, "Oh, you're still young. You have lots of time!" That is just rude!!!
It means I've gone another year without a positive pregnancy test (well, technically I've had a bunch, but only from testing out my post-peak hcg injections) and a baby. Some days, this whole infertility thing feels like a race, a super-long, neverending race! I'm getting sick of this race. I wonder, if I wasn't infertile, what else would I have been stuck with?! It's hard not to compare myself with everyone around me. They have everything they want including a baby/kids/as many children as they want when they want them, money to do what they want with, nice big homes, nice vehicles. I'm not complaining (well, I guess I am a little!), it all just gets a little overwhelming at times. I love my husband, my dog, my job, my family...why isn't that enough??
In other news...my garden is starting to grow!! At least I know that I can grow something! I'll post pics later this week. So far I have lettuce, celery, onions, green bush beans, carrots and beets growing. I have a few pepper and cucumber plants that I need to transplant in to the garden this week. I also need to plant my sugar snap peas!
Our house is still a work in progress...I've been very slow/lazy at getting all the finishing touches done, so no before/after pics just yet.
I am doing the running portion of a triathlon in three weeks. I haven't run since the first weekend in May! I really need to get my butt in gear. I know it's only 3.1 miles, but I want to have a good time!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!
It means I've gone another year without a positive pregnancy test (well, technically I've had a bunch, but only from testing out my post-peak hcg injections) and a baby. Some days, this whole infertility thing feels like a race, a super-long, neverending race! I'm getting sick of this race. I wonder, if I wasn't infertile, what else would I have been stuck with?! It's hard not to compare myself with everyone around me. They have everything they want including a baby/kids/as many children as they want when they want them, money to do what they want with, nice big homes, nice vehicles. I'm not complaining (well, I guess I am a little!), it all just gets a little overwhelming at times. I love my husband, my dog, my job, my family...why isn't that enough??
In other news...my garden is starting to grow!! At least I know that I can grow something! I'll post pics later this week. So far I have lettuce, celery, onions, green bush beans, carrots and beets growing. I have a few pepper and cucumber plants that I need to transplant in to the garden this week. I also need to plant my sugar snap peas!
Our house is still a work in progress...I've been very slow/lazy at getting all the finishing touches done, so no before/after pics just yet.
I am doing the running portion of a triathlon in three weeks. I haven't run since the first weekend in May! I really need to get my butt in gear. I know it's only 3.1 miles, but I want to have a good time!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Busy Easter Weekend!
Sorry I haven't posted in a long time, nothing new or too exciting going on...at least not blog-worthy!
I tried going to a chiropractor that offered to treat me for free (he heard DH and I talk at church). It started out fine, but just got a little too hokey for me! He did adjustments to my spine, but then wanted to put a mudpack (not sure what it was made with) on my laparatomy incision to "detoxify" it. He also wanted me to take a coral calcium supplement to help bring my urine pH up (only tested it one morning). I have too much going on to worry about that stuff! All of the MDs that I polled about it at work said there wasn't enough scientific evidence to substantiate going and I agreed!
I switched from clomid to femara this cycle. No side effects, so that's good. I'm currently peak +11. We'll see if AF shows up Sunday or Monday!
We are putting wood laminate floors in our upstairs (living, dining, kitchen) this weekend. I took Friday off of work and my brother and brother-in-law are coming to help---yay!! DH and I could NOT do this without them!!! We are also gonna (well, BIL will) do tile in the entryway.
I will be sure to post before and after pics!!
My sister, bil, niece and nephew & brother, sil, niece and nephew & parents will all be in the cities this weekend and will be coming to our church for Easter service on Saturday evening...super excited for that! Sunday we will be at my sister's house for Easter dinner, yum! Lots to do, but should be a fun weekend overall.
I tried going to a chiropractor that offered to treat me for free (he heard DH and I talk at church). It started out fine, but just got a little too hokey for me! He did adjustments to my spine, but then wanted to put a mudpack (not sure what it was made with) on my laparatomy incision to "detoxify" it. He also wanted me to take a coral calcium supplement to help bring my urine pH up (only tested it one morning). I have too much going on to worry about that stuff! All of the MDs that I polled about it at work said there wasn't enough scientific evidence to substantiate going and I agreed!
I switched from clomid to femara this cycle. No side effects, so that's good. I'm currently peak +11. We'll see if AF shows up Sunday or Monday!
We are putting wood laminate floors in our upstairs (living, dining, kitchen) this weekend. I took Friday off of work and my brother and brother-in-law are coming to help---yay!! DH and I could NOT do this without them!!! We are also gonna (well, BIL will) do tile in the entryway.
I will be sure to post before and after pics!!
My sister, bil, niece and nephew & brother, sil, niece and nephew & parents will all be in the cities this weekend and will be coming to our church for Easter service on Saturday evening...super excited for that! Sunday we will be at my sister's house for Easter dinner, yum! Lots to do, but should be a fun weekend overall.
Monday, March 21, 2011
here's the link!
Here's the link to the sermon we were a part of. It's about half an hour long, but really worth watching the whole thing if you have time! Click on video #3 Waiting for the Rain
www.crossroadschurch.cc/elijah
www.crossroadschurch.cc/elijah
Friday, March 18, 2011
Busy weekend.
TGIF! This week took forever! I'm super excited and nervous for this weekend. Our pastor asked DH and I two weeks ago if we would be willing to be interviewed by him up on stage during his sermon...about what we are waiting for...Infertility! They are doing a six-week long series on Elijah. Of course we said, Yes! Well, there are three services and we will be doing this live at each one! We met with our pastor last weekend to go over what questions he will ask us and how I (we) will answer. DH asked me again tonight, "Do I need to say anything when we're up there?!' We'll see how it goes!
Our church posts all the sermons on their website the Monday following the weekend services, so I'll post a link to it then!!
Our church posts all the sermons on their website the Monday following the weekend services, so I'll post a link to it then!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Maybe this is the problem with posting?
I found this in the blogger help forum...my settings are already set to the full page setting (I think the first option). If you've noticed people aren't posting comments on your blog...check these settings! If you can post on my blog, can you please let me know!? Thanks!
"So, in one's blog SETTINGS, under the COMMENTS tab, where you have three
choices for how your comments will appear (Full Page, Pop-Up Window, or Embedded
Below Post), it is the third choice - Embedded Below Post - which for some
reason disables the little pull-down menu where we are asked to "Choose A
Profile" and which prevents us from commenting.
choices for how your comments will appear (Full Page, Pop-Up Window, or Embedded
Below Post), it is the third choice - Embedded Below Post - which for some
reason disables the little pull-down menu where we are asked to "Choose A
Profile" and which prevents us from commenting.
Somewhere therein lies the programming error.
In the meantime, every time I come across a blog where I can't comment, I'm
going to ask them to change this setting to one of the other two."
going to ask them to change this setting to one of the other two."
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Comments on blogger
Is anyone else experiencing issues with posting on certain blogs thru blogger?? I've been trying for the past week and have been unable to post a comment on several different blogs that I follow!! I'm not ignoring everyone, I just can't post! What's up?? There isn't anything on the help section about current issues with blogger and commenting.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
March!!
Wow, I can't believe it's already March! Sorry I haven't posted in over a month. To be honest, I just haven't felt like it! Nothing too exciting going on. I'm definitely not pregnant or anything!
I decided to ask Dr. H if I could get an ultrasound done to make sure that I wasn't getting cysts from the low dose clomid that I've been on (50mg day 3-5). He said okay and I had it done p+9. It showed multiple cysts on both ovaries, with the largest being 43mm (almost 2 inches)! I had repeat US done at cd3 and that showed the cysts had all shrunk, down to 13mm for the largest. I finally got a call regarding Dr. H's recommendations today...he doesn't think the cysts were from the clomid, that the cysts are inconsequential, and he believes I ovulated last cycle. He wants me to continue with the clomid next cycle (too late this cycle, I'm already on cd9).
Something else that I've come across within the last week or so is embryo donation/adoption. Both DH and I are open to the idea of adoption. Reading about this got me really thinking and a little excited. We've never really thought IVF was for us for a few reasons: cost and the possibility of having extra embryos that we would never use. It's all very new to me, so I need to continue to do more research. I've briefly discussed with DH and he is very interested as well. I've also told my mom and sister about it and they think it sounds good too. Do any of you readers have any experience with receiving donor embryos? Obviously I have my own views about it, but am open to hearing others experiences!
I decided to ask Dr. H if I could get an ultrasound done to make sure that I wasn't getting cysts from the low dose clomid that I've been on (50mg day 3-5). He said okay and I had it done p+9. It showed multiple cysts on both ovaries, with the largest being 43mm (almost 2 inches)! I had repeat US done at cd3 and that showed the cysts had all shrunk, down to 13mm for the largest. I finally got a call regarding Dr. H's recommendations today...he doesn't think the cysts were from the clomid, that the cysts are inconsequential, and he believes I ovulated last cycle. He wants me to continue with the clomid next cycle (too late this cycle, I'm already on cd9).
Something else that I've come across within the last week or so is embryo donation/adoption. Both DH and I are open to the idea of adoption. Reading about this got me really thinking and a little excited. We've never really thought IVF was for us for a few reasons: cost and the possibility of having extra embryos that we would never use. It's all very new to me, so I need to continue to do more research. I've briefly discussed with DH and he is very interested as well. I've also told my mom and sister about it and they think it sounds good too. Do any of you readers have any experience with receiving donor embryos? Obviously I have my own views about it, but am open to hearing others experiences!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Pics from Honduras!
I'd like to share my Walgreens Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Home from Honduras
Sunday, January 2, 2011
short break
AF showed up one day later than she has the previous two cycles, so of course that just makes me think I'm pregnant even more! ;) This cycle will be a treatment with no chance of getting pregnant cycle since I'll be in Honduras during ovulation. The only change for treatment will be stopping the amoxicillin and switching to mucinex. The antibiotics definitely helped with my fertile CM, but gave me other bad side effects. Soooo not worth it!
We had our pre-trip meeting for Honduras today. Now I'm even more excited to go!! There are going to be a few orthopedic surgeons, a podiatrist, two urologists, a peds MD, a family practice MD, an ENT MD, and anesthesiologists. There are also a bunch of nurses, scrub techs, interpreters, students, and volunteers going as well! I will be the only one that is going to do the post-op exercises with the patients. Hopefully I can brush up on my spanish good enough on the plane!! DH and I sponsored a little boy that lives at the orphanage, so I'll get to meet him in person too! He's four years old and lives in the "babies house". I bought a couple of board books in spanish to give him. I also need to print a few pictures of DH, furbaby and I to give to him.
I have two long workdays ahead of me...10+ hour days, but time should fly by! No updating or FBing while I'm gone...Hope everyone has a great first two weeks of 2011!!
We had our pre-trip meeting for Honduras today. Now I'm even more excited to go!! There are going to be a few orthopedic surgeons, a podiatrist, two urologists, a peds MD, a family practice MD, an ENT MD, and anesthesiologists. There are also a bunch of nurses, scrub techs, interpreters, students, and volunteers going as well! I will be the only one that is going to do the post-op exercises with the patients. Hopefully I can brush up on my spanish good enough on the plane!! DH and I sponsored a little boy that lives at the orphanage, so I'll get to meet him in person too! He's four years old and lives in the "babies house". I bought a couple of board books in spanish to give him. I also need to print a few pictures of DH, furbaby and I to give to him.
I have two long workdays ahead of me...10+ hour days, but time should fly by! No updating or FBing while I'm gone...Hope everyone has a great first two weeks of 2011!!
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