Fast Charmer

Try number 3 failed, so we've kicked Eagle Scout Drummer boy to the curb. Perhaps the Eagle Scout was too squeaky clean for us? Anyway, we've chosen a new donor called "Fast Charmer," and we're hoping he charms D's egg and gets us pregnant. Try number 4 will be Friday. Everyone think good thoughts.

Three Times the Charm

I apologize for being lax with updating this blog. Baby making has become a long and arduous process. So, the incredible Hulk of follicles was a bust, and we're onto number three. On Sunday, the ultrasound revealed one follicle at 16 mm and another at 13 mm. After reviewing D's E2 levels and the ultrasound results, the doctor instructed us to wait until Tuesday to trigger. We were a little concerned about the timing since we've missed our window several times and follicles can grow anywhere between 1 and 3 mm per day (you'll recall that 18 mm is optimal), so we asked for a second opinion. Another doctor reviewed D's chart and instructed us to trigger one day sooner and to listen to D's insight into her body. So, now, we're triggering tonight (Monday) and inseminating Wednesday. Let's hope this is the one. Dr. Jaffe's nurse told us that we'll need to schedule a consultation prior to continuing treatment if this IUI doesn't work given that the chances of pregnancy decrease significantly after three well-timed IUI's. I'm not convinced that we've had any WELL TIMED IUI's and neither is D, so we'll probably continue for a few more cycles before considering alternate treatments. So, that's the news. Wednesday's the day. We're hoping for lots of baby dust and good luck!

The Incredible Hulk of Follicles!

We went for D's second ovary check today (cycle day 11). Surprise, everyone, her ovaries are still there! Actually, we got some good news (I think?). Two follicles were found in D's right ovary -- one was 27 mm (which is "too large," according to the technician), and the other was 14 mm. The gargantuan 27 mm follicle made the nurse think that D might have already ovulated (which would mean that we missed our window). She drew blood to test for E2 and progesterone. The results came in this afternoon. D's progesterone level suggests that she hasn't yet ovulated but that she's very close (1.2). Given the blood work results and the extra large follicle, the doctor recommended that we give her the trigger shot tonight and do an insemination tomorrow. So, tomorrow is try number two with the Incredible Hulk of follicles. Baby dust come our way!

Lunacy and Lunar Cycles

Sadly, we realized that D wasn't pregnant on Sunday when her menstrual cycle decided to make its appearance with the full moon. Thirty-four days when she normally has a twenty-six day cycle! Seriously? D's always hated her period, but now that hate has evolved into more of an intense, seething hostility. Tomorrow, D goes in for an ovary check, which we've both decided is just an excuse to charge patients for an unneeded ultrasound. All the technician does during the first ovary check of the cycle is confirm that D's ovaries are still there. Where would they go? Anyway, after the ovary check, she'll be prescribed five days worth of Letrozole and one Oviderel (HCG) shot to induce ovulation once the follicles are large enough. Here we go again... For some reason, I think straight baby-making is more fun.

Peeing without the Stick

So, today is the 21st -- PT Day (Pregnancy Test Day). Of course, both D and I couldn't stand the wait and decided to jump the gun and test early yesterday, mid-afternoon. Sadly, the test came up negative, but we're hopeful that we just tested a little too early and/or D's pee wasn't as concentrated as it needed to be to get an accurate reading (the instructions recommended either using first morning urine or holding pee for a certain number of hours prior to testing). Since we did neither of these, we had planned to re-test this morning with the recommended first morning urine, but in her normal sleepy, zombie-like state, D peed without testing while I was in the shower. Hence, we've decided to wait until tomorrow morning. D's last period began on the night of June 22nd, which makes today the 30th day. By tomorrow, she'll officially be three days late. While we both are thinking optimistically because of her lateness, we're still skeptical given the negative reading yesterday. We're also unsure of whether inducing ovulation with the HCG shot can delay her period. So, we'll wait some more... And I'll make sure to put the toilet seat up before I go to bed tonight just in case a comatose D decides to direct her sights on the toilet without being armed with the stick.

Musak and Stirrups

I hope everyone's thinking positive thoughts for us. We had our first IUI procedure yesterday. Before the procedure, the nurse asked us to verify that the donor's number was the same as that marked on the vial. Then the doctor told us about the donor sperm's concentration (40 million per ml) and motility (65%), both of which were apparently excellent for a frozen specimen. You go Eagle Scout Drummer! During the IUI, a catheter is used to inject washed sperm directly into the uterus. D said that it hurt a little. The whole procedure took a momentous five seconds -- we exhausted ourselves worrying about this for the last three months and it's over with one five second plunger push. How anticlimactic!? Afterward, D was told to remain lying down for fifteen minutes before dressing, so we were left in the room listening to bad Musak with D's feet in stirrups. Despite the unromantic, sterile atmosphere and the Air Supply, I still managed to get weepy thinking of the possibilities while D and I held hands and waited for the nurse to return. Our next appointment, which is to test D's progesterone level, is scheduled for one week after the procedure. Pregnancy, though, can't be confirmed until one week after that -- the 21st. Since it is a thirteen day wait, maybe it's not appropriate for me to ask that you keep your fingers crossed, but do think positive thoughts.

Page One of Our Family Fairy Tale

The follicle had grown to 15mm by the time of our Saturday appointment, so we were told to give D the trigger shot on Monday evening and schedule the IUI for Wednesday. At 12:45 tomorrow, D will be inseminated.

We're a little worried that the timing isn't right, but then again worrying seems to be old hat for us these days. We bought an ovulation predictor kit Sunday evening and have tested D practically every hour since. The box is supposed to be a one-month supply but I'm certain that it won't last us longer than Wednesday morning.

Monday (pre-shot) went something like this:

1. First, we panicked when we couldn't find the medicine, which over a month ago we had carefully placed behind the eggs in the refrigerator. I frantically threw yogurt containers around in what seemed to be a frenzied dance as D said over my shoulder "Where the hell is it?! What did you do with it?! I put it right there!" (We finally realized that it had somehow fallen to the first shelf).

2. We were all set to go -- washed hands, clean work surface, sterile gauze pad, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, pre-filled Ovidrel syringe -- check. We then read the instructions and realized we had to wait for the medicine to return to room temperature prior to administering it. Of course we then panicked about not knowing how long it takes for medicine that has been in the refrigerator to return to room temperature. And we had no idea how we would know when it was room temperature.

3. After waiting about twenty minutes, we then freaked out again over the brevity of the directions that came with the medicine and frantically searched for videos on YouTube to make sure we were properly clearing the air from the syringe and injecting it correctly. When in doubt, check YouTube. Who would think that we'd find one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A55hXymEXnQ

4. I watched D stand with the needle positioned at a 90 degree angle ready to stab it into her pinched abdominal flesh for what seemed like twenty minutes while she laughed and said things like "This just isn't natural [...]. I don't think I can do this [...]. I can't do this!" I offered to do it for her, but D was apparently more scared by that idea than stabbing herself.

She finally did do it (which is good because although I offered I didn't know if I could really do it), and after reporting our injection success to the soon-to-be grandmothers, we settled in for a night of catching up on recorded TV shows.

So, Wednesday is the day that we hope our son or daughter's life begins.

Once upon a time, on a Wednesday afternoon in July...