10dpIUI

Christmas Eve

Is there a little miracle growing inside of me? I hope so. I have a feeling I'm pregnant. I've been exhausted all week. I'm sleepy even though I'm getting plenty of sleep. When I go to sleep I'm knocked out. My bbs are extremely sore, like never before. I keep getting these weird twinges and cramps. All of these symptoms are probably from the Prometrium. But hey, I can have a little hope they are early pregnancy symptoms. Right?

I've had some interesting dreams this week. Is that a symptom of Prometrium as well? I dreamt I was 8 months pregnant in a gorgeous white dress. I was at a wedding reception or something. In another I dreamt I had a 1 week old baby. I had only given it 1 bottle since it was born. I was so upset because I forgot to feed it. I remember thinking, I am going to be the worse mommy ever. I'm glad that was just a dream. LOL!

In other news, DH got me a guitar for Christmas. I didn't ask for one. He's just recently become obsessed with his grandfather's banjo, so I think he wants me to learn how to play something too. I'm trying to learn how to play with an instructional DVD. It's a hoot to watch me.

5dpIUI

I have sad news. Q sent a text message that said she lost the baby. I called her immediately but she didn't answer. I'm assuming she probably had a chemical pregnancy. My hearts breaks for her, and for all of us struggling with IF.

I'm 5 days past my first IUI. I've been having uncomfortable but not painful twinges and cramps. I wonder what's going on down there. I hope there's a baby in the making.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

2dpIUI

Omg, Q is pregnant! She took two tests this AM and they were both positive! She's my friend that's been struggling with IF for about 16 months. She was going to do her first IUI in January but not anymore. I am so happy for her! Q's pregnancy news makes my Christmas a lot brighter.

I'm just 2dpIUI. It's already seemed like forever. How am I suppose to wait until January 6th to test? That's 16dpIUI! Does anyone think I should test sooner?

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

IUI Done, 2 WW To Go!

Right before going in...

I had my IUI this morning. It was a little uncomfortable and even a little painful. My RE wasn't in the office so his partner did the procedure. He's just as great as my RE. Anyway, he said my cervix kept moving around. Thankfully it was over within five minutes so I could handle it. And really, it wasn't that bad, so don't worry if you're getting one soon. My RE said that DH's sperm count was great: 44 million after wash. After the procedure my nurse made the table tilt a little bit and she set a timer for 15 minutes. So does the pillow trick really work? I thought it didn't! After the nurse left I told DH to add an extra 5 minutes on the timer. I wanted to make sure those sperm had a chance. I'm starting Prometrium on Tuesday night. I'm suppose to test at home on Tuesday, January 6th. I hope a miracle has happened or will be happening soon!

Trigger Update - DH gave me my trigger shot on Friday night. It wasn't bad at all. It stung a little bit but not much!

HSG Down, IUI To Go!

I have great news.

The HSG was a BREEZE! My uterus and tubes are perfectly normal. It was painless. It wasn't even that uncomfortable. I hardly felt anything. Maybe because I took the recommended 800 mg of Motrin? I don't know. I'm just glad it's over. If you are having a HSG, please don't lose sleep over it like I did. And don't read the horror stories online. I've been a nervous wreck all week for no reason.

The ultrasound revealed that I had one big follicle on my right ovary at 20. I had a 13 too but my nurse said they don't usually trust 12s and 13s. My left ovary didn't have any large follicles. My lining was at 8, and she said that was good. I had a LH blood test to see if I was "surging." We were told to do the trigger shot tonight at 10:30 PM. I'll have my IUI on Sunday at 9:30 AM. We're excited.

Ok, it's nap time! We had to get up at 4 AM to get ready, drive and arrive by 7:30 AM. It's been a long day.

Update - I started having cramps and light spotting a few hours after the procedure. This continued throughout the night, and even the next day.

First Injection

I DID IT! It was a breeze. If you are using the Follistim Pen, have NO worries. I may have felt the needle go in just a tiny bit but I didn't feel anything after that. I even gave it to myself. DH, Q and her DH were anxiously watching! We celebrated when it was over.

Insurance Estimate - $8,500...WTF?

And guess what happened after school today? I was driving to CVS to pick up my prenatal vitamins and someone drove pass a stop sign and hit me. It happened so fast. I could have been hurt badly but ended up being just fine. My arm is really sore from one of my side air bags deploying. The driver's side of my Murano took a bad hit! The police report stated that the guy who hit me was at fault. I've never been involved in a wreck so it was a scary experience. I hope everything with his insurance company isn't a huge hassle.

I'm exhausted. It's been a long day.

Update - HSG moved to 8 AM on Friday. At least I will be the first patient of the day, and I will not have too much time to wait and worry.

New Layout Soon

In My Dreams...

Twins with Matching DMB Onesies

The Dave tour dates were announced. DH and I purchased tickets for a show on March 24th in Charlotte, NC. I hope we'll be a few months pregnant. I want my baby's first concert to be DMB.

I've got a crowd coming over to watch THE FIRST INJECTION. Q and her DH are going out to dinner with us, then coming over to observe. They will be doing the exact same injections next month. I wouldn't want just anyone watching but Q holds a special place in my heart.

Ok, I'm still a little worried about the HSG but I keep reminding myself that it will all be over soon. I will be OK.

I just ordered my first blog layout from Scrap Blog Designs by Hilary. Hopefully I'll be able to share it with you soon.

Sweet Dreams.

DMB and HSG

DMB on July 4th, 2008 in Charleston - Yes, I was that close!

I have good news and bad news! I'll start with the good news: Dave Matthews Band announces their 2009 tour dates tomorrow. I am SOOO excited. I'm in love with their music. I can't wait to find out which concerts we'll be attending. Hopefully we'll be pregnant and the baby will be able to listen to the good tunes as well. Ok, bad news: I'm terrified, I mean extremely TERRIFIED about my HSG on Friday. I can't stop thinking about it. I should have never googled HSG. I've read some crazy stories. My doctor and IUI coordinator have assured me that the procedure isn't painful. They said to take 800 mg of Motrin and I will be fine. Any advice on how to relax or stop thinking about it? If not, just say a little prayer for me on Friday at 11 AM!

Here's my ACTUAL doctor (Dr. Schnorr at Southeastern Fertility Center) talking about the procedure:

Click Here!

CD 5 - Taking Femara/Letrozole until Tuesday. It makes me feel tired and just weird. I hope that's ok and/or normal. I start my Follistim injections on Tuesday. I'm not nervous or worried...yet!

Must See

Oh my, can I just say that I am in love with matt, liz and madeline's blog. First of all Matt's story touches my heart. Second his kindness and generosity is amazing. If you haven't checked out his blog, you should take a few minutes to check out his story -- grab a box of tissues!

Start here: http://www.mattlogelin.com/if-you-havent-been-here-before/

CD 3 - Started my Femara/Letrozole this morning! :)

Baby in a Box

Meds arrived! My close friend dealing with IF came over to see it all. I'll call her Q! We looked through everything. We both said it was like a "Baby in a Box!" We laughed a lot which helped with my overwhelming amounts of anxiety. Everything in the box seemed so foreign to me. But not to her, she had already googled/youtubed the instructions for everything. I love her to pieces. I feel like God has placed us in each others' lives for a reason. I can't imagine life without her. We had dinner with my hubby and watched the instructional video. Q and I have the same doctor at the fertility center. We also have the same exact plan except she is starting next month. I wish she was doing it with me this month!

Hallelujah! It's CD 1!

Hallelujah! I officially started my cycle today! I called my IUI coordinator. We set up my day 3 ultrasound for Friday at 10 AM. The appointment also includes instructions on the injections...yikes! We set up my day 10 ultrasound and my HSG for next Friday, the 19th. Finally we placed the order for my meds which are being overnighted. I am really excited but really nervous. I think the IUI will be right around Christmas. It's probably going to change our plans of going home to visit our families but it will be ok. We can work around a possible miracle!

It's a BFN, again.

I'm on CD 30.

I had serious cramps yesterday and wanted to eat everything in sight. My face is breaking out a little. So guess what that signals? AF! But the funny thing is, I still have hope I might be pregnant. I want to be pregnant! I don't want to have an HSG or IUI.

I should start tomorrow because my cycles are about 30 days without Clomid. Please say a prayer I am one of those women that say they knew they were going to start but they never did because they were actually pregnant!

UPDATE: Sadly I started spotting last night and I'm still spotting today! I'll be calling my RE tomorrow morning. I'll keep you updated on my plan!

ANOTHER UPDATE: Still spotting, what the heck? After chatting with my IUI coodinator this morning, I learned that spotting isn't considered CD 1. I'm ready for AF so we can get this party started. I'm more excited than nervous!

AND ANOTHER: Hardly even spotted today, so I've lost patience. Took a pregnancy test, and of course, it was a BFN. Where is AF? What is going on? I'm confused!

Rewind - It's been awhile.

Is it really December? I can't believe it!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. DH and I spent most of the week with our families in the mountains of NC. We had a great time catching up and reminiscing about the past. I kept thinking about our next Thanksgiving and how our lives could be so different. We could have a baby with us. We told my parents about our plan for next month. We didn't tell anyone else (just you, and everyone else online, lol). I'm not really sure why we aren't telling anyone else. Actually I think I'm worried that people will not understand. They will just say what DH's mother always says, it will happen when you stop worrying about it, so just relax! I'm sure those same fertile myrtles will also say, you're young, why spend the money, etc. Although my mother in law's advice frustrates me, her generosity makes me smile. During our visit she showed me what would have been our baby's Christmas present: bedding for a crib. This past spring I was browsing through baby bedding at the Pottery Barn outlet. I fell in love with a simple pattern. It was mostly white, with a few light green stripes. Well, she purchased the entire set this summer and was planning on giving it to us this Christmas. But we still aren't pregnant so I guess she will just keep it until we get pregnant. I am really excited about the bedding. I can't wait to decorate a nursery...one day! By the way, I'm in love with Rebekah's nursery: click here to see! And before I forget, special congrats to Praying for a Little One. I was so happy to read about her Thanksgiving blessing.

Here's a picture of my sister and me! I love her to pieces. We always thought we wanted to get pregnant together but she started law school this August, so she will be waiting a few more years.

And the other pictures are of my sister, my Mom, my Nana and my sweet hubby!

Ok, and on to Christmas decorating. We finally finished. I've documented the process and the outcome below.

Oh, and a cycle update. I'm on CD 27. I am waiting to start so I can set up my HSG and IUI. I've already preauthorized the procedures with my insurance company. I feel completely blessed because my insurance covers 70% of anything related to infertility. Of course, let's hope I'm pregnant so I don't have to go through any of those scary procedures. Best wishes to you and your journey!

Our Plan: HSG and IUI

Wow! I still can't believe we've been to a fertility center. It was a great experience! We feel so much better about this roller coaster we've been on the last few months. Our doctor and his staff really impressed us. We received good news: sperm, uterus, ovaries and eggs are all in perfect condition. The doctor believes we are going to be placed in the Unexplained Infertility category. So here's our plan: have an HSG and do a Letrozole/FSH (300 IU) IUI cycle with 2 ultrasounds, HCG, LH and Prometrium. And, if all gets accepted by our insurance, we'll get started next month! We are really excited. I'm trying not to think about the actual procedures because they totally freak me out, esp. the HSG. I think I'll be ok with the needles though.

Please share any comments on our plan. I'm open to hearing about what we should expect!

Interesting tidbits we learned:

One out of six couples struggle with infertility.

A healthy couple has a 25% chance of conceiving (each month) during the first six months of trying. After that sixth month, the chance of conceiving moves to 5%. Why? I guess because something just isn't right.

Happy Holidays

I hope our prayers are answered this Christmas!

Sunday Night

I'm so excited about our initial consultation on Saturday. I can't believe it's less than a week away. I'm so nervous too. I wonder what our plan will be, what the u/s and SA will reveal, how much treatments will cost, etc. Hopefully I will be just as excited when I leave the appointment, but probably not! I'll probably be overwhelmed.

I'm on cycle day 10. Gosh, it's going to be a looooooooooonnng cycle!

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before

which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

-John Quincy Adams

I want a miracle!

Do you remember my friend from school that just had her baby? Here's a picture of her baby and me in the hospital. I was wishing I was the lucky one that had just given birth to this miracle.

Here are a few pictures from our wedding weekend in VA.

Cousins of the Bride and ME

I loved my flowers!

I love wedding cakes!

Nevermind, I'm not ok!

I thought I was at peace with the whole "not pregnant after a second round of Clomid." Well, I wasn't. Today one of my teacher friends announced she was six weeks pregnant after her second month of trying. She was so excited and of course, I was so excited for her. We talked about the first appointment with her doctor, if she was going to come back to school next year, etc. Well, as soon as she walked away, it hit me. I thought I've been trying for a few months without luck, and then two months on Clomid without luck. What is wrong with me? I lost it. There are literally four or five pregnant teachers at my school. I am so happy for them but sad for me.

Thankfully a friend (a close friend that has been dealing with infertility) asked me to go shopping after work. It's was so nice to talk with her. She completely understands.

And other news, my hubby and I joined a gym tonight. We had the best time working out together. I forgot how much I love to work out. Today just seemed like the perfect day to join. I hope working out will help me deal with all of my frustrations.

Second Cycle on Clomid = BFN

My second cycle on Clomid (50 mg/cycle days 5-9) didn't work. Well, it may have made me ovulate again but it didn't result in a pregnancy. I started spotting on our way to VA, right after a conversation about baby names. I don't know why, but I'm completely ok with it. I guess deep down I expected that it wouldn't work. It's really weird how last month I was so devastated and this month I'm fine. Maybe I'm just looking forward to our initial consultation at the fertility clinic. I'm also busy with wedding festivities and catching up with college friends. I haven't really had time to think about it.

My OB/GYN wanted us to try Clomid for three cycles but we aren't going to do the third cycle this month. My husband will be out of town the week I'm suppose to ovulate. Then we have our initial consultation two days after he gets back. The clinic said we could not BD two days before his SA, so there's no point to trying Clomid if we can't BD around my ovulation.

I need to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day but a fun day. My roomie from college is tying the knot to her high school sweetheart!

Still Waiting

This has been more like a three week wait! I still haven't started. I haven't taken a test the past couple days but I am going to test tomorrow morning. I'm going to use one of my First Response tests. If it's positive, YAY! If it's negative, I will be convinced I'm not pregnant.

I really starting to wonder if I have miscalculated my cycle days. My doctor told me to consider my first day of spotting as CD 1. Of course I did that but now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have considered those 3 days of light spotting as CDs 1, 2 and 3. I've got a couple friends that said their doctors told them to count the first day of red blood as CD 1. If that's the case, then I'm really not on CD 35, I'm on CD 32. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Update:

My husband and I are going to VA for a wedding this weekend. I'm a bridesmaid so we've got to do the rehearsal thing tomorrow night. I had to take tomorrow off because we are going to spend all day driving to VA. We'll be back Sunday. Hopefully I'll have news to share with you.

BARACK OBAMA

YES! HISTORY WAS JUST MADE!

I am beyond ecstatic!

Oh, so close!

I'm on cycle day 31. I was doing great this morning because I didn't feel the need to test. But I gave in and took one a few minutes ago. Of course, it was negative! I'm sure I'll be starting a new cycle soon. I wish I could be more optimistic but the last few month have taken all of the optimism out of me.

Updates:

CD 32 - another negative this morning, AF still isn't here, oh i wish i knew
CD33 - another negative this morning, AF still isn't here, i'm confused but hopeful

I bought two First Response tests to use over the next couple days. I've been using One Step tests, which are the Dollar Tree brand. I know I shouldn't be spending even more money on tests but what if I finally get a BFP! It will be worth the money. I know you understand!

Interesting web site on Home Pregnancy Tests: http://www.peeonastick.com/

Happy Halloween

I hope each of you are having a wonderful Halloween night. Mine has been uneventful but enjoyable. My husband and I have been handing out candy to precious little trick or treaters. We've also been working on projects. He's been installing our new storm door. I've been putting the finishing touches on my Golden Spoon Awards. I've just got to share them with you because they are a hoot. I started a lunch room committee at my school. Our goal is to make the lunch room a better place to eat and socialize. We've decided to give out Golden Spoon Awards to the classes that have the best manners. I have a creative side so I enjoyed making the creations!

Oh, and my cycle update: I'm on cycle day 30. I took a test this morning and it was negative. It wasn't a great way to start my day. I have a feeling I'm not pregnant. I guess I'll find out sooner than later.

Irish Blessing

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun

And find your shoulder to light on

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow and beyond.

Irish Blessing

Southeastern Fertility Clinic

First comes love, then comes marriage, now where is the baby in the baby carriage?

I got on facebook this morning and found out that a college friend is 7 weeks pregnant! I am so excited for her, but so sad for me. Why can't I get pregnant? What's wrong with me? I mean, I could almost be a Mommy right now if we had conceived those first couple of months. It's just hard to think about because we are beyond prepared. We are happily married. We have a home. We have good jobs. We are financially ready. We have supportive family and friends. So why can't we get pregnant?

We want answers. My husband and I decided to make an appointment with Southeastern Fertility Clinic. We have an appointment for an initial consultation on Saturday, November 22nd. Thankfully my insurance covers 70%, which leaves us to pay 30%. That makes it affordable for us right now. I can't wait!

Of course I hope the Clomid worked but we still don't know. I should know by the end of the week!

Pumpkin Spice

I'm not a huge coffee fan but I like an occasional cup. Those first months of trying I wouldn't drink any caffeinated drinks, but that changed. My days of non-caffeinated drinks are over until I get a positive pregnancy test. So anyway, I love the Fresh Market, just not their prices. But they have the best coffee, especially this flavor: Pumpkin Spice. It's perfect for the season. I just bought some last night. I'm enjoying my cup right now and so should you!

Precious!

How precious? Just a sweet picture I saw online and wanted to share with you.

Babies R Us had a grand opening today. The new store is located just minutes from my house. Since my husband and I were out and about shopping, I thought, why not check it out? My husband was a good sport. He browsed through the massive amounts of babies items with me. It's overwhelming but of course I fell in love with everything. I wanted to buy a few things but I didn't. I bought some things the first couple months we were trying because I was so excited about getting pregnant and having a baby. Sadly all those items are in our upstairs closet...untouched. Hopefully we'll be able to shop and register at Babies R Us soon.

Oh, and I'm on fall break. It's one of those teacher perks. Since my husband has to work next week, we do not have any fun plans. I am just going to relax! We are going to visit our parents next weekend. I am looking forward to seeing my parents. It's been awhile.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend at home with your families and friends. Take care!

Two Week Wait

I'm on cycle day 19. If we've conceived, it's already happened. It's so exciting to think we could be pregnant but it's so upsetting to think we might not be pregnant. So now it's just a waiting game...

I went to see my friend and her baby in the hospital yesterday. He was precious and so tiny! I could have snuggled with him for hours. Just looking at him in my arms made me realize what a miracle! I want that miracle with my husband. Why can't my egg and his sperm be magical?

Another friend delivered a healthy baby girl today. It was a huge surprise because they waited until birth to find out the sex. She's another one of my friend's that got pregnant the first month of trying. I'm so happy for her but ahhh!

Happy Reading!

I have a lot of questions about infertility, especially now that we've been trying for a few months without success. I found a blogger that answered some of my questions. He's a fertility specialist in New York that posts a few blogs each month. He shares his patients' experiences and answer questions. Here's his blog: Happy Reading!

I'm on cycle day 17. On cycle days 14, 15 and a little today, I had short, sharp pains on both sides. I'm wondering if those were related to ovulation. I really have no idea when I will ovulate this month. I'm not using OPKs because I don't want to stress or worry during this cycle. I'm not getting the Day 21 test either. My OB/GYN said I didn't need it since I ovulated on 50 mg of Clomid last month. I am hoping and praying my new approach of less stress and worrying will help us conceive. Why not?

I just got a text my friend. She delivered a healthy baby boy tonight. She was lucky. She got pregnant the first month of trying. By the way, I teach first grade with this friend. She's going to be out on maternity leave until January. I'm so happy for her but I'm so envious.

HOPE

Last night I read a few blogs written by women struggling (or who have struggled) with infertility. I was inspired by their hope and strength. It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one. It's exciting to know that some of those bloggers are pregnant. I want to be one of those bloggers that can give HOPE.

I'm just a few days away from ovulation, well, hopefully! I'm on cycle day 12.

So far, so good!

This afternoon I finished my last of five little white pills (50mg of Clomid/cycle days 5-9). Thankfully I haven't had any side effects. I can't believe it! Last month my side effects were horrible (head aches, sore throat, chills, body aches and sleeping issues). They were so extreme that I didn't even want to finish taking the pills. I'm starting to wonder if all those "side effects" were actually symptoms of a virus. My doctor said she has never heard of sore throats and chills as side effects of Clomid. She thinks I coincidentally had virus. Since I've felt great the past five days (while taking Clomid) I'm pretty sure I had a virus last month.

My parents are visiting this weekend. We are going to try something new and exciting tomorrow morning. We are going kayaking! I'll have to post some pictures from our excursion. The intercoastal waterways are beautiful in the Lowcountry.

Update: We had to cancel our kayaking excursion. It's been pouring rain all day!

Infertility Awareness

National Inferility Awareness Week

October 19th - October 25th

http://www.resolve.org/

New Hope

I called my doctor's office this morning. Thankfully the nurse was able to schedule me in this afternoon. I wanted to talk with my doctor about my first cycle on Clomid (my side effects, my long cycle, etc.). I also wanted to know if I should continue. My doctor assured me that my side effects were normal. She also said it can be normal to have a longer cycle, esp. if ovulation occurred as late as it did. She recommended continuing Clomid at 50 mg...starting today! She said to count my first day of spotting as cycle day 1. So today would be cycle day 5! Even though I said we were not going to try Clomid again, we are. I went to fill my prescription after my appointment. Just a few moments ago I took my first of five little white pills.

So here goes our second month on Clomid! I'm not looking forward to the side effects but they will be 100% worth it if we become pregnant!

First Cycle on Clomid = BFN

I started a new cycle this morning. I was shocked but thought, ok, I can handle this. I kept telling myself that it wasn't meant to be. I sent text messages to close family members and a couple friends that knew we might have been pregnant. I knew I would start crying if I heard my husband's voice. So I just sent him a text message too. I really was ok until I got to work and saw my little first graders. They were so precious! My eyes teared up throughout the morning. A reading teacher barged into my classroom during my short break. I had been weeping. Why didn't she notice? Why didn't she just turn around and walk back out? Anyway, she came in to ask about our friend's baby nursery. She was going to buy a baby shower gift after school. I answered her questions. Then she said "Are you next?" I said "Nope!" She then said "Yeah, enjoy life without kids. Things change with them." I was trying so hard not to make eye contact. My eyes were filling with huge tears. Well that conversation, along with sweet text messages from family and a gift from the office (a close friend dropped off a thinking of you card with a framed picture), caused an emotional breakdown. I couldn't stop crying. I called the office to find a sub. I took a half day...

My precious husband surprised me at home. He left work as soon as I told him I was taking a half day. When I got home he greeted me at our door with a big hug. I just cried in his arms. I walked in to find roses, lunch, comfort food (chocolate cupcakes) and two movies. We just spent the afternoon together at home. Today ended up being an ok day. The love of my life completes me.

So where do we go from here? I just want to stop trying and forget about it all. I am still waiting to get the results from my blood test last Thursday. I know I'm not pregnant but what if I was pregnant and just lost it really early. AF has been horrible today.

By the way, my cycle was 36 days long. My cycle has never been that long! It's usually just 30 days. Isn't 36 days too long, especially on Clomid?

Waiting Wishfully

It makes me laugh to think about it. It's so my luck! On Friday afternoon I anxiously called my doctor's nurse to get the results of my blood work on Thursday. The nurse said "Well, we still haven't received the results from the lab." She then said "I'll give them a call. Do you mind waiting?" Of course I didn't mind. I wanted to know if I was going to be a Mommy! She finally came back and said "The machine that the lab uses is broken. Your results will probably be available on Monday. I'm sorry!" I said "Are you serious?" So my husband and I are waiting wishfully.

Although I haven't started a new cycle I've had a little spotting since Friday night. That kinda freaks me out because today I would be 5 weeks. I'm wondering if AF is on her way. Or is this normal during early pregnancy? Gosh, who knows!

Hope and Excitement

Thankfully my husband and I have gained hope and excitement! Why? Well, I still haven't started a new cycle. I took a home pregnancy test this morning and it was negative. But even though it was negative I called my OB/GYN. I told her I was late but still getting a BFN! She quickly said "Come on in for a blood test!" We're suppose to get the news tomorrow afternoon. We can't wait! I told one of my best friends that tomorrow could be the second best day of our lives. The first being our wedding day!

Relaxation

Don't you just love those weekends when you can relax? Thankfully we just had a weekend of relaxation. I'll be missing it this weekend. One of my college friends is getting married in November. Her bachlorette party is this weekend. I'm excited about celebrating with her. I'm not excited about making the 6 hour drive there and the 6 hour drive back. All within 48 hours...it makes me cringe!

Making coffee on Saturday AMSweet Jack
Roomie from CollegeSaturday night on River Street

One Pink Line

Ok, no more early pregnancy tests! I can't bare to see another test with only one pink line. I was doing well this morning. I didn't take a test. Sadly I gave in this afternoon in hopes of an early BFP. But you guessed it...BFN! I'm on cycle day 27. I'm making myself wait until next week. Ahhh, it's going to be a long wait. My next cycle is due to begin on Tuesday. Wish me luck!

Feeling Hopeless

I'm feeling hopeless because my doctor called me on Tuesday to say my progesterone level was 12 (day 20). Although she said I ovulated I'm not so sure. Everything I've researched says that 12 is really low on Clomid. I hope I'm wrong but I have a feeling I'm right. I don't feel pregnant. And gosh, I'm so sad about it. I could cry.

I found an interesting web site on blood test results for infertility: http://www.pinelandpress.com/faq/hormonelevels.html

A Little Peek

Here's a little peek into the past couple months...

Wedding Bliss

On our way...

...to a wedding in Charleston, SC

Flower Girl and Ring Bearer

I broke my fork!

My husband and I went to a wedding in Charleston yesterday.

Meet Jack

Jack is our sweet Shih Tzu. He is two years old.
He loves shredding tissue paper.

Oh My! Multiples?

I forgot to mention that Clomid has a low risk of multiples. My doctor told me about the risk when we were initially discussing the drug. Although the risk is very low it could possibly happen. My husband and I discussed multiples over several dinners. We finally decided that if we conceived multiples, it was in God's plan for us. We decided we would make the best of a challenging situation. After all Clomid did bring hope and excitement back into our journey of TTC.

Clomid Magic

And why was I excited about taking a low dose of Clomid?

I'm sure Clomid affects each person differently. For me, a low dose of 50 mg, taken on cycle days 5 through 9, was not fun. Oh my gosh, I had the worse headaches ever. Other side effects I experienced on days 5 through 9 were chills, body aches, a sore throat (thought I had strep), and sleeping issues. I couldn't fall asleep or stay asleep. After I took my last pill I didn't really experience any more of those side effects. Cramping, sharp twinges, and some heavy pressure occurred on days 15 through 18. I was hoping these were due to possible ovulation. By the way, I was trying to pinpoint my ovulation with an ovulation predictor kit. I got a positive result on day 17 of my cycle.

My husband and I have decided that if Clomid doesn't work this month, we aren't going to try it again next month. The side effects were too severe. I also felt irritable and easily lost my patience. But hopefully Clomid worked it's magic this month!

This afternoon I went in for a blood test (day 20) to see if it worked. I should know the results by Monday or Tuesday. Say a little prayer!

Update: This first cycle on Clomid (50 mg/cycle days 5-9) made me ovulate. I didn't get pregnant though. I just started my second cycle on Clomid (50 mg/cycle days 5-9). I haven't had any side effects! The "side effects" listed above were actually symptoms of a virus I coincidentally had while taking Clomid.

Our TTC Story

TTC - Trying to Conceive
BFN - Big Fat Negative

My husband and I decided to start a family a few months ago. We were so excited about TTC. We thought it would happen in a flash. We had mentally prepared ourselves for getting pregnant, going through a pregnancy and becoming parents together. Sadly that excitement dwindled after each month passed with BFNs. By the way, how do you like my use of acronyms? The world of infertility blogs introduced me to those acronyms. For those of you who don't know what they stand for, I've posted them above. Anyway, since I worry about everything I contacted my OB/GYN. She recommended blood work during certain days of my cycle. All was well except for one thing: I wasn't ovulating. Sad news, right? All those months we thought I was ovulating... Well, I am hoping good news headed our way when she recommended taking a low dose of Clomid.

Introduction, please!

June of 2008

I am 24 years old. I fell in love with my husband in high school. We are high school sweethearts that dated through college and finally married after our graduations. We have been married for over 2 years. I am a first grade teacher. I love teaching younger children! I have a precious Shih Tzu that is 2 years old. I love my life, my husband, my family and my friends.

One, Two, Three!

I just recently discovered my fascination with blogs. I never thought I would be interested in the daily lives of strangers. I never thought I would be writing posts for strangers to read. But after a random google search one evening I found myself reading a blog. After reading through that blog I clicked on links to other blogs. Eventually I realized I had been on my computer smiling, laughing and even crying for nearly two hours. I was fascinated with blogs because I loved being able to relate with others. In my situation I found comfort from reading blogs of women who were trying to conceive...just like me!

So on the count of three I'm posting my first ever blog!

One, Two, Three!

Enjoy!