Cyst Be Gone!

I'm back from MTL and I am glad to report that the cyst aspiration went without a hitch.

My hubby was able to be in the room with me and he watched the cyst on the ultrasound as it shrunk in size and disappeared from the screen, all while holding my hand and letting me dig in a nail or two when I felt the pain of the needle poking through. It felt like a lot of pressure in my abdomen, like a stitch in your side that doesn't go away, and it sorta took my breath away a little but nothing drastic. Mind you, I know my pain threshhold is rather high, so I expect some women might feel it much more intensely. At least now I know what to expect for the retrieval in early December.

The actual procedure took less than five minutes so it wasn't bad at all. And I have to say, those are the most comfortable 'stirrups' that I've ever had the pleasure to be in: padded, nice and long up your calf, and cozy in fact... actually WARM. Odd to describe stirrups that way isn't it? Would that all doctors had that style of stirrups!

When we were done, I asked the doctor to tell me how many follicles were on the right side (my monitoring ultrasound couldn't see them all because the cyst was in the way). He started counting...
SEVEN.

I have seven follicles (at least) on the right, and at last count, five on the left. For a grand total of about 12. Not bad. I hope that continues and that I get a bunch of them to mature in the next week or so with the Gonal-F and the Luveris.

So we returned to our home last night and at about 10 p.m. we started laying out all the injections. I'm currently taking the following meds:

• Metformin (500 x 3 times per day) for PCOS
• Levothyroxine (0.5) for Hypothyroidism
• Pre-natal vitamin
• Buserelin (20) sub-cue injection
• Luveris (75 IU) sub-cue injection
• Gonal-F (225 IU) sub-cue injection
• And hubby started his doxycycline (oral antibiotics) last night too.

MTL would like me to have a monitoring appointment on Wednesday the 26th as well. And next Friday, I'm back in MTL for an appointment so they can see me themselves.

So this cycle is still on track. At least, for now.

Next week, I have a distraction. my best friend MH and his wife and kids will be arriving on Thursday for the long Thanksgiving weekend in the States. I cannot wait to see them, and it'll be the first time I get to meet their kids. It'll be wonderful. We're ALL going to MTL next Friday; me for my appointment and with luck, we can take their kids (boy-girl twins, almost 6 years old) to the Biodome or something. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do to entertain children in MTL? Advice most welcome.

Oh and Mel? Thank you for putting a link to my blog on Friday's L&F. I really appreciate it. Support is a great thing and I know the women (and men) here 'get it' and can offer their good thoughts. Sending hugs your way for the kindness.

Back to life...

... back to reality.

I was never keen on that song really, but here it is, real life comes up and smacks me in the face. It's November 16 and I'm home from my holiday in Florida. And while it was an amazing holiday, the reality of work, cold weather, and the bruises of injections are worming their way into my world. Bleh.

Today is "officially" CD2. Though because I didn't ovulate (I was taking the BCPs) I expect this visit from AF will be short and sweet. She'll be kicked to the curb in no time at all I'm sure. She'd better be!

I go back to work tomorrow morning and I know I'm going to be right in the thick of a huge project for the next week or two. That'll keep me occupied, and that's a good thing. This coming Thursday, I have an appointment here in Ottawa to start the monitoring for this first IVF/ICSI cycle. That same day, I also start Gonal F and Luveris injections. I'm already dotted black and blue from the Buserelin on the left side of my abdomen (the right doesn't seem to bruise much at all) and I have to add two more injections this coming week? Ugh. Wish me luck.

I had a mini meltdown two or three days ago with the injections. It was a particularly rough one, it didn't go in easily and it burned during the injection and pulling out. I tried to keep still. I know I made it tough for hubby; I actually broke down in tears and then he wondered what he had done wrong, figuring he had hurt me badly. He didn't. I was just hurting emotionally and psychologically I think. You know what it's like: I wondered why me? Why does it have to be this hard for me? It shouldn't be this way. Making a baby shouldn't be like this.

Some days are easier than others I guess.

To distract me, on Thursday, my best friend MH and his wife and kids arrive to spend the American Thanksgiving weekend with us. They'll be coming to Montreal with us on November 27 for our monitoring appointment as well. We'll spend the day in the city there before coming home to have dinner in the Ottawa area. I think we're going to do a ham for Thanksgiving dinner, because they're coming back up here in December for Christmas too, and I know I'll be doing a turkey for Christmas dinner for sure!

And something hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday: I have less than two weeks to sew an IV-friendly hospital gown. The time is just flying by. Where did it go? What the heck happened? I know I made the other hospital gown relatively quickly once I got going, now I need to do that again. Wish me luck!

I almost wonder if I need to though. I have dropped between 4 and 6 sizes in the last six months. I attribute that to the proper meds now to treat the PCOS and the hypothyroidism. Mom, my aunts and my dad all made comments about how much better I look now and how much weight I've dropped. That's a good thing. Still lots to go through, so I know I would be more comfortable in my own hospital gown than one provided to me. I never know if those things will cover me adequately. Then again, I've had so many people look at my hoo-ha over the past five years, what's a few more? Still though, I think I'll make the hospital gown. It'll do me for years to come... as long as I don't sully it in surgeries, or other procedures. Huh. Maybe I should make a few!

Question for you: I just got an invitation to a friend's baby shower. It's going to be on December 13... around about the time I'll be having my Beta for this first IVF. I don't know if I ought to go. I'm of the mind to reply "yes" with a caveat (luckily the organizer knows about my IF issues). What would you do?

Shlomit: I'm sorry I missed you in the capital! Let me know next time you're heading this way. It would be great to hook up with you!
Ms. C: I would LOVE to meet you during our jaunts to your city! We'll have to organize something.

Sending hugs and best wishes to all of you in IF blogland.

Battered and bruised

Bleh. My abdomen is dotted with bruises from the injections; it really ain't a pretty sight. I had hoped to avoid the blue-black marks that often occur when a needle pierces my skin. Oh well. So much for that idea. But as I said last night to good friends of ours (who can relate to our journey), "You do what you have to. Somehow, you find a way."

Thanks to M and M for a wonderful evening and for letting hubby and me vent about our struggles, laugh (that felt good!) and enjoy the company of such good friends. Love to you both. Always.

Nine! I have nine!

Woo hoo! *dances* I have NINE, count 'em NINE follicles to work with!

I just got back from the doctor's office on this, my CD10 and first cycle with both Clomid and sub-cue injectables (Puregon, 50 IU), and the doc is really pleased with my response.

The numbers:
Endometrium lining -- 7.8 (very respectable considering this is only CD10)
Right ovary -- five follicles ranging from 1.3 cm to 9.14 mm
Left ovary -- four follicles ranging from 9.93 mm to 8.7 mm
Dosage -- to remain at 50 IU of Puregon until Saturday
Next appointment -- CD12, Saturday @ 8 a.m. (he'll likely be able to do an insemination)

And better yet, the donor samples have arrived at the doctor's office and are good to go. He's very optimistic about this cycle and really, so are hubby and I. We're doing everything we can to make this work.

So much so, that I am going to do some cleaning around the house today and tomorrow, so that I will be able to relax a little over the weekend when he does the inseminations, rather than be in a frantic tear to do both the housework AND put up Christmas decorations when Saturday and Sunday arrive. Tonight I get a bit of fun time too; hubby and I are going to see some friends as we're going to their home for dinner and a chat. It's been awhile since we've seen them, so we're looking forward to that very much.

Ah yes, one more thing. The doctor commented, yet again, that my bladder was full. Now that tells me something: I must have an AWFULLY large bladder! I used the washroom twice this morning before I got to the doc's office for my 7:15 a.m. appointment. On top of that, I hadn't had a thing to eat or drink since about 8 p.m. last night. WTF? Weird. Just very weird.

Injectables!

This morning, hubby and I went to the specialist for my CD8 appointment. The internal ultrasound revealed four follicles on the right side, ranging in size from 3.2 to 5.8 mm and four follicles on the left side, ranging from 2.3 to 5.2 mm. Woo hoo! Eight little baby follies to work with! YAY! Of course, I know that the smaller ones will likely be reabsorbed into the body as the week goes on, but hey, knowing that we have at least a few that are in the 5.5 to 5.8 range, that's good news, right?

So, then the doc whips out the Puregon (FSH) injection pen and shows us how to prepare it. He figures that for today and tomorrow, 50 IU will be sufficient, and then on Thursday he'll check the size of the follicles again. He administered the shot in my abdomen (left side this morning, we'll do the right side tomorrow), and while I absolutely could NOT look, I confess, it didn't hurt at all. Just a little pinch really; I guess because the needle is SO ultra fine, and relatively short. Now, as long as it doesn't hurt when hubby tries it tomorrow, we'll do well. If not, I might have to smack him! :)

What hurt more was the ding to the pocketbook! Over $320 (CDN) for a 300 IU Puregon Pen (kit). Ouch! Thank goodness for a drug plan! Here's hoping that it will last me this month! *whispers* And that we won't need another one...