The Big O and the Short Re-Group

My calendar is based on me ovulating by Friday. I am happy to report it appears to be happening right now. Let's hope I am right.

On to the shortest ever re-group. I feel like I have been waiting for this forever - I mean it has been a month and 5 days since our ODWU. And I stretched it out so it would like 6 minutes. Do you think they will charge be the full 100 something dollars?

He started off asking what my questions were. I really only had 1. Okay 2.

Why no BCP?? He basically said that many of their protocol don't include BCP - and this is the one he chose for me. hmmmmm. Not satisfied.

Will it help me stim faster? No it won't change how long it takes. So, I need to prepare for 12 nights of stims. This means we will be in Denver for 10 nights. Whoa. I emailed my nurse to see if we can come out 1 day later. But, then if I have to be monitored here another day - that is another 300 dollars, so maybe we should just go?? But, then I get to work 1 more day. Decisions, decisions.

I asked what else he normally covers and he chuckled. (yes, he chuckled). He said normally he has wonky results to report so he spends time on that. He went on to say that all my results came back better than he could have expected. This made me feel odd. Well, I felt like screaming 'Then why are we having problems!!!". Instead I calmly said "Well, Dr. Schoolcraft, that is exactly why I am aggravated - everything appears great, but it isn't working".

That's all folks. What else should I have asked?? Did I miss the boat?

Here are my day 3 results:
E2: 44pg/ml (should be between 19-50)
FSH: 9.2 mIU/ml (<10) (the last time with my local clinic it was 6.8)
LHD: 5.0 mIU/ml (2.0-6.0)

AMH: 1.9 (apparently makes up for my 9.2 FSH)

One week and I will be starting the dreaded Lupron!

DIY Gone Wrong (Day 3 b/w)

Everyone knows about the Day 3 bloodwork that CCRM requires. It goes like this: buy kit from CCRM ($110 if they deliver it to you, $70 if you pick it up during your ODWU). The rest is history (as in easy).

What everyone doesn’t know is that there is a DIY (do it yourself) option. When we were presented with this option, my husband jumped right on board. How hard can it be? I reluctantly went along – thinking we would save 50ish dollars. But, really in the scheme of 20K, 50 dollars = less than 1% (.25% to be exact). This is about the same percentage chance we have of getting knocked up the old fashion way.

Everyone also doesn’t know DIY = BAD IDEA.

It started with finding a place that would give me the serum to walk out with. My old RE said if I brought “the kit” they would send it for me. So, did Quest. I found a hospital that would hand me the goods. So, on day 2 I went to the hospital. Had to explain at least 5 times why I didn’t have “the kit”. Every time I answered different hoping I would finally satisfy them. Never did, btw.

Serum in freezer, check.

Now came the box packaging. Only 1 Publix in Tampa sells dry ice. This complicated things. I will spare all details of the time & energy that went into researching dry ice, figuring out how to pack it, getting a box, a cooler, etc.

Here is how it played out (with pictures via my iphone – mostly b/c I thought this story was going to be about how much money I saved).

DIY Supplies:

3.50 Lunch box cooler

10.00 Dry Ice

2.00 Box

2.00 Peanuts

17.50 Total

At lunch today Josh and I met today in a parking lot to pack the box – he brought the dry ice from the only Publix and I had everything else. Once packed I was headed to the main Fedex building b/c that was the only place that had the “Dry Ice Sticker” that was required. We managed to get 5lbs of dry ice into the smaller vinyl cooler and I was feeling confident about the package.

Fedex was easy. Until he told me how much. It was one of those moments that you think someone is playing a trick on you. For delivery by 10:30 am he said 87 dollars. WHAT???? Wait, what? Wait, can I have a do-over. What??? I was shocked. I asked how much for deliver by 3:30. $79. Jokes on me.

What could I do? I was stuck – need to get them the blood and it needs to get there cold. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry – so I laughed with tears in my eyes. And knew I needed to save someone from this same situation.

Here is the evidence.

So, DIY = Bad Idea.

We spent more money than if we had purchased the kit. And more time, more worry, more energy.

Holding my breath until I hear that CCRM receives it nice and cold tomorrow by 10:30AM.

Goosebumps

Last week I received a cryptic email from my nurse (like she was typing fast and missed some words while adding others) that explained the protocol that has been chosen for me.

NO Birth Control Pills.

WHAT? (I will get back to this)

And that she would be sending my calendar soon (Thur, Friday or the weekend).

All those days came & went.

Monday I needed to get gas, got to the bank, blah blah. So, at lunch I headed out and b/c I was being lazy went to the gas station I hate and swore I would never go back to. When I got out I accidentally carried my phone with me. As I began pumping gas I refreshed my email on my phone while beginning to sing along with the song playing over the gas station radio. It was "I just haven't met you yet"...and I thought - yay, I haven't heard this in awhile. And I looked down and there was an email with my calendar! It was a weird moment. Left me feeling odd, but good. Mostly because............

We are going to Denver in AUGUST!!!!

I feel like it might finally be real! I even looked up "Things to do in Denver"!

So, let's get back to NO BCP.......
From all my research (googling) what I am coming up with is that maybe he thinks it suppresses me too much (along with more days of Lupron). My other 2 cycles I stimmed for 12 nights - which I believe is on the long side - maybe he wants me to be more like 10 days. I won't be able to ask the man himself until the 28th during our regroup.

Today is officially CD1 of my (non BCP) CCRM IVF cycle. Today is a great day.

He's just not that into me...

I have a huge crush. Well, that's what it feels like. You may catch me scribbling any of the following in my notebook at work:

M + W (William or Wizard)
I heart CCRM

I met Dr. Schoolcraft on a Wednesday. *He said he would call in the next few weeks. So, I marked my calendar and told myself I could call him in 8 days. I waited, counting down the days.....and then on the 8th day called while my heart was beating in my chest and left a message (b/c of course he didn't answer) asking a "fake" question to get him to call back so I could ask him the real question: "When can I see you again?". I carried my phone around all day waiting. Then, when I checked my email - there was an email from him! And it said my phone number didn't work. Typical excuse. Of course my fake question was answered (ugh) - and that was that. Well, I quickly replied (during a meeting at work) and broke down and asked the burning question and requested he call me.

I didn't set my phone down for the next 24 hours. No call. But then, as we were driving out of town for 4th of July....that 303 area code appeared! Horray!!! He might be into me after all!!!!!

So seriously, my nurse said she doesn't know yet when we can cycle. Needs to talk to the doc when he returns from Italy TODAY! Said she would call me this week or for me to email her on Thursday.

I have everything crossed that we get to start with my next cycle (next week!). Hoping they can squeeze us in!!!

We did get to test results....the Chromosome blood test on Josh came back normal. And his SA is very low and abnormal - completely on par with the past.

*When referring to he/him I of course mean my nurse, not the wizard himself.

Will update when I get the call (or email).