Are you kidding me?!?

Since my last post I have been taken off the shots (YEAH!) and was told that at least one of my 6 follicles that looked really good was 15 x 19mm (YEAH! YEAH!) and my estrogen shot from 56 on Monday to 329 on Friday (WHOOHOO!) So I was told to take ovulation tests through the weekend and call Monday with the results. Monday came without a positive ovulation test. Brenda told me that if I still didn't have one by Tuesday morning (today) then to go to the lab and blood will be drawn to verify I haven't already ovulated before he gets me a shot of Ovidrel, hCG to induce ovulation. So off to the lab I went this morning. Just got a call from Brenda and was hoping to hear that I had ovulated but noooooo. The lab called and their machine that checks the hormone levels, and is the only one in the whole honkin' state of Alabama, has been down all day! They have a man on his way from Atlanta to fix it and we should have the results by end of the day. Brenda told me to just breathe and it'll all be taken care of. Apparently she's getting to know me quite well. So for right now breath is all I can do.
For the one or two of you who hasn't already checked out Becky's blog, she has a pretty sweet double give-a-way going on. Check it out!

Kicking butt and taking names

Had my blood drawn for labs to see if my E2 levels have come up any. Hopefully so. Probably won't get a call to let me know anything until Monday. Ultrasound went well. I was told there was a party going on in the left ovary and all those follicles are kicking butt and taking names. She said that there were lots of them and they were all "good sized" but she'd never give me a measurement. From my u/s I had done yesterday (but don't tell anyone) they were 1.1 to 1.3 cm then. If I can still remember anything Mrs. Russell taught me that would mean they are 11 to 13 mm. Big yea since we were looking for any 10mm+. My right side is a completely different story. Lots of follicles, but they aren't even half-pints anymore. She actually said they look a little smaller today than the one she did Monday. But it only takes one to get-r-done. Sorry I didn't get a sonogram picture for your viewing pleasure. Maybe next time.

Lunchtime quickie

Figured I'd take a few minutes from my lunch for a quick update. You know since I work for the state I have to be careful and delegate my time wisely so I don't miss my morning, mid-morning, middle of the day, or afternoon naps.
Shots have been going fine. I have another appointment for blood work, u/s, and consult tomorrow morning. I guess by now I should be getting used to the 12 hour fasts. Tomorrow I find out if my poor little half-pint follicles have grown into big girl follicles. I do know that I'll be taking the Follistim through the weekend, but I won't know until tomorrow if my dose will stay the same or exactly how long I'll be taking it.
Y'all know I'm not all that great with emotions. And this sucks. I cry one minute and then can't remember what I'm crying about. Gimme a break here! Please pray that I make it through all this with a little bit of my sanity still in tact. I mean, I know I won't have any after the kid(s) arrive so I'd like to enjoy a little now.

I know that when most people tell you something doesn't hurt they lie through their teeth. Well, the shot really didn't hurt. I couldn't even feel the needle. The liquid was still a bit too cold so it stung just a second or two but that was it. And I did it all by myself. Actually I made Brad leave the room because I knew he would have made fun of me and then I would have had to hurt him. I should get a call today telling me when my next appointment will be.

In other news, Brad killed a turkey yesterday. I don't know how much he weighed, how long the beard was or how long the spurs were. Not that any of you would really be concerned with the stats anyway. But I did get a picture and that's one less thing of meat to buy at the store.

And here we are walking into the field turkey hunting last week.

No, you don't have to tell me - I already know I'm sexy with my shotgun!

First time

My first dosage will be 50IU tonight. Ultrasound today showed that I have a few follicles on both ovaries that are 7mm and smaller. They have to be at least 10mm to actually count and most mature follicles are closer to 20mm. Mine still have time to grow before they are supposed to go on their journey. Lab tests showed my thyroid was normal and my fasting insulin was 4 which I was told was a little low. My Estradiol (E2) levels were 56 and need to be 200+. I will get a call tomorrow to tell me when to come back in for another check.

Here is my left ovary and my right ovary. Please don't ask me to give specifics.

May Cause Drowsiness

"May Cause Drowsiness" that's what the label on my Clomid says. IT LIES! I've not been able to sleep well for the last few nights. I don't know if it's the meds I've been taking or that I have a zillion thoughts running through my head. Probably a mix of both. And it didn't help that the hospital called Brad at 11:45 last night. And I had a nightmare after I finally dozed off about 3am that someone broke in the house and I didn't have a gun. Anyone who knows me knows that's not going to happen. I really need some rest. Isn't it enough that my tummy is growling and I can't have anything until after my appointment tomorrow? I know it's not that I'm really hungry but my mind knows I can't have anything and I always want what I can't have.
Within the next 24 hours I will have started my injections and y'all I'm nervous about that. It's not the actual medication or even having to poke myself with a needle. It's that I never thought it would come that far. I figured that Clomid and time was all we'd need. Apparently not. I'm worried that this might not work either. I'm hopeful that it does. "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22). I pray every night that it happens for us. I just have to learn to believe God will make it so.

Follistim

I was just told that I'll be taking Follistim. I don't know a lot about it yet, but I did find some to-the-point information on the SART page. Of course the first thought in my head was multiple births. I just hope this isn't me...

Heaven on Earth

As I am standing at the Walgreen's pharmacy waiting on my Clomid (which has already given me a hot flash this morning) I see it...heaven on earth. Its beauty shinning like a beacon in the night. I just knew we were meant for each other. I slowly approached and with great excitement knowing I was the only one around and had to share you with no one.

(see my beacon in the night?)

Chair at Walgreen's How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee for thy upper back. I love thee for thy lower back.

I love thee for thy full back. And I love thee for thy heat.

Oh, Shiatsu Massaging Cushion how I love thee.

If only you weren't so expensive I could love thee at my house.

Moving to the big leagues

Blood work...check. Ultrasound...check. Clomid...check. Injectable...che -- WHAT!?! Yep, I'm moving up from the minor league to injectables. Don't know which one, but whatever it's named I'm sure it will come with a needle. The two I was told it could be are Follistim and Gonal-F. Haven't had time to find much on either so far.

The ultrasound today showed that I have no cysts and from what I was told everything looked to be just fine. Even my uterus looked good -- see...

Yes, I was told that was the first request for a picture of an empty uterus.

I am supposed to start Clomid 50mg tonight (actually the alarm on my phone just said it's time) and go thru Sunday night. Monday morning I have to go back for another round of blood work and another ultrasound to see if we have any activity. Once they have had time to review my lab results then I'll get a call and find out what I'll be taking. That's all I know for now.

Tomorrow I will have an ode to the Walgreen's waiting room chairs.

Romans 5:3-5

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Well, I started Sunday night. Kinda knew it was coming. I had been cramping for well over a week. Spoke with Brenda from the doctor's office. I am going in tomorrow morning for blood work and an ultrasound to determine what we want to do next. I am supposed to meet with Brenda before I leave, but will not see the doc. I'll let y'all know.

Birthday weekend went over well. Got to fish and mudride and spend time with family. Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes on myspace, facebook, snail mail, email, and on the phone! This is the only picture that was taken the whole weekend. Kelsi and I were getting ready to go mudriding (sorry I don't have an after picture cause we were pretty). And this is the only picture I've taken since I got my hair cut Thursday.

Brad started day shift yesterday. It was odd to have him home and there be daylight outside. Also weird that I had to cook supper. Rotel chops, brown rice, and cream corn. Then we walked some of it off turkey hunting. Not that any of my audience is interested, but turkey season opened yesterday. Brad and I went just for a little bit...in the rain...and the mud. No luck.

Until tomorrow...

Mini Vacation

This weekend was my mini vacation to north Alabama. Seven Mile Post Road CoC had a ladies retreat that I attended Friday night and Saturday. We were on Lake Guntersville and here's the view from our room.Praise and worship, devotions, Fireproof, and of course time with friends. Just what I've been needing.

Saturday night I kept some kids for their Mama and Daddy to go out on a well deserved date. We ate, colored some pictures and then baked muffins (but we called them cupcakes). I don't know about the kids, but I had fun! And I'm about like their Mama, I could just

EAT

THEM

UP!

Oh yeah, it was that good

On the home front, I will not be spending so much time alone anymore. Brad's moving to day shift! I could shout it from the mountaintops. The kicker here is that besides vacations and the occasional weekend that he takes off, we don't normally get to spend that much time together. It'll be an adjustment for both us. The best part for me is I will not be going to bed alone. That always sucks! Pray that our marriage can handle us being together like a normal couple.

Keep the prayers coming - test results sometime next week...

Could it be?

As of yesterday I had not gotten a positive ovulation test. Last night it finally happened. I took one test but thought it might be a fluke so I waited an couple of hours and took another. Both were positive! Could it be that I am actually going to ovulate? Hopefully so!

So much to catch up on...

Happy birthday Mary Grace. Snow in Jones, AL. Unscheduled bloodwork. Madison's pageant. Um, have I missed anything. Oh yeah, working on getting knocked-up.



Madison participated in the Little Miss HHS pageant Saturday but did not place. She was still pretty and said that she enjoyed it. Isn't that all that really matters? She's still more excited about being able to shoot the gun than anything else right now.













Sunday morning I woke up to this...


I guess we got a little over an inch. Possibly an inch and a half. Certainly something we don't see everyday in south Alabama. I did not play in it, but did try out my new hunting suit. It kept me nice and snuggly as I walked around outside taking pictures














This is how much accumulated on the side of my car during the morning.











It took a lot of bribing to get P-nut out of his house. I think he stayed out for a total of 2 minutes.

Dixie wasn't bribed to come out, but it did take her a while to decide if she really wanted to put her paw in the white stuff. After she came out she decided she wanted to taste some.



















Sunday afternoon we went to wish Mary Grace a happy 3rd birthday. Yep, we all got to wear crowns, but only Mary Grace's had her name on it. "Brad Gene" and I got her a fishing pole and a tackie (tackle) box complete with pink worms. It seemed to be a hit with the whole family. Especially with Mom since it is her size. :) (Love you Mom)

And Bethany, Mary Grace's little sister is growing like a weed.

Now to the bloodwork. State employees now have to have a wellness screening done each year. Had mine completed yesterday and I was quite impressed with myself.

Blood Pressure - 98/70

Total Cholesterol - 197

HDL - 51

LDL - 125

Triglycerides - 103

Blood Glucose - 84

BMI - 33 (just glad to be under 35 there)

Sooo, all in all I'm pretty healthy looking at those numbers. I've never had a high BP reading, but I do think that's the lowest I've ever seen for me.

And finally a baby-making update. We're still working on it. I've not gotten a positive ovulation test, but I did get eggwhite yesterday so I am still hopefull. I had a present on my back door step yesterday when I got home. Two boxes of ovulation tests and a pregnancy test. They were a gift from Kelly who works with Barbara. She and her husband had a hard time conceiving too and these were some of her leftovers. Greatly appreciated! Also yesterday I started taking the Provera again. Only 11 more days until something should happen. We'll have to wait to see what it is though.

I'll leave you with what I think was the best picture of the week.