The past few months have been a game of hurry up and wait. I was thinking that since this was a sibling journey things would go quicker. NOT TRUE!!! We had our "match meeting" the Monday before Thanksgiving and were then referred to legal. There was a whole lot of waiting after that. We got legal retainers just before Christmas and then nothing for weeks. We had a transfer date set for the end of January.... That was pushed up a week! Then because my doctor is in surgery on Mondays and can't do my monitoring appointments until Tuesday our transfer was moved to February 7th. We finally got legal clearance today!
The medical protocol begins again! Yesterday was my first blood draw. Because we are in such a tiny little town it is impossible to get hormone levels STAT so I do lab draws the day before my monitoring appointments. I have to say that the lady that did the draw this time was great. I didn't feel a thing. Today was my first ultrasound to check the lining of my uterus. Now comes the TMI, seriously, it's pretty graphic but an important part of the process.....
The fertility clinic likes to get a good baseline reading of the lining so they do the first ultrasound while I am on my period. As if being on my period wasn't miserable enough, I had to go to my male ob and have a vaginal ultrasound. Really, this bothered me much more last time, but after 3 med cycles then, this time I was more like "Oh well, this is what he is paid for and I am sure he sees a lot of it". But I'm not going to lie, its gross and messy!
The results are in and everything is a go! Let the meds begin!
These are my daily meds that will be added to as we progress. What you see here is 3 prenatals, baby aspirin, DHA, folate and an estradiol vaginal suppository. The suppository is new this cycle. apparently there is a shortage of estradiol tablets so some medical asshole thought these were a good idea. I was not thrilled when I saw them. I had vaginal suppositories last time, and they will return later this time too. They were a different medication though. They were nick named chalk rockets because they felt like chalk. They were nasty, once they were inserted they began to dissolve, or melt, and the chalk became a slow moving lava like flow that would ooze out of my vagina all day long. Just when it would seem like they were completely dissolved it would be time for another. These are a little different. They look like torpedo shaped moth balls. They are smooth and when you mix smooth with the extra lubrication of being on my period, they are slick. I have decided that these are for sure a night time medication. Along with the pills and suppositories comes the start of shots! I appreciate this tiny .1cc shot that I will do every 3 days much more now that I know that there is one that is coming that is much worse. This one is NOTHING! I do the shots myself and I hardly feel a thing. Yes, if you watch the video, I hesitate. I AM STABBING A NEEDLE INTO MY ASS!! It has been 3 years since I have done shots, it's scary! But it really was quick and painless.
As odd as it may sounds I am happy to be going through all of this again because it means that we are one step closer to making a baby, which is the goal here.I can't wait to have the opportunity to grow a sibling for Isaac. I really do love being pregnant and I could not imagine a better family to help expand. The match was prefect. I feel very blessed to have helped create an amazing family and to be able to consider them all a part of ours!
