Cobblestone Roads

When we went to France for our 5th anniversary in 2004, we had read about the lovely pedestrian only streets paved with cobblestones.  They were lovely and had beautiful little shops that fit with the Parisian idea we'd had in mind for the trip.  HOWEVER, what we didn't anticipate was that those lovely little cobblestones could be brutal to walk on and roll luggage down.  So, I am once again reminded of those streets with their pits and dips (which caused us to turn ankles and break suitcase wheels) as we walk this road of infertility - nothing is as easily traversed as you think it will be.

Harris got his semen analysis done on Friday and we're hopeful to get the results on Monday.  I have spent a good hunk of time yesterday and today working to try and get my medical records to scan with zero luck.  I have tried one scanner and it will only do a page at the time.  My network printer is able to see my laptop, but unable to scan to it.  There's no logical reason for these two options to not work.

If someone out there is praying for me to have more patience, please stop.  Thanks.

Seriously though, I will just suck it up and have Staples do the scan jobs for me.  It'll probably cost me an arm and a leg, but in the grand scheme of things at least it will be done!  I am excited to send the records over to SCI and I have to keep focused on that.

Back to the Future

Having to find something to keep my mood up, have you ever seen the infertility cartoons by Mark Parisi?  If not, check out his work because it'll give you a good giggle!  Here's a link:  http://offthemark.com/search-results/key/infertility/

I have an appointment today with my reproductive endocrinologist Dr. C.  My stomach has been upset and I'm super nervous because she holds all the cards in this case.  Will she let me keep doing cycles using injected meds or will she not?  I plan to plead my case for more because out of the 5 I've done I've been pregnant with confirmation once and without once.  Two of those five times we had "technical" difficulties and they should just be discarded.  That's really not bad.  Fingers crossed, prayers sent, trying to chill out so I don't start crying when I walk in the door. 

Will post later to update on results.

UPDATE:  No diabetes, normal levels, thyroid level was on the high end of normal (4.3). 

My doctor wants me to go on a medication to bring that thyroid level down to 2.5 (ideal, apparently), progesterone (to induce a cycle), and metformin.  Metformin is a medicine for insulin resistance that many women with PCOS go on to help with pregnancy - sometimes, a side benefit is also weight loss.  I have been on it before and it made me sick to my stomach so I am going to do half doses for 3 weeks and then go up to regular doses thereafter. 

Dr. C and I spoke for almost an hour today and we came up with the following plan.  I am going to take the progesterone for the next 3 days to induce a period and call her when I am on day 1 for my baseline scan.  If I have cysts, I will go thru a round of BC pills, have a second period, and then go on to do one more cycle with injected meds.  If I do not have cysts, I will go directly into a round of injected meds and I am considering IUI as a possibillity when I go thru ovulation. 

If I get pregnant, great.  If not, I am going to take 3 months and work hard on diet and exercise while I continue to work with SCI towards doing surrogacy.  My hope and prayer is that I can get this underway and travel to India this fall to start the physical process with a surrogate.  Harris and I are going away at Christmas and I will check back in with Dr. C afterwards to see where I'm at in terms of weight loss and then possibly start more cycles if I haven't done the Indian option yet. 

Several things that I did learn today in my consult were good to hear.  First, I have GREAT egg reserves according to Dr. C.  She said that because my number is so good, I am better off than most people my age in the fertility curve with PCOS.  Because I am already 33, I am concerned about waiting much more before doing an egg retrieval.  Everybody with fertility issues has seen the ominous line graph showing the plunge that begins when you hit 34.  Time is the natural enemy of women with fertility issues.  The other thing that was good to learn during the appointment is that she has actually been hearing me when I communicate.  She knows who I am, what I do on a daily basis for work, how I handle treatments, my fear of needles, and my wants and desires for a family.  The context of the conversation today started off with things totally unrelated to the appointment's purpose.  It not only set me at ease, it also helped me to connect with her emotionally...again.  Finally, she agreed with me that the problem in April was possibly/likely a second miscarriage. 

My records were ready (at an exorbitant fee of $45!!!) for me to pick up and I will begin scanning them tomorrow to send to Dr. Shivani's review.  Harris' procedure Friday should have results by the first of next week if not sooner and I will do the same with those.