CD1: Thank you all

Thank you all for your support, hopes, and comments. Today is CD1 as AF arrived today. S stopped the progesterone 3 nights ago and sure enough AF was released from her confines.

CD1: reflections of a negative cycle

· We now know what evil P has to offer in false signs of pregnancy. We are on to you evil P.
· NO testing on CD 10 – CD 14
· NO reading into signs
· Injectables make good follicles
· HCG at home = sure thoughts of timing
· We are ready for the next go round
We really are ready. I think we are going to change a few things about the cycle but that we are definitely on the right track for once. This was our best chance and we are determined to continue to make it get better.

Thank you all for staying on for the ride.

We go in today for a CD1 ultrasound to see what S's ovaries look like. Checking for cycsts and a baseline for follicles.

14dpo: No Flow No Show

So here is what we have…. nothing.

There is no AF and no positive line. The BBT has been back up the last two days. We will test again tomorrow. If there is still no positive then S will stop the progesterone and hopefully AF will just show up so we can get on with this.

12dpo: hope...what hope?

Well the BBT dropped a bit today. Not enough to show that AF was coming but definitely enough to mar the hopes. We didn't even POAS today.

AF just get here so we can put ourselves through this again.

On a more positive note, we feel like the injectables really did work. We are pretty confident at this point that this month was our best look at getting pregnant. That means 3-6 months we should be there! See I have some hope left!

Oh, and thank you all for your supportive comments. We know it may be early yet but the signs just don't look all that good. We are so grateful to all those that read us and send comments of support. Ya'll rock!

Hormone Crazy

So... since I never ovulated last month, I have to be on a progesterone regimen to induce AF. This is my third time on this stuff... and it makes me CRAZY!!!! In light of how crazy I can get, my Dr. prescribed a different kind this time around... and I'm sure that's why E and I haven't had any blow out fights - but still... It's like I have had PMS for 5 days, and I still have 4 more pills to take!

• Soreness
• Anxiety, aggitation, irritation, or nervousness - one of these at any given time
• Cravings galore: salt/sweeet/sale/sweet/salt/sweet

I pity anyone that has to spend any significant time with me. At least I don't have any waterworks - I guess it could be worse....

AF around the corner!

Looks like we are still on track for the next cycle so far. I hate to jinx it but S's BBT dropped today. We expect AF to show up any minute. This will be a no Clomid, no progesterone, no try cycle that looks good on paper! WOW, what a change from a year ago!

We will be arranging for a few tests in the coming week. One to see if S's fallopian tubes are clear and the other to check for polyps in her uterus (just to make sure they haven't come back). Let's hope the good news keeps rollin' in!

Fingers crossed for AF to come today. I have to go to Chicago in two weeks for my strategic planning with my board and we don't want insemination day to land on a day I am gone.....

No go

AF is coming, the BBT dropped, we are disappointed. Time to gear up for the next round.

Waiting Game

Well we are in the throws of the waiting game. The holidays have helped move the time a bit faster but we are just sitting and waiting at this point.

Our friends, C&C, were in from San Fran for New Years and that always makes our lives feel full. C&C are some of the best friends we could ever ask for. We spent the weekend basically in our house eating, drinking (some more than others as S was caring for what is hopefully a blastocyst), and talking. It doesn't take much to spend three days with them.

S has been experiencing some symptoms that are either a sign of AF coming, the onset of an illness, or pregnancy. The main one being sore boobs. Guess we'll just have to wait.

Let if flow, Let flow, Let it flow

Nothing like the beginning of a period to get your in the holiday spirit! AF came last night setting us off on a joyous evening of laughter, smiles, and cheer not to mention hope. Like with every new year every period during a bout with infertility brings hope and disappointment. This time around we are filled with hope as we already knew we were not pregnant but were stuck as we couldn't move forward with out AF. She is here and let the next try begin!

I got out my trusty journal and counted backwards. Yup exactly 14 days ago S said she was sure that she ovulated. This was day 31 and we inseminated on the believed ovulation day which was day 9! Yup, looks like was used $800 worth of good sperm 22 days late! Shit. Anywho, we also realized that it seems like all of S's long cycles (this one 43 days) are when the left ovary is the one producing follicles. What does this mean....I'm sure we will not get a definite answer unless they give S an autopsy. So, we will just stick it in our journal and hold that knowledge closely with all the other conflict bits.

I may sound jaded but I'm actually excited. It looks like her BBT was consistent (even though she was sick with a fever during the cycle) with ovulation 14 days ago. This makes me see that if we keep tracking the BBT, doing the blood tests with the NP, and ultrasounds we may just get it right after all. I think the next step is to make an appointment with the NP to tell her about our new findings and develop a plan for the coming days.

Unfortunately it looks like if Clomid works right, and it is the right ovary we will be looking at an insemination date of 12/24/06 or 12/25/06. Even if we weren't going to be 380 miles away from the NP....do you think they charge more for IUI insemination on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? I'm glad God is being picky about finding the perfect baby for us but come on....give us one break!!!!!!

Where is the clock's pendulum?

It seems to me that we are always searching for the clock's pendulum. Not becuase there is one but because everyone seems to have a different idea as to where to look or how to look. The other day I was trying to read up a bit more on the whole basal body temp (BBT) stuff and found a suggestion to take the temperature vaginally. I have also always read that the person is not to move at all for fear of raising the temp even slightly. Answer me this...how would I ever get S to lay still at 6 am while trying to take her BBT vaginally? This is absurd. Needless to say we continue to take it every morning at 6am orally!

Still there seems to be no consistancy in how we can actually tell if she is ovulating. We had three months (Aug., Sept., and Oct.) that her cycle was 28 days exactly with a good estrodial reading and an ultrasound showeing follicles that were "almost" the right size. Our Clear Blue Easy Monitor never peaked but then we were told that she definately ovulated. This month we are on day 43 with no period, negative preg tests, and statements such as "you may not ever get a peak on the monitor due to the PCOS". That all coming after always being told to use the montior!!!! GRRRRR......

This was our first IUI after 8 ICI trys. S has been on Clomid since June 2006 with no absolute positive no nonsense ovulation. We thought we had that but now we aren't sure. Our NP is now suggesting IVF. We have our expenseive consultation in Jan. to hear our options! Yeah us.

Let's just pray for Aunt Flow to show and get the next try going!