Monday, August 31, 2009

The Day Before Tomorrow

Canada was great as usual. But no cheap drugs for me.

Sigh.

I suppose I will just suffer at the pharmacy tomorrow when I pick up my new junk.

I have been doing fine so far, on this EP protocol. Uh-uhm, until today. It seems every possible side effect of the estrace has exploded in me today. Fortunately, I have only one more day of these little blue pills before the real fun starts- kicking it off with the baseline u/s tomorrow morning.

Yesterday's Harvest Update:

6 - gallons of tomatoes canned
8- 1/2 pints of pest0 made

Thursday, August 27, 2009

O Canada

I love Canada. And I'll admit, I'm partial to British Columbia.

So Mr. W and I decided a few weeks ago to head out of town for the weekend (leaving in a few hours) for a quick trip. His BFF + girlfriend are joining us. It's BFF's birthday and our anniversary so it just should be a fun time.

But ok, I'll fess up. I'm looking for drugs. Cheap drugs. In Canada. And when we planned this trip, I thought it would be a good opportunity to exploit. But since then, I have done some more research and found that mail order is really the best option (due in part, to the RX issue). However, after shopping around, I'm finding there isn't a huge savings either. Nonetheless, I am armed with my RX's and will do some scouting.

Beyond the scouting, it will be a last supper of sorts. Last ditch weekend to eat, drink, and be merry. Before the Hell that is IVF begins.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Bite Down

Or bend over.

Today was one of those days when reality comes along and bites you in the ass. I made the $12,450 cycle deposit and boy did it hurt. It doesn't help that because my visa card was hacked earlier this week (and the account has subsequently been cancelled and the new card is nowhere in sight yet) I have had to cough up (or rather vomit up) alternative funds. And then there are the drugs next week. Yes, I knew all of this was coming. Yes, I was prepared. (Ok, well not necessarily emotionally it seems). It still effing pains me to do it.

On the bright side, I resumed acupuncture today. Uh-uhm, not with the last acuquack, as Super Doc calls her. But rather with the same person who did my previous embryo transfer. I have two more sessions next week, then I'm off to Top Doc's clinic and their own in-house acupuncturists.

So here we are. All in. And hoping for a stellar baseline next week to get the party started.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Bad Blogger


I have been such a bad blogger lately, that I hardly feel worthy of the award bestowed upon me by Mad Hatter. (She nominated me August 5th....that's how bad I've been). In any case, thank you. I love reading your blog too!


Rules:

1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find interesting and engaging.
2. Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog and leave a comment informing them that they have won the "Honest Scrap Award".
3. List at least 10 honest things about yourself.


I've tried to pick first-time winners, sorry if I blew it.

1. Barefoot
2. Bon
3. IF Optimist
4. Can You Imagine?
5. Meinsideout
6. I Can't Whistle (I'm sure Kate's been nominated before?)
7. I Want A Station Wagon

And now for the 10 honest things...

1. I seriously wonder if this IVF crap will ever work.
2. I seriously wonder if Mr. W and I will ever be able to quit our jobs and just make wine.
3. I did not vote for our current Pres.ident. (Sorry, I know you all hate me now.)
4. I've never had a beer in my life. (Disgusting smelling stuff.)
5. My Visa card was just hacked for the second time in 12 months.
6. I would like to go back to school and get my MB.A but there's all this other stuff to deal with.
7. I find I don't enjoy being around most of my IRL friends now.
8. I've been avoiding this post because it's taking me forever to write 10 things.
9. I dislike talking on the phone.
10. I would have 25 cats if I thought no one would call animal control on me!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Marking Time & Making Lists

I'm finding that I'm starting to get consumed in this IF thing again. It's approaching rather quickly and now I'm in a rush to get the "to dos" done and the lists made. I'm going to be gone for almost two weeks at Top Doc's clinic and already I'm worried about Mr. W remembering to feed the kitties, pick up the mail, get to the bank, and still make it to work.

It seems everything else is falling into place, even if it's chaotic. The cycle is set. The OMC is confirmed and orders have been faxed. The boatload of prescriptions is awaiting pick up. And the hotel has confirmed my room request for a patio facing the pool and a fridge! I'm left with lists of stuff to take. Stuff to finish doing (uhm, like the 2008 taxes). Projects I want to take with me. Final logistics of getting there and back. Logistics of getting Mr. W there and back! And, well, a little anxiety on the side.

I'm already starting to miss the things I will miss while I'm gone. Our pool on a hot day (every day, lately). My purry friends. Cooking. And of course, Mr. W (and his kick-ass pizza). On top of that, the garden has got its full game on and I've been a canning fool - 20 quarts of dill pickles and 12 pints of bread and butter pickles. We've also done 12 cans of Mr. W's Alaskan salmon and 30 cans of fresh albacore tuna. The tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and onions are all rolling in quickly now. Not to mention the blackberries, figs, apples, and squash to follow. There is no way I will get it all done and clearly I will miss the best two weeks of the harvest. Yet another burden for Mr. W.

To top it off, we did not settle our court case at mediation earlier this month which means we are headed for trial in December. This really has been a big downer and has been the contributing factor to my past few weeks of mental funk. The financial stress of IVF and humongous attorney fees are taking its toll. We're "all in", as Mr. W says. And I hope we're left with something to show for it all in the end. At least we won't starve.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Houston, We Have A Winner...

Top Doc.

It just sort of worked out that way and over time, became the best choice. It wasn't the most convenient choice and it certainly wasn't the least expensive choice. But it's the choice that FELT right. So travelling 600 miles for the next IVF go round is the way it will be. My testing is complete and I've been approved to start, of course assuming I have a normal baseline. Mr. W and I even slipped out of town for a few days so he could make a cryo deposit at Top Doc's clinic. I am relieved that at least my favorite donor has a back-up now.

I'm on my third protocol this time around. The one for old hags (a.k.a. estrogen priming protocol). And as such, I have to start the estrogen following the next OPK + which means I won't be doing anything interesting until September. Top Doc's clinic is very orchestrated and everything is spelled out in detail. Including the brand of OPKs to use, which I drove all over town looking for only to find one box - probably the last box in the state. But I like this orchestration and structure. They do three times as many IVF cycles as my last clinic and they do complicated ones. So they must have something figured out. The best part of this protocol is NO STEROIDS. Can I just shout out how happy I am about this?

And so on our last quick trip to Top Doc's clinic I got to do a dry run on the routine. We stayed in the hotel I'll stay at. We walked the walk to the clinic to be sure I could do it when I'm fat and bloated. (Of course I can take a cab, but I'd rather not.) And I got to find where the nearby Zip.Cars live in case I want an outing. (I love using zip.cars as an alternative to renting a car when we travel.) I even spoke to the hotel about getting a refrigerator in the room for the meds, and requesting a room with a balcony or patio.

So it's a plan. And for now, I'm just happy to have one.