And we're off....

To the races that is...

I want to start by saying thank you so much for all the prayers and support.  It is really touching when so many people tell you they're thinking about, praying, and wishing you good luck. My phone kept lighting up at a training session today and my table-mates thought I was really popular...or as shallow as the middle schoolers they work with...hehe! 

I had some bloodwork done and a follicular ultrasound today.  I was pretty nervous/anxious so it was a long day.  Pat, my fearless leader through this forsaken journey, was the only one in the office today.  It's nice to think there aren't tons of us fertility-challenged hooligans running around so they can devote enough time to us.

Pat was having a good day because it only took her one attempt to hit a vein.  Her record is 9 attempts my first time having my blood drawn by her.  She told me she's nervous about Monday because she doesn't want to keep using the same vein.  It's starting to scar where they've used my one "good" vein over and over.  It kinda makes me feel like an IV drug user...my veins are going bad...ahhh!  As long as they don't have to go between my toes, they can stick me however many times they need!  

Besides the normal estrogen level (E2) they usually take, they did another CBC to check for anemia as well as some other stuff.  All the prenatals and beef I've had over the last couple of months have paid off, apparently.  My levels were all good!  And all the crack I've been smoking is completely out of my system (I'm joking, again).

My follicular ultrasound was the nerve-wracking event for the day.  I was hoping for nice smooth ovaries, but it was not so.  I have 10+ follicles on my right ovary and 12+ on my left.  They were all measuring small (under 10 mm).  I was a little freaked out, but Pat was very excited.  She even jumped up and down a little which, under the circumstances, was a little rough for me as it was an internal ultrasound.  God, love her.  Anyway, I learned it is good, actually great, to have follicles this early. So yeah for small miracles!

I'm well on my way to 20 eggs, which is what Dr. D is expecting from me b/c I'm so young and vibrant. I'm hoping that this also means it won't take as long to get to the egg retrieval which would be fantastic because it's just that much sooner until we know what we've got.  And I'm sure my boss wants me to get this the heck over with so I'll be back to my awesome self.  (As if I'll be a pleasant, happy-go-lucky, pregnant lady...Well, who am I to squelch his dreams?)  So here's hoping for a quick and productive cycle! Cheers!

All this means that BJ and I start our Z-packs tonight.  This will clear up any VD that BJ has...I'm kidding.  It's just a preventative measure to make sure we don't get sick or clear up any sub-acute infections that we may already have.  It's good timing too, because I'm starting to get that East Tennessee sinus thing going on.  Plus all my little germy children come back to school in a week so I've got that covered, too.  I almost think a Z-pack should come standard to all school employees with school restarting. It could work kinda like the iodine pills they give people who live near nuclear plants...

Any-some-how, tomorrow I begin my Follistim injections and my Menopur.  7:00 am and 7:00 pm, so I'll definitely have some interrupted social time...sigh...or I could do it at work, but I think that would be a little more awkward having to keep my Follistim in the staff refrigerator...But in perfect MK fashion I have a cute little case in which to keep all my medical supplies! I just can't help myself...

Again, thanks for the so many well-wishes!  I really do appreciate them and I'm very blessed to have so many supporters in my life.  Love you all!  I'm going to go practice injecting something into BJ...bwahaha! (I want him to feel included, afterall.)

Your's truly,

Mary Katherine