[Mindi_IUI]

Hi Ladies!

I'm alive again Yesterday I started to feel like I had overcome my lousy illness, but I took the day off just to let the wellness really kick in. I went out to the world and took Kuma for his squirrel chasing adventures in the park, and I went a got a Jamba Juice, a blueberry scone at Starbucks and then grabbed a few things at market. Although, I went out looking sick with no makeup and not shaving my legs, it still felt great to get out of the house. I am at work right now and I can say that life is back to normal.

Men crack me up. Only one co-worker made a comment about me finally being back at work and the rest said nothing. My bosses of course asked how I am feeling as well as the couple of female co-workers I work with. I've just come to the conclusion that men just don't have the same gene that us women have that tells us to ask how someone is doing when they are in a bad situation. Honestly, what one of my male co-workers said to me when I cam back from a vacation last year and I asked him why he didn't ask me anything about my vacation, his reply was "I just didn't really care. It's was your vacation and now your back and all is good". Well, guess you can't get a more straight answer then that can you. He's young and does have a stick up his butt a lot of the time. I'll still ask him if he had a nice vacation or holiday when he has one, but I don't get to deep into it with him and I also know now not to expect to get a "how are you feeling" or a "did you have a nice vacation" from him. Guess he has taught me one very good cardinal rule about me. Sometimes guys just don't give a **** about things that mean something to you. Men!

Anywho, Kathryn, I loved your pregger belly pictures. You look soooo beautiful. You are no where near looking like Jabba. I'm sure you feel that huge though. I can't wait to see photos of you holding baby Davis after his birth. It's time to start counting the weeks til due date

Susan, I know that those OPK's can be a challenge, but keep doing them at leat 2 times a day until you get that smiley face. I'll keep my that you don't miss O.

DeeDee, Is that new stick photo mean that you got a ? What was that stick? I'm so anxious to know!

Ona, I am happy to hear that your RE is on the ball for you. If you don't get all of the answers done in time for this cycle, no worries, you'll be ready in August.

Teri, Ouch on the ankle job! Watch where you are going chickie. Am I going to have push you in wheel chair while doing all of your touristy things? You better be ready cuz we are going to be out and about all day.

New plans. I'm still going to use a new donor from that new bank I told you about. He's a wonderful as my other (unavailable) donor. He is also $120 cheaper. It's also less then flying Mark out here during the summer. I'm sure he would pay if I asked him to, but I really feel that this is something I want to do since he is doing such a wonderful thing for me. Anyway, I am going to go ahead an get one vial with this donor and see what happens.

Caio for now!

[silverbrumby]

Hello All!

Mindi, I am so glad you are back among the living. You are right on with your assessment on men. I think that it is something to do with that missing bit of chromosome... I still think that asking someone how they are if they've been gone or how their vacation went, etc is more a matter of being polite and rude people who are rude just because they can't be bothered to listen to you answer their question, well, they bug me... I guess maybe that's why I am single.

I had a great appointment today for my well woman exam. I saw a midwife and I will probably be staying with this place if I get pregnant even though it is an hour from my house because they were SO awesome!!!

She did a manual exam and said that if I hadn't told her that I'd had two surgeries she would never have known because my inside bits all feel really "normal"...no real scar tissue, etc. She also tried to feel the cyst but couldn't which I am HOPING means it is gone now!!!!! She said it could just mean that she didn't have the reach.

She wants me to go get my thyroid checked because she thought it looked enlarged, and she wants me to have an ultrasound on my left breast to look at a cyst that is in it because I am too young and too endowed to have a mammogram be effective. So one more appointment to schedule. Good thing I work from home and can set my own hours cuz if I had an office job they'd probably be having a talk with me about now for all my absences. But it was a really awesome appointment and my midwife actually lives out near me. She also gave me all sorts of great advice on midwife programs and stuff and she is a single parent so we talked about my plan and choice to be a single mom, etc. She also said I should just do unmedicated cycles and now I am thinking that if my doc doesn't want to do anything this cycle, I might just try ordering a vial and doing an at home on my own.

Ok, well I better get back to work.

Cheers,

Ona

[KuddleyGal]

Hey girls,

Hope all is well. I have been working my hind parts off to say the least. Waiting for AF to show so I can have my day 3 sono.

I am hoping and that we can get things started next month for my cycle. Work has been extremely stressful, and I am very scarred to start my cycle with all this stress. I will have to ask my RE, along with finding out my insulin levels. Those have been keeping me on the bench.
He may keep me on the bench because I just started Chantix, I called him to make sure it was okay to be on since there was a warning to discuss taking the medication with your doctor if your pg or planning to be pg. He was ALL excited about me being on it, since I have been struggling with smoking since I was 13 years old. So this Chantix is a 12 week program.... Hmmm don't know what he'll say when I see him next.

Okay heading home...

[silverbrumby]

Yay Kuddley! Good to see you on here again! Good luck with the Chantix. I know a few people who were finally able to quit smoking after years of failed attempts because they got on Chantix.

I hope we both can come off the bench soon but with all that stress you might be better off waiting for a more relaxed cycle.

I am just SO ready that if I don't get to give it a go soon I'll be stressed over not trying.. LOL!

[silverbrumby]

Where is everyone?

[Deej]

Good evening ladies! Ona, I too noticed not as much activity the past couple of days..
kuddlygal: Congrats on quitting smoking! I have heard good things about that medicine. My mother took it for awhile, and was definately having less cravings. Not sure why she quit taking it. I smoked for five years. I will be rooting for you! I know you can do it...
Mindi: yes, you got the message! I will post more later. I saw the doc today and will make another post tomorrow.
PeggySue: do the sore bb's and back ache mean your period is coming? i never consistently tried to track my o, but it sounds like maybe it didnt happen? is that possible? to skip an O?
Teri: how is the ankle?? did you get to finish shopping? how is the new place coming along?
Everybody else - good night!

[Viv]

Hello ladies,

I am not at all sure how this thing works, so please bear with me if I did not dothis properly;

I wish I had found this thread while I was going through the whole AF/IVF marathon (as many of you are). I have just read the last threads, but it seems at least one of you (Kahryn? ) is pregnant and well, as for the ones I've read, I can only say that stubborness and stell nerves are a virtue you must all have, otherwise you'd not be in this thread. I felt sometimes as if I was living in a dream, and I was blunted to any feeling - specially when it was time for theMenopur injections (it may be that the products here and in the US differ, so please don't think I'm crazy!)

When I finally tried the IVF, I was so skeptical about it (after 8 months of non-stop AF trials, who wouldn't be?) that when I got called by the hospital, I couldn't believe what the nurse said - honestly, it took about 2 days and one pharmacy test to convince me it was true...

Well, now all that seems worth it - BUT you may find yourselves in the same situation I am: we know so much by now about the fragility of conception and all its unglamorous details, endless echos and needle holes, that success only means MORE worries. I am still holding on to my IVF kit JUST IN CASE the amnio results are bad, or something ele happens. Paranoid, but it just seems that the worrying does not end at conception. I had bleeding at 9 weeks, and that did not make me any more confident of my success.

Anyway, I hope you'll accept that I join this thread, and I hope I can contribute something!

Viv

[kblythe]

Welcome Viv!

You've found a great group of supportive women. And congratulations on your pregnancy. I know what you mean about the constant pessimism, though. It took me several years and thousands of dollars to become pregnant and, even after the positive results, I kept waiting for the bad news. Now, I'm 35 weeks along, so I am less paranoid. But it is always there in the back of my mind.

When do you get your amnio results?

Kathryn.

[Viv]

Hi Kathryn!

Hey, you're aaalmost at the finishing line! GREAT - I an't wait to see your pics! (Still have to find my way around the site to find the links and so on...)

I am supposed to get the results next week (normally wednesday, but they cannot promise). This is the result for the FISH - the full chromossome check's going to take 3 weeks more - but, honestly, what I am really worried about is the trisomy.

You did an Amnio test too? If so, how far along?

Cheers,

Viv

[kblythe]

I didn't do amnio. Since I went with a donor embryo and the actual egg came from a 26-year-old, it wasn't worth the risk to do amnio. I did, however, have another test performed called the Nuchal Translucency test, where a perinatologist measures the fluid behind the baby's neck at around the 12 week mark. Those results and the additional blood work have all come back with great numbers, so I'm not worried about major birth defects. Plus, as an older patient, I've had numerous ultrasounds, and the baby looks really healthy.

At this point, I worry about problems during delivery, such as a prolapsed cord. There is always something to worry about! I'm sure, after this baby is here, it will be SIDS, and then day care, and then elementary school ... and the list will go on!

I think it's great that you've made it to this point. Hopefully, when you get the good results back, you will be able to enjoy the pregnancy more. How far along are you? Are you feeling movement yet? I have an anterior placenta and didn't feel movement until later in the pregnancy. But it's an incredible feeling.

Is your family supportive of your decision? I generally assume that europeans are more open-minded than americans, so I hope you have plenty of support. But I've been pleasantly surprised at the amount of support I've received. My father is still a bit taken aback, but he manages.

Kathryn.

[silverbrumby]

Viv!!!!

Glad to have you in our little group! You will find the ladies on here are awesome and I think I speak for us all when I say we hope this will soon be the "Single and Pregnant by Choice" forum. hehe.

You really hit the mark with your description about how this process feels. I find I am so overwhelmed with clinical stuff that I am emotionally distancing myself and feel like I am in a dream. If I ever do get a BFP I will probably find it a rather sureal experience.

There are a few pregnant ladies on here, one who has not been on in a while.

I hope all is well with your amnio! And again welcome!

If you are interested in joining our Yahoo group, here is the link: singlemothers2b : Single Mothers To Be

We use it to share photos or to chat when this forum goes down (which it ocassionally does do).

Cheers!

[Viv]

Kathryn: Wow - thingqs are really different in the US - I did not get the choice of doing a Nuchal Translucency test - I could have done the CVS (chronic Vilnius Sampling) but I didn't want the risk. After 35 over here it's almost "mandatory" to have an amnio. I also had donor sperm, a university student from what I heard - also in his 20ies, but anonymous, just screened genetically for all diseases, compatbility, etc.

You're right that the worries will only pile up, but I guess that's what it's all about. We knew that when we went along for the ride! ;o)

Still no movement but I'm still going into week 15.

My parents took it hard at first (they're older), but now mom's been my greatest support and dad's comig around...

silverbrumby, and all you still trying - just try to think: the days of duress will be a hazy memory once you get to your goal - but of course you don't feel it now.

I'm just talking to a friend who's just getting divorced - with two girls: the guy has been sabotaging everything...I honestly sometimes think it is better to be alone - specially when undertaking a fertility treatment, when all your life HAS to revolve around this and yes, silverbrumby, you DO isolate yourself from people - but you won't lose your friends - believe me - mine still don't know I'm pregnant, but they're there for me - they just think I went through a rough patch, which is true, in a way...

Well, just a nice thought before I "sign out " TGIF

Have a good one!

[Viv]

Kathryn: Wow - thingqs are really different in the US - I did not get the choice of doing a Nuchal Translucency test - I could have done the CVS (chronic Vilnius Sampling) but I didn't want the risk. After 35 over here it's almost "mandatory" to have an amnio. I also had donor sperm, a university student from what I heard - also in his 20ies, but anonymous, just screened genetically for all diseases, compatbility, etc.

You're right that the worries will only pile up, but I guess that's what it's all about. We knew that when we went along for the ride! ;o)

Still no movement but I'm still going into week 15.

My parents took it hard at first (they're older), but now mom's been my greatest support and dad's comig around...

silverbrumby, and all you still trying - just try to think: the days of duress will be a hazy memory once you get to your goal - but of course you don't feel it now.

I'm just talking to a friend who's just getting divorced - with two girls: the guy has been sabotaging everything...I honestly sometimes think it is better to be alone - specially when undertaking a fertility treatment, when all your life HAS to revolve around this and yes, silverbrumby, you DO isolate yourself from people - but you won't lose your friends - believe me - mine still don't know I'm pregnant, but they're there for me - they just think I went through a rough patch, which is true, in a way...

Well, just a nice thought before I "sign out " TGIF

Have a good one!

[Deej]

viv! I am glad you found the thread, and already made some friends! I hope this little group of ladies inspires you as much as I have been inspired! This weekend, when I have more time, I am going to re-read some posts... It has been a hectic week for me.
Welcome again, and congrats on your pregnancy!

[Mindi_IUI]

Viv! Congrats on the pregnancy. So glad to have another SMC who is pregnant on this thread, and a the first European memeber too! I agree that sometimes having a dad in the picture isn't always a good thing. I've seen a couple of my best friend's go through a divorce and thier ex's give them more crap about the kids then when they were married. Good luck with your amnio. I'm sure that it is going to be just fine.

Well, I'm going to have a pity party here. I am not a happy camper right now. I'm still coughing, fat, hate my hair, can't fit in my clothes, can't afford to buy new clothes since all my money is going towards ttc, feeling totally unattrative, work is totally dead for us during the summer so it's boring here, my bedroom is a mess and I hate the thought of cleaning it this weekend, and I am wondering if I should pack it in for ttc since I don't know if I can even get pregnant at 43. Bottom line is that this fat body of mine is making me feel real ugly. All the meds I've taken these past months didn't work to get me pregnant, but it sure did put the pounds on me. I just don't know if I want to put my body through another round of injections without the guarantee that I will get pregnant. Ugh! I'm not depressed, just not my happy usual self, and I don't like being this way. Ok, I'm done venting. Your girls are the only ones who can understand my plight as my family and friends already have their kids. What's a girl to do

Ok, guess I'll go eat my lean cuisine now. Oh yummy.