Now, we wait...

I officially began fertility treatment on February 22. Here’s how things have gone down:

Feb 22 (CD 3) - blood work and ultrasound

They checked my estrogen levels, did a pre-conceptual screening and checked out my ovaries and the number of follicles on each.more

Feb 24 - 28 (CD 5 - 9) - 100mg of Clomid each day

Clomid plus the DHEA supplements that I’ve been taking 3 times a day are used to rev up my ovaries. I took the Clomid in the evening because I read on forums that you could sleep through your side effects. Each night, I woke up drenched in sweat. It was uncomfortable and gross… but at least I was uncomfortable and gross in the privacy of my own home. Beyond that, I got headaches and had (have) absolutely no appetite. I’ve lost 5 pounds (cool, but it’s not intentional); I have to make myself eat to stay healthy… for the baby. It’s alllll for the baby!

March 3 (CD 13) - blood work and ultrasound (8am)

They again checked my estrogen and hormone levels to make sure I was approaching ovulation (looking for an LH surge). This is so they can time the IUI procedure properly. They also looked at my ovaries and found that I had 2 awesome follicles measuring at 21mm and 24mm on the right side (which means I should be ovulating soon). One of these follicles should mature into an egg.

I’ve also been using OPKs since CD 11 to help track ovulation. Based on past cycles, I anticipated that the IUI would happen on Saturday, March 5. The nurse told me that they’d call me after they received the results from my blood work to let me know if I needed to give myself a trigger shot to stimulate ovulation or if everything was fine. From there, I was to let them know when the OPK showed an LH surge so that we could schedule the IUI for the following day.

Welp, my blood work showed that I was surging that day! The nurse said that Mike needed to get to the office at 1pm to give his sample and that I needed to arrive at 3pm for the procedure! Holy poop! This is happening right fucking now….Not Saturday, NOW!

So I called Mike frantically and told him he had to get to the doc’s office at 1pm. The nurse made it clear that if we couldn’t do the IUI that day, then we’d have to cancel and do “timed intercourse.” So we made it happen. Mike made it for his 1pm appointment (thank God) and I went at 3pm for the IUI.

The IUI procedure is pretty simple. Before the procedure, the nurse presented the catheter to me with Mike’s specimen pre-loaded and ready to go. I had to confirm that our names and DOBs were correct. She then told me that his sample yielded 37 million sperm (anything over 10 million is great). I will admit, it was so weird being presented with my husband’s spunk. She presented it like a waiter presents a bottle of wine before pouring it… Super. Fucking. Weird.

After that, I laid up on the table, feet in stirrups, speculum in place and the doctor proceeded to insert the catheter into my cervix. The last time I had a catheter in my cervix was during my FemVue test which was super uncomfortable. But this time, I barely felt it. The IUI was over before I realized it had even started.

After Mike’s 37 million spermies were injected into my uterus (sexy, right?), I laid on the table for about 5 minutes….. Alone, on the table, I prayed and cried (a term I have now coined as “crayed”). I "crayed" intensely and intently.

I prayed that this would work and that we would be blessed with a baby. I prayed that I’d give a child to my husband and a grandchild to my parents and in-laws. I prayed that my body would cooperate and provide a safe place for this baby to grow. I prayed for conception… for a healthy pregnancy… a smooth delivery… for a healthy baby. I prayed and prayed and prayed… laying on a medical table pantsless, hands clasped on my chest, eyes closed tight, tears streaming down my cheeks. I prayed harder than I ever have… because I’ve never wanted anything more.

After the procedure, I went home and got in bed. I felt a little crampy and completely exhausted. I was asleep by 8pm. Though the procedure itself was pretty easy, I was emotionally drained. My mom brought me chocolate and Mike served me dinner in bed while I binge watched Nurse Jackie on Netflix.

March 4 (CD 14) - my OPK finally showed my LH surge…

This got me to thinking… have we been timing intercourse all wrong because the OPK doesn’t detect the surge until it’s too late? Maybe so.

Today, March 5 (CD 15) - pretty sure I’m ovulating…

...and it fucking sucks!! I can typically feel when I ovulate, but nothing like this! The cramps were soooo incredibly intense that I actually teared up. That rarely happens. It concerned me at first, but I got my trusty heating pad out and took a nap. I’ve been in bed pretty much all day binge watching Nurse Jackie on Netflix. It can be painful to walk or even sit up straight. I’ve read that this isn’t uncommon, but again… it fucking sucks! I keep thinking about the stuff that needs to get done around the house and errands that I need to run. BUT when I start to feel guilty about the shit I’m not doing… I think about why it’s so important for me to listen to my body and take it easy. I don’t want to fuck this up; it’s far too important.

So now the dreaded TWW (two week wait) is underway. I have an appointment next Thursday, March 10 to check my progesterone levels to make sure I ovulated, and then another appointment the following Thursday, March 17 to see if the IUI was successful and if we’re pregnant. Yep, we will know if there’s a bun in the oven on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a lucky day, so here’s hoping! Fingers (and toes) crossed.

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Quoted: "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." - Corrie Ten Boom

Listen In: “Hey, No Pressure” by Ray Lamontagne