New cycle : New Medication

With AF's arrival the other day, I decided to try a few new things.

1) I upped my metformin (dr's order).

2) I started taking B6 (helps lengthen the luteal phase)

3) Since my insurance doesn't want to cover my higher dose of clomid, I decided to try Soy isoflavones. It works just like clomid, except it's natural... and much cheaper. ($6 @ walmart)

I was debating on buying another basal body thermometer and taking my temp ever

y morning to watch for 'O'.. but I really don't want to make this any more of a science project then it already is. So I'm just going to stick with my OPKs (and my instinct).

I am really hoping this cycle is THE cycle... because 1) I would get a + pg test in Oct-- and could tell our parents on our camping trip for DH's bday. and 2) My EDD would be 6/12/11 (I want a june or july baby... and 6/12 is my parents wedding anniversary!) :)

So please double up on your baby dust and send it this way! Thanks

Dr's Appointment Update

So most of my readers have emailed/texted me asking for a follow up on how my appt went. To be completely honest, I really haven't wanted to talk (let alone THINK) about TTC this past week. AF arrived a few days ago and it just was a big let down. I feel like I'm stuck in the mud and nothing is helping to get me out.

As far as my appt went. Nothing really happened. Which I suppose is why I bawled my eyes out after leaving the dr's office. I cried all the way home, yelled, screamed, and continued to ask "why?". I don't get why I have to be infertile. Am I a terrible mother and shouldn't be allowed to have another one? Because that's how it feels. And it REALLY feels that way when people say "God will bless you with another one soon"... or anything to do with God. I mean, I believe in God, and I don't want to push the blame on him, but after TTC for 13+ months with NO SUCCESS I would have to say your faith in God is on the edge. Sometimes all I can do is yell and scream at him and ask WHY ME.

Why Me?

Why do irresponsible teens get knocked up all the time? Why do rape victims get pregnant? Why do horrible mothers get pregnant? Why do druggies get pregnant? Why do people that have repeated abortions get pregnant? why why why? And all the questions make me believe that God isn't the one to "bless you" with a baby. It's all just science. God just sits back and watches the show.

If God were the one who "blessed" people with babies... all these terrible mothers would not have babies... and all us amazing mothers WOULD be blessed. If I don't think of it as a science, and I do sit and say "God blesses people" then I just feel like a shitty mother. So, I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but creating a baby is science. Science. And I suck at science!

Oh, here I go again. Rambling off and straying far from the subject.

Dr's Appt Update:

Upped my meds. Yup, that's all.

Metformin is no longer 1 pill a day, it's now 2 pills a day.

Clomid was upped to the highest you can go.

No talk of IUI.. try the above mentioned stuff for 3 months then return if no success.

Problem is, my insurance doesn't want to cover my clomid anymore. Not sure why, and really I haven't felt like finding out. I'm burnt out. I really don't know how some people can TTC for years. I'm barely holding on at 14 months!

So there you have it... my update on a worthless dr's appt. Hopefully I won't have to go back for another one. If I do, I am debating on switching OB's to a more proactive one. I want someone who is going to want to put all my options out there... not just load me down with meds! But we shall see...

crawling by..

My dr's appt is in an hour and a half... and I feel like time has come to a very slow crawl.

I have all these questions I want to ask, but as each minute passes I forget each and every question I want to ask. And I feel a little shy about writing it all down and taking a note pad into my appt. I just want the words/questions to flow naturally.

And since IUI has been such a triumphant task I am trying to overcome, I am finding the slower time crawls by, the more I'm starting to rethink it all. Maybe I should just load up on every fertility vitamin out there and try that? Should I start trying with medical procedures? What if the IUI fails? I'll feel like a complete failure.. more then I already do.

I told my DS today that "mommy has to go to the dr's" -- he asked "why?" and I said "because mommy is broken!" and he, without skipping a beat, said "No, mommy not broken, mommy fixed!" I thought that was so cute.. it helped me feel a little less of a failure.

Here's a little something to leave you with...

Why is it when you've had a tubal ligation you're referred to as "fixed" but when you are infertile you feel BROKEN??

First step to IUI

Well today I did it. I overcame some type of fear I had. I've been trying to hold off on alternative routes to becoming pregnant, but I just don't want to hold off anymore. I've been using the excuse "$75 dr appt just to TALK to my dr is absurd"... but then I did some research, called my insurance company, and found out my "office visits" are just that, office visits. I should only be charged a $5 copay, and not 50% of the visit. (My insurance only covers 50% of infertility treatments & procedures). So with not having that as my excuse anymore, I decided it was time to give him a call. I chickened out yesterday, but decided to do it today. I called his office and made an appt.

August 31 @ 3:50 PM.

I am hoping DH will come with me so he can ask any questions he may have about IUI (i.e. he asked "how do they wash the sperm?" and I said "Gotta ask the dr that!"). Plus I think having DH there will be a great support, and make me feel like I'm not alone in this process.

Thanks for the betrayal

Some days are better then others. Some months are worse then others. Sometimes I just want to hide under a rock and forget the rest of the world. There's this piece of me that is empty. No matter what happens in life, that piece is always cold and lonely. There is always this black cloud covering me and making me feel alone. I hate it.

I am surrounded by pregnant people. And when I say surrounded, I don't mean I go to the mall and 'notice' all the pregnant people. I mean all my friends and family are pregnant. I can't sign on to facebook without seeing someone's pictures, hearing how people's dr's appointments went, talking about baby registries, clothing shopping, ultrasounds, heartbeats, and baby showers. Is it wrong that I just want to delete everyone that has anything to do with pregnancy or babies? I mean, I'm not going to really go and delete these people, they are family and friends, but I can't help but feel the rainstorm from my black cloud whenever I see that stuff. And is it wrong that I want to avoid every babyshower that I'm invited to? It feels like someone is handing me a dagger saying.. "here, go enjoy yourself at this other person's baby shower!" It just hurts. And I'm hurting enough already.

I came across the definition of "infertile" in my Anatomy school book the other day. Here's saving you the time to google the definition...

in·fer·tile definition

Pronunciation: /(ˈ)in-ˈfərt- ^ə l/
Function: adj
: not fertile
especially : incapable of or unsuccessful in achieving pregnancy over a considerable period of time (as a year) in spiteof determined attempts by heterosexual intercourse withoutcontraception

It definitely reminded me that last month I was no longer "unsuccessful" but now "infertile".

*insert bee sting here*

I feel so betrayed. My own body betrayed me! How could it do that to me?

Feeling betrayed by someone else hurts, but feeling betrayed by your own self is devastating.

A Wonderful Mother

There are women that become mothers without effort, without thought, without patience or loss and though they are good mothers and love their children, I know that I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics, or money or that I have read more books, but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.

I have longed and waited.

I have cried and prayed.

I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.

I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore and discover.

I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him and that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.

My dream will be crying for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see.

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.

I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment as I have been betrayed by my own body, I have been tried by fire and hell many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed.

I have succeeded.

I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort.

I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.

I listen.

And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immerse power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth and when life is beyond hard.

I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.

I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes I will be a wonderful mother.

A little bit stronger..

So AF arrived today. On to our 13 month trying. I realized something today when AF showed her face.

I know my heart will never be the same, but I'm tellin' myself I'll be okay.

Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.

It's depressing. It's a let down. And as the months go on I start to lose hope. I was a few days late this month and normally I would've POAS every hour, but instead I POAS, got a negative result, and moved on. I just waited for AF to arrive, with no hope left that maybe I would get a positive result with another test. Right now I would be breaking down, crying, wondering WHY everyone else is getting pregnant, but I'm not. Instead I'm just getting stronger. I'm not breaking down. I'm just separating myself from those around me that are pregnant. Maybe it seems fucked up, but sometimes it's just easier to space myself from those people, then try to force myself to be happy for them. Now don't get me wrong, I know a few people that are pregnant right now and I'm very happy for them, but it still hurts. I'm 23 years old... I SHOULDN'T be infertile! I should be Miss Fertile Myrtle popping out kids left and right. But I'm not. And I guess the fact that after 13 months I am still trying, means I am strong... and I keep getting stronger.