Back in Action

More than three months...I feel like such a slacker, but I can't say I missed much about this world. That's not to say I didn't try to pop in here and there to stay up-to-date on the people I follow, but it was nice not to write. Mostly, it was nice not to have anything IF related to write about. 

To catch you up, here is the rundown of the last few months:

Normal period following IVF #1, hubby gone two weeks leading up to Christmas, Christmas and other holidays (lovely!), hubby gone all of January, terrible and late (38 day cycle) 2nd period following IVF #1, hubby gone here and there for a week at a time, totally stop thinking about my cycles, think period #3 is coming crazy early and realize I can't read a calendar, decide to do IVF #2.

So, here I am back in the blogging world because, frankly, I don't think I can go through another IVF without recording it somewhere, being able to vent, and having free reign to obsess around the only other people who really understand my obsessing. Glad you're here, blogging world. 

I guess IVF #2 officially started March 8th when I took my first BCP. March 9th, I talked with my nurse who laid out the preliminary calendar for this round. I skipped my baseline FSH and ultrasound because I was out of town on Day 3 and FSH was normal last time. I'm glad my doctor is cool about that kind of thing because it totally saved me hundreds of dollars.

Preliminary calendar:

March 17: Last BCP

March 18: Sono, mock, bloodwork. If all good, start stims.

March 30/31ish: ER

April 3/4: ET

We bit the bullet and bought the "lower" cost two cycle option. So, we pay for two cycles now, but because we're paying ahead of time we pay about the cost of 1.5 cycles. If we aren't successful, we have a back-up plan (IVF#3) for a lower cost. If we are successful, we don't get any money back (this is the gamble), but I guess they figure we'll be happy enough (about being pg) not to be pissed that they just made us pay $3000 extra for an IVF cycle. We also don't get to use the unused IVF #3 at a later date. What a system! Anyway, doc strongly suggested doing the 2-cycle option especially because we are still sticking with egg-freezing (not embryo-freezing), which lowers our chances even more for an FET working.

[As a side note, sorry if none of this makes sense. I'm tired and haven't had to write anything coherent for 3 months.]

On the non-financial, non-doctorsmashingmyhopesbyrecommending2cycles front, it looks like we're going with a more aggressive protocol. Don't know the details yet, but I think I'll be bumped from 3 vials of Br.avelle to 5 vials per day right off the bat. I'm psyched I kept my leftovers from last time...it's only enough for one day, but better than nothing. I'm estimating I'll be injecting about $450 into myself every day. Ugh...I'm starting to remember why IVF sucks.

Hubby is out of town again now. His work travel has picked up a ton. It's frustrating, but at least I'll have him around for the end of March and most of April for moral support/baby-making. :) Other than that, life marches on. I'm sure there is a lot more to write that I'm forgetting now. Hopefully next post will be more coherent.

It's funny, even now I feel myself falling back into the IF world. The stress, shots, scheduling, ugh... But I also feel myself surrounded and bolstered by the IF community. This is totally cheesy, but right now it seems like we're all in a big IF parade together and I just sat down for a while to rest. Now I'm back in the ranks again, looking at the people around me. Some rested with me, some marched in place, and some moved on down the road. But it's still our IF parade, and we're still in it together.