A Busy Week

After our weekend of FREEZING while camping at Rockport State Park near Park City, Utah, we went to our appointment in Salt Lake City on Monday for my ultrasound to check up on that cyst.  I totally forgot that another doctor was doing my ultrasound this time, and yet another doctor was in charge of my cycle.  Unfortunately, the doctor doing my ultrasound wasn't my favorite.

He found that my left cyst was still there, unchanged, and I also had a cyst on my right ovary.  Wonderful.  After waiting around for them to figure out which doctor was doing my cycle this time, and waiting for them to figure out what we were doing, and not really giving me any answers.  Ryan had to do his business on Monday, too, which probably wasn't easy since he left me in the waiting room crying, sitting next to a family who already had children (one of which was with them--the fertility practice SPECIFICALLY asks that patients not bring children because of the nature of their business) who really wanted to talk to me.

We left with an appointment to come back on Saturday for another ultrasound to see if the cysts were gone.

I drove down myself on Saturday because Ryan had to work.  Some doctor I've never heard of before did my ultrasound.  My right cyst had collapsed and was almost gone, but the left cyst was again, unchanged.  I sat in the waiting room for an hour while they called both the director of the center (who is my primary doctor for this cycle), and the doctor I usually see to figure out the next steps.  The nurse called me back to tell me that the director (Dr. Peterson), who is doing my cycle this time, was going to call and talk to me.  He suggested that I come back yesterday to have the cyst aspirated since it wasn't doing anything, and it hadn't done anything for two months.

So, we did.  Ryan and I got up early and drove back to Salt Lake for the procedure.  They called us back quickly.  I got in a gown and soon Heidi, our wonderful nurse, was in to start my IV.  That didn't go as smoothly as she'd hoped.  An hour later, about 7 attempts later, heat packs, and ultimately Dr. Peterson (who is a Minnesota native!  Woot!) had the magic touch and got my IV started.  My arm had been in the tourniquet for so long that when it was released, I just about passed out.  I have never experienced anything like that before in my life.  I got dizzy, light-headed, and the sounds in the room just kind of....dimmed.  I leaned forward for a few minutes and breathed, and pretty soon I was feeling better.  I was so dehydrated they let half a liter of LR run in before we started.

Versed?  It's a miracle drug.  I watched Heidi push it, but it took a few minutes to feel woozy.  I fell asleep, but I remember the moaning.  I don't think him sticking the needle through the vaginal wall hurt, but when he actually aspirated the cysts, that was when the moaning ensued.

Waking up was pretty easy, which was LOVELY.  The procedure only took about fifteen minutes, which is what our egg retrieval will take.  I was a little sore after the procedure, and after about 20 minutes, I had some juice and graham crackers, and then I could get dressed and go. 

I was pretty sore on the way home.  I took some Tylenol before bed last night, and woke up feeling pretty good today.

I took my first injection last night for this round of IVF.  I start off with Lupron, which is supposed to suppress my ovaries.  I take that until June 11, then I decrease the dose, and start the stimulating medications.  We're not quite sure yet what the protocol will be.  Dr. Peterson and Dr. Johnstone are going collaborate a little bit and figure out exactly what the plan is.

I go back for another ultrasound on the 7th of June, and that's probably when we'll figure out what's going on. 

Please pray for a positive outcome this time.  Positive outcome to me means getting to the egg retrieval stage.  :)

Third Time's the Charm, Darn It!

Presuming my ultrasound on Monday goes well, I will begin taking medications for our third round of IVF.

I'm trying to be positive!  We're hoping that the large cyst on my left ovary has disappeared, first off, and second, that my bloodwork is good.  The last time I had my thyroid checked it was low, and my medication for that was increased.  If that is good, I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be all systems go.

Before our appointment on Monday, we're going camping at one of Utah's state parks near Salt Lake.  We're going to enjoy the great outdoors and relax for a few days before we begin this journey again.  I can't begin to tell you the amount of money we've spent on this trip so far...lol :)  At least it should be fun to reconnect and enjoy nature.

Please pray for us as we continue this journey to begin our family.  I've prayed and prayed asking God's guidance.  Sometimes I hear a definitive "yes...continue," and sometimes I hear a "no."  I don't know if it's God's voice or my own selfish desires.  So we're going to continue until we know it's "NO!" for sure.  I don't know if that's the right thing to do or not.

This time is probably going to be pretty rough on me physically, since we're going to basically double the medication that is used to stimulate my ovaries.  We think that, in order to be properly medicated, and get the results we want (egg retrieval), I'll probably need an ultrasound every day for at least a week while we're "stimming" so that my "ovaries don't explode" (I'm quoting the nurse...lol).

Anyway, I suppose...I should head to bed.   I've got my second sinus infection in a month and I took a nice long nap this afternoon, so I'm not really that tired, but my kiddos and I have a short, in-town field trip tomorrow, and I want to be fresh for my babies.  It's hard to believe we have only a little over three weeks left of school.  I guess for my sanity that's good, but they've really grown into a family.  I'm going to miss my honies...