T minus 3 days 'til I lose wisdom...

I get my wisdom teeth pulled on Friday morning...it turns my stomach just thinking about it.  I've had two foot surgeries, a "female" surgery, a broken leg, herniated disks in my neck, and more shoulder injuries than I care to count, but somehow this wisdom tooth thing is REALLY throwing me for a loop.  Big damn baby... Tooth and eye stuff just really skeeve me out, so the thought of my mouth cranked open while someone rips my teeth out is almost too much.  B says "stop thinking about it"...um yeah...sure babe!  All four of my wisdom teeth have grown in pretty straight, but two of them have cavities, one is apparently pretty bad, so they recommended just having the teeth removed instead of attempting fillings.  B tells me it's not going to be as bad as I'm bracing for, but I'm terrified of two main things, #1 waking up in the middle of the surgery and #2 developing "dry socket".  I worry about #1 because it happened to me during my "female surgery"....I woke up while they were doing some stitches....not cool.  Logically I know everything will be OK, that I'm lucky I don't have any impacted wisdom teeth, and I can avoid "dry socket" by following the rules and chomping down on wet tea bags, but it's still scary.... Please keep your fingers crossed for me in Blogland!!  Hope everyone is having a good week!  :)

Dining With The Enemy... (Caution...it's a long one)

For the protection of the innocent, and not so innocent, the name of the antagonist in the following story has been changed....


So.... the beginning of this story occurs almost 7 years ago when my lovely wife and I first started dating.  B had a good friend (only friends, never dated) that she used to share an apartment with when she was in college in New Orleans, we'll call this friend Ursula.  Well, B and I had been dating for about 2 months here in NC, and our relationship was moving quickly from "just dating" to "in love", when her friend Ursula came into town to visit B for a few days.  So I told B that I would come over to her side of town we could all go to dinner and I could get to know her friend.  Well, I arrived at the restaurant and greeted Ursula with a smile, which was returned with a very fake, "I wish you weren't here" smile, so I was thrown completely off guard right from the start.  I attempted to make the most of the evening and make conversation with her, but it was very obvious that she had no intention of getting to know me.  I thought that maybe we could become friends in the next few days that she was visiting -- it was important to me because Ursula was important to B!  


Anywho... B asked me if I wanted to go out with her, Ursula, and a few other friends to a local gay club on Saturday night.  We got to the club, Ursula still not engaging in conversation with me, and we started drinking.  As the night wore on and the beers and mixed drinks emptied, Ursula was getting more and more inappropriate with B.  It started with a few little comments here and there and then began to progress... After a few hours of dancing we took a break and were all standing to the side of the dance floor.  All of a sudden a song came on and Ursula dragged B to the dance floor, leaving me standing to the side with one of our gay guy friends.  I didn't think anything of it....at first.  Then I looked up to see Ursula grinding on B, whispering shit in her ear, basically molesting her on the dance floor.  Our gay guy friend asked me if I was going to say anything or get a crowbar to pry Ursula off my girlfriend, but I kind of felt like if that's the kind of hideous beast B was interested in, let her have her!  HA!  The song finally ended, Ursula shot me a couple more dirty looks just for good measure and we all headed home.  We spent the night at some guy friends house, me and B in one room, with Ursula in the other which I'm sure really pissed her off.  The next morning Ursula was hung over (imagine that), but she was still unfriendly and now I was just really starting to hate her.  She was so disrespectful to me and embarrassed both B and me the night before!  


About a month after Ursula's visit, B and I separated for a few months due to the fact that I was an idiot, and during that time B visited New Orleans on two occasions.  Both times Ursula made a point to tell B that we weren't right for each other, I wasn't good enough for her, blah blah blah.... And even when we got back together and started living together Ursula was still singing the same old song.  So I said "enough is enough" and B decided that Ursula just didn't really have a place in her/our life anymore.  Their friendship fizzled out and as a result we haven't had any contact with her for about 5 years....  Until now.... it seems that a job transfer has brought her to town and as a result she wants to rekindle a friendship.  Yay!  (insert sarcasm).  


I know that people change over time, and especially between the ages of mid-20's and 30, but I just feel like everyone has a "core" person that they are, and I always felt such negative energy around her.  She's the kind of lesbian that attracts drama and conflict, and I am SOOOO not into that and we have no room in our lives for that.  But...I promised B that we could have a dinner with her, see if she's changed, and evaluate if we want to build a friendship with her, or kick her ugly ass to the curb (oops, was that harsh??)...lol.  So, that's where we're at!  Tonight is allegedly "The Dinner" and B has been very clear with her that we're not into drama and if she's still a tragedy magnet, we're not interested.  So, we'll see what happens....it's 5 PM and she still has not returned B's texts, so maybe I'll be off the hook afterall... :) 

Second verse, same as the first...but hopefully with a different outcome! :)

Well, we've got a "Code Red" over here in our household, so that's a definitive "not preggers" this time around.  :( AF attacked me mercilessly at work today, prompting an emergency trip to the local Rite Aid at lunch hour.  Ever notice how much sales clerks like to make small talk and chit chat when you've handed them a giant box of feminine hygiene products and a value size bottle of Pamprin??  I thought I was going to attack when the sales clerk suggested I fill out an application for their Rewards Card!  Ha!  Come on woman I'm obviously having a problem here!!  :)  


Oh well...it was a good first pregnancy attempt and at least now I know the process, know how I react to the meds, and know what to expect the next time around.  We will have our family, it just won't be a 2010 tax deduction!  That's OK though, my Mom has a late December birthday and she said she wouldn't recommend it!  My birthday is in January, and I'd gladly share it with our daughter or son!  Hopefully that will be the case and May will bring us a BFP!  


So, for the time being I will muddle through this AF and get ready for next month.  I've got plenty to keep me busy, CD3 ultrasound/bloodwork on Friday, yardwork extravaganza on Saturday, dinner with an old enemy (a story for another posting) on Saturday night, and a good friend's baby shower on Sunday!  Good stuff!  :)  Plus, I had an interview for a new job on Tuesday, and I'm really hoping that works out and I get a second interview next week!  Yay!  

Probably not....

Well I thought maybe we'd have "beginners luck" this cycle, but it's looking like probably not.  :(  


While there's still no AF in sight, temps are still triphasic and way above the coverline, and I have a lot of the pregnancy symptoms, I POAS this morning and only one line greeted me.  I think most people have their BFP's at 13 DPO, so I guess that means we're out for this cycle.  And now that I know how my body reacts to this process (cramps, huge sensitive BB's, and tiredness), I can't wait to start cycle #2....note extreme sarcasm.  


Oh well....I guess it just makes me stick to my original timeline of 3-4 tries and we're moving to one cycle of IVF - and if that doesn't work, I'll just get another dog...lol.  At least my deductible is met up 'til July 1st, so any baby-making between now and then, less medications, is covered.  Just really didn't want to have to utilize that benefit.... oh well....

One Week Down, One Week To Go!

Hi All!  We're hangin' tough over here during the TWW....it is nerve-racking wondering if it worked!  Oh well...I can do anything for a week right??  LOL  Not a lot of symptoms to speak of, mostly just tata related and some cramping.  Tatas have gone from their normal "big" state to being "borderline huge", they are sore, and increasingly firm.  Could be from anything I guess, but 'til we know "for sure" we'll just keep hoping it's because I'm preggers!  :)  I guess we'll take a test near the end of the week/over the weekend to see what's brewing!

Our Saturday evening was fun!  I'm not sure if roller derby is our "thing", but it was interesting and the highlight of the evening may have been the below image....

Yes, that's right folks, intermission featured a giant skating sammich.  Kids ran out onto the track and chased the sammich and it was all fun and games until some moron older dude decided he should run out on the track and body slam the sammich, who then got pissed and skated off...LOL.  The best entertainment $10 per person can buy!  :)

Hope everyone is having a good week!!  Glad Monday is over!!  

Distraction needed....

Hello fearless readers!  It is 5 DPO and I've not yet checked into a mental health facility, so I guess I'm doing well!  Ha!  Gotta say, this has been a slow 5 days, and I'm not feeling quite as "zen" as the ladies at 10stix, but I'm trying!  


Tonight we're going out with the chick who cuts our hair (fruit fly) and her lesbian friend in an attempt to make some friends in this area!  We haven't had the best luck finding good and reliable friends here, so we're hoping tonight will be a good start into a new friendship!  And what activity have we picked for our first platonic date?  Roller derby.  Never been before, but I can only imagine that nothing is as strong of a bonding experience as watching women skate around in circles while beating the hell out of one another!  Yippee!  That ought to take my mind off the potential zygote in my uterus right?!  Um...yeah, probably not, but at least maybe I'll only think about it 10 times in an hour, versus the usual 100.  :)  

Now I know what people are talking about....

The TWW is HARD!!  I want to know what's in my uterus and I want to know now...lol.  So far, no real symptoms of anything aside from being exhausted, slight tightness feeling in my uterus area, and my nips feel a little sensitive.  All could be side effects from the Ovidrel and totally unrelated.  So far I've worried about the following:


*  Hitting a pothole in my car and jiggling the egg loose.
*  Coughing or sneezing and causing the egg to fall out.
*  Laying on the wrong side of my body when I sleep and causing the egg to fall out of the fallopian tubes prematurely.
*  Getting stressed and pissy and the egg deciding it hates me and doesn't want to be my kid, so it falls out.  


I seriously think I'm losing my mind.... I can't even concentrate at work -- it's the worst ADD ever!  I'm in the middle of working on something for one of our patients, and the next thing I know, I'm Googling "which pregnancy test is the most accurate?"  (the general consensus is First Response, if anyone was wondering)... Ha!  
I'm only 3 days in to the TWW and it's seemed like a week.....this is going to be a long 11 days....yikes!  :)

Installation Complete!! :)

IUI #1 is complete!  Above is a picture of my lovely 24 mm egg being fertilized by our super manly swimmers!  Thanks to our wonderful RE for providing this "action shot".... Heeheehee....  

So, the infamous 2-week wait begins in our household!  Yippee!!  I was laying on the table today waiting for the doc to come in and do the deed and I was thinking it was really surreal that we were finally at this point!  B and I have talked about kids for years, but it always seemed like such a distant event.  In my mind, 30 was the magic number for starting our family, and at the time B and I met, 30 was 6 years away so it seemed like we had FOREVER to plan and get ready for having babies.  Now that I'm 31 and we're starting this process it seems like 6 years ago was yesterday and wholly crap, the time to make the babies is now!  Seems crazy -- but exciting at the same time!

We have high hopes for this cycle...bloodwork has been coming back great, eggs are nice and big, swimmer sample was great and "very active" according to the doc, and tonight my ovulation predictor stick showed that I ovulated sometime today (last night it was negative), so I'm really hoping we can be one of the lucky ones and hit it out of the park on the first try!  Keeping fingers, toes, and eyes crossed....well maybe not the eyes...

Hope everyone is doing well and had a great Easter!!  :)

The Adventures of Steroid Egg....

Today I went in for my CD12 ultrasound and bloodwork and everything is still looking good!  Amazingly, the follie on the right that measured 14 has apparently been popping steroids without my knowledge!  It went from 14 mm on CD10 to 24 mm in CD12!  No wonder I was crampy!  My lining is nice 'n fluffy at 12 mm, so I was instructed to take my Ovidrel shot tonight at 6 and I should report to the clinic to check my progesterone on Monday AM and hopefully have my swimmers installed on Monday if the progesterone is high enough!  Yay!!  My first shot went well -- luckily for me, my wife has Type 1 (Juvenile) diabetes, so the woman can give a mean shot!  Didn't hurt much at all, so I was relieved about that!  :)  I am kinda bummed that the other follies that were measuring around 12 on CD10 decided not to join the party, but it only takes one good egg and I'm hoping that's what I've got!  


Keep fingers crossed!!  We're excited to get the party started!  Happy Easter everyone....hope the bunny brings everyone some lucky eggs!!

CD10....Grow Follies Grow!

Hi All!

I had my CD10 ultrasound and bloodwork today and I'm still in the game....yay!!  My ultrasound showed a few developing follies... I had one at 14, 3 at 12, a 10 and an 8.  I'm guessing the 10 and the 8 are definitely not going to "catch up", but I'm hoping the 14 and at least one of the 12's will plump up in the next few days!  My estrogen rose to 237 and my LH went from 5.6 to 14.1, so that's a step in the right direction!  They want me to come back in on Saturday, CD12 to check up on the little buggers and hopefully determine when we can do the long awaited IUI!  Please keep your fingers crossed for me.... I'm feeling really positive about this cycle for some reason.... :) 

Well, I'm headed to bed....for some reason I'm unbelievably exhausted in the days following the Clomid...guess cooking eggs really wears a girl out...lol.  Or it could be the 6:15 wake up call I had this morning in order to get to the RE clinic by 7:15!  Promise to write again over the 3-day weekend, but for now, this chick is hitting the hay!  

Have a good night everyone!!