October 2017 IUI Try

Taking the month off was one of the best decisions I could have made! I felt relief and way less pressure. Because of life, we took another month off as well. We started to try again in October. I called to see if we could do a half of 25 mg of clomid cycle but they told me that wasn’t possible. The nurse asked me if we ever tried anything else besides clomid and I said no. She mentioned letrozole and we decided to try it. It essentially does the same thing as clomid but some people react differently to one over the other. She prescribed me the lowest dose of letrozole. Then we played the waiting game until I got my period which of course was a few days late! I called in on day 3 and they scheduled me for a follicular ultrasound on day 10. Usually they schedule me for day 12 and I was glad it was sooner this time! I took 2.5 mg of letrozole from days 3-7. I went in on day 10 for my follicular ultrasound and could see the screen the whole time which never happens. I had 14 follicles on my right side but they only measured 5. I had 15 follicles on my left side but they again only measured 5. It was by far the most painful ultrasound I have had! I had to wait to get the phone call from my doctor’s nurse to see how many of those follicles were truly mature. We were hoping for 3-4! The call came and the first thing the nurse said was “You have a lot of follicles again” and my heart just dropped. But then came the but…! She spoke with my doctor and I had 3 follicles measuring 12, 1 follicle measuring 13, and 1 follicle measuring 14. The goal for follicles for IUI is 16. Typically follicles grow 1 mm everyday. They said if we do the IUI in 2 days then 2 should be mature and the other 3 should not be ready yet. The IUI was scheduled for 2 days later, day 12, at 4:30 P.M. The nurse also asked me if I have ever had my estradiol levels checked which I never have. She told me she was going to ask about having them done and give me a call back. Minutes later she asked if I could go get my blood drawn today because if my levels were lower than 150 I would need to start a medication that day. I went and had my blood drawn. The twins had gymnastics that night and on the way Karley says “Mom, we have to think of a name for the baby.” I asked her what she thought we should name the baby and she replied “Gorgock.” I then asked Bentley and before he could answer Karley said “Rudolph!” Quite the names if you ask me! I had to trigger shot on day 11 at 4:30 A.M. Of course I didn’t sleep much that night and then again after the shot. I had a totally different feeling with everything this time. I was pumped and excited but of course a little nervous. I never received a phone call with my bloodwork results so I called them. They got a nurse to call me back and informed me that my estradiol levels came back at 99.2 and I needed to start the medication asap. I went and picked it up and took my first dose. I take them every 8 hours which meant, because of when I took the first one, I had to get up at 2:00 A.M. to take the other dose! Wednesday afternoon right before we left for my appointment I had some cramping going on which I am hoping and thinking was my eggs releasing! We then drove 80 minutes as a family and went through the procedure. My doctor informed me that everything went well and there was no bleeding! Usually he has a hard time with placement with me and that wasn’t the case this time. Paul and I were intimate too which we haven’t done any other time except for when I got pregnant with the twins. I have had some minor spotting, leaking, and cramping and am a little tired but otherwise I am doing fine. When I got up this morning Karley came in by me and asked “Mom, do you have a baby in your belly?” I told her I wasn’t sure yet. She then replied “Yeah… I think you do!” Then Karley went into Bentley’s room and was talking with him. All the sudden I hear Bentley praying “Dear God, thank you for giving mom a baby in her belly and letting dad go to the cabin.” Cue the tears!!! Karley even helped me take the clothes I had picked out off the hangers for me and was proud of herself for helping me! 3 days after the IUI, day 15, I woke up with cramping but it stopped after a little while. 4 days after IUI, day 16, I had some minor cramping too. I went with my neighbor, her friend, and her friend’s mom to a Bad Mom’s brunch. We met one of my daycare mommies their too. It was a blast! We had brunch, they had drinks, and we watched the movie while pigging out on popcorn. We were on the way home when one of the girls said “We should go to the mall!” So we headed to Wausau and did some shopping, had supper, and then came home. I was tired by the time we got home but it was so much fun and something we need to do more often. The Bad Moms Brunch made the news and so did we!!! J 6 days after IUI, day 18, I was seriously exhausted and had no reason to be! Getting dressed I bumped myself and realized my chest hurts! 7 days after IUI, day 19, my boobs feel heavier and fuller. I want this to happen so bad and am so hopeful this time that part of me wonders if these things are truly happening or not! That night I woke up in the middle of the night sweating. We are halfway through the 2 week wait! 8 days after the IUI, day 20, I am full of energy and feeling good. 9 days after the IUI, day 21, I have quite the headache but it was a crazy day with kids! I am ready for bed!!! 12 days after IUI, day 24, I woke up and ate. I then didn’t feel well and used the bathroom. I also have quite the headache. I had called to schedule my HCG level bloodwork but the orders weren’t in the computer. They told me they would just schedule it as soon as they saw the orders come in. I called my OB and they put them in. I called today, 11-13-17, just to make sure they scheduled it only to find out the local clinic doesn’t do it. They called the next closest clinic, 40 minutes, and told me they don’t do it either. The next option is 90 minutes away! I called the OB and they called back to find out they do the labs but need to send them out to get the results. So in just 2 days we will be driving 40 minutes for my HCG levels bloodwork to determine if I am pregnant or not! I am full of lots of different emotions. 13 days after IUI, day 25, I started feeling period like cramps in the evening. Early the next morning I was woken up from cramps. 14 days after IUI, day 26, I got Karley and I ready to leave for our bloodwork. I was a mess of stress which caused a fight between Paul and I right before we left. I cried majority of the 40 minute drive to the clinic. Karley went first and was a trooper again. It seriously brings tears to my eyes watching her get her blood taken as she doesn’t cry… heck she doesn’t even flinch! Then it was my turn. They informed me that the courier doesn’t come until 5 P.M. so I wouldn’t know my results until the next day. Hey I have waited 14 days to find out, why not wait another?! I honestly feel like it is going to be another negative but I truly hope I am wrong! I took Karley to Dunkin Donuts and we each got a donut and shared a non coffee drink. I tried calling the OB office before we left for our music class to get the results but all receptionists were busy. They called me as we were walking in to music class and I missed it. I stepped out to call them back and the nurse was with a patient so they would call me back. They called around 10:40 A.M. and the nurse said “So do you know?” and I told her I didn’t. She informed me it came back negative. I went into the bathroom to cry and freshen up as I had to go back to music class. My neighbor was there too and as soon as I walked in you could tell and she hugged me and I lost it again. I sat by the wall and cried but tried to pull myself together. Karley came and sat in my lap and hugged me. I was able to make it through the rest of the music class but it was tough. There was a brand new 2 week old baby there that Karley and Bentley were smitten with and a pregnant mom. Of course I am happy for them but it hurts…. I want that SOOOOO bad! I told Karley and Bentley on the way home that I didn’t have a baby in my belly. They of course asked me why and Bentley told me to try again. I had to text Paul to tell him as he is at the cabin with little to no service. Once he texted me back I cried again. I am upset, mad, scared, worried, angry, and so many more emotions. We have ONE more vial left of our donor. That means we can try only ONE more time. The rest of the day I was kind of numb. My neighbor came and took Karley and Bentley so I could have some time. I had one daycare kiddo left and his mom came and chatted with me for quite some time. She is an amazing lady who truly gets infertility!!! I went to my neighbors to find out she took my kids to Wal-Mart and let them put together a gift bag with items for me. I honestly was overwhelmed. Karley and Bentley have been through every step of this with us and to have her think about this, go out of her way, and include them was so meaningful. They were so excited to give it to me and tell me all about it and which things they picked out. I was able to call and actually talk with Paul and that helped me a ton. We are going to take a few months off, enjoy the holidays, and I am going to go back to focusing on me!

Gift I received