IUI 1: Day 1

As soon as I hit "publish post" I got my period. Literally.

So, today is officially "day 1" and the ride is beginning. I wasn't expecting to start for another couple days, so it's a bit of a shock and a bit of bad timing. See, April was my big month of travel...and I thought, until today, that with the timing of things I'd have one free and clear week that coincides perfectly without me travelling...and well, now that day 1 is here - my day 12 lands smack in the middle of a trip that has long been planned and anticipated...a trip 'home' to LexVegas for a reunion of many friends. After some freaking out - and a call to SEDW and Vee, I was able to find out from my nurse and doctor that a slight change in my schedule (on both mine and the treatment parts) should allow a nice compromise. I'll go to LexVegas as planned, but come home a day early...just starting my Clomid one day later - so that I can trigger on day 13. That means as of right now, and assuming I'm all systems go on day 13 - we'll do the IUI on April 11 and 12th!

It's so crazy how fast this train is moving. Almost like there hasn't been a second to question or to even slow down...we've just been going full steam ahead ever since our first appointment (it was a month ago today). It's also amazing to me to think of the full gamut of emotions I have felt in that time. Confused, sad, anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, excited, ready...

...and, today I know one thing: I am ready.

It's Almost Time and How We're Making a Baby...

Yesterday, we had our follow up appointment with the doctor who explained that all my tests came back great for someone my age (34). He explained that the normal egg (or follicle?) count for someone under 35 is 10-20, I have 11. My HSG (test to make sure the ovaries are not blocked) showed everything looking good, no blockages, bloodwork all fine, and wouldn't you know it? My uterus looks good, too. Woot.

Now that we know more about my insides than I ever thought I would, we are going to go through our first cycle of IUI starting with my next menstral cycle, which should start any day. The doctor, who I like more and more every single time I see him, explained the process:

• The first day of my period, I will call to make an appointment to come in on day 3
• Day 3: Ultrasound and bloodwork
• Days 3-7: Take 50mg of Clomid to help stimulate egg production
• Day 12: Ultrasound
• On day 12 they will determine if I am beginning to come into ovulation or if I need another day or two - if I need more time, I will come back for another ultrasound, then on day 12 or a couple days later--when my body says I'm "ready" I will give myself a shot of Ovudril (HCG) that will trigger the release of the egg
• I call the sperm bank to go pick up our little swimmers!
• The two days after the "trigger shot" I will go for IUI
• I take prometrium (progesterone) to help support a pregnancy for 14 days while we wait to see if the procedure was successsful--only confirmed by a blood test

If the procedure wasn't successful, they will take me off the prometrium - which will trigger my period and we'll start the cycle all over again.

I was a little skeptical thinking that we'd have to wait until May to start, because I'm travelling every other week right now for work...and travelling a LOT in April. But, I believe I'm likely to begin my cycle this week - a little earlier than thought - so it looks like I'll be able to make some changes to my schedule and go through the first round this month!

I'm a little nervous, a lot excited, and really ready to begin. I'm not expecting the IUI to work the first time, it's only about a 20% chance--about the same as trying naturally. We will go through this treatment regime for 3 cycles. If we are not pregnant after 3 cycles then we'd go to a little more agressive IUI. We have not considered IVF at this time - mostly because it looks like I will be ok (in theory) and that in this controlled environment it's considered ideal.

We also selected our donor and bought 9 vials of sperm last week. I used to look for boys to date online, but there is something much more bizarre about going online to find a sperm donor!!! More on that to come...but for now, we wait for the one last thing that mother nature will be able to do on her own here...tell us it's time to begin.