New Procedure: IVF (Part I)

As mentioned previously, we're moving on to the next step in the getting-me-knocked-up-by-a-team-of-trained-professionals.  We spent a weekend with my cousin's 2-year-old though, and I think that's making it easier to take this step.  I mean, we both still think that this amount of money and surgery and technology is crazy, and we both still think, "But I like my life the way it is now and imagine what else we could do with that cash!"  But at least being around a kid all weekend made this parenting thing seem do-able for us.

So now the next step is IVF.  On Friday, I called the IVF nurse to figure out the actual next step, anticipating a long conversation.  Turns out, she said to just give them a call on CD1 and they'll get me some BCPs.  I need to stop in sometime early next week so she can check my blood pressure as part of that process, but she said that I can literally just stop in the office anytime and ask for her.  Two minute conversation.  And we're ready to move forward with one of the biggest decisions of my life. Yikes.

Naturally, I went home, got stoopid drunk and then cried myself to sleep downstairs in an uncomfortable chair.  Had a terrible dream about flying water moccasins that jumped up and bit my leg and foot while I was flying.  Woke up thinking, "No more beer. Ever." And now that I've backslid a bit, I'm ready to move forward. I think.

So the next steps, as I understand them, are:

• Go in for the BP check Done! 110/65. I rock.
• Get the BC scrip and take them for 2-3 weeks No problems yet!
• M & I both have to start taking antibioticsGot them, taking them, hate them. Ugh - nausea.
• Go in for CD3 blood work* Done! Estradiol at 34 (normal is <50), FSH at 6.6 (normal is <10). Better than my test last fall that showed I was on the edge of diminished ovarian reserve...which is why I hate  "unexplained" infertility...everything looks normal on me and M! It just doesn't work. 
• M needs to have an ASA test*
• Go in for another u/s

Abbreviations this post:

• IVF - invitro fertilization
• CD1 - cycle day 1 - first day of my menstrual cycle
• BCPs - birth control pills 
• BP - blood pressure
• ASA - antisperm antibodies

*It's already a bit more complicated and I updated this list.