Thursday, May 18, 2006

IVF UPDATE

Well back from my blog day off (although it really wasn't a day off as I wrote for Bara's blog). But I thought I would update you with how I am doing.

Mainly, we are, well, waiting.

And waiting.

And not so patiently waiting.

I spent the weekend pretty laid out and was concerned about being able to get through an entire day of work on Monday. My pain was good, but I was just very out of breath whenever I walked. However, by the end of Monday, I felt really good.

By Tuesday, I felt nearly completely back to my old self. I still have to walk pretty gingerly and slow, and I am on a lot of restrictions (including no vacuuming! Shucks!) However, I feel good, and we are just patiently awaiting getting the results.

The worst part now is the nightly intramuscular shots in my lower back/upper gluteus. As I mentioned before, these are known to be killers. I am now 7 days into the shots and understanding why these things are so infamous among IVF women. The first few were okay, but the problem is, each shot leaves a bruise both on the muscle underneath the skin and the surface of the skin. John tries to find a new place each evening, but the shots from day one haven't healed yet so we are quickly running out of new places to take these things. It now hurts to lie on my back or lean against a chair -- it's difficult to imagine another week, and if we are pregnant, another nine weeks. But I'll make it through. JB says that each night when he mentions the shot, my face immediately goes into "pouty mode". I try not to complain, but they are not fun. Ebby Ray stopped over tonight to pick something up and, as Ebby is always trying to learn something new, wanted to see how JB gave me the shots. Yes, Ebby has now seen my rear end.

JB and I are really working hard to stay close and keep the stress low. I am now helping around the house more, but he is still helping make decisions and helping to alleviate pressure from me. Yesterday afternoon, he picked me up at lunchtime, and we went to our favorite nature preserve, sat on a bridge over a babbling brook (It was really babbling, and no, it wasn't named after me all you sarcastic family members) and ate our lunch. It was 71 degrees, and we just soaked in the amazing sunshine and talked about nothing related to infertility whatsoever.

Speaking of the weather, as much as I complain in the Winter, I thought it only fair to Rochester to applaud it on the back for it's late Spring and Summer. This time of year always helps me completely understand why south Florida is filled with people who live half the year in the north and half the year in the south. It is so beautiful here right now and as the summer wears on, it stay light longer and longer each evening. Right now it is nearly 8:30 before the sun goes down and come Summer time, it will be pushing 10:00!!!! I cannot wait. JB keeps saying if he was a kid living in Minnesota, he would have loved how long he could be outside this time of year (forgetting he couldn't even go outside for the rest of the year in fear of losing his nose or a toe).

Speaking of (I love that phrase "speaking of" if you can't tell -- it is such a great transition) ... living in the north or the south, I was wondering what I talked like. Being as I grew up with parents from the north, I always had a Chicago twang, However, then I moved to Kentucky and became country and now I have the midwest thrown in. So I took a little quiz and discovered, well, I discovered nothing. I was just as mixed up as I thought I was with a little bit of everything. But if you want to see what you are, you can take the
Yankee or Redneck quiz.

Keep the prayers coming. Tomorrow, JB will blog hi-jack with something about animal domestication. Hopefully tomorrow will come soon -- one day closer to getting our results.

P.S. The American Idol finalists have been named. JB's girlfriend Kat McPhee and our grey-haired Taylor Hicks are in. They split the votes -- 33% point something each and Elliot went home. I can see why the votes were so split. I really liked all three although I am pulling for Taylor and still sulking that America didn't come through for Chris!! Oh well. Tune in next week to see who pulls it off. I even have my MOTHER hooked on American Idol.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

My results from the 'Yankee or Redneck' test: "81% Dixie. Do you still use Confederate money?"

Ouch!

Amber said...

Wendi,

Those PIO shots are nasty! I can't help but share what I did and hope it might help you as well.

First, I filled one of dh's long socks with rice and tied a knot in it. Every night while dh would get the shot ready I would put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Then after he had the shot ready I would cradle the syringe in the sock to get it warm. Thins out the oil and makes it go in easier.

Then I would lay down and put the sock on expected injection site and get it warm ... helping to break up any oil lumps from the last time.

Then the key for me was to have dh very roughly massage the injection site. I imagined it beaking up oil lumps from the last time which is what I was imagining was what was hurting.

The first week I didn't do this and it was getting progressively more painful. The last week I started with the massage and it completely alleviated the extra discomfort. You are still getting a shot, but it's like the shot from the first night, not like the 7th.

Continuing to pray for you and those precious sticky babies of yours!!!

Gabbs said...

Hmmm...I'm 53% Dixie. I only spent 7 years of my life up north and the other 22 in the south. So if at 7 years of age I was 100% yankee, then at what percent each year do I turn more dixie? And at what age will I be 100% dixie?......

By the way, this turkey sandwich on Rye bread is very good.

Confederates have their own money? Hmmm. Interesting. Do they have their own stores to spend that money in? Will I get more for my money if its Conferedate money? Or is it like monopoly money?

Anonymous said...

My score..."33% Dixie. You are definitely a Yankee." ha ha! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm "Even Stevens"...I was 50% Yankee and 50% Dixie. That means I am all things to all people. I can blend in to a crowd. I am strong and versatile! Put me in the south...I'm southern. Put me in the north...I'm northen. Put me in Minnesota...I'm pissed! It's way too cold there!
See ya!

Josh

Anonymous said...

I'm 27% Dixie. I've been called a Yankee before.