In case you were wondering...

Lupron headache + warm Noni juice = the grossest thing ever.

My phone is dead so I can't get on twitter, and I needed to share that. Anyway, had a great ultrasound today! Lining measured at 7.5 - a personal record. We're very thrilled. Afterward, I got my legs butchered up again at acupuncture and started back on the Noni. You know, the super juice that tastes like liquid trash.

Is this getting fun, or what?! I'll be back later with today's video (woot!) and more deets...

Update (5/6/11): STILL trying to get our dang video from Monday to upload. Technical difficulties. Hope you're not holding your breath! ;-)

FET Update on Good Friday!

Ahhh... I've been away from the computer for three whole days. I didn't even log in to online banking for like a 48 hour period - that's got to be a personal record. My mom and I took a girls' trip over to Birmingham this week as a post-tax-season getaway. We had a fabulous time! We stayed at a great B&B right in town (the ONLY one in town, actually) and had a fun couple of days exploring the city. Our best discovery while there? This amazing spice store - Penzey's! I had never heard of it before. We were in there over an hour sniffing away and loading our baskets. Why Atlanta doesn't have one of these, I don't know - but one of the ladies there who helped us said they're looking for a spot in Atlanta! Oh, yes, please come!!!

I also left my Moo Goo diet behind as soon as we crossed the state line. I seriously ate more bread in the last three days than I have in the last six months. No for real - that is not an exaggeration. I ate ridiculous amounts of gluten and dairy-full goodness. But vacation's over and I'm going to be good now! I've got to get my oven bake-ready, so I'm really going to be good. After one final hoorah last night over margaritas with the hub, I'm going to stick to my guns going forward.

So yesterday was officially FET cycle day #1 (hence my need to get back on the wagon)! I called my nurse while on the road back to Atlanta. They sent me my protocol info for all my meds. And our transfer is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11th!!! Wow, less than three weeks now. I stay on Lupron right up until the transfer, but they cut my dose back to 5 units (was on 10 units). So I did my first dose of 5 units this morning. I also start the Estrace (estrogen) today. The dosage will go up little by little, but right now I'm doing 1mg by mouth in the morning, and 2mg vaginally at night. Yep, that's just as fun as it sounds - but nothing I'm not used to.

My ultrasound to check my lining will be Monday, May 2nd. We're really praying for some fabulous lining here! I know I will be a bit anxious that morning to see how I measure up, as this has always been a weak area for me. And then the progesterone shots with the big-ass needles should begin later that week. Exciting stuff!

The only thing not-so-exciting about all this is the extra fluff around my belly. I've already gained 5lbs (and I'm sure my calorie fest over the last couple of days will only help matters!) and now that I'm starting the Estrace, I'll really start puffing up. So yeah, I've totally been hiding under "blousy" tops lately. Which is tough considering 75% of my spring and summer wardrobe is made up of form-fitting tanks. So basically I keep rotating the same three boring outfits. Whatever... it's all worth it!

I hope you all have an excellent GOOD FRIDAY! We'll be at Gwinnett Church tonight for the church's first official service! Super exciting... we had a gathering last night with all the volunteers for this weekend. Had to be over 200 people there! We're all looking forward to seeing how many people come this weekend. We just have no idea! There are about 1,100 seats set up with room for more. The hub thinks there will be standing room only - I hope he's right! So excited to be a part of this church from the very beginning. And while I'd love to sport a cute Lilly dress for Easter Sunday, I have to admit I'm glad to hide my FET belly behind this T-shirt...



Locals... click below for info on services for this weekend! It's going to be incredible, so come join us!

Costco Favorites

If you don't know of my torrid love affair with Costco, you haven't been around long enough. I could spend hours in the place ooohing and aahhhing. And it turns out they have some great products to keep me going strong on my Moo Goo diet. I know some of you are also gluten-free and/or dairy-free, so I just wanted to share some of my favorites!



I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my acupuncturist recommended I get this cereal. And I am in love! I eat it every morning with almond milk. It's very filling and packs a good protein punch with the seeds (Dr. Liu is ALL about the seeds).



Individual tubs of hummus are available at Costco and they make a great snack with these gluten-free crackers. Kinda pricy, but they last a while for me. I can sometimes get a bag at the grocery with a coupon for a better deal, but most often the big box ends up being cheaper. They've got a nutty taste to them due to the seeds. Again with the seeds!



I mentioned almond milk. We've ditched the cow milk and use almond for drinking, cooking... and everything we used to use cow milk for. I've tried a few brands and this one is my favorite. I don't like it super sweet and the Silk brand Original flavor suits me best. I did a fist pump when I started seeing it at Costco. It's normally $3.50ish at the grocery, but Costco sells a pack of three for like $7 or $8. Even with grocery store coupons, the Costco price is tough to beat.



The very BEST deal I've found is on this organic gluten-free chicken broth. I've seen these sold at every grocery at an average of $4 for a 32oz box. Costco has a pack of SIX for less than $10. Um, that's a $14 savings. We do a lot of crockpot meals, so I actually go through a good bit of chicken broth. A lot of things at Costco are not cheaper than the groceries, but occasionally you'll find a real gem like this and you want to tell everyone!!!



We do a LOT of tacos and Mexican fare in our family. So finding a good taco seasoning mix to have on hand was essential. Honestly, my favorite is the Taco Bell brand - I just love the particular taste of it. But sadly, gluten. In fact most taco mixes, chili mixes and the like that are pre-packaged have gluten-full flour in them. So I was excited to find this ginormous container of taco seasoning at Costco that is gluten-free. McCormick uses corn meal instead of flour as a thickener. I've also got a good recipe for make-your-own mix, but as much as we do Mexican, I've got to have a quick option at the ready!


Other "regulars" in my Costco cart are ground turkey (much cheaper than I've found in any grocery), nuts and nut mixes/snacks (definitely cheaper to get nuts here vs. the grocery), tortilla chips, and Costco brand salsa. We generally get our meats at Costco except for chicken. I always get my chicken cheaper at the grocery when on sale. I won't pay more than $1.99/lb for chicken breasts. I also get my eggs and cheeses (for the hub) at Costco. I get produce there sparingly... I always get a big bag of onions - very good price. Everything else just depends on the price and how it looks. And well, how fast we can consume it. Do we really need 15 lemons?

Other than a few things, I really do not buy a lot of high dollar gluten-free products. I know Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have a ton of that kind of stuff, and even my Kroger and Publix have decent GF sections but I don't bother with most of it. Really I just cook a lot of the same stuff I used to with minor alterations to make it all GF and DF. We use GF pasta but I get the cheap stuff at Walmart ($2 for spaghetti). I eat corn tortillas instead of flour. If I make meataloaf, I use oats instead of bread crumbs. We do a lot of brown rice. I've learned to use mayo a lot of make things creamy. But am I going to buy a $6 box of gluten-free cookies? Um, no. I just won't eat cookies. (Except when I say SCREW IT! and eat them anyway.)

I am always discovering new fun things at Costco, so if any of you know of some goodies that I might like - please share!!! Mmm... I'm already salivating over my next Costco trip. I got the new coupon book in the mail, so we'll be hittin' it up later this week!

Milkshake Confession

Yes, just as I wrapped last week up with a post on my strong diet will power... I willingly somersaulted off the wagon this weekend with not one, but TWO Chick-fil-A milkshakes. Small ones though without whip... gotta save some calories somewhere, right?! Ha.... but let me plead my case.

Friday was a rough day. A very dear IF buddy got bad news Friday afternoon. It hit me hard because I just wanted this SO badly for her!!! (I went to her transfer with her a couple of weeks ago, if you remember.) Plus, her husband had to catch a flight like an hour after they got the call from the doctor. So just a sucky day for her all around. After work I dropped by her place with a chocolate CFA milkshake and fries. Well and I had to get one too - out of sympathy right?! We slurped our shakes and had a good cry together. Time and chocolate heal all wounds.

Then Saturday night we took a little road trip to the southside to visit kuntry bride and her hubby in the hospital. They had an early delivery of their baby girl last week - a tiny little princess weighing less than 5 lbs! She was being watched closely in NICU but is doing wonderfully. It was so great to see our friends and meet their new little one, but being in the labor and delivery area of a hospital is still tough on me. I wonder if we'll ever get there... that part of the journey seems SO far away. I felt like any minute one of the nurses was going to say, "You don't belong here." And walking through the waiting area on our way out was the worst part really... seeing all the parents and grandparents with their balloons and cameras, oogling over newborn photos. *Ugh.* Nothing another milkshake can't cure, right?! Cookies 'n cream this time.

Oh, but we're back at it today, dear readers. No more cheats. You'll hold me accountable, won't you?!

Hope you all have a fantastic week!!!

P.S. If you're going to ask me why the hell I didn't try the new banana pudding milkshake, let me remind you that I hate bananas with an unrivaled passion. I made the hub get it though and he loved it.

Moo Goo (the crazy things we doo goo for a baby)

A twitter pal asked me the other day to do a post with Moo Goo deets.  I've done several posts on Moo Goo along the way and even did a week in the life of Moo Goo a while back.  But perhaps we need a refresher course since I'm back in the game and reference my crazy diet a good bit.  I'll try to keep this quick and simple (I've got a pile of work to do, after all). 

 

"Moo Goo" (short for Moo Goo Gai Pan, duh) is what I affectionately call the diet and herb regimen my acupuncturist has me on.  I started this last May and kept it up through our November IVF cycle.  Then I let loose some with the holidays.  OK maybe a lot.  Somehow the holidays carried over into February.  Hello, Valentine's Day... the holiday season is really long.  Plus I had my surgery in January which required regular doses of Loritab and mint chocolate milkshakes.  But with our upcoming FET cycle, I finally got back on board hardcore last week.  I considered March 1st my official back-on-the-wagon day. 

 

As for the diet, here are the major NO's...

 

- No gluten/wheat

- No dairy

- No alcohol

- No caffeine

- No cold drinks or food

- No raw vegetables

- Low sugar

- Not a lot of seafood

 

Sounds like fun, right?  Here are some things I AM supposed to eat..

 

- one hard-boiled egg everyday

- high protein

- nuts and seeds

- vegetables (cooked)

- fruits with seeds

- brown rice

 

So basically that leaves me eating lots of meat, veggies, and fruit.  I actually have stayed off of caffeine this entire time - even through the holidays.  I did fine off of it, so I figured why not continue?  I never had that much to begin with - usually just one cup of coffee in the mornings.  (The trick now is to get in a high protein breakfast - then I'm fine.)  I used to have a diet coke once in a blue moon, but I try to stay away from sodas altogether anyway.  And I'm not an iced tea person (don't even like sweet tea), so no big deal really giving up caffeine.  I have gotten in the habit of drinking decaf in the mornings but I'm in the process of stopping that.  "Coffee no good for you. Drink water." 

 

Starting this diet almost a year ago was scary because it felt SOOOO restrictive.  I didn't know what the hell I could eat.  It took a lot of learning, but now it's honestly no big deal.  I occasionally crave something I can't have.... I'm a fool for cheese.  But I'm just so used to it now.  And I've learned how to find other things to satisfy my cravings.  Plus if I have a really bad craving for something particular, my acupuncturist has just the needle for it.  Chinese medicine is seriously so fascinating.  I can eat most of the things I'd normally cook anyway, but with some alterations.  As long as I can control my meals, it's easy.  What's hard is when you're out at a restaurant or at a party.  Party food is like a gluten and dairy tango. 

 

So what's the purpose behind it all?  Most simply, the idea is to get my body in the most strong and healthy state possible in order to enable me to get pregnant.  A lot of the diet has to do with improving digestion and is a great move for anyone wanting to simply "feel better" - cutting out gluten, dairy, excess sugar, and kicking up the protein.  But some of it is tailored specifically for my needs/deficiencies (i.e. the no cold foods).  So please don't see this as a one-size-fits-all diet.  But I will tell you that simply cutting out gluten and dairy - though yes, it's a big sacrifice - makes me feel worlds better.  I have so much more energy.  I never have that overly full/bloated feeling after eating.  And my allergies are also tons better.  Some people are of course very intolerant of gluten and/or dairy but we ALL are intolerant of both on some level.  Go a couple of weeks without them and see if you can't tell a difference.

 

As for the herbs, I'm currently on a very scaled down regimen compared to what I'm normally on when doing treatments.  I'm taking just three different herbs (all in pill form) right now - Women's Chamber, Spirulina, and these chewable Pomegranate ball thingees.  I'll be back at acupuncture in a couple of weeks, so I'm sure my doctor will get me on all the other goodies once again.  OH and I'm also soaking my feet nightly (for 15-20 min) in Tibetan herbs (that are rather smelly).  Supposedly that helps with bloodflow and my cold hands/cold feet issues.  The Chinese are BIG on temperatures.  I feel like they are so much more in touch with the body than we are.

 

So that's my crazy Moo Goo world.  Since starting back hardcore last week, I have dropped 3 lbs (by cutting out certain foods I can't have, but also just by paying attention - I log my calories daily) and I feel SO much better.  Makes me ask myself why I ever stopped!  How quickly I forgot how good I feel on this diet.  Geez, how did this post get so long?  I gotta down some herbs and get back to work...

Enchilada Recipe

How does Monday get here so fast?  Actually, I don't mind... let's please get through these next six weeks quickly so I can have a life again!  Anyway, just chowing down on some leftovers here.  I made some yum-o GF/DF enchiladas last night and thought I'd share the recipe.  I wasn't sure if the hub would like them but he was very impressed!  And it's super easy - just my style...

 

Beef (or Turkey) Enchiladas

 

1 lb ground beef or turkey (we use turkey - 93% fat free kind)

1 onion, chopped

1-2 tbsp diced jalapeno (canned)

1 pkg taco seasoning mix (for GF, find one that uses cornstarch as filler or make your own)

1 jar Verde enchilada sauce (I used Kroger brand)

6-8 corn tortillas

 

Directions:

 

Brown the meat and cook the onions in a skillet and add the canned jalapenos (to taste).  Add taco seasoning according to package directions. If you're using a homemade seasoning, add salt to taste.  In a baking dish, add some of the Verde sauce to the bottom of the dish (just enough to cover the surface).  Spoon your meat mixture into each of the tortillas, rolling them and placing the "open" side on the bottom of the baking dish.  You'll want to use a dish that will hold your enchiladas snugly - I actually used a glass pie baking dish for my six and they fit perfectly.  Pour the rest of your Verde sauce over the enchiladas and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (watch for sauce to bubble).

 

The hub of course topped his with cheese, but they were so tasty, I really did not miss the cheese whatsoever.  And they're great leftover too... seeing as I just inhaled the last two here.

Christmas Gifts? Check.

This is when it begins... all the holiday craziness!  The non-stop party schedule officially starts tonight.  Well, it's actually the hub's godson's birthday party tonight, but it's still a party!  But yeah, from here till Christmas, our weekends are jam-packed with festive shindigs.  I hate that we can't make it to all the big to-do's around town, but there are only so many days in December! 

 

And given that the month of December is always so nuts, I always have the goal of getting all my Christmas shopping done and all gifts wrapped before December arrives.  I think this is the FIRST year ever that I actually accomplished it!  Well, technically I was wrapping the last few gifts on December 1st, but hey - it's done!  I do have a couple of gifts left to buy, but they're for family friends we draw names with and I don't know who we've got yet, so can't buy those just yet.  But otherwise, I'm 100% done and wrapped up!  And it feels great.  Plus, I love being able to admire all the fun prezzies under our tree for a few weeks rather than feverishly trying to get everything wrapped up on Christmas Eve (like last year).

 

And you know I have my master Santa spreadsheet where I do my gift budget!  I had to delete Charlie's column this year... sniff, sniff.  But yeah, I set a strict budget (because we're on a strict budget, duh) for each person.  As I think of gift ideas randomly, I note them on the spreadsheet, because Lord knows that idea will disappear from my brain 5 minutes later.  A lot of friends tell me they try to set and stick to a budget for gifts but always go overboard.  Well, I don't have much of a choice but to stick to our budget, but I think my two big tips to do so would be (1) use cash - as in actual dollar bills, and (2) don't wait till the last minute. 

 

I'm usually a big online shopper, but I think I only got like two gifts online this year and bought the rest in store.  It's normally the opposite!  But, yeah my best advice is to use cash if you're shopping in stores.  We do cash envelopes for all of our spending anyway, so this is obviously not a big deal for me to do... but the easiest way to stick to a budget is to pull out the cash for that category (Christmas gifts, in this case), stick it in an envelope and write "Christmas Gifts."  You buy Christmas gifts with the money out of that envelope.  And only Christmas gifts.  Once it's gone, you're done.  So yeah, I think you'll pay a *little* bit more attention to how much you're spending, won't ya?  Heck yeah, you will.  Overspending is WAY too easy when swiping a card.  Not so much with cash. 

 

And I've found that any overspending that occurs, at least for me, is on those last minute gifts.  I find that I'm not as frugal or cost-conscious because I'm in a hurry and I need to just get something so I can cross it off my list.  Who cares if it was $10 more than I needed to spend?  Plus at that point, the *joy* has about run out and I am OVER it.  So yeah, I really try to avoid doing that!  And I'm proud to say that I came in right on target this year!  We budgeted a total of $500 for gifts.  And that is really, really tight.  We would LOVE to do much more, but hello... you know we're on our debt-busting mission.  Our list is not huge - neither the hub or I have huge families.  And outside of our fams, we really do not buy for many others except for a few close friends.  But I of course make that $500 stretch as far as humanly possible.  I always keep up with what I'm spending versus the value I'm getting on everything in my master spreadsheet.  I didn't do quite as well as last year, but we did average about a 45% savings overall.  Pretty decent.  I'll give that a B-.

 

So how do y'all tackle Christmas shopping?  Is there a method to your madness?

 

In other goings-on, we got an appointment set up with Dr. T for Thursday, the 16th.  So I guess we'll decide at that point if I'll be doing another surgery or not.  I started thinking about it this morning and remembered all the crap I had to do before my 2nd surgery and was like "OMG, am I going to have to do all that again for this one?"  Lord, help me.  Or help my husband!  I remember Dr. T had me on Depot Lupron shots for a couple of months prior to the surgery.  NOT fun!  Major menopausal symptoms.  Crazy hot flashes and the attitude to go with 'em.  And then I was remembering the pre-op procedure I had to go through and how I nearly passed out in the bathroom afterward.  Hmmm.... good times!  Maybe I won't have to do all that this time though - I don't think I will - at least not the Lupron.  Let's hope not.  But anyway, we'll get the scoop on all that junk in a couple of weeks.  For now, I'm enjoying little cheats here and there on Moo Goo.  I'm not dumping the diet altogether - I stick to it when it's just me.  But holiday parties and such?  If it's something I REALLY want, yeah I'll be a little crazy and go for it.  Oh but wine?  That's a different story.  I think I've had a bottle and a half of red wine since Wednesday.  Ha!

Why I Love Harry So.

OK first, here's a good trailer to get your heart beating quickly! This actually has scenes from both parts 1 and 2...




We of course saw Part 1 on opening day last week! Not the midnight show... I couldn't handle that right now! But I'm planning to do a midnight show again for the last one - those are so fun! But we did go to the prime time 7pm IMAX show Friday night, so there was still lots of excitement. The full theatre applauded once the movie began, and gave a huge audible "UGH!" when it ended. It does leave you hanging, but I thought they split the two parts at the best place possible. More of the book is in the first half (if I'm remembering correctly), so I'm assuming they're going to really play up the final battle scene with lots of screen time.

I was tearing up within two minutes... watching Hermione "obliviate" her parents' memories of her. OMG. They really showed that well. I love the opening scenes, taking us to each of the three kids' homes before they're together again to face their final and most important mission. No spoiler alerts here... I know some people go see the films without reading the books (I don't get you, but I know lots of you.) I'm not sure I would totally follow the films without having read the books - there are so many emotions and story lines that aren't touched on screen. It's just impossible to get those books wrapped up in a 2-3 hour movie. Movies 1-6, you're maybe getting 35-40% of what's all in the book. And a lot of it was changed. Though, I will say I'm glad they did the last book in two parts. If they're going to get the bulk of the book into a film, the 7th one should be it! And they really did stay true to the book for the most part, at least in this first half. I knew they would have to bring the house elves back into the film (when they got ignored in other installments - namely #4!), because they're so vital to the storyline. I won't give away Dobby's role in this first half, but I thought it was very well done on screen. I totally lost it.

I love the films. I do think they've done a good job taking the beloved books to the screen and I have LOVED watching Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson grow into their characters over the years. And grow up! It's been fascinating to watch them become young adults along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were all fresh faces when this started and they've matured into really great actors. I thought this last film was tremendously acted. And I'm still always dumbfounded by Alan Rickman as professor Snape. He is so hauntingly terrific. He was only in this first part a short bit, but whoah, you felt it.

OK so the movies are fun, but why read the books?! All I can say is God bless J.K. Rowling. What an utterly amazing talent. This world she has created... how these seven books are so intertwined... it's just beyond my comprehension. I think many have the misconception that these books are just for kids. They are great for older kids, for sure. But I would not read them to my 5-year-old. They get very dark, very fast. But it's the ultimate good vs. evil, coming of age story. An orphan boy who grew up thinking he was nothing, learning he is the only one who can rid his new-found magical world of its enemy. It's about friendship, love, and having something worth fighting for. I have such great love for these characters. I have laughed with them and cried with them. I always loved reading about how J.K. Rowling really struggled whenever she killed off a character. As real as this imaginary world is for the reader, I can't fathom how captivated she is by this world she has created.

I think it's really hard to convince someone to read something - no matter how much you rave about it. Kinda like how our head pastor at church encourages us just to get people there - then they'll see. So I say, just read it - you'll see. That's how I got into Twilight after all - someone said, you gotta read this - you'll see. And yeah, I FLEW through all four books and loved it! Now just for comparison - which it's really apples and oranges here - but if you're speaking level of ultimate awesomeness... the Harry Potter series trumps Twilight by a LOOOOONG ASSSSSSSSSS shot. Probably the best book comparison for Harry is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. You know, Dumbledore is like Gandalf... Harry, Ron, and Hermione are like the hobbits... Voldermort is like Sauron... OK but LOTS easier to read Harry Potter! I love the LOTR books, but holy shit are those a hard read.

But seriously, one of the things I most look forward to about being a mom is being able to one day share these books with my kids. I CANNOT WAIT to introduce them to this magical world. That is how special they are to me - I don't know any other way to put it. I know I have some other fellow Harry fanatics out there... what is it that makes you crazy over these books?!

So in other non-Harry news, Thanksgiving is tomorrow! I'll be out of touch Thursday and Friday since we'll be all engrossed in Turkey Day festivities, but I hope y'all have a GREAT one! My MIL is doing the cooking, but I'm going to bring my own Moo Goo friendly (gluten-free) dressing recipe (in addition to hers) since I can't have the real thing. Normally, I'd let the diet slide some for Turkey Day, but given that we're in such a critical phase right now with dot, I'm stickin' to my guns. I'm also going to do some baked apples with a walnut topping for a dessert. Gluten-free and dairy-free - duh! Had to buy some GF bread and flour for this stuff... damn it's expensive! Ridiculous. Better be good!

Safe travels and lots of love to you and your family this Thanksgiving! Gobble, gobble!

The Protocol

There's all this *mysteriousness* surrounding IVF until you're in the thick of it. At least that's the way I felt. It was always this massive, expensive procedure floating out there in our future. I always thought we'd wind up here. Not that I didn't have any faith in IUI or even Moo Goo alone - I certainly did. But for whatever reason, I just felt we'd end up doing IVF before it was all over. But until now, it was always this mysterious process that I didn't worry too much about until we had to. Part of that's because I had trouble finding any detailed information on the costs beforehand. Everything I searched was so vague. It's easy to find ballpark figures, but your protocol and medication can make a big difference in overall cost. And everyone is different. But even trying to get estimates out of my doctor's office was confusing. They still give you a range. Well I'm a numbers person, y'all. I like exact figures! So hang tight, I will give you those.

And, as promised, I'm going to take you guys along for the ride. I'm guessing I'll start next Friday. That's my guess. I'm very regular, but it's still a guessing game with me to some degree. (Flo likes to keep me on my toes.) I've got my protocol laid out and my meds ready. All I have to do is call my doctor's office when I start (Day 1). The hub and I both start taking an antibiotic on Day 1. I asked the nurse why he needed one and she told me the answer and I was like, "Oh, OK that makes sense," but now I've totally forgotten the reason. Anyone know? Anyway, then they'll have me come in on Day 2 for a "suppression check" - basically an ultrasound (vaginal) and bloodwork to make sure everything's clear and good to go. And I will start my first dose of injectables that evening. I have to actually mix some of the meds before injecting - that first night should be interesting! I'm not fearful of the shots at all - moreso the mixing and not effing it up somehow. I also have to pay attention to my dosage, etc. One of my syringes is pre-filled but you only take a certain dosage. Our Injectables 101 with the nurse a couple of weeks ago was a bit overwhelming! I'm just used to popping pills and doing the occasional ready-to-go injection. So this all is certainly new.

After Day 2, they will pretty much be monitoring me everyday until the egg retrieval. So I will have to go in to the doctor's office each morning (I assume morning - I hope so) for an ultrasound to see how I'm responding to the meds. As things progress, they will adjust my dosages as necessary. So I do have more medication on hand than what my initial protocol calls for, in the event that they'll want to increase my dosage. This won't mean much to the fertiles, but I'll initially be taking Gonal-F (225iu) and Menopur (75 iu) through Day 5. I also have Ganirelix and am supposed to take that medication in with me to the doctor's office on my Day 6 visit. I guess they will give me my first dose of this? And then it looks like I'm supposed to continue the Ganirelix (250mcg) every morning until Day 10. Again, this is all my initial work-up and will probably be adjusted as I go along.

So as you can see, I spend the first 10 days or so of my cycle getting drugged up. Basically, the meds are there to make me produce LOTS of eggies! Somewhere around Day 12, they will do the egg retrieval, which is an actual surgery where I'll be knocked out. Not at all afraid of this as I've had two hysteroscopies before. The retrieval is a quick, 30 minute procedure but I'll definitely be home afterwards taking it easy. The hub also gets to do his grand performance this same day! I will of course fill y'all in on how many eggs are retrieved and of those, how many are "mature." Then the task is getting those mature eggs fertilized. They'll initially allow some sperm and egg to party on their own and see if they fertilize, but ultimately they'll use a process called "ICSI" to force fertilization.

Hopefully we will have some beautiful embryos and be able to freeze some! (A frozen IVF cycle is WAY cheaper than a fresh cycle.) Our best-case-scenario plan is to transfer one embryo on day 5 (meaning 5 days after the retrieval). Otherwise, they will transfer 1-2 embryos on day 3. Day 5 is better because the embryo is more mature and more likely to stick once transferred back. So day 5 is what we're hoping for! And you may be asking why only one embryo... Well, given my *special* uterus, my doctor is adamant that I could not carry more than twins. I will be high-risk throughout my pregnancy no matter what, so he thinks it's best to only do one embryo here. With two embryos, the chance of twins is a good 20% or so, but either of those embryos could also split... making quads a possibility. Um, no. Could you imagine?! The chance of splitting is small, but it's certainly there. I was a little discouraged about the 1 vs. 2 embryo transfer when we initially discussed it with my doctor over a year ago, but I'm totally at peace with it now. I feel like it's definitely the right decision for us.

The actual transfer is done with a catheter, and the doctor will use ultrasound to guide him. Though it's the jelly on the belly kind of ultrasound and apparently you have to have a full bladder during this process so they can contrast the bladder and uterus on screen. He told me this would be uncomfortable. So while most people would probably be freaked out about all the meds and injectables and surgery, I'm nervous about the transfer! Because I hate that full bladder feeling... hate it! Dear me, I hope he's quick.

So after the transfer, it's really just a waiting game. The first couple of weeks of November will be very intense! And then it's a wait-and-see kinda thing. As in wait and see if it worked! We are so very hopeful that we can just knock it out in one try - that would be great! But we do have a plan in place. We are doing a prepaid plan where you pay up front for several cycles at a discounted rate. It's a third party that handles these plans, but they work directly with my doctor's office. There are all kinds of options, but given my age, etc, we decided the 2+ cycle plan made the most sense. Cost was one of the things that was just so vague with IVF, like I mentioned. So I'm sharing the cost info with y'all because I know there are women out there like me trying to figure all this shit out. The ballpark figures I found online for IVF ranged from $8,000 to $18,000. Like how is that helpful? What does that include? What does that mean?! There's a honkin' huge difference between $8,000 and $18,000. Very few insurance providers will cover any part of it. I believe there are some states that address this issue and may even require providers to cover some of it - not sure. All I know is I'm in Georgia and Georgia doesn't. But certainly do your research! My insurance does not cover any part of IVF or any other "procedure" to get me pregnant. I do have partial coverage on diagnostic procedures. So back when they were trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me, a lot of that was covered. But as soon as I started doing any assisted reproductive treatments, we were on our own. My friend and fellow IVF-er is all fired up about this insurance nonsense... It's ironic how the providers refuse to cover the procedure, so women feel the need to transfer multiple embryos (increasing their chances of success), and then end up in pre-term labor and NICU with their multiples. So now that same provider has a six figure hospital bill in their hands.

Tangent - sorry! Anyway, if we were to pay cycle-by-cycle at my clinic, we would have to put down a $12,000 deposit (for one fresh cycle). $12,000 is really their best guess at what a typical fresh IVF cycle costs a patient, but you may end up spending more or a little less - just depends. The meds, however, are a separate beast and are not included in that amount. The range the nurse quoted me on meds was $3,000-5,000. Luckily, I seem to be on the low-end this round, as my meds were just over $3,000. So the range for a fresh IVF cycle at my clinic, including meds, is $15,000 - $17,000.

We, however, chose to do the prepaid plan through ARC, a third party. This "2+ cycle" plan includes two fresh cycles and two frozen cycles. So for those four cycles, we (ahem, my sweet parents rather) paid $18,021.15 for this plan. This does not include any meds, so again we've already got $3,034.21 worth of meds on hand. (Tally: $21,055.36) And that's for just cycle #1. Should we have to go for another round, any additional meds would mean more $$$. Also not included is the surgical center fee for the egg retrieval - which is another $1500. (Tally: $22,555.36) That is also just for cycle #1, so should we have to do another fresh cycle, we'd have to pay another $1,500.

That is a whole bunch of numbers! OK but the nuts and bolts... should we get pregnant on the first try, we will have overpaid for that one cycle by about $7,500 (vs. just paying cycle-by-cycle). But hey... pregnant! So that is the risk with these prepaid plans, but the comfort is in the fact that we have a plan laid out with a lesser outlay of cash if we need the remaining cycles. It gives me a tremendous sense of peace... just knowing, alright, here's as far as we can go. And if this doesn't work, time to move on to Plan B.

As y'all know, I'm very, very excited about this process! Yes it's going to be intense and taxing on my body and spirit but I'm ready! I'm also so thankful to be in such a good spot spiritually right now. We obviously want to be parents so badly, but I'm not foolish enough to wait on a baby to make me happy. I am happy. I have an amazing husband with whom I absolutely love doing life. I have incredible friends and family who have been tremendous prayer warriors for us and have provided such unending support and love. We have two silly dogs that love us so hard and make us laugh everyday. And I have a God who is bigger than ALL of this. He wants nothing but the best for me and he's been nudging me day and night lately, reminding me that true satisfaction is only found in Him. Not in babies, husbands, friends, or even shoes. I want a baby, but I have all I could ever need.

Let's Go!

The end of the month is creeping up!  Which means we'll be starting IVF soon... less than two weeks now, I'm guessing.  We're very hopeful and so excited!  I plan to take y'all along with me through every step, so hop aboard if you're ready.  It's just a fascinating process.  I'm trying to be *extra* diligent with my Moo Goo diet these last days leading up to our next cycle.  I'll get back to yoga on Wednesday - I have missed the last few weeks because of my schedule and my body is not happy about it!  But, my meds are ready.  We're ready.  It's just a waiting game right now...

It's MY day!

Last night in my women's small group we were talking about how to rid ourselves of self-glorification. Well I must start that tomorrow, because today is my BIRTHDAY!!! If you haven't figured it out yet, I LOVE my birthday! No matter the age... maybe that will change someday but I doubt it. As far as I can tell, life only gets better every year. And what a blessing to make it another year with a smile! The first 33 years have been pretty darn good. And I plan to kick some major ass in year 34.

No Moo-Goo-approved cake for me this year (although I may or may not have had half a brownie with breakfast), so I spent a couple of minutes this morning reminiscing over my uber-fabulous 30th birthday cake. Wasn't it so dreamy?

The hub and I are going to P.F. Chang's tonight for dinner - they have a huge gluten-free menu! So excited! We don't go out much, so this is quite the splurge for us. It definitely tops the $1.50 hot dog combo at Costco (our usual date night spot).

Twilight Obsession.

No, not that Twilight. This Twilight.

So, yeah, I told y'all I cheated on Moo Goo last night. I indulged in a glass of red wine and a big chunk of Ghirardelli's Twilight Delight after dinner. It was a one time thing, so no worries. I hadn't let myself have any chocolate in like a month, so this was pretty killer. I have found a decent gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate bar. But I said, screw it... I'm going for my favorite tonight. And I did!

Now I am not really big on sweets generally. Give me a dessert menu and there will maybe, maybe be one item on there I'd eat. Brownie Sundae with hot fudge? Uh, no thanks. New York Cheesecake? I'll pass. But a good piece of dark chocolate is like a little slice of Heaven to me. And I've tasted lots of dark chocolate in my life's mission to find the best dark chocolate out there. I'm not through, but for now, the best out there (that I've come across) hands down is Ghirardelli's Twilight Delight. It's just perfect. We had a good time last night, Twilight and I. But it was a one time thing. I'm in a serious relationship with Moo Goo... so we shall never speak of this again, OK Twilight? I'll call you when I'm a free woman. Don't call me.

A week in Moo Goo: Friday

Yay for Friday! Hope you all have an excellent one and don't forget to enter my Dave giveaway by midnight (EST) tonight if you haven't already! No major weekend plans for us... looking forward to getting stuff done around the house and catching up on some Tivo. How about y'all?

Today:

Breakfast. Hard-boiled egg, 2 turkey sausage links, instant grits (1/3 cup, plain) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter*

Lunch. Beef enchilada with red sauce (no cheese), one crispy beef taco (no cheese), and black beans, tortilla chips (1 oz) and salsa (Went out for Mexican with my mom! I've found that Mexican is the easiest type of food to go for if I'm eating out - lots of Moo Goo friendly options since I can have corn tortillas and corn chips. I just have to stay away from flour tortillas, sour cream, and obviously... cheese. Oh and margaritas.)

Snack. 1 cup raspberries with 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Snack. 1/4 cup Back to Nature Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed granola

Dinner. Spaghetti with gluten-free noodles (from Wal-mart of all places), Barilla Mushroom & Garlic sauce with ground turkey, onions, and green peppers added. And....are you ready for it? One 4 oz glass of red wine and nearly 2 oz of dark chocolate*. Yep, I totally cheated. I gave myself a one-time break after the day I had! I broke like 5 rules of Moo Goo there with the wine and chocolate.


* Note that because I don't have "true" allergies to gluten or dairy, I'm a little forgiving when it comes to things like small amounts of margarine/butter, or certain sauces that probably have a little of either of those. I generally just try to eliminate the obvious things and do the best that I can with the rest! So if you have a real intolerance for gluten or dairy, you may need different options. I will star these items that may contain some wheat or milk.

A week in Moo Goo: Thursday

Oh I'm so glad tomorrow's Friday. Bring it! We've been running around so much this week and I'm ready for a relaxing weekend. Even if relaxing means doing laundry. We're also testing this weekend to see if the IUI was successful! The last two weeks actually went by pretty quickly, so I've been thankful for that. We're of course praying for a BFP here but more than anything I'm just praying for continued peace with whatever comes. Dave Ramsey often says to callers, "I'm not in your forest; I can see the trees." I'm always trying to remember that God has the bigger and better perspective. But geez, God... from our end the timing looks pretty damn good. How 'bout yours?!

Today:

Breakfast. Hard-boiled egg, 2 turkey sausage links, instant grits (1/3 cup, plain) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter*

Lunch. Black beans, diced bell pepper with leftover Mexican Rice

Snack. 1 cup raspberries with 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Snack. 1/2 cup Back to Nature Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed granola*

Dinner. Hamburger patties (8 oz), 1/4 cup hummus with Crunchmaster multi-grain crackers, Tostitos Scoops, 1 oz (Yes, I realize this is a really weird dinner. We had small group tonight, so of the food available, this is what I was able to eat! The hamburger patties were actually from sliders and I just ditched the buns and cheese.)


* Note that because I don't have "true" allergies to gluten or dairy, I'm a little forgiving when it comes to things like small amounts of margarine/butter, or certain sauces that probably have a little of either of those. I generally just try to eliminate the obvious things and do the best that I can with the rest! So if you have a real intolerance for gluten or dairy, you may need different options. I will star these items that may contain some wheat or milk.

A week in Moo Goo: Wednesday

Mmm.... that granola yesterday was delish! I'll be having some more of that today! I may need to swing by Publix to grab some more since the sale ends tonight. Speaking of snacks, one thing that's really tricky with my diet is that I'm on these herbs - many of which have to be taken on an empty stomach (including my nasty-ass Noni juice). So that makes timing my snacks very tricky. As you can see, I'm the type that eats throughout the day. But I have to squeeze in two doses of Noni and other herbs between lunch and dinner. And I have to do each of those at least 2 hours after eating and 1 hour before eating. So like yesterday one of my afternoon snacks got the boot because I wasn't able to fit it in. I have to take my last dose of Noni before 6pm. Why? I don't know... I guess I'd turn into a Gremlin after 6pm. But it makes snack time a little difficult!

Well here's to a great Wednesday... hope y'all have a good one. We're doing something kinda fun today - the hub and I are visiting some 5th graders at an inner-city school over lunch. We'll just be spending some time with them and chatting - a mentoring thing through church. I'm a little nervous, but excited! Till tomorrow...

Today:

Breakfast. Hard-boiled egg, 2 turkey sausage links, instant grits (1/2 cup dry, plain) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter*

Snack. Back to Nature Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed granola, 1/2 cup*

Snack. 1/2 cup all natural applesauce

Lunch. Leftover turkey chili, 1.5 cups

Dinner. Grilled chicken (6 oz) marinated in Wish Bone Italian Dressing with grilled vegetables (onion, bell pepper, and yellow squash) and brown rice


* Note that because I don't have "true" allergies to gluten or dairy, I'm a little forgiving when it comes to things like small amounts of margarine/butter, or certain sauces that probably have a little of either of those. I generally just try to eliminate the obvious things and do the best that I can with the rest! So if you have a real intolerance for gluten or dairy, you may need different options. I will star these items that may contain some wheat or milk.

A week in Moo Goo: Tuesday

Found some fun looking granola on sale at Publix last night - so I'll be snackin' on it today! I got the sunflower and pumpkin seed variety. It's not labeled gluten-free, but there are no unfriendly ingredients in it that I can see. Amazon does say it's processed in a factory that processes other products with wheat, milk, and soy. Whatev. I can deal with that.



You'll notice that I do eat a lot of seeds. That was another big thing Dr. Liu wanted me to do - and she especially mentioned pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, so I do try to eat my fair share of those. They are high in fat, but it's good fat. And they fill you up and have a great protein punch, so seeds make a great snack. I made some chicken salad this morning and threw sunflower seeds in - I love the nutty flavor and crunchy bite they add. My doctor also mentioned eating fruits with seeds (where you actually eat the seeds), like berries, seeded grapes, etc. So you'll see that the fruits I eat usually have seeds as well. Hope y'all have a fantastic Tuesday! I've got my eye on Friday.

Today:

Breakfast. Hard-boiled egg, 2 turkey sausage links, instant grits (1/3 cup dry, plain) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter* (Yeah, this is my standard breakfast, so get used to it!)

Snack. 1/2 cup all natural applesauce

Lunch. Chicken salad (7 oz chicken) - homemade with light mayo, green apples, sunflower seeds, celery seed, and black pepper

Snack. Back to Nature Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed granola, 1/2 cup (pictured above)

Dinner. Turkey chili (made by the hub!) - ground turkey, kidney beans, Rotel, onions, and chili mix (2 cups maybe? I don't know - I was starving.)


* Note that because I don't have "true" allergies to gluten or dairy, I'm a little forgiving when it comes to things like small amounts of margarine/butter, or certain sauces that probably have a little of either of those. I generally just try to eliminate the obvious things and do the best that I can with the rest! So if you have a real intolerance for gluten or dairy, you may need different options. I will star these items that may contain some wheat or milk.

A week in Moo Goo: Monday

The hub is off to work today! Well, both of us are. But most exciting is that the hub's new job starts today! He's very pumped about this new opportunity and so am I. We went out to dinner with my parents Saturday night to celebrate. So today's a good day! My hubby also commented that he wanted today to be the start of all things fresh... including eating better. He is very active, but well, let's just say his diet is not the greatest. He eats whatever I cook, which is great... but he snacks on a lot of crap and really doesn't get the fruits and veggies he needs. And last night after dinner at a friend's house, he commented about how stuffed and bloated he felt. And I was like, "well, if you went gluten-free and dairy-free like me, you wouldn't have that problem." Not that I really care if he does my hard core Moo Goo diet, but it's true... when you eliminate wheat and dairy out of your diet, digestion issues just disappear.

Most of y'all know, I'm on this crazy diet because we're trying to get prego. My acupuncturist put me on this diet. Not because wheat and milk will keep you from getting knocked up, but because she wants me to get my body in the best shape possible to carry a baby. Traditional Chinese Medicine is all about a holistic approach to health... and the obvious first step in getting the body in balance is cutting out wheat, dairy, and excess sugar. I also can't have caffeine, alcohol, or anything cold. No raw veggies (hard to digest). Aside from the occasional herbal tea, all I drink is room temperature water. I know it sounds awful, but I've been doing this for like 4 months now and I'm pretty used to it. The only time it's *really* hard is in social situations - especially parties. Party food is mostly made up of everything I can't have! Like yesterday I went to a clothing swap and there was literally nothing I could eat. I expected this, so it's not like I was disappointed. But it just means my meals do require some planning. Grabbing a "quick" meal is not so easy.

And really, gluten-free on its own is not so bad. It's kind of become en vogue lately and a lot of restaurants in Atlanta have started offering gluten-free options. But add in dairy-free, and it gets REALLY hard. So eating out can be tough, but that's not a big problem for us since we rarely do so. But for example, at the traditional Italian restaurant we dined at Saturday night, I ordered Veal Picatta with a side of spinach (instead of the standard pasta side). For a salad, we all shared a big antipasto platter - which I can eat most of aside from the cheese. No garlic bread, tiramisu, or after-dinner coffee (ugh, my past favorite) for me though.

So while it sounds torturous, I can't deny how much better I feel being on this diet. I have more energy, I never feel bloated or overly full (aside from that one soy latte incident that will never be repeated!), and I feel stronger - like my immune system is more on game. My allergies are definitely better - that's something I've really noticed. So while I definitely will indulge in certain things when I get the green light, I do plan to try to keep a low-gluten and low-dairy diet in the future. People ask me all the time how long I'm going to do this. The short of it? Till I get pregnant. And I will most likely keep it up through the first trimester and then I can let loose a little!

A sweet friend of mine is also getting back into the swing of things while she and her hubby try for miracle baby #2. She also sees Dr. Liu and is going back on this diet. She suggested I do a sort of "food diary" for a week. We've given each other ideas back and forth on what to eat through all of this, because at first you really are like, "what the hell CAN I eat?" And just so you know, I've never ever been one to diet - in the sense of restricting any certain foods or types of foods. I'm a calorie counter, but I never denied myself any certain foods. So this was a very hard diet to transition into, but now that I'm here, it's just not a big deal. And you must also consider the fact that I have a very good reason to be doing it. It's not a weight-loss thing, it's an I-want-a-baby thing.

So this week I will be detailing my meals and snacks for you - Moo Goo style. It's really for my friend, but maybe y'all will get something out of it too. Enjoy!

Today:

Breakfast. Hard-boiled egg, 2 turkey sausage links, and 1/3 cup (dry) instant grits (plain) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter*

Snack. 1/2 cup all natural applesauce

Lunch. Imagine Organic Creamy Portabello Mushroom Soup, 1.5 cup

Snack. 1 cup sliced strawberries with 2 tbsp sunflower seeds (shelled, roasted)

Snack. Hummus (individual pack - 1/4 cup) with Crunchmaster multi-grain crackers

Dinner. Grilled chicken (6 oz) with Mexican Rice (awesome recipe - I use brown rice, Rotel and GF chicken broth and I just throw it all in my rice cooker to make it easy)

* Note that because I don't have "true" allergies to gluten or dairy, I'm a little forgiving when it comes to things like small amounts of margarine/butter, or certain sauces that probably have a little of either of those. I generally just try to eliminate the obvious things and do the best that I can with the rest! So if you have a real intolerance for gluten or dairy, you may need different options. I will star these items that may contain some wheat or milk.

"It's on, bitches."

So I got a positive read on my OPK test today, which means game-on for the IUI tomorrow. I was hoping to go one more day before getting the green light, but I think we'll still be in good shape. We're supposed to do another ultrasound tomorrow so I'm very curious to see how chunky my lining has gotten over the last 3 days. I've been drinking this nasty ass Noni juice that's supposed to help with implantation, among other things. It better. My acupuncturist warned me, "it no taste good." Yeah, she wasn't lyin'. Also, the hub's gotta give me a shot tonight. As many needles as I see each week, I still don't like them. Actually it's not that bad - I just have a hard time doing it myself since I have to look away. That kinda makes it hard. Anyway, here's to a fabulous turkey basting in the morning! Big prayers!

Moo Goo to the Rescue!

So I had my first mid-cycle check this morning... I'd been anxiously awaiting this appointment because I knew it would be rather telling as to whether or not the acupuncture, etc I've been doing the past 3+ months is working.  Well it looks like I have some nice cushy lining in the works!  It still has some growing to do, but so do my follies.  So I'm hoping ovulation holds out till this weekend - which it should.  But every ovulation test I take I'm like, "be negative, be negative!"  So far, so good.

 

Today, my lining measured at 6.5mm.  I pulled up my records from our last IUI cycle a year ago.  At this point in my cycle then, I was only measuring at 5.5mm.  So that is huge improvement!  They generally want you to be at 7mm at a minimum when they do the IUI (but closer to 8 is best).  So here's hoping that estrogen really kicks in and starts building some sweet ass sticky baby walls.  I go back again Friday morning for another ultrasound.  Go, uterus, go!

 

So all in all, I'm feeling much better this week.  Last week was crap.  Two hysterical crying fits (and several minis).  Dealing with my funk over a best friend's pregnancy.  And busy with work in the middle of all that.  On Friday morning, my sweet friend was having an ultrasound to hear her baby's heartbeat for the first time.  On that same Friday morning, I was having an ultrasound to assess just how effed up my uterus still is.  That was unsettling, to say the least.  I'm blaming all my mood swings on the drugs.  I'm much more with it this week so far.  It's only Tuesday, but I'm optimistic!

 

Oh and in completely other random news, we went to the NASCAR race on Saturday...hahhahha... (We had free tickets - don't judge.)  So while I did not become an insta-fan, I will say there was some fabulous people-watching to be had.  Just to give you a taste, the outfit of choice for the ladies was a string bikini top underneath denim overall shorts with one strap dangling.  It doesn't get any better than that!  Hope y'all had an excellent Labor Day weekend...  enjoy the rest of the week!

Moo Goo News

Midway through another week already... and it's my last 4-day work week of the summer!  I am so ready for Fall though.  Bring on the cooler weather, please.  I am over this heat - it's exhausting and hard to freakin' breathe out here.  Anyway, we're also coming up on the completion of our 3rd cycle on Moo Goo.  That is, my acupuncture-diet-herbs regimen.  And we've decided to go ahead and move forward with our last IUI cycle next month.  I'm still going to continue on with Moo Goo alongside all the fun in the stirrups though.  It can only help!  Plus I still feel great on this diet and I know I'm doing great things for my body.  Dr. Liu also says Fall is the best time to do IUI/IVF and that summer is the worst - interesting.  (All 3 of our last IUI attempts were in the summer.)

 

So our plan is to do this final attempt with IUI next month on Femara.  I am very curious to see how my mid-cycle check looks after having gone through all this acupuncture!  Hoping for some really fabulous lining, since that has been a big issue for me.  Also during this IUI cycle, they'll do a mock egg-transfer test to see if my wonky uterus looks OK for IVF.  I think I'm thinking of the right test.... they're doing some sort of test to see if it looks good.  It's been a while since we devised this plan, so I may be calling it the wrong thing.  Good thing I'm not the doctor.  Anyway, they should be able to determine whether or not I will need a 3rd surgery before moving on to IVF.  I know... IUI, IVF, WTF.  Basically there are three scenarios:

 

1.  IUI cycle is a success. (Oh, that would be great!)

2.  IUI flops, mock-transfer looks good... immediately move to IVF.

3.  IUI flops, mock-transfer not good... have a 3rd surgery, then IVF.

 

We haven't met with the *financial* people yet at my RE's office about IVF, but we are planning to do one of these money-back-if-you-don't-get-a-baby plans.  From what I understand, you pay a flat fee up front for 3 regular (retrieval) cycles and 3 frozen cycles (for example).  If no live birth results from any of those, you get the bulk of your money back.  I don't think it includes any of the meds involved (which are also very $$$), but it can end up saving you a lot.  It's kind of like insurance.  Risk is, it works on the first try and you've way overpaid.  But either way, I think there's a lot of peace of mind there knowing you get some cash back if it doesn't work.  It definitely gives me a lot of peace.  It is a total gamble, after all.  My parents are stepping in and helping us make this happen - which is incredible.  And we're so, so grateful.

 

So after all that, if we're still at square one... I think we will probably go in another direction.  Not give up, but take a different path.  Like to Ethiopia or something.  Have you seen those little babies?  OMG.  So damn cute.  That's thinking way, way ahead though (which I tend to do).  We'll tackle that if and when we get there.  For now, I'm focusing on getting my body ready for the turkey baster.

 

I'll keep y'all updated!