Try Again Later

Ok so I guess I got my hopes up. Even after trying to keep my emotions under control, it still got the best of me. I am the best at fooling myself.... if that makes sense. Last Friday, I had my bloodwork done and my progesterone levels came back at a 14. We would like to have it at a 20 but my nurse, Diana, said that anything in the -teens is good. This kind of set me back, I thought for sure with the IUI and 2 good follicles everything would be ok. Well, my hopes of getting a big fat POSITIVE were quickly shattered this morning. The worse part was holding it in all day. I tried to tell my teaching buddies but got a little teary eyed (that is very common these days... for those of you that know me pretty well I don't cry so easily BUT now I cry at commercials.... what a sissy.) Ken was off today and being the best hubby in the world he brought me some medicine to school ( I have been fighting off a sinus infection...imagine that, I go back to school and get sick... I AM LITERALLY ALLERGIC TO MY JOB) Anyways I tell him and he was very sweet about it..." you can still go get your bloodwork taken tomorrow, right?" I told him I would call my Dr. to see if I need to or not. He left and I was OK... really I was pretty strong today. OK FAST FORWARD TO END OF SCHOOL >>>>>>>>>>> I am on my way home and call DR. who tells me NO I don't have to go for a blood test tomorrow because we already know what the answer is. After hanging up I guess my head couldn't take it anymore and I just let the flood gates go. AND wouldn't you know I hit every single STOP LIGHT... I only have 3 between my house and school BUT I hit every one of them. Ok so now I am at my mom and dad's and Ken, Mom, Josh, and Lisa (josh's girlfriend) left for Austin for Josh's car race. My dad came home from work to be with me... VERY SWEET!!! He asked if I had called anybody or if I had blogged yet...I thought that was funny that he asked if I had blogged it yet. So here I am...

Ken and I have decided to take a break from all of this and we'll see how things go. We need a break!!!

On a brighter note... I have a wonderful class this year. Even though, I really am allergic to my school...we all are... I feel like this year will be a good year.

Another thing is tomorrow is Friday and every teacher knows that Friday is the best day of the week. I have a wedding on Saturday and will rest and relax Sunday with Ken.


TODAY I am grateful for the men in my life... (here come the tears)

First my brother who greeted me at the door with a big hug and a comforting embrace.
Second my dad who took off from work just so I wouldn't be home alone.
and finally my hubby
who doesn't always have the words BUT definitely has this little way of making me feel special.
I love them all!

Thanks to all of you too for all your words of encouragement and prayers. Don't despair just because we are on break from baby making doesn't mean that we are ceasing the blog. I will keep you updated on all things in our life from the absolute boring to the extremely boring.

IUI oh my!!!

OK so I didn’t want to update this thing because my last blood work came back at a level 6. Remember, that we want the level to be at a 20 or higher. I was very upset and devastated by this news and was on the brink of just giving up. After some ice-cream and shopping I was back to a somewhat normal level of functioning and went to Dr. Garza on cycle day 5. I had to have an ultrasound because my progesterone level was soooo low and they thought that I might have an ovarian cyst AGAIN!!! I was really scared during the ultrasound because I knew if a cyst was found that meant another surgery. To my surprise, no cysts were found and I was put on triple doses of Clomid… again. I had to go back on cycle day 12, yesterday, for an ultrasound to see if I had any viable follicles (they are good cysts containing the eggs before they are released). Mom and I went in yesterday and I was very nervous… I kept asking myself what if there are no eggs? What if there are too many eggs? In order to have a “GOOD” result I had to have 1-4 follicles larger than 18mm. I went back to the sonogram room and as the procedure began the sweet nurse said ( and I quote), “WOW, I see one already!” YIPPPEEEEE!!!! I actually have 3 follicles but only 2 count because the 3rd one is not greater than 18 so it isn’t viable. I was elated. I went back into the waiting room and shared the GREAT news with mom and then waited to be called back into the examining room. When I was finally called back, mom went with me. The nurse came in with a syringe of HcG. HcG is a hormone that will stimulate the viable follicles to rupture and release the eggs into the fallopian tubes. Before she gave me the shot, she asked if I was scheduled for my IUI. IUI ( InterUterine Insemination) …. I was confused because this was never discussed. I didn’t know it was an option. I was excited but reserved. After a brief discussion with the check out nurse about the cost, I scheduled the IUI Ken and I had already decided that this month was going to be the last month that we try using artificial means like meds and ultrasounds because it has really taken a toll on my health…mental and physical. I basically need a break from this emotional rollercoaster. We felt that the IUI was our last chance this summer…not ever but for right now. We felt that if we left it up to natural means and we didn’t get pregnant that we would always think WHAT IF? And by going ahead with the IUI we upped our chances of getting pregnant especially because I have 2 follicles. SOOOOOO This morning, at 7:45 am, Ken and I went in for our IUI.

The procedure is pretty quick and painless. You can go to this link to read about the procedure. OR you could just keep reading and I will give you my version of this procedure. OR you could do both. In college I did AI (artificial insemination) on cows and I never imagined that I would have to have one....soooo what I am trying to say is I know what I am talking about.... warning some of the scientific terms used below are just that... scientific. I don't use the fluffy cute names for private parts I just say it like it is.

It basically is a direct deposit of strong, good sperm into the back of the uterus. This increases the chances of pregnancy because the sperm directly bypass the the most hazardous part of their journey… the VAGINA. I know my mom is saying did you have to make it all caps…. YES mom it adds to the fertility humor. LOVE YOU MOM….. ok back to the procedure. Most of the sperm are killed or unable to make it up the vagina and past the cervix into the uterus. In fact, in a normal deposit, there are millions of sperm cells but only thousands make it to the uterus and only hundreds make it to the fallopian tubes. In an IUI, the Dr. takes only the strongest most motile sperm and places them in a syringe with a long flexible catheter and deposits over a million sperm cells directly into the uterus. You can see how your chances are better but not guaranteed…. IUI only has about a 26% success rate. We are hopeful but are not getting too excited .. I go back next Friday for blood work to check progesterone levels and then I go the next Friday for a pregnancy test.

Ken and I wanted to thank every body for their well wishes and prayers. We especially want to thank our parents for helping us with the Farley Baby Fund. We love you all so much.

Today I am grateful for my mother.

Usually we are at odds with each other but lately we have really become a lot closer. We took a glass bead making class together and she often goes to my dr appointments with me when Ken or Dad can’t go. She is very supportive through my mood swings and frequent outbursts of tears. I wanted to say thank you for all you have done, Mom, and I hope this blog didn’t let out TMI. She is always my proofreader or should I say censor for this Blog. Thanks again MOM!!!!.

FRIDAY AROUND 3 pm

Leaving San Antonio and thought I would take a picture of the tower. OFF WE GO TO CORPUS!
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Ken driving to Corpus to see his cousin get married. We joined almost his entire family down there for this celebration IT WAS FUN!!!
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This was the veiw from our room.
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Saturday

This was the view from the back of the hotel...when you enter the beach. This picture was taken about 8:00 am. Very peaceful that time in the morning.
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This is probably the record holder for the BIGGEST hermit crab alive. The shell was bigger than Ken's hand and the crab was not shy as you can see. He also had shell mates because there were baby blue crab living inside his shell too. The white blob in the picture is an oyster.
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We saw this one while walking on the jetty. It soon had buddies. THere were jellyfish everywhere.
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This was a common sight to see while walking the beach. Our whole trip I bet we saw over 100 stranded jellyfish. This is the cabbage kind.
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We went to the new Whataburger Field. Corpus Christi is home to Whataburger. This field is home to the new Astros farm team the Hooks. The gift shop was called Hook Line and Sinker...which we thought was very clever. We didn't go to a game but wanted to see this field and it is AWESOME!
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THere were a lot of one way streets where we were staying BUT I still had Ken drive around in a few circles just so we could get a picture of this ... from far away I thought it was a mosaic BUT it is spray paint. OH WELL!!!
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Sight seeing...Ken and I saw these electrical boxes (we think) painted at every corner... this was one of our favorites.
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Wedding time.. wedding starts at 5 we

On our way to the lobby of the Hotel... this is me taking a picture of US in the elevator....doesn't Ken look excited. We are sooooo cute!!!
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Me and Ken outside the reception.
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At the reception, outside was "smoking headquarters" but it had a fabulous veiw of the Bay Bridge. This is Susie and Rick. Ken's mom and step dad.
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At the wedding... Ken and cousin, Leighton, the GROOM!
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Sunday before we head home

Ken and Meghan before entering the Texas State Aquarium.
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THis is a bird in the salt marsh ecosystem. I could have reached out and touched him but I took a picture instead.
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This is a shrimp thingy... I just think this is one of the best pictures I got from the aquarium.
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This is Ken and his sister, Alice, looking at the oil rig ecosystem. The glass was concave so you were semi- surrounded by the water. Very COOL!
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This is a piranah. I didn't realize they had sparkly scales. They were very glittery.
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One of the things I looked forward to was coming to the aquarium and seeing the rescued sea turtles. This is one of the turtles, you can't tell but he is missing a part of his flipper. You can see that he is looking at me ... it was neat to see such a beautiful creature that close. If they can be released back into the ocean they will but if not they will stay at the aquarium.
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This is the Lexington. This picture was taken at the aquarium.
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