So maybe my best bet is to expect less, then I'll be surprised and mesmerized when more occurs. I was expecting awful, horrible, no good, very bad results today at the doctor. SURPRISE! Femara is my miracle drug! My lining is 10mm and a grade 1! Whoo hoo! I've got two mature follicles (we think), one on my left at 22mm and one on my right at 18mm.
Here's the problem: I was so overwhelmed by my amazing lining that I forgot to check on the status of the cyst (13mm on day 4). I've since talked with a nurse, but she says there's no way to know whether the follicle is a cyst or a viable egg because we didn't do any baseline blood work at the beginning of the cycle. So despite the awesome lining, we could be walking into an IUI with one egg. Ughhhh. My odds don't seem good with three eggs, so one sounds pitiful.
But my new strategy of expecting less may work out perfectly. I'll expect nothing from my one egg, and voilà! BFP!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Expectations
First off, let's get the expectations for tomorrow out of the way. Tomorrow is cycle day 13. I have a morning appointment for my mid-cycle. My hopes are certainly not up. Day 13 is super early for me to have accomplished much on the follicle front. I'm normally a day 20 girl, but my doctor believes that Femara might be the magic drug, and we don't want to miss it. So off I go. I don't really have a lot of hope for this cycle overall at this point either. I know that side effects of the meds aren't really a good indicator of success, but on clomid, I felt like I had a sack of potatoes in my abdomen. Thus far on femara, I haven't had any abdominal cramping or pain after day three on the meds. I just don't have a good feeling about our chances this cycle. No real reason, just general pessimism.
Now, onto the real point of this post. Dealing with expectations. Most importantly dealing with it when your expectations don't come to fruition. I think this is the root of my sadness, depression, moodiness, whatever you want to call it. I feel like my dreams are shattering around me. It's not a very fun place to be.
So here is what I was expecting out of this life: I thought I'd marry young, not like seventeen or anything, just younger than my mom probably would have wanted. I was totally cool with getting married in college if I found the right person and felt that we were ready. From there, I always figured I'd give the marriage a year or so before we started in with the kids, but remember I thought I'd be 22 getting married (or earlier). From there, I would schedule out my perfect little (big) family in the perfect two year increments. First baby at 23-24, second 25-26, third 27-28, fourth 29-30, fifth 31-32, and lastly we'd probably adopt a little later, maybe 35ish.
I'm a big planner. I remember being in AP English my junior year (total snooze) and doodling in the margin all about my future. I drew out not only my future monogram but my future children's as well: I knew all of their names. I was anal enough (or crazy enough) to schedule this whole thing out so that my babies wouldn't have to share birthday months or get too close to holidays. I think somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that this level of detail wasn't realistic. For one, those monograms didn't really workout (high school love). But, I've never been able to stop myself from the meticulous planning; I have always been a dreamer. And for most of my life, I thought this was an excellent personality trait.
So now, here we are staring at our 27th birthday and we've accomplished...marriage. I was supposed to be on baby #3 at this point! I obviously realized when I met Sam, I mean Mr. Drags His Feet (love him) that my schedule would probably be shifted. And Sam was never really on board with 5+ kids, so I was warming up to the idea of 4 in case he really couldn't wrap his head around it. But this? This is blowing my dreams up.
I am currently having to come to terms with the fact that we will probably not have a big family. I know it's possible, but it's not probable. If it takes us two years to get pregnant each time, we'd be looking at a baby at 27, 30, 33, and so on. I'm not super comfortable with having a baby too late in life as the risks of miscarriage, birth defects, etc are much higher. Plus, I honestly don't feel like this level of dedication can be maintained for the next ten years either. It's just to wearing on your body, your mind, your marriage. I'd honestly be pretty pleased at this point if I could snag two babies out of this deal (wait, let me rephrase, Sam and I always talk in births not babies, so I'd be stoked to deliver on two separate occasions).
I think the DRASTIC changes are why I'm having such a hard time dealing with all of this. I'm literally watching my life plan crumble. I think the difference in expectations is also part of why Sam is handling this so much better. I say part because Sam is awesome at handling change, disappointment, etc. Whatever it is, Sam is able to roll with it. He doesn't get upset, mad, sad, frustrated... nothing. He just moves on. But I also think the expectations he had play a role in how he has been able to deal. Basically, Sam's plan for his life looks a lot more like what we've got then mine. He NEVER thought he'd get married in college. And he really didn't have starting a family as a top priority in his 20's. I think 27ish was probably the earliest he really saw himself starting a family. So to Sam, other than the extra money, we are sitting pretty.
While I am sometimes frustrated that I'm the only one freaking out, the only one stressed, the only one upset, I'm actually REALLY thankful for Sam's ability to roll with the punches. If he was broken hearted over all of this, it would make me feel like even more of a failure.
So what's the solution to all of this? Don't have expectations? Learn to deal with disappointment? I don't really have a clue. I guess the only real solution is trusting that the Lord's plan is truly better than mine. So that's where I am, trying to trust. Trying to have faith. Trying to believe that He really is good, and His love really is great.
Now, onto the real point of this post. Dealing with expectations. Most importantly dealing with it when your expectations don't come to fruition. I think this is the root of my sadness, depression, moodiness, whatever you want to call it. I feel like my dreams are shattering around me. It's not a very fun place to be.
So here is what I was expecting out of this life: I thought I'd marry young, not like seventeen or anything, just younger than my mom probably would have wanted. I was totally cool with getting married in college if I found the right person and felt that we were ready. From there, I always figured I'd give the marriage a year or so before we started in with the kids, but remember I thought I'd be 22 getting married (or earlier). From there, I would schedule out my perfect little (big) family in the perfect two year increments. First baby at 23-24, second 25-26, third 27-28, fourth 29-30, fifth 31-32, and lastly we'd probably adopt a little later, maybe 35ish.
I'm a big planner. I remember being in AP English my junior year (total snooze) and doodling in the margin all about my future. I drew out not only my future monogram but my future children's as well: I knew all of their names. I was anal enough (or crazy enough) to schedule this whole thing out so that my babies wouldn't have to share birthday months or get too close to holidays. I think somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that this level of detail wasn't realistic. For one, those monograms didn't really workout (high school love). But, I've never been able to stop myself from the meticulous planning; I have always been a dreamer. And for most of my life, I thought this was an excellent personality trait.
So now, here we are staring at our 27th birthday and we've accomplished...marriage. I was supposed to be on baby #3 at this point! I obviously realized when I met Sam, I mean Mr. Drags His Feet (love him) that my schedule would probably be shifted. And Sam was never really on board with 5+ kids, so I was warming up to the idea of 4 in case he really couldn't wrap his head around it. But this? This is blowing my dreams up.
I am currently having to come to terms with the fact that we will probably not have a big family. I know it's possible, but it's not probable. If it takes us two years to get pregnant each time, we'd be looking at a baby at 27, 30, 33, and so on. I'm not super comfortable with having a baby too late in life as the risks of miscarriage, birth defects, etc are much higher. Plus, I honestly don't feel like this level of dedication can be maintained for the next ten years either. It's just to wearing on your body, your mind, your marriage. I'd honestly be pretty pleased at this point if I could snag two babies out of this deal (wait, let me rephrase, Sam and I always talk in births not babies, so I'd be stoked to deliver on two separate occasions).
I think the DRASTIC changes are why I'm having such a hard time dealing with all of this. I'm literally watching my life plan crumble. I think the difference in expectations is also part of why Sam is handling this so much better. I say part because Sam is awesome at handling change, disappointment, etc. Whatever it is, Sam is able to roll with it. He doesn't get upset, mad, sad, frustrated... nothing. He just moves on. But I also think the expectations he had play a role in how he has been able to deal. Basically, Sam's plan for his life looks a lot more like what we've got then mine. He NEVER thought he'd get married in college. And he really didn't have starting a family as a top priority in his 20's. I think 27ish was probably the earliest he really saw himself starting a family. So to Sam, other than the extra money, we are sitting pretty.
While I am sometimes frustrated that I'm the only one freaking out, the only one stressed, the only one upset, I'm actually REALLY thankful for Sam's ability to roll with the punches. If he was broken hearted over all of this, it would make me feel like even more of a failure.
So what's the solution to all of this? Don't have expectations? Learn to deal with disappointment? I don't really have a clue. I guess the only real solution is trusting that the Lord's plan is truly better than mine. So that's where I am, trying to trust. Trying to have faith. Trying to believe that He really is good, and His love really is great.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Pinning for Gold
So who is up for a post that's not about my ovaries? I know it's shocking. You were expecting a post about how miserable my Sunday was as it's been a year since my one and only BFP. I could write that. There were definitely some lows today, but I did not cry, and I accomplished all of the things that I set out to do today. Win!
So anyway, I thought I'd tell you all about my experiments from Pinterest land. We've tested out several recipes over the last couple of months, and most have been successes.
First up, Red Velvet Cookies. Now, I'll admit that I had actually had these before I pinned them. Our friend, Lesley Anne made these and they were delicious! We tried them out and they are soooooo easy. The only minus about these is that they aren't a great travel cookie. Stacking is kind of tough due to the icing, but displayed on a tray... perfection.
Second, Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Sugar Chips. This is delicious! The only tedious part is cutting up the fruit super small. The chips are a breeze and (BONUS) they make your house smell like heaven while they are baking. They only thing I would change about this recipe is the sugar and preserves. If your fruit is ripe and sweet by itself, I would completely omit one of the two. My choice would be the preserves. When we made it, we only used one tablespoon of preserves (it calls for three) and it was overly sweet in my opinion. Plus, the sugar and the preserves makes it a little too wet for scooping if it sits for more than about half an hour. But overall, a major win. This is a GREAT option for parties. We had it for a little get together at our house in Augusta and everyone loved it.
Next up: Peach Cupcakes with Peach Cream Cheese Frosting. These were the only real let down thus far from Pinterest; however, I feel that I should admit that we didn't follow the recipe exactly. We attempted to use fresh peaches as they were bountiful and beautiful this summer. The recipe calls for dried peaches, which I think would have a much stronger peach flavor. That was one let down: not peachy enough. Secondly, the cake itself wasn't that scrumptious. We only used one teaspoon of baking powder (the recipe calls for two and a half), but the flavor of the baking powder really come through. The texture was kind of grainy too. Ultimately, I think I could take a basic white cake recipe and add the peach components and come out with a better product, but it certainly sounds like a good idea!
Okay, those were all a while ago. But today, we had a Falcons Kickoff Party with some friends and Sam and I brought two desserts. We had a little contest. Sam chose to make Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies. I chose Snickers Brownies. Sam won, which is nothing new, in kitchen or in life. Here's why.
Oatmeal Cream Pies. Lovely. These are sweet, but not overwhelming. You can probably eat two in a sitting (say a four hour football game) without going into a diabetic shock. Honestly, the oatmeal cookie recipe itself is fabulous. If you aren't in the mood for the extra work, the cookies alone would score you big points. We did have to add flour to the batter as our test cookies turned out too flat. I think about a half a cup was added, but if I was to make them again, I would add a quarter of a cup and then more oatmeal. I love oatmeal!
Snickers Brownies. These on the other hand are deadly. Eat two of these and your pancreas will be in overdrive. There are several things I would do to these to make them both yummier and easier. Firstly, I'd make them in a 8x8 pan instead on a 9x13. We used two boxes of brownie mix (did you know Betty Crocker cut the box? It now makes an 11x7, not a 9x13) to get the desired thickness. For the nougat center, I think you could easily get away with one 7oz jar of marshmallow cream. I'm not a big measurer... so mine basically included two big spoonfuls of Jif. That seems about right to me. Lastly, she recommends Butterscotch Caramel. I questioned it, but ultimately decided to follow her recipe. Bad idea. The butterscotch flavor was kind of overwhelming. I would use plain old caramels. I wouldn't buy a sauce, I'd buy little caramel squares (they taste batter) and melt them. But don't get me wrong, these are good. Test them out for yourself. Just have a drink near by.
So anyway, I thought I'd tell you all about my experiments from Pinterest land. We've tested out several recipes over the last couple of months, and most have been successes.
First up, Red Velvet Cookies. Now, I'll admit that I had actually had these before I pinned them. Our friend, Lesley Anne made these and they were delicious! We tried them out and they are soooooo easy. The only minus about these is that they aren't a great travel cookie. Stacking is kind of tough due to the icing, but displayed on a tray... perfection.
Second, Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Sugar Chips. This is delicious! The only tedious part is cutting up the fruit super small. The chips are a breeze and (BONUS) they make your house smell like heaven while they are baking. They only thing I would change about this recipe is the sugar and preserves. If your fruit is ripe and sweet by itself, I would completely omit one of the two. My choice would be the preserves. When we made it, we only used one tablespoon of preserves (it calls for three) and it was overly sweet in my opinion. Plus, the sugar and the preserves makes it a little too wet for scooping if it sits for more than about half an hour. But overall, a major win. This is a GREAT option for parties. We had it for a little get together at our house in Augusta and everyone loved it.
Next up: Peach Cupcakes with Peach Cream Cheese Frosting. These were the only real let down thus far from Pinterest; however, I feel that I should admit that we didn't follow the recipe exactly. We attempted to use fresh peaches as they were bountiful and beautiful this summer. The recipe calls for dried peaches, which I think would have a much stronger peach flavor. That was one let down: not peachy enough. Secondly, the cake itself wasn't that scrumptious. We only used one teaspoon of baking powder (the recipe calls for two and a half), but the flavor of the baking powder really come through. The texture was kind of grainy too. Ultimately, I think I could take a basic white cake recipe and add the peach components and come out with a better product, but it certainly sounds like a good idea!
Okay, those were all a while ago. But today, we had a Falcons Kickoff Party with some friends and Sam and I brought two desserts. We had a little contest. Sam chose to make Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies. I chose Snickers Brownies. Sam won, which is nothing new, in kitchen or in life. Here's why.
Oatmeal Cream Pies. Lovely. These are sweet, but not overwhelming. You can probably eat two in a sitting (say a four hour football game) without going into a diabetic shock. Honestly, the oatmeal cookie recipe itself is fabulous. If you aren't in the mood for the extra work, the cookies alone would score you big points. We did have to add flour to the batter as our test cookies turned out too flat. I think about a half a cup was added, but if I was to make them again, I would add a quarter of a cup and then more oatmeal. I love oatmeal!
So there you have it. If you have a party coming up, a tailgate, or any social gathering, head on over to my "Yummy Treats to Try" board, and grab yourself a tasty treat!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Drink of Death?
So sadly, I do believe that the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks has become inseparably connected to my miscarriage... bummer. I drank a latte last year the day before my BFP. When I miscarried the next week, I spent a HUGE portion of my down time running through all the possible things I might have done wrong. The top two contenders were coffee and jumping (I jumped around like a mad woman after testing).
A year out, I don't think either of those things actually had a thing to do with our loss. Sure, extreme exercise is not the best choice for some women while pregnant, but 5 minutes of leaping was probably not the culprit. And yes, coffee isn't the best drink while pregnant. 200mg seems to be the accepted daily allotment of caffeine. However, thanks to a sweet friend's post of a handy caffeine chart, I know that I was no where close to even my daily allowance, let alone a one time danger zone (if there even is one). So no, Starbucks didn't kill my baby.
I drank one today. A Pumpkin Spice Latte that is. I wasn't certain what my reaction would be, but I didn't feel a major ugly cry coming on, so I went with it. I'm happy to report that I was fine. It'll will probably always remind me of the miscarriage, but it's not tainted for me forever. So hip hip hooray!
I'm hoping Sunday will be another marker that I can successfully navigate without losing it. Sunday is a year since our BPF. One year since my world changed forever. One year without another BFP. One year of hoping and praying. One year of grieving and healing. But I plan on staying busy, and if I feel a little sad, or a little heartbroken, I'm going to give myself a pass. September is going to be a kind of sucky, sad month, and that's okay, unless we get a new BFP, and then, it will be the BEST MONTH EVER!
A year out, I don't think either of those things actually had a thing to do with our loss. Sure, extreme exercise is not the best choice for some women while pregnant, but 5 minutes of leaping was probably not the culprit. And yes, coffee isn't the best drink while pregnant. 200mg seems to be the accepted daily allotment of caffeine. However, thanks to a sweet friend's post of a handy caffeine chart, I know that I was no where close to even my daily allowance, let alone a one time danger zone (if there even is one). So no, Starbucks didn't kill my baby.
I drank one today. A Pumpkin Spice Latte that is. I wasn't certain what my reaction would be, but I didn't feel a major ugly cry coming on, so I went with it. I'm happy to report that I was fine. It'll will probably always remind me of the miscarriage, but it's not tainted for me forever. So hip hip hooray!
I'm hoping Sunday will be another marker that I can successfully navigate without losing it. Sunday is a year since our BPF. One year since my world changed forever. One year without another BFP. One year of hoping and praying. One year of grieving and healing. But I plan on staying busy, and if I feel a little sad, or a little heartbroken, I'm going to give myself a pass. September is going to be a kind of sucky, sad month, and that's okay, unless we get a new BFP, and then, it will be the BEST MONTH EVER!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Into the Great Unknown
Unknown=Unexplained Infertility... BLAH!!! I had a pretty good idea we were headed this direction, and my doctor spent the better part of our consultation today trying to convince me that it's not as bad as it seems. But, Oh! I've been dreading this diagnosis! I don't want unexplained anything (well maybe pregnancy)!
So here is where we've been and how we got here. Keep in mind that I was never actually "diagnosed" before. It's always been the doctor "thinking" or "feeling".
Diagnosis #1: LPD- Luteal Phase Defect So the thought here, way back when, was that my cycles were not only irregular, but that the second half of my cycle (post ovulation) was super wonky. I'd get a 7 day luteal phase, then a 10 day, then a 12 day. Short, fine, beautiful... basically unpredictable. This has been thrown out. What looked bad when I first started charting, now seems like more of an anomaly. My average is 13 days = PERFECT. SoNO.
Diagnosis #2: Anovulation I never really believed this one, but dear old fertility friend kept giving me charts that looked like this:
So here is where we've been and how we got here. Keep in mind that I was never actually "diagnosed" before. It's always been the doctor "thinking" or "feeling".
Diagnosis #1: LPD- Luteal Phase Defect So the thought here, way back when, was that my cycles were not only irregular, but that the second half of my cycle (post ovulation) was super wonky. I'd get a 7 day luteal phase, then a 10 day, then a 12 day. Short, fine, beautiful... basically unpredictable. This has been thrown out. What looked bad when I first started charting, now seems like more of an anomaly. My average is 13 days = PERFECT. So
It seems like there was a shift, low's in the beginning, high's at the end, but where was it? I had three cycles in a row like this. Therefore, anovulation got tossed out there by my OBGYN in Augusta. However, my argument was that I got positive OPK's every month. My RE here says she's confident I'm ovulating almost every month. Scratch.
Diagnosis #3: PCOS-Polycystic Ovary Syndrome So, I honestly think that just about everyone gets tossed into the PCOS crowd at some point. Doctors seem to really like this diagnosis. It's mostly fixable, so why not? If you read 20 different accounts of infertility, it seems you'll find about 15 have PCOS. But there's no great, straight forward, black and white, yes or no test. So we tested lots of things. They want your LH to be more than your FSH for a diagnosis. Mine was normal. LH 4.6, FSH 8.1. They tested my AMH. Mine was slightly high... barely in the PCOS category, but my doctor said if can also be a sign of a young woman (that's me) with a great ovarian reserve (see, I'm supposed to have LOTS of babies). And lastly that counted my follicles. PCOS patients normally have lots of follicles. Both cycles I've had 16 total. No dice.
So here we are. We've tested EVERYTHING. We've looked at EVERYTHING. The only thing we haven't done is a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis. My doctor thinks it's an unnecessary risk as her treatment plan wouldn't change unless I was level 4 (the worst) and she has seen no reason to believe I have it. So I'm just plain ol' unknown.
What does this mean? They don't have a clue what's wrong. The basics of getting pregnant all seem to be working fine... So it's some itty, bitty, hard to identify, quantify, qualify thing that's just not quite working in sync with everything else. How do you fix the unknown? "With time proven strategies." That's comforting.
So we move forward. Round 2. We are changing one thing up this cycle. We are going to go with Femara instead of Clomid. The one and only thing that has been negative for us has been my uterine lining. So the doctor is hoping that it was an effect of Clomid and that Femara will fix it. Here goes!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Block of Ice
So yea, the actual arrival of my period was worse than the phone call. I guess there is something in the visualization of all my dreams literally going down the toilet (forgive me) that adds just enough drama to break my heart anew. But I'm hanging in there. I thought I'd feel like a total mess this cycle if Aunt Flow showed up again. There seems to be so much riding on each individual cycle now. But honestly, I feel pretty emotionless. There have been a few tears over the last couple of days as I watched my chart take the dreaded downward turn, and then the phone call, and then the flow, but I guess I knew it was coming. I was prepared(ish).
Mostly I feel numb; frozen. I'm not particularly hopeful for this cycle, but I'm not hopeless either. I guess I'm just sitting here with a nice dose of 10% optimism and the understanding that if this is going to work, It's going to have the be the Lord.
I am looking forward to one thing: Consultation with my favorite doctor tomorrow morning. I've got so many questions, and I don't feel like there is an opportunity to ask anything in any of my regular appointments. I don't know if that's just me, if I'm not aggressive enough or persistent enough, but it seems odd to have a "hey, listen" or "I was thinking" conversation while reclining on the table with my "sheet" while the doctor peels off gloves. Anyway, hopefully I'll get some answers tomorrow!
Mostly I feel numb; frozen. I'm not particularly hopeful for this cycle, but I'm not hopeless either. I guess I'm just sitting here with a nice dose of 10% optimism and the understanding that if this is going to work, It's going to have the be the Lord.
I don't want to talk to anyone about it; at least not anyone who isn't equally infertile and broken. I don't want hugs, pats on the back, or "it'll happens". I want to hole up in my room with no one (except maybe Everest) in the dark and do nothing, until the point that I might decide to watch a feel better movie like Harry Potter. If that seems a bit dramatic, calm your nerves, I've been known to do this during my periods for years. I just happen to have a better excuse now!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
It's Not Always About Me
I know, the title is supposed to just say "It's Not About Me" or better yet "It's Never About Me". But let's be honest here, I normally make it all about me.
I woke up this morning in a it's all about me kind of mood. I had thrown my pity party last night where I drank caffeine AND sugar and consumed a solid dozen cookies on my own, because hey, I'm not pregnant (more on this later). I woke up at 6:30 (ewww) cramping, irritable, and just feeling generally crummy. I really wanted to say screw it; church and volunteering can do without me. I deserve a break. But thankfully, I'm the kind of girl, that if I commit, I'll be there, and I had committed to serve in my church's little ones ministry. So I went with my cramps and my tired eyes, thinking "is it healthy to see all these pregnant momma's with their abundance of children after a BFN?
But you know what's so cool? Getting a little perspective. The leader started the morning off with one of my favorite things: life change stories from the church. So here's the story:
A family started coming to our church because they felt that their wee one needed to grow up with some moral people and that church might be the place for that. They themselves weren't particularly into the idea of God or Jesus, but they came for their child. So fast forward and this couple in now in an environment where they can ask the hard questions and get some real answers about faith, the church, and a relationship with Christ. All of this because volunteers offered warm hearts and open hands when they showed up one Sunday and handed their child over to a stranger. If that doesn't give you a purpose for being there, I don't know what would. So again, sometimes it's not about me and what I'm dealing with, feeling like, etc. It's about what little role I might play in a way bigger story that day. I need to learn to remember this, and to be okay with this.
So back to that whole not pregnant thing. Yep, IUI #1 failed. I was prepared(ish) for this when I went in for the big test yesterday morning, but there's always some glimmering little stubborn hope left. I got the call about 3 hours later that my blood test was negative. The call came in the car with Sam, my mom, and my nephew (awkward) on our way to the Georgia game. But like I said, no real shocker, so I think I handled it like a champ. No tears, just a thank you, and a have a good weekend. But can we pause for a moment and discuss the worst jobs? I do believe making "sorry, you're not pregnant calls" would have to rank high on the list.
Anyway, I haven't actually started, but as soon as I do, we will schedule the first appointments for round 2. Thus far, I'm hanging in there. I'm bummed, but not some crazy weepy lady. But only time will tell how long I'll hold it together. When the flow starts, it may be a bit more real than a voice on the phone. But even if crazy, weepy, depressed lady shows herself, I know that she will pass. I've done this before, I can do it again.
I woke up this morning in a it's all about me kind of mood. I had thrown my pity party last night where I drank caffeine AND sugar and consumed a solid dozen cookies on my own, because hey, I'm not pregnant (more on this later). I woke up at 6:30 (ewww) cramping, irritable, and just feeling generally crummy. I really wanted to say screw it; church and volunteering can do without me. I deserve a break. But thankfully, I'm the kind of girl, that if I commit, I'll be there, and I had committed to serve in my church's little ones ministry. So I went with my cramps and my tired eyes, thinking "is it healthy to see all these pregnant momma's with their abundance of children after a BFN?
But you know what's so cool? Getting a little perspective. The leader started the morning off with one of my favorite things: life change stories from the church. So here's the story:
A family started coming to our church because they felt that their wee one needed to grow up with some moral people and that church might be the place for that. They themselves weren't particularly into the idea of God or Jesus, but they came for their child. So fast forward and this couple in now in an environment where they can ask the hard questions and get some real answers about faith, the church, and a relationship with Christ. All of this because volunteers offered warm hearts and open hands when they showed up one Sunday and handed their child over to a stranger. If that doesn't give you a purpose for being there, I don't know what would. So again, sometimes it's not about me and what I'm dealing with, feeling like, etc. It's about what little role I might play in a way bigger story that day. I need to learn to remember this, and to be okay with this.
So back to that whole not pregnant thing. Yep, IUI #1 failed. I was prepared(ish) for this when I went in for the big test yesterday morning, but there's always some glimmering little stubborn hope left. I got the call about 3 hours later that my blood test was negative. The call came in the car with Sam, my mom, and my nephew (awkward) on our way to the Georgia game. But like I said, no real shocker, so I think I handled it like a champ. No tears, just a thank you, and a have a good weekend. But can we pause for a moment and discuss the worst jobs? I do believe making "sorry, you're not pregnant calls" would have to rank high on the list.
Anyway, I haven't actually started, but as soon as I do, we will schedule the first appointments for round 2. Thus far, I'm hanging in there. I'm bummed, but not some crazy weepy lady. But only time will tell how long I'll hold it together. When the flow starts, it may be a bit more real than a voice on the phone. But even if crazy, weepy, depressed lady shows herself, I know that she will pass. I've done this before, I can do it again.
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