The date is set!

I received my information packet with my all important IVF calendar.  This will be my road map to everything from medications to appointments.  I still have questions but those will be addressed in my IVF and injection class on Thursday.  One of the questions I have is "Where the hell are my prescriptions!"  The mail order pharmacy Dr. C's office sent my medications to never sent them to my pharmacy.  Dr. C's office never resent my medications to my pharmacy either.  Its not that hard, why can't this one thing get done!  Okay so there's my tangent, moving on.

So my information packet.  I have a stack of forms that I need to sign and have notarized.  There are three that seem pretty standard for any kind of surgical procedure.  One for the retrieval which includes the wording "ultrasound guided vaginal ovarian aspiration."  Yikes, that sounds scary.  And the image I found looks a little scary and a LOT uncomfortable.

The second one is for embryo transfer, and the third is the anesthesia consent.  Then the last consent form is a freaking book!  "Informed Consent for Assisted Reproduction: In Vitro Fertilization, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, Assisted Hatching, Embryo Cryopreservation."  Now that's a mouthful.  The document is 26 pages long and has releases for each component of IVF including an okay for the implantation for two embryos.  

In addition to these things there are two injection instructions, one for subcutaneous injection and one for intramuscular, and instructions on mixing one of the medications.  I'm pretty comfortable with the sub-q type of injections, those needles are tiny and virtually painless, but the intramuscular needles are scary long and thick, a little scary!  Thankfully I will only require one or two of this latter type of injection.  There are also instructions for both procedures.  Both pre and post. 

So all of this starts on 11/15.  I will begin injections with Lupron in the evening, a "baby" aspirin, and doxycycline.  The Lupron is to help time my procedure and the doxycycline is an antibiotic.  I'm not entirely sure why that or the baby aspirin is given but you bet I'll ask on Thursday.

I'm to discontinue the birth control bills on the 20th and have a baseline ultrasound and blood work-up on the 23.  A few days later on the 26th I'll begin injecting Follistim and Menopure, both are used to develop and grow my eggs.  I'll take my last dose of Menopure on the 28th and my last dose of Follistim on the 29th.  

There is some confusion on my calendar about the hCG I will need to use.  I believe I will only use that on the day of my retrieval, but they also have it down a few days earlier.  I will ask for some clarification Thursday.  

On December 7th I will go in for my retrieval.  Because this procedure involves a very large needle I will be given anesthesia.  Tony will also give his "donation" this day.  I have been instructed to stay off my feet for two days, the day of and the day after.  I have already put in for sick time and covered the days.

The day of my retrieval I will start injecting progesterone in oil nightly.  This is responsible for developing my endometrial layer.  I'll also take an oral steroid called Medrol and another round of doxycycline.

I'll go back to the hospital on December 12th for my embryo transfer!  This is the big day.  They will implant two embryos using a thin tube that is inserted into my uterus. 

I'll take some valium to relax me for this but it should only be uncomfortable, not painful.  I am to stay off my feet for two day, the day of and the day after, and have minimal activity for two more days.  I will also need to limit my activity and I will have a weight restriction for a week after that.  I've put in sick time for the first two days and plan to ask at my appointment if I it is advisable to work the next two days.  If it isn't, I will not be working.  This is important and my work will have to understand.

It will be two weeks before I can take a pregnancy test.  That date is right after Christmas.  I should know right before 2012 if a baby is in the future!  

Below is my medication and appointment calendar as far as I know at this point.  I will post more details after my Thursday appointment.

November 2011

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2	3	4	5
		AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal 11am-1pm IVF and injection class	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM Doxycycline Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline Microgestin PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
AM Doxycycline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline D/C Microgestin	AM Doxycycline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline	AM Doxycycline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline 8:45am Baseline Ultrasound and Bloodwork	AM Doxycycline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg Doxycyline Last day of Doxy	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 10 Units Aspirin 81 mg	AM Follistim 125 Units PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Menopure 1 Vial Aspirin 81 mg Begin Follistim and Menopure. Lupron decreases
27	28	29	30
AM Follistim 125 Units PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Menopure 1 Vial Aspirin 81 mg	AM Follistim 100 Units PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Menopure 1 Vial Aspirin 81 mg Follistim decreases	AM Follistim 75 Units PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Aspirin 81 mg Follistim decreases Ultrasound and Bloodwork after AM meds	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units D/C Follistim

December 2011

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
				AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Ultrasound and Bloodwork	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units Ultrasound and Bloodwork
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Lupron 5 Units	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal hCG (?) Ultrasound and Bloodwork	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg hCG @ xx:xx am Egg Retrieval	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM Doxycyline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg Doxycyline Medrol Taper
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
AM Doxycyline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg Doxycyline Medrol Taper	AM Doxycyline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg Doxycyline Medrol Taper Prometrium & Valium to appt Embryo Transfer	AM Doxycyline PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg Doxycyline Medrol Taper Last day of Doxy and Medrol	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg
25	26	27	28	29	30	31
AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg	AM PM Metformin WF Prenatal Progesterone 50mg Pregnancy Test

IVF packet is in the mail

Dr. C's office called today to let me know that my IVF packet is in the mail.  This packet will include a calendar with all of the dates, injection how-to's, and even some agreements that need to be notarized.  I have an appointment on 11-03 for a two hour class detailing the steps of IVF, including the lab stuff, and injection instructions.

They also sent off my medication orders.  To the wrong company, but apparently that can be fixed pretty easily, I just have to call them in a few days and ask them to forward it on to my company.   And apparently I have to have one more test done called a saline ultrasound.  I need to look into what it is and why they need it for my own piece of mind, but I was assured it is only a 30 minute procedure.

Wow.  I have medications on the way and classes to teach me how to use them.  This is really happening!  Nurse Sarah told me my baseline date is 11-23, I don't know what that is yet but that's less than a mouth away!  Its so close...

Queue nervousness...

I'll post more details as soon as that packet reaches me!

A trip home

Saturday my Mom and I packed up the car and headed back to our home state of Wisconsin.  From Indianapolis it is only a 4.5 hour drive.  Except for this time, this time everyone was going somewhere it seemed.  We made it in just under six hours.  Along the way we got to see how much the windmill farm had grown.  And it had grown quite a bit since the last trip up.

We stopped for brunch in Merriville at Bakers Square.  Then we hit Chicago hell.  Over 30 minutes of stop and go of 5 mph or less.  YUCK!

Check out that line of cars!

 It was a couple hours before we saw this.

The latter part of the day consisted of a visit with the Aunts and Uncles and cousins.  Then I headed to my Dad's.  Sunday I got to spend time with my two nieces, Ciera who just turned five, and Isabella who is 17 months old.  Check out these cuties!

Isabella

My Dad, aka Gramps, breaks out the guitar

Can I play too?

Ciera

Sunday night I went for dinner with my friend A.  I had an extra tasty pork tamale, enchilada style, fresh guacamole, and a virgin strawberry daiquiri.  YUM!  After some catching up I went back my Dad's to relax and enjoy a little me time with a book.  I slept in Monday.

Dad and I went to see the new "the Thing" movie, which I really enjoyed!  Then we headed over to my brother and sister-in-laws house to have dinner and visit some more with the girls.

 I love this picture.  Everyone is smiling and even Kazi (the little dog in the right corner) made it into the photo.  I am hiding behind Ciera a little bit, but that's okay, you can still see its me!

This one isn't so great.  I'm really hidden in this one and the baby isn't smiling.

Tuesday came too soon and we had to headed home.  But I really missed my guys, the hubby and the cat!  It was nice to sleep in my own bed, but I'm still tired from the trip.  Work was so not on my list of things I wanted to do today.  I think an early bedtime is in order.