Cycle #2

BFN this time, but IPs still seem very optimistic and we're going to try again this month. Currently, I'm on CD 8. I'm heading up to Waterloo with the Hubby on Sunday for my u/s and if all goes well, we'll insem on Monday, a week from today. Sheesh how did the cycle go by so quickly?? The two weeks to my BFN kind of dragged but after that I started doing double takes wondering if it were really possible to be this far into my cycle already.

Hubby and I are making a mini trip of the weekend. We're leaving the Bear with grandparents and got a hotel room for the night so we don't have to drive up and back twice. Thought we'd enjoy a day lounging, maybe read a book and wind down in the hot tub! Not sure if there is much to see and do in the great northeast of Iowa, but we're about to find out. The kid free time will be good for both of us, I'm sure.

I had a mini freakout in our 2ww. Despite my greatest testing knowledge and strongest restraint, I had decided I really needed to POAS at 7 dpo. And it was positive. Very, very faint line, but it was there. No question about it. I floated around on a cloud for a few hours and then it hit me...can trigger shots cause a false positive. Good thing I had google to slap me back to reality. Sure enough, the HCG from the shot stays in your system for 10-15 days and it was most definitely what was causing my too early, too good to be true positive. Oh well -- good thing I hadn't called J&K with the good news just yet. That woulda been a tough oops to recover from.

Hoping the second cycle is our last. Fingers crossed!

Here Goes Nothin

It's about time I really start documenting this journey, as it has officially begun.

Oct. 4, CD8 - I had my initial consulation with the clinic. I brought my charts but the doc basically just said that if I know my cycle, I should tell him when a good time for me to come is, noting that I should plan for about two days in advance of my estimated ovulation day. I <3 working with someone who trusts that I know my body and doesn't try to put everyone into a textbook. The doc was fantastic, the clinic was incredibly accommodating and I would recommend them to anyone. They have never done a surrogacy before but everyone was enthusiastic and excited to be a part of it. I scheduled my next appointment for CD14.

Oct. 10, CD 14 - I came in for an ultrasound. My follicles were just the right length for a trigger, and the technician raved about my thick lining. Spoke to the doctor briefly and he was in disbelief that I had not gotten pregnant sooner despite not being on BC (back to that whole knowing your cycle thing ;) ). He wrote me a prescription and off I went to the parmacy to pick up my shot. I brought it back to the clinic, they did a quick prick in my behind and sent me on my way. Despite that my schedule was a little crazy due to work travel, the staff volunteered to stay after hours to meet with us. Again, super accommodating, super amazing. We scheduled our IUI for the next day at 6.

Oct. 11, CD 15 - IPs arrived about an hour early, and fortunately I got on the road sooner than expected as well. By the time I arrived a smidge after 5, the sperm was already being washed. IM came back to the room with me for the IUI. I think she was a little hesitatant but like I told her, she's going to see me give birth sometime next year -- I hardly think there is anything that's going to happen pre-pregnancy that is more personal than that. We were both glad she could feel a part of the process.

The IUI itself was less scary that I had prepped myself for. It was quick and easy, and the only thing that was uncomfortable was when they unexpectedly shoved the plastic covered sponge in there to hold everything in place. After we were done, I layed on the table for 15 minutes with my pelvis in the air and that was it.

Oct. 14, CD 18 - I had a temp drop on CD 16 followed by a spike on CD 17. Temp stayed high again today. I need tomorrow's temp to confirm, but assuming it stays high, I think we can safely say we were spot on with our timing. I O'd the day after we did our insems. Now I'm all flustered pondering how I will tell J&K if we get a BFP! They are close, but not close enough that we can be together to test unless we wait for a weekend. Despite being able to test as early as Oct. 24 (a Monday), maybe we'll wait til the weekend. In the mean time, I'm just trying to stay occupied and not overanalyze every little twinge and pain.

Here's hoping!

The Leaves Are Changing

And my journey is moving forward. It took me a little bit to be really sure this is still what I wanted. For a while I was feeling like I didn't really "need" surrogacy in the way that I initially thought I did. I also was feeling discouraged from the results of my last two journeys, and wasn't certain I was up for the challenge anymore. Eventually I concluded that it was true my selfish desire for a natural birth has faded substantially, but my other reasons for wanting to carry for another couple have grown. I feel like maybe things in the past have played out the way they did because I wasn't truly ready. I feel more ready now than ever.

We got our contract finalized over the weekend, and we'll be signing any day now. I have an appointment with our clinic tomorrow, and if everything goes well, we should reasonably expect to be starting insems next week! Can't believe its here already! I know for K&J it has seemed like eternity, but time really has gone quickly for me.

I have about 2 dozen questions for the clinic since I haven't done IUIs before, and I'll report back later this week with the results of my appointment. Unti then, I'm keeping my mind occupied so I don't get too worked up about everything that's coming.

Wish us luck!

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming

We're still afloat, but decided to take a break in April, hence my lack of posts. Since I last posted, I had a visit with my endocrinologist and learned my prolactin levels are on the high side of normal. He decided to double my meds, and I'll need to be retested in two weeks.

We do plan to try again in May, and we're just hoping the med change doesn't have too much of an impact on my cycle. It shouldn't since the prolactin wasn't too far off and my ovulation has been consistant since AF returned.

Otherwise, it's just life as usual and not much to post about. I'm certain I'll have more to say once there is a little bean growing in my belly.

On to Cycle #2

Looks like March wasn't our month. AF appeared yesterday afternoon. We would have been pretty lucky to have been successful on our first try, so while disappointing we're not letting it damper our hopes. We'll try again in a couple weeks.

10 DPO

And nothing new to report. Tested this morning and it was negative, but AF hasn't made an appearance either so I'm still in good spirits. Might have just been a tad early. If implantation occurred, we think it would have been on Tuesday because I had a temp dip below cover and a smidge of light spotting. Might just be too soon to tell.

Tentatively planning on testing again Saturday. Ugh, they don't call this the 2ww for nothin! It's brutal!

Right on Schedule

I got a positive OPK today. Ferning test is still showing negative so I'm not sure what that means, but the OPK strip was unquestionably as dark as the control line. V&S arrive this evening, and I anticipate the baby making begins tonight! Fingers crossed for an easy journey.

My New Morning Ritual

Wake up at 6 a.m. to take my BBT. Saunter to the bathroom to put a drop of saliva on the ferning test lens. Brush my teeth, pee in a cup and dip my OPK strip, go to the kitchen to take my two vitamins and my prolactin meds.

Back to to the bathroom to check my ferning patterns in the saliva and read the OPK.

Record temp and test results.

It's not terribly time consuming, but it makes me giggle at how quickly we form routines.

V&S were the ones who suggested the ferning test. I had never heard of it but after some reading, it appears it's effective and often detects ovulation a few days earlier because you have a mid-point, not just a positive or negative. I also decided to keep up with the OPK strips. I like them for the same reason. I've tried the Clear Blue tests where you get a smiley or a circle, and while easy to read, they don't give you any indication ovulation is coming. With the strips, you can watch the line gradually darken indicating ovulation is likely near.

Today is CD 12. A week from tomorrow, V&S are flying in and we'll have three days to hopefully fertilize an egg, and then it's the dreaded 2WW. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I want so badly for this to just work the first time around so the anticipation and what ifs are all out of the way.

For now, we wait.