Emily - I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience. I hope you never have to go through anything like that again.

Mari - Big hugs to you.

Jo - I can't stay away from craft shows either! I have another one this weekend and it's a good one. I go with all the girls in DH's family, it's fun because we do lunch afterwards. This weekend, it's at 3 different schools, I might have to take DH's truck!

Snowie - I only bought X-mas ornaments at the one last weekend, but ya for you getting X-mas presents!

Jen- Praying your transfer went good!

Lauren - I'm glad you have found a friend that you can talk to about IF. I hope your water heater gets fixed so you can shower!

Heidi - How far away do the in-laws live? If they are only staying with you for a place to sleep, start charging them hotel rates!

I had my appointment yesterday morning for an ultrasound, bloodwork and post-coital. Well DH & I were supposed to BD Sunday night. DH fell asleep on the couch, so we ended up BDing Monday at 5am. When I got to the RE, I told the nurse that and she said they couldn't do it, they wanted the BD to be at least 8 hours before the post-coital. She said it wasn't a big deal, we can do it another time. So I had the vaginal ultrasound (first time) wasn't bad at all, I don't know what I was expecting. She said I didn't O yet but the follicle was 28mm, so I should be O'ing soon. I had the blood work done and then went Christmas shopping. I got all the nephews & nieces clothes done!

The nurse called later that day & said that my E2 was 459 and LH was 30. So I should be O'ing later yesterday or today. I asked her if I could come back in the morning to do the post-coital and she said fine, well last night DH & I both fell asleep without BDing. So needless to say, I won't be having that done....AGAIN. I don't know why we are both so tired!

I have to go back next Monday for an ultrasound, Estrogen and Progesterone. Then 10 minutes later the receptionist called and said I forgot to tell you that ultrasounds have to be paid for up front. Well I told her what the RE said about coding things different to the insurance company, so they would pay for it. Well she said that's not going to happen because my insurance company (bastards) right off the bat said "WE WILL NOT COVER ANYTHING EXCEPT THE FIRST CONSULTATION" so bascially coding it different, will not work. So she said ultrasounds are $400 and they have to be paid for the day you have it done. The bloodwork is around $400-$500 but that goes through the hospital, so I should be getting a bill from them soon. It just blows my mind that for my 15 minute visit yesterday, it's going to cost us $900. I just wish the RE would of never said anything about coding it until he knew for sure. (It's not his fault, it just pissed me off) I had a mini-meltdown yesterday when DH came home from work. Of course he gave me a big hug and said so what, we will pay for it and later when we have a baby, it will all be worth it.

Sorry for the novel girls!

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Karyn - Sounds like you had a good appointment (except for the $$/insurance mess). I'm kinda confused about the post coital test, though. I thought they were supposed to be done right after bd not a day before???

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Rebecca - When the RE first told us that we need to BD the night before, I asked him why wait so long after to do the test. He said that if we did the test right after BD, that would show me that they can survive in the mucus right away. He needs to know that they can survive for a while in the mucus. He said it's not going to do me any good to know that the sperm can survive within an hour or 2 of BD, I need to know that when they are hanging out for a day or two, waiting for the egg, they can survive. Which made more sense to me after he put it that way!

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Karyn-I guess that makes sense but when we did our test we had to BD 4-8 hours prior to going to the RE. We BD'd I think around 5am and went in around 10 or 11am. That stinks about the u/s costing so much. I don't understand why the b/w is so expensive as well though. I have b/w done frequently not just for TTC but for my thyroid and even though I have insurance coverage I think it generally is not more than $100 that is billed. DH has also had b/w for stuff and the same thing.

At least the u/s and b/w showed good numbers and very good sized follie.

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Good morning all~
DH finally got the new hot water heater in place, so I was able to take a HOT shower last night! YAY! He went to the zoo today with dss for his field trip. I kind of wanted to go too, but I am not feeling well at all. I knew I would never make it walking around the zoo. Last night I thought maybe af was coming a day early, but this morning my temp stayed up, so I guess she will come tomorrow. I think I'm drinking too much soda and it is effecting how I feel. I need to get back to my water. I couldn't even put my ring on this morning!

Karyn~ I am so sorry you're having to pay all of that! It is all so ridiculously expensive.

Em~ How are you feeling today?

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Karyn - Do they actually check up in the uterus for the spermies? I thought it was just a vaginal check. That's not a test that my OB ever mentioned. We stopped with endo biopsy and lap.

Lauren - YAY to hot water!!! I hope you're feeling better soon.

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Rebecca-My post coital test was just a vaginal swab and then they put it under the mircoscope. They check the PH of my CM to ensure it's ok for the spermies. So now that you mention that I don't know if it makes sense to wait because the spermies should be already be heading into the cervix. Jo had it done and can may be share how as well. I think it might have been similar but don't remember.

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Heidi- That makes more sense to me. The vagina is generally not so sperm friendly. I'd be surprised if any sperm live in there for more than a few hours. I'd think, also like you said that they'd be on their way through the uterus and into the tubes by then. Isn't the life of a sperm generally survival of the fittest? The good ones get in and the not so good ones die off without even making it into the cervix??

edit - I googled PCT. All of the sites I found said the test should be done between 2-8 hours or 4-10 hours.

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Yup it's definitely survival of the fittest. They also look at how many sperm are there, how many have died off and if they are moving in the right direction in the CM. Which I think gives them the idea that they will be able to make their way to through the cervix to the uterus.

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I'm drowning in work!

Didn't go for my bloodwork this morning because I forgot that it was supposed to be fasting, and I ate a big bowl of chex before heading to the lab. Oops. So I will have to do it tomorrow, which will be CD4, a little late for FSH and estrogen, but oh well.

My AF has been soooo light this month and it was essentially done with last night, so that makes only a 2 day AF. I"m wondering if it's because they took a good chunk of the blood out at the biopsy?

Hope you girls are all doing well. Hopefully I'll get a moment to go back and read everything!

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Emily - Since you bled so much after the biopsy, maybe that is why AF was so short. Makes sense, anyway. I don't think one day will make a big difference for your tests. I didn't have to fast for mine, though.....

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Rebecca, I think it's for the glucose test. I'm more worried about the doing the other infertility tests correctly than the FSH and Estrogen because that's what the doctor seemed more concerned about. He specifically said like three times that I needed to do the tests fasting, so I thought it would be better to go back tomorrow than risk the tests being wrong from having eaten breakfast.

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Oh yea, good idea!

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Betsy ~ "is she cute?" ROFLMAO!

Karyn ~ Rose or pink gold is yellow gold, with different alloys - primarily copper - to make it pink. Like they alloy white gold with nickle to make it white. Cause gold is, of course, in its natural state, VERY yellow. And I did make it through my cravings the other day...I had a few triscuits.

YAY for Jen's transfer! Three and a fourth? God that's great.

Em ~ I'm so sorry your procedure was so yucky. Ugh.

Mari ~ I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say. {{{big hug}}}

BTW, did y'all see my new purple blinkie in my siggie? If it speaks to anyone else, like I immediately thought of Em and Snowie...I wouldn't be offended for anyone who wants it to have it at the same time. It's encouraging for me, and I really, REALLY liked it when I saw it. Anyone who'd like to use it too is welcome.

My BP this Sunday was 103/71. YAY. And...drum roll...I'm down another 3.5lbs! I haven't even started walking again yet! I'm just eating really well and drinking tons of fluids. I'm eating enough too, bigger meals so I don't think about snacking or food so frequently throughout the day. It sounds dumb, but I don't feel like I'm really doing very much, it almost feels like I'm WILLING the weight off. I haven't been below 240 (237.5 now!) in I don't know HOW long...excited.

Had a nice few hours with DH yesterday. Good balance with hanging out and some mega 'cards on the table' stuff. It was nice, anyway, no matter. My cards are down to this: I'm scared to death, but some part of me still believes. And I'm willing to take the risk. That's what it all boils down to.

BTW, in case there's anyone doesn't venture over to the other 'sides', Dana's twin B didn't make it, twin A looks great and energetic.

Hi everyone else!

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Steph - great job on the weight loss.

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Thanks! I went through a box of clothes that had been put away last night...SO exciting! I've doubled my wardrobe by being able to fit back into old clothes.

I've been watching the Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleaders show -- they just had the season finale, and I decided to try my splits the other day. It's got me all inspired. But, *shock*...first time in 17 years I haven't been limber enough to drop into the splits without stetching. I've been able to do it since I was 13. I can't quite get all the way down. NOT good. I relized that I have changed so much what I do since my car accident -- two years ago December 3rd. I jacked up my knee. I didn't even realize that I wasn't doing things like sporadic stretching, which I've done my whole life! But I started again...

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I had to run to the store to get some D-con, I saw a mouse this morning

Rebecca & Heidi - I'm just going to have to ask when I go back on Monday so I'm clear as to why they wait at least 8 hours. What the both of you said makes sense! I can't do the PCT until next month anyway. I don't know much about follie size, what is the normal size?

Lauren - Glad you got the water heater in!

Steph - I never heard of rose or pink gold before, that's interesting. Is it pretty? I never liked gold and I think it looks weird on me!
Good job on the weight loss, your kicking butt!
I haven't been able to do the splits in years! Isn't it crazy how they go from standing doing kicks and just right into the floor in splits?

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