Update!

I'm back!!!!

One of my new year resolutions is to get back into blogging. I really feel like I need a spot to get my thoughts out. We are now at the one year mark of being back at the RE trying to have another child and we are not any closer to having a baby then we were back in January 2015. Some days I am ok with that. Some days I am able to say how lucky we are to have Kathryn and that's all we need. And while I am thankful for Kathryn everyday and she is my greatest joy there are days that I feel something is missing, and I feel that heartbreak.

Since my last post we did 6 more IUI's. We had some skipped cycles in there because of a cyst and being out of town. Our last cycle was in October and it was a perfect cycle on paper and by far my best one this go round. Great response to meds, great sperm counts, we even had the IUI on Kathryn's birthday. Nada! We are coming to the point were we need to say our best chance is with IVF, but we just can not afford IVF. We have some infertility coverage but IVF is not covered at all. Our cycle in October was the first time we used Fermera and the response was great. I think when we can go back to the RE which looks to be in March I will try to do another cycle with Fermera. Brett has been traveling like crazy for work which has put us on a forced break. He was gone 2 weeks in November, 3 weeks in December and will be gone the last week of January and may be gone some in February. It's hard to cycle when the sperm is in Texas.

So that's where we are in our TTC journey. I am going to try to get back into a low carb diet to lose a few pounds before we go back to the RE, the holidays were not kind to my hips (and butt, and stomach, and everywhere else). I will try to add some of that to this blog as a way to have some accountability for myself.

See ya soon!

iPhone photo dump

Cycle update

So we had our IUI on Saturday March 7th. We had only one mature follie measuring in at 20mm. I was pretty unhappy with only having one follie, but I keep telling myself it only takes one. Brett's numbers were fantastic so that's a plus!

I took a test Saturday and Sunday and both were negitive, of course! I know it's super early but I have zero willpower. So now it's just a waiting game. I hate waiting!

Cycle Started!

So I had my cycle day 2 appointment today. Everything seemed good. I had a very lite period this month. I had no idea what was going on with my body. I basically started spotting Thursday night, which isn't crazy, but isn't the norm for me. By Saturday I had a bit more of a period but it was still not the norm for me. By Monday when I went to the RE for my ultrasound, I was back to some very lite, very random spotting. The scan looked good. I did have a very thin uterus lining, so it looks like maybe I just had a weird month for whatever reason. The RE ordered an E2 level check, just to make sure everything was good to go. If all checks out I will start Clomid tomorrow (February 24) and do 5 days of 100mg of Clomid with a day off followed by 3 days of 75 IUs of Follistim. I will have a follie check on Day 12 and will either do one more day of Follistim, or we will do trigger followed by IUI. This is really happening! Eekk!

Five on Friday! It's a first!

Oh gosh I'm going to try my first link up!!! So exciting!

I found this link up on my Friend Lindsey's blog Just Add (red) Wine The link up is hosted by Darci April Natasha Christina Check 'em out

Alright let's get this 5 on Friday started

1. I am so ready for spring! I really don't mind winter but man we are getting killed this year!

This is bananas!

Oh we still made it to Target

I'm even trying to will warm weather by trying on spring shirts and sunglasses!

The cutouts got me feelin' saucy!

Todds at Nordstrom Rack

2. I think I have fallen in love with wine all over again

Wine flights!!

Fancy selfie (because I'm fancy)

Did you know you can buy  bottle of wine and take it in to the movie theater?!? Amazeballs!

3. I am in love with the Anastasia Contour Kit! I got the powder kit last weekend and have used it everyday! I think this weekend I am going to get the Cream Contour kit. The highlight colors give me life!

I'm like an artist! 

You can check out the kit at Sephora's website Anastasia Contour Kit The cream kit is only at Macy's Cream Contour kit at Macy's or on the Anastasia of Beverly Hills website. I also love their brow wiz, it is fantastic!!!!

4. My body can not do anythng right! I am going on a 40 day cycle. WTF body? Get your shit together. Like Tom Petty says, "the waiting is the hardest part."

5. I am going to my second Advocacy Day! This years day is on May 14 in Washington D.C. I am so excited! Last year's event was on of the best things I have ever done. It was such an amazing day. Check out the below video for more info, and see if you can spot me!

Well There it is my first link up! I hope I didn't make to big of an ass of myself.

Back To The RE We Go

So we have decided to try for number 2! Which is scary and exciting all at once.

I had my first appointment in early January. This was just a consult to get a plan in place and go over my history since my last time at the RE which was 5 years ago. The first thing the doctor suggested was a hysteroscopy to check for scare tissue in my uterus. I have had two previous surgeries plus an IUD, which have left scare tissue, and there was a concern about a pregnancy being able to implant. . I had that done in mid January and all looked great! He did find a small fibroid on my cervix, but isn't concerned.

The plan now is to start our first cycle in February.

With Kathryn the cycle that we got pregnant on was a Follistim, trigger, IUI cycle. Up to that point we had done Clomid, Trigger, IUI cycles (as well as 3 Clomid and timed intercourse cycles with my GYN) I always had great response to the Clomid and we never had any sprem issues.. Each cycle would result in multiple mature follicles (eggs) and Brett would have great counts at IUI time, but it never seemed to work. I think in all between the GYN and RE we did 8 clomid cycles. the injectable cycle seemed to do the trick! This time around we do not have any coverage for the drugs we will use. To start out as a way to save money we will be doing Clomid and injectables, I think CD 3-8 will be clomid and CD 9-111 will be injects (that's from memory the days may be a little off)

Advovacy day 2014

On May 7, 2014 I traveled from Ohio to Washington DC to participate in Advocacy Day 2014. This was through Resolve.org the National Infertility (IF) Association. 154 people from 27 states attended this years Advocacy Day. We were advocating for three bills: s

Infertility Tax Credit (The Family Act) Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act You can read more about each bill at http://familybuilding.resolve.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advday_issues

We had meetings with our two senators, Sherrod Brown and Robert Portman and our congressman Pat Tiberi. We met with aides from each office. We told our IF story (I will write a separate post to go into some detail of our journey to parenthood)and went into detail of each bill we were advocating for. On Thursday our senator, Sherrod Brown, hosts a coffee for Ohio constituents visiting DC. We were able to attend this meeting and got to speak with Senator Brown. We once again were able to tell our personal IF story and talk about the bills we were advocating. This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Infertility is not an easy journey, and I hope we were able to make someones journey a little easier. I hope that one day these bills will be passed, and that no couple will ever need to make the choice between having a family or not having a family because of the financial burdens that IF brings. For more info you can check out http://resolve.org/

Here are some not so great iPhone photos. This was a great trip. I had the best roommates, we had an amazing time, ate great food, and did some great work. First up we spent time in Gerogetown - DC cupcakes! I thought it was wonderful! Tuesday night we had a welcome reception in the Kennedy Caucus Room Our first meeting of the day was With Senator Rob Portman Next up was congressman Pat Tiberi Last meeting was with Senator Sherrod Brown Thueday Morning we had coffee with Sherrod Brown. Once gain anither amazing experince Thursday afternoon we did some sightseeing. This is me and my pal Abe.