FINALLY!

On Sunday, late afternoon, I finally got my period. Late in the day but it still counted as Day 1. I know - it's Friday and I am finally updating y'all so I apologize for holding out on you but it has been a busy week.

First thing Monday morning I was in "negotiations" with my nurse, begging and pleading to get squeezed in on July 2nd. After doing a lot of going back and forth, it was determined that she was going to rush my lead up by a few days to get me in on the one spot they had left for July 2nd. Here's the kicker though - my lining has to be at least 8-10mm by next Friday, June 26th. If it's not, I'm going to be pushed back an entire week to at least July 14th because they're booked solid the week of July 6th. I started the estrogen patches Monday and she's upped the date that I start doubling then tripling the dose so hopefully that will do it. I'm also working with my normal menstrual cycle since Sunday was Day 28 so I'm ramping up my lining with my body's natural rhythm. Yep - BCP and Lupron do nothing to me apparently! I've never had a problem with my lining but now of course, everything hinges on its thickness so I can't help but worry a little. I'm flying down to Denver to do the lining check Friday June 26th and will be leaving first thing in the AM, going straight to CCRM for the check and then flying back out at 7pm at night. I'll get home at midnight but it will all be done in one day and then I don't have to monkey around with the clinic here and I know that it is being done right.

My nurse spoke with Dr. Sch and asked if rushing the FET schedule was an issue and he said that he wasn't concerned. I wouldn't have pushed so hard if it was going to cause issues in terms of the quality of the lining, receptivity etc. but as long as my lining is of the right thickness, they're okay to proceed. I normally ovulate around Day 13 so transfer on July 2nd will be right at 6 days post ovulation with is exactly the day that my blasts were frozen. Things seem to be lining up!

Work has been crazy and I have been putting in a very solid day, often working through lunch. I've also been visiting the other locations which are about an hour away from my home so there have been a few longer days. By the time I get home and then get on the phone to make travel arrangements, I've been going to be on average at around 11:30pm at night. Not good but hopefully it will get better now that most of them have been made.

On another note, I'm having a hypnofertility appointment today with Lynsi Eastburn on the phone. She's based out of Denver coincidentally but she has written a book about the benefits of doing hypnosis for fertility. I have done hypnosis once before but didn't really feel comfortable with the practicitioner that I went to. Anyway, I've always wondered if it was something psychological that was holding me back from getting pregnant so I want to make sure that I've done everything that I can. With my wonderful diagnosis of "unexplained", it has been frustrating to try to "fix" what I don't know to be broken. I'm also hoping that she can stop me from worrying too much about the lining. I will let you guys know what I thought and how I felt after the appointment.

It kind of feels surreal to be cycling again and I've been struggling to maintain a sugar/dairy/gluten free diet as much as I can but I'm suffering from diet fatigue. I keep telling myself to hang on for just a little while longer but it has been hard. It doesn't feel real for me because this is the first FET I've done and what's a cycle without painful shots & dildo cams? It seems so odd to just peel a sticker and slap it on my abdomen every other day. I am using a product called Estradot since I can't get Vivelle up here in Canada and I know you ladies have been comiserating about how hard they are to pull off but my patch wasn't too bad to get off. Again, not as bad as I thought and makes this FET protocol feel so...lax. Funny - I never thought I would miss the dildo cam and the IM shots but I kinda do because they make me feel like I'm doing something!! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, just commenting on their absence from this cycle!

So, moving onwards at last. Lining check on June 26th at CCRM (in and out same day) and then we both fly back down on June 30th. Transfer is July 2nd and we will be flying back home July 6th. I'm coming to get you kids! And to top it all off, we get to celebrate our first 4th of July with our American children :)