Let the Games Begin

I’m happy to report, the lingering headache has passed.  This morning I found myself wondering when I’ll feel the other side effects I’ve read about (bloating, physical discomfort, etc).  It's day six and for most part, I feel completely normal.

Day Five

I went to the doctor this morning for the standard: blood work and ultrasound.  After the examination, the doctor announced my follicle growth is on track.  Unlike last time, the meds are being distributed to each follicle; none of them are hoarding.  Her exact words were, “It’s really going to happen this time. They look good. We'll do the retrieval next Tuesday."  Considering the bumps along the way, I'm excited to be close to the end of my egg freezing journey! 

One Needle, Two Needle, Three Needle, Four

The Lupron injection is simple and basically painless; a 20 unit dose in the morning and evening.  I also take the Menopur at night, but there are a few steps involved. The width of the Menopur syringe is larger than the others so it holds more liquid. The shot ingredients are packaged in two small glass bottles. One contains a powder and the other is filled with sodium chloride.

Pin Cushion

I’m starting to feel like a pin cushion and its only day three. I noticed a bruise on my stomach and I’m fairly certain it’s from the first day when I pushed the plunger too fast injecting the Menopur.

Sometimes the area around an injection site can be tender the next day.  Today I stuck a needle a little too close to previous real estate and almost jumped off my couch!  The spot was definitely much more sensitive than expected.

The only physical symptom I’ve noticed so far is a slight underlying headache.  The emotional, you ask?  A growing resentment toward the needles.

The Importance of the Mini Muffin Top

Each morning before my micro dose of Lupron, per the doctor’s orders, I take a low dose of aspirin (81 mg).  It helps thin my blood, which allows the hormones to travel more quickly through my body.

Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots!

It’s my first day of shots!  One this the morning and three shots tonight.  The Lupron injections are tiny; total piece of cake.  Let’s just say there’s a little more action with the other two shots so they’re a different story.

A Private Decision

 In my egg freezing quest, a particular phrase keeps reappearing - “It’s a private decision.”  In general, I agree, but for some reason the word private nags at me.  Maybe it’s because as a kid I remember my friend’s mom say, “That’s our private family business, she doesn’t need to know.” 

As my thoughts simmer, I realize that I associate private with silent.  When I concentrate on silent, it leads me to the word fear.  My brain continues to process and I decipher the difference between the two words.  Private allows me to be selective with what and who I choose to share information.  Silent prevents me from discussing out of fear.

Back in Business

My body has reset and we're back in business!  This morning's visit to the fertility clinic showed that I have five follicles on the right and ten on the left.  The ultrasound also revealed that the size of each of my follicles is under the size of ten, which is good.  This means my body is calm and my estrogen has leveled out.  

I start shots on Thursday the 26th.   Gonal F (225 cc), Menopur (75 cc) and a new one has been added.  It's a microdose (20 cc) of Lupron twice a day.  Lupron is used to help balance ovarian stimulation.  I will take it once in the morning and then again 12 hours later.