It's go time!

I feel like I've been waiting for so long to start this IVF journey and it's finally here! It's kinda surreal actually that, if everything goes well, I could be pregnant by mid-October!!

So, the week started off pretty rough. I had been (impatiently) waiting for my period to arrive over the weekend (day 1 I was supposed to call and schedule testing for day 3)...and it's usually pretty predictable, so when I didn't start on time I was a little worried/nervous/frustrated. I was spotting for about 3 days when I decided to call the clinic and let them know what was going on. I was really worried that, for whatever reason, this would be my period and I would miss it and have to start the IVF process next month. The nurse told me to take a pregnancy test to see if by chance I was pregnant (I guess crazier things have happened), so I did and of course it was negative. She decided to have me come in and see if we could at least determine if I had started or not and what was going on, so that we don't miss our opportunity. I went in about an hour later and did an ultrasound (to look at my uterus lining and follicles) and some blood work (including a beta pregnancy test). I got a call later that afternoon from the clinic saying that I hadn't even started my period yet, so I needed to wait for a heavier flow and call them. The really frustrating part is that I basically spent $500 for all that testing, just to be told that my period hasn't started. Grrr! After a little bit of fuming, I decided that I needed to get over it and move on because these next few months are probably going to be filled with things I can't control. The more positive and optimistic I can stay, the better the outcome.

That was all on Tuesday, so the next day I get somewhat of a regular flow and call the clinic back to schedule the testing to be redone on Friday. Went in on Friday and had the exact same tests (minus the pregnancy test) and was able talk with my Dr. for a bit about the ultrasound findings. She said that she saw 9 follicles, which basically means that if I were to take the hormones now to mature them, I would hopefully get 9 eggs to be fertilized. I'm not starting hormones for another 8 weeks or so, but she was just explaining how the more follicles present, the better our chances of getting the most eggs retrieved, fertilized, and even though only 2 are going back in me...we would freeze and be able to meet the other ones later on. With all that being said, she basically said that I have less follicles that she would like to see in someone my age, but that it can defer month to month, so hopefully this is just an "off" month for me. I was able to sit down and talk with my nurse (she is amazing!) who answered a lot of "what next" questions...and her answer was more testing, testing, testing. So I go back next Thursday for more testing! Woo hoo! Probably right about the next time I go in I'll be able to get a calendar of exactly what my IVF schedule will be based on the medications I have to take and all that. Friday afternoon I got the results from my blood work, which the nurse said were perfect! They were testing to see what my level of hormone is for  being able to mature follicles, so that I have the best potential to get as many eggs as possible. So, that's great news!

Yeah, so lots of stuff going on and I'm so ready for the craziness that will be my life over the next 8-10 weeks. The end result will make all this testing, money spending, frustration, etc. not even matter anymore.  Can't wait to be able to say "I'm pregnant!!!!!" =D