Day 11 ultrasound

Still waiting to hear back from the doctor's office after my latest ultrasound and bloodwork this morning. This doctor identified two dominant follicles--one at 12mm and one at 11mm and said that the rest were still small, so hopefully we're good to continue the meds as is. Lining is getting thicker, so that's good.

I learned something new today: Most women have one dominant ovary from which they ovulate almost every time. For me, its my left ovary. Back when I had the HSG, my left tube was blocked. (they did clear the blockage during the process, however).

So all those months I was trying to get pregnant with a blocked left tube and I don't ovulate from the right.

Day 9 ultrasound

Today was my CD9 ultrasound and bloodwork. Three blood draws in less than a week, I'm starting to look like a junkie with all the needle marks and bruises on my arms.

There is now a single dominant follicle and three other follicles that are responding to the FSH. This is still considered acceptable, so at this point, I'm okay to go ahead and order more FSH and the trigger shot. Yay! My lining was 8.8mm, so already thicker than it was on IUI day last time, and its only CD9.

Very good news all in all.

Dosage Decrease...

8 follicles responded to the FSH.

That means, if all 8 developed to their full potential and I triggered with hcg, and all feritlized and implanted, I would have octuplets.

This is bad;

So, they are decreasing my dosage to 50 ius of FSH daily in hopes of reducing the numebr of maturing follicles to 1-3.

Triplets are an acceptable risk. Beyond that, it's a cancelled cycle.

They're here!

Mooo!
Originally uploaded by Aimee Benson.

My little bitty mini business cards have arrived! Yay!
On the front, they feature my photography, and on the back, they say "Aimee Benson, Photography and Photo Illustration" with my contact info.

Just seeing them sort of makes it seem real. Now all I need is a website and some clients!

Ow!

Day three of Follistim injections. My poor belly! It doesn't seem to like getting shots very much. Especially today, when I'm a little bit sunburnt.

One more day of injections followed by U/S to decide whether to continue injections, coast, or cancel the cycle.

1st IUI cycle...failed

Despite the name of my blog, I am losing hope quickly. Another failed cycle, and this one came with a $1200 price tag. The next cycle is expected to cost double to triple that.

I don't know how much more I can take.

I have been so blessed in so many ways: I have a wonderful husband who I love dearly. I have three adorable dogs who keep me company and make me laugh. I have the strength of body and of will to run marathons. I can do an aerial 180 on a wakeboard. I live in a beautiful house in a beautiful neighborhood full of light and surrounded by flowering trees in bloom. I'm starting my own business and while it scares the crap outta me, I am blessed to have the ability to chase my dreams.

Except one. I don't have the ability to conceive a child.