Still so happy

I forgot to mention yesterday that Dr. Bates assured me that we would be pregnant within 3 months.  =)  That's something to smile about!! =)

I was going to start taking my BBT again this morning, but I'm off and decided to sleep in.  My stockpile of OPKs is depleted unless I have some hidden somewhere I don't remember.  I would just like to definitely know if I ovulated already so I can have an idea of when AF will arrive. 

After talking to other women and reading online, I think that I will write a pregnancy journal to give to the baby someday. I will continue to write here, but a handwritten journal will be more sentimental for my future child.  My plan is to write my first entry on the day of IUI.  If I can convince Brandon, I'll get him to write a few entries as well.  Maybe I can go ahead and research some themed topics from other journals so it's not just me writing about how excited I am to meet him/her!! 

It's starting to feel real again.  I kept myself guarded all summer and tried to not think about being a mommy.  It just hurt too much. 

*** I've invited more readers to my blog.  I'm glad to see that you're here!!  As my cycle moves forward and IUI comes closer, know that you are in the inner loop! Please keep any infomation posted here to yourself.  IE-please DO NOT post on Facebook.  Once the process starts, we aren't going to tell all of our family (some of you are family reading this).  This is still a personal process and if everyone knows and we're not successful in our first attempt or anything not planned happens, I don't want to have to tell everyone.  Plus, I would love to get to see the surprise on people's faces when we tell them that we're expecting.  So again, if you're here, you mean a lot to me and I want you to be in the loop and you'll just get to know the good news before everyone else. ***

Great Post-Op

Today I went in for my post-op consult with the RE.  It was a GREAT appointment.  Dr. Bates gave me the go ahead to resume "normal activities" with Brandon.  I'm SUPER excited.  It's been a WHILE!!  Now we just have to wait for this cycle to end.  I'm pretty sure that I ovulated last week, so hopefully we just have 2ish more weeks to go until we start TTC again.

For the upcoming cycle, I won't have to go in for CD3 labs.  I'll call my nurse, LeAnn, when AF arrives and then set up my appointment for ultrasound around CD12 or so.  Brandon will have to give me a Trigger shot and then we'll IUI 24-36 hours later.  On IUI day, we'll use his fresh sperm if the numbers are high enough.  If they're not, we'll thaw out him banked sperm and use them.  Either way, we have a plan.  I'm so excited!!  I can't believe that our journey to parenthood is within reach.  =) 

And I'm looking forward to a good date night with the husband this week. ; )

2 weeks

Today's the half way point.  Surgery was 2 weeks ago and I have 2 more weeks until we can start actively TTC again.

I'm not sure if I'm going to ovulate or not.  If I don't, I won't be upset b/c that might make for an easier transition into inducing a cycle and starting Femara.  Monday cannot get here fast enough so I can talk to Dr. Bates and actually hear how my surgery went.  I'm just so ready to get the ball rolling and start trying again. 

Hot bath time!!

In two more days I will be able to take a hot, relaxing bath.  =)  It's the little things that make me happy!!  =)  I still have a stuffy nose, but feel amazing and am finishing up the last of my Rx today. 

The stitch is still visible in my belly button, and it's still puffy on my side where they went in.  I doubt I'll even have a scar on my side.  My belly is finally back to it's original size!  I wore pants on Friday and felt miserable.  I couldn't button them, so I wore a long shirt.  I've worn dresses since so nothing was putting pressure on my stomach.  I think that by the end of the week my pants will feel comfortable again. 

Since the surgery I've been super happy and productive.  Our house has never looked so good!  Apparently I am a great housekeeper-who knew?!? 

Made it to the weekend

• Brandon came home last night! 
• The boss and I made it through our busy day yesterday just the two of us. 
• I'm starting to feel better.

B is going to the Bama game with our neighbor today.  I knew I wouldn't be up to walking that much and standing all day, so I'm going to work.  At least we close early on Saturdays and typically aren't as busy during football season.  After work, I'm hoping to go to the tanning bed, grab dinner, and come home and watch a movie before falling asleep. 

I go back to the RE on September 26 to talk in length about how the surgery went and my protocol for the upcoming IUI.  =)  I'm so excited!  I feel much better now and am just hoping to ovulate this cycle.  Hopefully it will happen on it's own, even with all of the Rx I've taken for this sinus infection. 

Sinus Infection

It's official, I'm sick.  =/  I was up all night coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose.  Either the hot flashes are back or I ran a fever most of the night.  I'm pretty sure it was fever b/c I had chills too.  Each and every sneeze feels awful, like it's ripping my belly button apart.  =(

I'm hoping to feel better soon.  I'm going to work b/c I just took off to have surgery and it's my boss's off day.  Once our afternoon help comes in, I'm going home.  I must have woken up every hour or so last night to cough, blow my nose, and fluff the sheets to stop sweating.

At least I'm feeling better in terms of surgery.....  Gotta find something positive!!

Back to work

Well, my recovery is going extremely well.  I'm back at work today.  =)

My Dad's friend stayed with me last Friday while Brandon went to work.  We watched the Bama game at a friend's house on Saturday, and went to a funeral on Sunday.  I wish that I could have rested more, but it was nice to get out of the house.  I did laundry and packed for Brandon's trip yesterday.

I never knew that I could be this tired.  I took a nap after getting ready this morning and am sitting down right now.  Brandon found the B12 and I took one of those and feel somewhat more energized.

I just have to wait 2 weeks to take a hot bath, and 4 weeks to have sex before we start TTC again.  I'm so excited!!

Recovering =)

Surgery went well!  I got to leave the hospital around 11ish.  They completely removed the septum!!  That's the first thing I remember being told in recovery.  Dr. Bates found Stage I Endo and removed that as well.  I'm feeling much better than I expected.  I'm not even that sleepy.  I just keep having to pee!!!  I was taking a nap and my bladder woke me up.  Guess they kept me well hydrated with my IV during surgery.  I have a yucky sore throat and some cramps, but nothing unbearable.  I've been told that tomorrow will be the "bad day."  I'll give another update tomorrow.  =)

**I think I'm feeling so good because I've wanted this surgery since June when it was previously cancelled and now I'm one step closer to becoming a Mommy.  I'm euphoric. =)

Surgery today

Today is the big day.  I am terrified!  We have to be at the hospital by 5am for me to check in and my surgery is scheduled for 7:15am.  At my pre-op appointment yesterday, I was there for almost 3 hours.  They were running behind, but everything was straightforward.  They'll tell us more today about my recovery and when we can start TTC again.

  B and I went ahead and got our showers last night and I've had my bag packed for days!  The house is clean, and I'm about to possibly start another load of laundry because I got up about an hour early.  I guess I was too nervous to sleep!

While I was trying to drift off to sleep last night I actually visualized what the surgery.  That was the WRONG thing to think about before bed!  My prayer today is that the anesthesia is great and keeps me knocked out and leaves me with no pain!  I will update my blog as soon as I can make it to the computer!!! 

Surgery tomorrow

I'm having surgery tomorrow.  I can't believe that I've made it this far.  My pre-op appointment is this morning at 10am.  They will give me my scheduled surgery time and go over protocol for my recovery.  Never in my life have I been so excited, scared, and nervous all at the same time.  I couldn't even sleep in this morning!!  I will update later today after my appointment and am back at work!! =)

Labor Day Weekend

Brandon had a great birthday.  He was super surprised at dinner Thursday night.  =)  We went to the Bama game yesterday and let me just tell you that I am exhausted!  We're about to leave and go to Logan Martin for a day with his family.  I'd usually be more excited, but it's pouring outside and there will be so sunshine or swimming in the lake today. =( 

We're both off tomorrow for Labor Day and I plan to keep busy by finishing up the laundry from this weekend and cleaning the house.  I need to go to the grocery store and have some food prepared for this week. 

My pre-op appointment is Wednesday morning.  I'm hoping they'll have already called and told me my surgery time for Thursday.  Now I'm starting to get nervous and how I will feel afterward and having to wait another month for IUI.  I just want to keep busy and have Thursday hurry up and get here

Sneakers Bday

Today is my husband's birthday.  I've called him Sneakers since August 2008.  We were engaged in June 2008 and I graduated a few months later in August.  He took me to the beach to celebrate.  We stayed in the nastiest place in Panama City Beach that I've ever seen.  I remember finding a used bandaid on the floor and almost being sick!  Long story short, it rained non-stop every single day that we were there.  It was awful.  During the middle of the night the storm got bad and we couldn't even sleep.  All that was on at 3am was a marathon of Family Guy.  (It's now one of our favorite shows.)

Y'all may not find it that funny, but we did at 3am on the worst vacation we ever took!  Brandon got up and sang the Sneakers O'Toole song and danced around the bed.  He's been Sneakers to me ever since.  The name was even used during our wedding ceremony. 

Today is my Sneakers's 35th birthday.  I never knew that I could love someone so much as I love him.  =)  He's the reason that I get up each day and want to be a better person.  Happy Birthday, Sneakers.  You're the best Sneakers O'Toole.