Day 18: Ouch!

These shots are really getting to me this morning. I feel like somebody kicked me in the leg where I got one of the shots last night. If I laid on it during the night it would wake me up because it hurt so bad. The shots are also making me really tired, like I could sleep all day and be okay. I'm trying to work right now but fighting to keep my eyes open. I just wish I could go back to bed. Yawn. I'm also feeling a bit nauseated this morning. My stomach is starting to feel more bloated, but still not too bad. I'm sure it will get worse with each passing day. Well, back to work. Hopefully I can stay focused today.

Needle count: 21
Acupuncture: 35

Day 16: 3-A-Day

Today was the first day of my 3-a-day shots. I think it took me about 10 minutes just to draw them all up. I got one in each leg and one in my left arm. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I found these alcohol pads at Walgreen's the other day that are magical! They have benzocaine in them so it definitely helps with the sting of the shot and also the itchy rash afterwards. This is a picture of what I get to do every single night for the next 8 days or so. Doesn't it just look like heaven? I go to the doctor on Monday for an ultrasound and blood work to see if my ovaries are ready for their big moment of egg retrieval. Hopefully all goes well. I swear I can already feel my ovaries enlarging by the minute as I sit here and type this.

We also had the privilege of hauling our lunchpack with Lupron in tow to a friend party last night. It's always a fun time to go to a party and sneak into the bathroom with your husband only to walk out and find your friends looking at you and wondering what in the world was going on in the bathroom. Mr. Lupron sure has done his fair share of traveling over the last week. Thank goodness he has survived all of his rides in the lunchpack.

Needle Count: 18

Acupuncture: 26

Q and A

Q: I don't completely understand the acupunture... are you supposed to do that in conjunction with the shots? Or do you just want to in order to help the odds of things developing faster or just dealing with the pain. Maybe you already answered that, but i couldn't immediately find it and heaven forbid I look for it. Have you had acupuncture 26 times or was that just a couple times totally 26 needles?

A: I have been doing acupuncture for about a year and half. I do it twice a week for various reasons. At my appointments we discuss what has been bothering me whether its sleep related, headaches, digestion, pain, etc. Acupuncture can be used for pretty much whatever you need it to be used for. Sang (acupuncturist) then uses a "pattern" to treat my symptoms. Acupuncture is basically putting needles into channels in your body that are "blocked" and it also puts energy back into your body. It sounds weird, I know. It's actually very interesting. Does it work? I figure Chinese medicine has been around for thousands of years so there has to be something to it.

There is a complete treatment course in acupuncture for fertility. That's originally why I started doing acupuncture. Each visit I have about 4-9 needles placed at least (depending on if we are doing Chinese or Korean acupuncture). I have had up to 80 needles placed in one visit. The needles go about 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep and they stay in for about 20 minutes to an hour. It just depends on how much time I have and how I have been feeling. So, when I say acupuncture: 26, that means I have had 26 acupuncture needles up to this point just during our in vitro process. I believe that was a total of 3 acupuncture visits to reach 26 needles.

Hopefully that answers your question.

Day 15: Two weeks

I cannot believe it has been 2 weeks since we started injections! The time has flown. Christmas was just beautiful this year. We were so blessed and thank everybody around us for all of their love and support. We could not do this without each and every one of you! The holiday was filled with family, which included me daring people to give me my shot. Tina was brave enough to do it when we were with my family. I wish I had a picture of it. It was quite a show. The entire family gathered around while Tina gave me my shot. She did an excellent job. When we were with Ryan's family, it was Kacy's turn to give me the shot. I didn't know if she would dare to do it, but she stepped up to the plate and did amazing! Thanks to 2 very beautiful sister-in-laws who have been extremely good sports through all of this.

Tomorrow we start with 3 shots a day. We start the FSH which will stimulate my eggs to mature. I have been warned my ovaries might feel like they are going to blow up. Yikes. Also, this means we are getting closer and closer to egg retrieval! I cannot believe we are already at this point.

Needle count: 14
Acupuncture: 26

Day 10: Update

I did it. I gave myself a shot. I'm not going to lie, it was very traumatic. I don't mind the shots, I just don't want to give them to myself. I live with a nurse, why should I give them to myself? He knows way more than I do about giving shots. Anyway, I completed the task successfully after hyperventilating and calling Ryan in complete hysterics. I rewarded myself with Wendy's for dinner. What a pathetic and totally unhealthy reward but it tasted delicious!

Do you have a burning question to ask us? Feel free to ask anything you are wondering about or curious about. I'm open to answer all questions. Just leave a comment and I will make a post will all the questions and answers.

Needle count: 10
Acupuncture: 26

Day 10: Dear Santa

All I want for Christmas is:

2 Gonal-F pens (not pictured due to living in the fridge) with accompanying needles

10 vials of Repronex

1 vial of HCG

2 vials of progesterone

31 syringes in varying sizes

31 separate needles in varying sizes

1 sharps container (not pictured)

You just forgot 1 thing: The alcohol wipes.

I cannot believe Mr. FedEx delivered my medications in less than 24 hours after they were ordered. I am amazed! I'm not even going to tell you how much the above pictured amount of medications and syringes cost us. Let's just say, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Needle count: Pending

Acupuncture: Pending

Day9: P.S.

Guess what? No more birth control!!!! I am loving that I am no longer tied to that stupid little packet of pills. Little white evil pills, I will not miss you. Good bye!

Update:
Needle count: 9
Acupuncture: 17