Saturday, May 1, 2010

Back to the fun-park

Well, well, well. Wednesday's doctor's appointment resulted in a non-teary departure from his office, a situation which surprised me no end.

He says that reproductive hormones fluctuate and he recommends trying again! As long as my day 2 FSH is below 12...of course. We looked at going with his clinic but in the end he said he would only do the same type of cycle as our old clinic anyway, neither of them believe in oestrogen priming cycles due to the lack of rigorous scientific evidence, so it's to be another flare. He did say that this time next year would be no good with the downhill path I'm on. We compared costs and we're going back through the original clinic and we'll have another go on the IVF roller-coaster.

Because I do so love roller-coasters, the faster and bigger the ups and downs the better. At least the IVF roller-coaster has some ups - unlike my body's natural roller-coaster which is now permanently set on steeply-down.

We in Australia need Child Protection Order checks and Police Record checks to proceed with IVF as of the new legislation introduced this year.  Last year we got the police checks done, so we just had to post off the child protection checks and wait for processing. Potentially, I'll be jabbing myself by the end of May -0 as long as that FSH level is under 12. I'll check it when my period comes in early may just to see what's happening.

Anyhoo, in other good news the Big Guy's sperm appears to be in the normal range now, so he said to keep trying naturally too - maybe there's one good egg left in me to naturally snag one of the millions of normally shaped sperm TBG produces. TBG stopped riding his bike after the SA that showed 92% abnormal forms, and he started taking Menevit and slow-release vitamin C. Maybe those things helped, maybe it was random, whatever, his junk is normal junk now and I am pleased about that.  So is he - he kinda puffed out a bit when the doc told us and later said (only half-jokingly) that he feels more manly. I, of course, feel less womanly because it's so darn obvious that we're not pregnant because of me. All me. And I know it's not a blame game - from him or anyone else outside my head. But inside my head - I'm playing the blame-game and I'm the loser.
 
As for the new legislation, there's been a lot of furore over here. Lots of "it's not fair"s and "fertile couples don't have to get checks before they leave the hospital with their baby". Personally, I don't care and I think that it's the least of the "it's not fairs". I understand the purpose - I believe it's to avoid litigation sometime in the future when a child conceived through ART grows up and reveals that they were abused by a parent and seeks to sue the clinic that facilitated their conception. If the clinic hadn't jumped through some hoops to suggest that they vetted out the paedophiles and child-beaters, then they'd be liable. It cost us about $64 to get the checks and really, anyone with a clean record ought not be disturbed. It's just not that big of a deal - they are the sort of checks one has to get done for all sorts of employment/volunteer work anyway. Rant over and sorry if I offended anyone who's offended by the checks.

And wait - there's more good news!!!

We're going to Italy from 23 Dec to 8 Jan to start 2011 fresh and exciting :) I'm thrilled to be going and TBG is such a sweetheart for suggesting it, I was feeling awfully plan-less, direction-less and miserable - this really helps! Christmas in Rome, New Years in ...? Visit some family, see where my grandfather came from, walk the stones that ancient people walked. I can't wait to get lost in all the history. And if I'm 7 months pregnant then all the better!

8 comments:

  1. Hey! Hope! Normal junk! *wonderful* news. And it's May already!

    OOoooooooohhh, Italy! Even more wonderful. You deserve serious celebrations after finishing your thesis and after all you've been though. Italy sounds just right! I look forward to hearing more about your plans!

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  2. Well, Normal Junk and your Funk...Missy...that is the whole thunk!

    The last I want is to belt out stupid rap...so here it is...

    a) I wish you are pregnant on that Italy trip.

    b) I did not know about the legislation, and I find it very interesting. It is controversial, but your take on it kind of explains the 'why'.

    Good Luck!

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  3. News of your appointment pleases me no end (for you but also because of what it says about many test results). Glad you could walk away a bit calmer and more optimistic. And it sounds like you are going to get started SOON, which is great. Brilliant news about TBG's SA. I smiled a bit at the "manly". And, yeah, it's not a blame game. Though it does sometimes bite to be the wonky wheel (so speaketh another wonky wheel).

    That's lovely news about Italy!!

    (About the legislation - I had no idea. No checks like that in the US. Interesting but I tend to agree with you: it's the least of what makes this whole thing unfair.)

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  4. Your man has magic junk again! Glad things are looking up on that front, and on the tests-can-be-screwy front. And that you get to cycle again soon. And Italy! Italy! So jealous!

    There are state laws being considered in the US that would track (with patient identifiers) all eggs and embryos, and some seek to limit the number of embryos you could transfer. Boo. The latter disregards the fact that there are already guidelines in place and that every IVF cycle is unique (e.g. if I had not transferred 3 on my last cycle, it would have likely ended like all the others...and some proposed state laws would have prohibited transferring 3, without any mandate for insurance coverage to allow more cycles, which we could not have afforded). And it's truly unfair that any horny teenager can get knocked up and no one questions the parenting abilities of that individual, but the rest of us have to undergo either criminal investigation (Australia) or have our gametes and the disposition of our potential offspring tracked...unfair. But, I also agree that it's the least of the unfairnesses of IF. The end *steps off of soapbox*.

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  5. Normal sperm + trip to Italy + doc giving you the 'don't worry' on your hormones = GREAT news! I hope you are too pregnant to toast in the new year from the Italian Rivera!

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  6. Good luck! And Christmas in Italy? How jealous am I!!!!

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  7. Aw, so glad to hear there is such good news all around, my dear - I've been thinking of you lots and lots and I'm so happy you're in such good spirits and feeling hopeful - that is half the battle.
    Love,
    Maddy

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  8. Being pregnant while you're in Italy sounds like a dream - all the good things to eat that you'll be surrounded by (because you'll surely be over any sort of nausea by 7 months).

    Glad to hear the swimmers are doing well. That legislation does sound odd to me, but you're right - it's a small obstacle compared to everything we have to put ourselves through. Might as well have a low hurdle to jump over.

    Keep on truckin'.

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