My dear husband, M, has had terrible teeth since long before we got together. When he was a child he had braces and they hurt him quite badly. He became terrified of anything hurting his teeth or mouth and so he refused to brush. That coupled with unwillingness to see a dentist and his parents lack of discipline equaled rotten teeth. His solution was when 1 tooth got to hurting so bad he couldn't take it he'd go have it pulled. This caused days of pain after each visit and days of anxiety leading up to each visit. So we discussed dentures and he decided to have all his teeth pulled, 1 quadrant at a time. His top were done last year and he was fitted with dentures and I'm pleased to say his bottom is all done now too! The stitches are out, gums healing nicely, and his breath is incredibly better! I don't mean this to sound petty, but his breath was so bad, and his teeth so painful, that we hadn't really had a good kiss since, I guess our wedding day. 2 nights ago I had my first kiss from my husband in over 4 years. I'd forgotten how wonderful kissing is. I'm very proud of him for overcoming his fears and getting his dental work taken care of. He goes for dentures in Sept.
I'm on cycle day 6 so today and tomorrow and I'll be done with the Femara this round. The side effects are hitting a bit harder this time but still nothing like Clomid. I've had like 3 mild hot flashes, a light headache since day 4, and tears flow a bit easier than normal. I got book Unsung Lullabies yesterday and I've started reading it. I'll let you know what I think of it when I'm done. I love to read, chic lit mostly. I'm a member of paperbackswap.com and I just love it. It's really saved me a lot of money over the past year or so too. For any avid readers out there you should give it a try, it's free, you post books you have to give away, then when someone requests one of your books you mail it--at your cost, usually $2.25--then you get a credit which you can use to request a book from another member, and they mail it at THEIR cost. And they were doing a deal that if you signed up and posted 10 books to trade you got 1 free credit.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Femara Cycle 1 a Bust, feeling a little low
This cycle is officially over. My temp dropped well below my cover line and now I'm spotting. Cycle day 1 should be tomorrow. I'm going to do another Femara 7.5mg cycle again. Overall I was pretty pleased with the Femara. And this cycle was a nice normal one, ovulation on day 18, 14 day LP, 32 day cycle. Gotta remember to get to the pharmacy to pick up this months Femara. Last month the pharmacist came out and asked what in the world I was doing with Femara and 3 pills a day at that! Poor guy, I still don't think he got it, oh well! I'm pretty down today but I think I have earned the right to be down for just 1 day, right? No work today so I'm just going to cry when I need to cry, pray when I need to pray, and get just a little lazy when it comes to housework. I just always get real hopeful when we try something new. I was really starting to believe I was pregnant, I even started looking at baby things online. Picking out cribs, bedding sets, looking at cloth diapers, scouring ebay for maternity clothes. I never actually bought anything, but I did look.
M bought a big screen TV from some of his family and we are supposed to go pick it up today. I couldn't care less about the TV, just give me a stereo and a stack of CD's and I'm good. Sure, there are a few shows I watch on TV, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, House, Private Practice, but I can do that on a little TV, I don't need a big screen. It really must be a guy thing. My fur baby, Cricket cat, has allergies and she has to get a shot of Medrol once every 6wks or so and yesterday was the day. I give her the shot and we usually do really well, I just catch her sleeping, pet her and pinch up the skin on her lower back, and pet and pinch, then poke. Quick and simple. Well, M helped yesterday and was petting her head, I stuck the needle in, she turned her head and sunk her teeth deep into his hand. She brought blood. OW!
M bought a big screen TV from some of his family and we are supposed to go pick it up today. I couldn't care less about the TV, just give me a stereo and a stack of CD's and I'm good. Sure, there are a few shows I watch on TV, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, House, Private Practice, but I can do that on a little TV, I don't need a big screen. It really must be a guy thing. My fur baby, Cricket cat, has allergies and she has to get a shot of Medrol once every 6wks or so and yesterday was the day. I give her the shot and we usually do really well, I just catch her sleeping, pet her and pinch up the skin on her lower back, and pet and pinch, then poke. Quick and simple. Well, M helped yesterday and was petting her head, I stuck the needle in, she turned her head and sunk her teeth deep into his hand. She brought blood. OW!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Things to do with a placenta
As I'm sure most everyone has heard Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend Camila Alves have welcomed baby Levi Alves McConaughey. In a recent interview Matthew McConaughey discussed their plans for baby Levi's placenta. "It's going to be in the orchards and it's going to bear some wonderful fruit," he says, according to an interview transcript. "When I was in Australia, they had a placenta tree that was on the river ... and all the placentas of all that tribe, all that clan, whatever aboriginal tribe that was, all the placentas went under that one tree and it was this huge behemoth of just health and strength.
"This tree was just growing taller and stronger above the rest of Mother Nature around it. It was gorgeous."-- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080808/ap_en_mo/people_matthew_mcconaughey
I think this is a beautiful thing for them to do with the placenta. In the majority of hospital births in the United States the placenta is simply disposed of, typically by incineration. Most all other cultures have some sort of ritual or custom to honor the placenta. Some common things that people around the world do with the placenta include: art--taking the placenta, and pressing it onto a large piece of paper, it makes a beautiful tree-like design, then framing the art, or some cultures bury the placenta, some bury it under a tree or bush such as McConaughey is doing. And still others consume the placenta, some eat it raw, others make it into smoothies and drink it, some cook it into recipes and eat it, or dry it out, crush it into a powder and put it into caplets to be taken by mouth. Typically consumption of the placenta is for the mother. It is said to help with a whole range of things from post partum depression to easing blood loss. But I must say, the most interesting thing I've heard about doing with a placenta is called a Lotus Birth, or cord nonseverence. After the baby is born the cord isn't clamped or cut, it's just simply left attached to the baby until it falls off on its own usually in 3-10 days after birth. If the family chooses they can treat the placenta with salt, lavender oil, or other fragrant oils/flowers, and wrap the placenta in a cloth diaper or placenta bag. I really like the ideal and principals of Lotus Birth, and it is something I would really love to learn more about. When I get pregnant I would like to do a Lotus Birth, but it isn't very commonplace in US hospitals so I would have to try to find an OB who is OK with it, and maybe get M on board with the whole idea.
So I'm 9 days past ovulation today, well, I think I'm 10 days past ovulation due to a nice dip on CD17, but fertility friend says I o'd on day 18 so I'll go with that. The POAS--pee on a stick--fairy invaded this morning, and I broke down and tested. BFN-big fat neg, of course, but I know it's too soon for a positive anyway. Alright, alright, I tested yesterday too...I'm so ashamed :( I'm going to really try and not test again til at least 12dpo--that will be Wednesday the 13th.
I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for a cleaning and of course I can't stop thinking "what if I'm pregnant, will going to the dentist do any harm?" I don't think I am due for x-rays but if so I guess I'll just say I'm possibly pregnant and see if they can wait on the x-rays.
"This tree was just growing taller and stronger above the rest of Mother Nature around it. It was gorgeous."-- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080808/ap_en_mo/people_matthew_mcconaughey
I think this is a beautiful thing for them to do with the placenta. In the majority of hospital births in the United States the placenta is simply disposed of, typically by incineration. Most all other cultures have some sort of ritual or custom to honor the placenta. Some common things that people around the world do with the placenta include: art--taking the placenta, and pressing it onto a large piece of paper, it makes a beautiful tree-like design, then framing the art, or some cultures bury the placenta, some bury it under a tree or bush such as McConaughey is doing. And still others consume the placenta, some eat it raw, others make it into smoothies and drink it, some cook it into recipes and eat it, or dry it out, crush it into a powder and put it into caplets to be taken by mouth. Typically consumption of the placenta is for the mother. It is said to help with a whole range of things from post partum depression to easing blood loss. But I must say, the most interesting thing I've heard about doing with a placenta is called a Lotus Birth, or cord nonseverence. After the baby is born the cord isn't clamped or cut, it's just simply left attached to the baby until it falls off on its own usually in 3-10 days after birth. If the family chooses they can treat the placenta with salt, lavender oil, or other fragrant oils/flowers, and wrap the placenta in a cloth diaper or placenta bag. I really like the ideal and principals of Lotus Birth, and it is something I would really love to learn more about. When I get pregnant I would like to do a Lotus Birth, but it isn't very commonplace in US hospitals so I would have to try to find an OB who is OK with it, and maybe get M on board with the whole idea.
So I'm 9 days past ovulation today, well, I think I'm 10 days past ovulation due to a nice dip on CD17, but fertility friend says I o'd on day 18 so I'll go with that. The POAS--pee on a stick--fairy invaded this morning, and I broke down and tested. BFN-big fat neg, of course, but I know it's too soon for a positive anyway. Alright, alright, I tested yesterday too...I'm so ashamed :( I'm going to really try and not test again til at least 12dpo--that will be Wednesday the 13th.
I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for a cleaning and of course I can't stop thinking "what if I'm pregnant, will going to the dentist do any harm?" I don't think I am due for x-rays but if so I guess I'll just say I'm possibly pregnant and see if they can wait on the x-rays.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Auctions and Ovulation
Well, according to FertilityFriend I have definantly O'd and my temps are pretty high. I'm 5 days into the two week wait. I'm trying not to think about it and just go on with normal day-to-day life, but it's hard, really hard. And the more I give in and daydream about this maybe-baby then the harder the letdown will be when/if my period comes. I'm trying to stay cautiously hopeful. Every little twinge makes me think that this is my cycle.
I am a total Ebay addict, I buy, I sell, I just love ebay! And now I find
that Goodwill even has an auction site? I've never bought from the GW auction site before but it seems pretty busy. Our local Rotary Club has been hosting a radio auction, it started yesterday. Basically all the local businesses offer up a service or goods to be auctioned off on the radio. Listeners call in and place bids. It's really good entertainment and you can get some great buys. They do the auction once a year but I don't understand why more groups trying to fundraise don't do radio auction. I haven't bought anything this year..yet.
I am a total Ebay addict, I buy, I sell, I just love ebay! And now I find
that Goodwill even has an auction site? I've never bought from the GW auction site before but it seems pretty busy. Our local Rotary Club has been hosting a radio auction, it started yesterday. Basically all the local businesses offer up a service or goods to be auctioned off on the radio. Listeners call in and place bids. It's really good entertainment and you can get some great buys. They do the auction once a year but I don't understand why more groups trying to fundraise don't do radio auction. I haven't bought anything this year..yet.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
World Breastfeeding Week & Other Ramblings
World Breastfeeding Week started a couple of days ago. It runs from August 1st through the 7th, 2008. Since I don't have any children I've obviously never breastfed a baby, but I am still a fan and beliver in breastfeeding. When I get the chance to have my own little one I fully intend to breastfeed. Even if my journey ends with adoption of an infant I would like to try at least partial breastfeeding. So all you breastfeeding mama's out there: good for you for giving your babe the best possible start in life. And any pregnant mama's reading: please, at least research breastfeeding and make an informed decision.
On to another subject, I *THINK* I may have ovulated this cycle--WOO-HOO!!! You see, I have PCOS and I don't ovulate at all without meds and then only about a quarter of the time. I've taken so much Clomid over the course of the past 4 years that just the mention of Clomid makes my poor husband, Mark, slink away and hide from me. That is one mean drug I tell ya. Mood swings like nobody's business, a headache that rages for a week or more, hot flashes that make you honestly feel like your head is on fire, and the list goes on. Yet after each crying jag, temper tantrum, or near spontaneous combustion episode you feel delighted that maybe the side effects means the Clomid is working.
But this cycle we decided to try a drug called Femara (letrozole) instead of the Clomid. So far so good, very very slight headache, no moodieness--M is ecstatic about that of course--and instead of hot flashes it's more like feeling warm and fuzzy for a couple minutes. I'm loving this Femara stuff! My infertility doc, Dr. B, started me out on 7.5mgs of Femara days 3-7 so I'm really hoping I at least ovulate this cycle.
Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday with M, it's a pretty rare thing when we have a whole day to spend together alone.
On to another subject, I *THINK* I may have ovulated this cycle--WOO-HOO!!! You see, I have PCOS and I don't ovulate at all without meds and then only about a quarter of the time. I've taken so much Clomid over the course of the past 4 years that just the mention of Clomid makes my poor husband, Mark, slink away and hide from me. That is one mean drug I tell ya. Mood swings like nobody's business, a headache that rages for a week or more, hot flashes that make you honestly feel like your head is on fire, and the list goes on. Yet after each crying jag, temper tantrum, or near spontaneous combustion episode you feel delighted that maybe the side effects means the Clomid is working.
But this cycle we decided to try a drug called Femara (letrozole) instead of the Clomid. So far so good, very very slight headache, no moodieness--M is ecstatic about that of course--and instead of hot flashes it's more like feeling warm and fuzzy for a couple minutes. I'm loving this Femara stuff! My infertility doc, Dr. B, started me out on 7.5mgs of Femara days 3-7 so I'm really hoping I at least ovulate this cycle.
Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my Sunday with M, it's a pretty rare thing when we have a whole day to spend together alone.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
My Maiden Post
I've finally entered the world of blogging! Actually I've been an avid blog reader for sometime now and just recently decided to try my hand at writing my own.
My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 4 years now and I feel that putting my feelings and experiences out there for others to read will help me through this and hopefully help or at least entertain my fellow TTC'ers (Trying To Conceive' ers).
I work as a child care provider in my home. A babysitter. But I really hope that I'm making a difference in the lives of the children I care for.
Well, that's all for my first offical blog post. I guess we'll just have to see where this thing goes....
My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 4 years now and I feel that putting my feelings and experiences out there for others to read will help me through this and hopefully help or at least entertain my fellow TTC'ers (Trying To Conceive' ers).
I work as a child care provider in my home. A babysitter. But I really hope that I'm making a difference in the lives of the children I care for.
Well, that's all for my first offical blog post. I guess we'll just have to see where this thing goes....
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