First Monitoring Appointment and Half Way There

Most of you (okay...some of you) know my love of Loretta Lynn and the movie Coal Miner's Daughter. Yes, I admit that it's a strange love, but a love none the less. Coal Miner's Daughter is my favorite movie, probably the reason I imagine singing to my kiddos, the reason why I've always dreamed of pulling up to the Grand Ole Opry (well, the old one at least), and why from time to time you may hear me say to Bret "Quit growlin. You sound like an old bur (aka...bear)." Oh yeah...I do realize that I'm a huge dork. With all of this said, it may be understandable why on my way to Louisville today, I became overwhelmed with emotion while listening to the song Coal Miner's Daughter. It was like all of a sudden I was so proud of Loretta Lynn and had this strong desire to meet her. Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted to meet her, but in that moment, she was my hero. I cried tears of joy. Folks, I believe that was my first crazy emotional moment from the medicine. Or at least I hope it was from the medicine. Lord help me if it wasn't.

Todays appointment was my first since I started the shots. I was so excited to see what my ovaries had been up to. I really hadn't felt much of anything until yesterday evening. My belly has started to feel like it's going to pop. I could see why as soon as the ultrasound started. All the little black dots, the follicles, were possible eggs! She said that everything looked normal and how it should be. That was nice to hear "normal". We have been anything but normal since we've started trying to have a baby. To hear that everything was progressing as it should be, normally, was amazing. She said that we will have "lots to work with". Meaning...lots of eggs to fertilize! Sounds so scientific...or like we're animals on a farm....whichever.

Oh...and did I mention that today was my fifth shot? Just five more Follistim injections. This Saturday I start the Ganirelex Acetate. This keeps me from ovulating too early. I will be doing the Follistim and Ganirelex through Tuesday. Monday I have another ultrasound (and blood work...I'm a little pin cushion short and stout...). Tuesday Bret goes in to have stuff frozen (as insurance just in case something happens on the day of the retrieval). Wednesday I go back in for another ultrasound. I take my HCG in for them to prepare. Take the HCG (which makes me ovulate) and then Friday is the retrieval! yay! Next week is big...very big. Everything's going by so fast! Yay! So far, so good.

And a side note...I am milking this whole "pin cushion" thing for all it's worth :) For instance, I ate all the left over Twix from Halloween. Bret pointed this out (of course) and I just noted that I was currently a pin cushion and deserved Twix. Then tonight we were out of milk and needed it for the cornbread (because I actually cooked), Bret said he didn't want to go get it. Then I quickly listed all the reasons he should go get it over me and being a pin cushion was on the top of the list. This will definitely be going on through next week.

PS...I *think* I fixed the comment thing. You should be able to comment now if you wanna :)