Day 3 of Follistim and Menopur

Well pinch me and call me a pin cushion!

Oh my goodness, is that how I'm feeling about now. The Leupron shots were nothing compared to these Follistim and Menopur shots. So here's alittle background, the Leupron shots have been suppressing my ovaries. Not allowing eggs to grow. So now we are stimulating them with the Follistim and Menopur shots to allow my body to grow eggs. Lots and lots of them! We are praying for lots so that when the eggs are taken from me we have lots of chances for embryos to form.

So back to the shots. They have to be given in the evening between 6-8pm. I've decide the reasoning behind that is because the side effects aren't much fun, so you can choose to just go to bed. I have no clue if that's the reasoning, but I think it's a good reason, don't you? So my first night (Friday) of these shots wasn't bad. I woke up about 3am with a crazy hot flash. They said that was normal. Oh but last night, things got kicked into high gear! Within 30 minutes,  I was sick (both ends; sorry if that's TMI, it's how I roll), hot flash (I feel so sorry for my menopausal mommas, I totally get you now!), and later on had some major ovarian cramping. This is to be expected, sheesh I'm growing MULTIPLE eggs in there compared to the one that most women grow to full size and then release at ovulation.

Lots more precautions have been started now that we are stimulating. I called my amazing nurse Joan (read more about her here) on Friday and she answered them all for me, laughing along the way of course.

Can I work out? Yes, but not stenuously. That is hard for me. I love my workouts, but it looks like walking on the treadmill is all I can do until this is over. And if we get pregnant, I will GLADLY walk walk walk and never run again!

Can I drink? I have asked Joan this every time I've gone in. I'm sure she thinks I'm an alcoholic by now. She laughs every time because she understands. We both love our wine. Yes, I can drink, but I can't get trashed. Which by the way, getting trashed at my age takes like 3 days to recover. I don't think I'll be getting trashed EVER again. This ain't college anymore guys.

Can we be intimate? For my friends who are reading this, just move right along. Some of the things I'm writing are for those who have found my blog and are trying to learn about IVF :) Yes, you can be intimate up to the egg transfer, but you must use protection. As happy as the doctors would be for us to get pregnant, they don't want us getting pregnant on these meds at the wrong time. Once the egg transfer is done, no intimacy until the pregnancy test.

And the last most important question I had was, "When will the retrieval and transfer be?" It is looking like the retrieval will between October 29-31. We aren't sure on the exact date yet, but they will track my body and will know better the closer we get. I got in tomorrow for my first blood work and sonogram since I started stimulating.

I can't believe it is finally here. In less than a month we may be a momma and a daddy to 1 or 2 babies.

I have been clinging to God's truth so much during this entire process. I wish I could say I'm in the word more than I am, but I'm learning. God is recalling to my memory the verses that I have memorized and uses them to comfort me in this time. Here is one that shows me that what I am feeling is normal.

Proverbs 30:15-16
There are three things that are never filled, no, four that never say, "Enough": The place of the dead, the woman who cannot have children, the earth that is always thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."

God designed the woman to want and long for children. He instilled that want and need in me when I was very young. Ask anyone, I have wanted to be a momma for such a long time. I did the right thing. I waited till marriage. I didn't get married young and rush into being a mom. Kyle and I waited until we were ready and even then, we still are not given the desires of our heart. But I know that God is a good God and He will give us the "desires of our heart" if we delight in him. (Psalm 37:4).

So if you are reading this post as a momma who still has not been given the desires of her heart, I pray for you. I pray peace over your heart. I pray understanding in your mind. I pray for friends to surround you that understand you and if you have none, shoot me an email. God calls us to use our situations to encourage and lift others up. I do believe God has called me to just that.

My story will forever be a way for me to encourage other women who are going through this. I pray that I can live out this verse through our journey.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. Hhe comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort other. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."