No news yet...

but maybe in a week! After my last post it was a whirlwind of dr's appointments. I was getting my blood drawn every other day, and the days in between I was getting ultrasounds done. My thigh was bruised in multiple places, both my arms were bruised, and I broke down crying multiple times over the constant needles and just the thought of the whole procedure. I know many people endure this for many more years than I have, and I absolutely give them props. I can't do this much longer. It's emotionally draining, not to mention it doesn't help that the medications make me even more emotional.

So, after 21 days of shots and blood draws, and ultrasounds, my dr was excited to see that I had 2, maybe even 3, viable eggs to be released! Yes! Not 8, and not 1! 3 - 4 is the ideal amount to have the most success. Last Saturday we went in for an ultrasound and my follicles were at 17 and 18mm, the perfect size. So she wanted me to have one more shot Saturday (we'll talk more about that later), and then on Sunday have the HcG shot. Monday was the scheduled IUI. We were so excited. It worked, it actually worked! I couldn't believe I was going to ovulate, let alone the possibility of pregnancy. I just haven't ovulated in an abnormally long time! The dr took us into her office to show us how to do the shots I would be receiving that weekend. It's hard to explain, but the shots I had at home came in a pen with 450ui. Needing only 112.5 of that, it would be wasting a lot of medication, as well as money. So, our dr gave us the last dose of medicine for Saturday. It came in 3 viles, 1 water, 2 powder. There was a mixing technique and then the dreaded shot. Only this time instead of the 1/2 in needle in my thigh I was used to and could tolerate, it was a 1 1/2 in needle in my muscle in my butt. Scary!!! We went home, Anthony mixed the medicine later that day and I iced my butt for 1/2 an hour. Yeah, that's right. I wanted it good and numb. I laid down on my bed, and my husband (nervous and scared he would hurt me) mixed my the meds and I started hyperventilating and crying so hard. I have an INTENSE fear of needles. It was ridiculous, but I couldn't help it. My husband kept walking me through deep breaths and then it happened. He stuck me right in the muscle with that ENORMOUS needle. It didn't hurt that bad, some burning is all. After though, it felt like growing pains down my butt and leg. It was uncomfortable to sit or lay on my right side for the remainder of the day and night. Unfortunately, my husband then had to go to work for the night. I was upset about that as well, but it's life. Sunday I woke up any my right side felt fine again. Thank God! It didn't last that long. But, now it was time for the other cheek. We had to have our HcG shot by noon on Sunday, so when my husband got home from work that morning, he slept and I watched church online. I had to wake him up, he mixed the medicine again. This time there was 1 vile of water, and 1 of powder. My husband reminded me that it wasn't so bad last time....and you better bet that I iced my butt for 1/2 an hour again so that it would be numb. I started crying (again, I can't help it), and deep breaths, and my husband stuck the needle in. I screamed, literally. I started screaming and crying hysterically. It hurt so incredibly bad, a pain I can't even describe. It felt like he went in my side directly into my hip bone. Obviously, he didn't, but he pulled the needle out before he injected the medication. Yes, I was screaming that bad. After, I settled down, deep breaths, he put the needle back in and injected the medicine. Not that bad. Monday morning we went in to drop off the "specimen" at 9am. Then, we needed to return at noon for the insemination. It was a quick procedure, out of the office by 12:15 and home to lounge around with my husband. I've had mild cramping on and off for the past few days, but nothing alarming.

We are praying this works because I am not sure I can go through this again. I would take a thousand shots in my thigh over the one in my butt, I know this for sure. We will know if we are pregnant 2 weeks from the IUI. We are taking a pregnancy test on the 14th of September, and then we have to call the dr office on the 15th. We are super excited for what God can and will do in our lives through this process.

**on a side note** I have a daily calendar on my desk with a verse for every day. It's been pretty amazing through this process that many of the scriptures are exactly what I need to hear or study on that day. Yesterday's (when I was really wondering "what if this doesn't work?") it was "And the child grew, and the Lord blessed him." Judges 13:24! If that's not God's divineness, then I don't know what is.