The Waiting Game

It's Saturday, which means 4 days down and 5 to go!  The transfer procedure went well.  I had no idea what to expect (other than what I'd seen happen on "Giuliana and Bill."  Great show by the way!  They are the only couple I "know" who have gone through IVF.  And by know, I mean watched obsessively on TV.  My procedure began with a Valium.  Oh Valium, how I love thee!  Every trip to the doctor should begin this way.  The feel good drugs were followed by an acupuncture session.  The purpose of the acupuncture was to relax my entire body prior to the transfer.  That combined with the Valium, was a little slice of heaven!  I definitely entered the room full of anxiety, and by transfer time I had not a care in the world.  The procedure was actually an amazing experience.  Rick got to be in the room with me and he was able to take a few pictures.  It seems only fitting that the father be present at conception. J

The embryos are actually on the computer screen right now, but that didn't show up in the picture. They looked like water bubbles.

The ultrasound shows the two embryos making their way to my uterus.

After the procedure, I had another round of acupuncture and had to lay in bed for an hour.  For the next two days it was bed rest, bed rest, bed rest.  And if those two days were any indication of what this pregnancy could be like, then I'm in for 9 months of a very overprotective husband!  Not that I'm complaining!  We received some paperwork about what to do post procedure and one of the bullet points said I should not lay on my stomach.  No big deal when you're awake, but when you're sleeping you may or may not roll over.  Unacceptable.  Rick basically built a fortress of pillows around me so I was rolling no where!  Then to top it off, throughout the night he would shake me awake and frantically ask, "Are you sleeping on your stomach?!"  No, but thanks for checking!  At one point he even slapped me on the stomach while questioning me.  Maybe sleeping on my stomach would be safer...

Now that the transfer is over, I'm feeling good.  Anxious but excited, and very hopeful!  I had a great time while my mom and aunt were out visiting. Maybe next time they come we'll be able to leave the house a bit more!

A few weeks ago when I learned that everyone here is an avid hunter my dad thought it would be funny to add me to a mailing list to receive catalogs that are of a particular interest to men and women up in these parts.  He didn't say a word to me and waited for the catalog to arrive.  I can just imagine him in his office surfing the Internet for the perfect catalog.  Giggling to himself over how hilarious it would be when I arrive at my PO Box to find a hunting catalog.  OOH Dad!  But days went by and nothing.  More time went by and I received nothing.  Finally, after about a week and a half he couldn't take the suspense any longer and asked me if I'd received a catalog full of rifles.  Nope.  Great joke Dad!  That would have been hilarious if you had waited for me to get it.  But no, you couldn't wait and now the joke is a FLOP.  More weeks went by and the fact that this magazine had not shown up grew into a funnier joke than if his idea had gone off without a hitch.  In fact I loved making fun of the fact that his joke choked.  "Hey Dad, remember when you tried to make a joke and send me something and it NEVER SHOWED UP.  Good joke Dad."  Then FINALLY, when he thought all was lost, I went to get my mail on Thursday.  And there it was in all it's glory, a package thanking me for my interest in "The Rifles of the Henry Repeating Arms Company."  And the joke was even better than he intended, because not only was there a catalog of ridiculous rifles, but there was a bumper sticker.  That's right, a bumper sticker.  And here is what it said.

"Load on Sunday, shoot all week long."  PRICELESS.  I'd put it on my car, but I don't have the hunting equipment to back up that statement.  I'd hate to be parked at the grocery store one day and have some mountain man strike up a conversation with me about my bumper sticker.  "Hello, ma'am.  I see you're a member of the Henry Repeating Arms?  Don't you just love the quick release chamber and the smooth machined action of the Henry Golden Boy .22 Magnum when you're out in God's country hunting those whitetail bucks?  (Did that sound legit?  I literally just researched via the Internet and my spanking new catalog to compose every word of that sentence.)  MAY DAY, MAY DAY I'm a fake, a phony!  This is a joke between me and my Dad.  Guns are scary! Goodbye.  Bad idea.  So instead, it's on our refrigerator.  And I'm sure the United States Government is now watching me to make sure I'm not a terrorist, with my new found interest in weaponry.  YAY.  Thanks Dad!