It’s day one. Here we go!
(breathe, breathe…)
It’s ‘day one’ of my pre-transfer mock cycle. Aren’t you excited? I’m positively giddy!
For those of you who haven’t been committing this stuff to memory, here’s the plan:
Next Thursday, June 15, I start using a pee-on-the-stick ovulation predictor kit. The OPK detects the surge of luteinizing hormone that occurs just before the ovaries release the follicle into the fallopian tube. When I get a positive indicator for the LH surge, I call the clinic back and go for an ultrasound, probably the next day. They measure my uterine lining, because you need a thick and juicy lining to make a cosy home for an itinerant embryo. Then, six to eight days later, I go back to the clinic for some blood work to check my estrogen and progesterone levels. That’s it for the mock cycle month.
Then I call again next month with my day one, and it’s the real deal. About ten days after my day one, I go in for another ultrasound and they look to see if a good sized follicle is maturing and ready to ovulate. If so, I go in to the clinic every day for a blood test to monitor for the LH surge – no messing with OPKs for the real deal, I guess.
I forgot to ask the exact details, but I think it’s about two days after the surge they start thawing our little frostie in the morning, and they transfer it to my uterus with the same sort of turkey-baster device that they used to place the sperm during the IUIs.
And that’s it, except for the torturous two-week wait between the transfer and the pregnancy test. Gulp.
You know that I’ve already analyzed the hell out of the timing on this, so let’s share the math. Day one of mock cycle = June 6, therefore day one of ‘for keeps’ cycle will likely be approximately July 4 (our wedding anniversary is July 3, which is also five years to the day after I found out I was pregnant for the first time, the pregnancy that ultimately miscarried.) So I’ll start going to the clinic for blood work approximately July 14, and the transfer will likely take place within a week, probably around July 20.
And here’s where it gets dicey: we have tickets to see Thomas the Frickin’ Tank Engine on July 22 in St Thomas, an eight-hour drive away. Oy vey. So do we ditch our tickets ($80 for the four of us) and go ahead with a July cycle? Do we roll the dice, keep the tickets and hope transfer happens before the morning of July 21, so we can hustle on down to Southern Ontario? Do we delay the cycle until August? Can I live with the what-ifs if we delay a month and it doesn’t work out?
Speak, Interweb. What should we do?
BIG Q: Do the kidlets know about the Thomas-in-St. Thomas trip? If not or if they will not remember that they are going, I say sell or off-load the tickets and save yourself from a boatloat of stress and concern. But that’s just me. And I’ve made the drive to St. T.
i’m all for ditching the thomas tickets and opting for your personal sanity myself, but I don’t know if your kids know about thomas, or would remember that you had tickets…
So, yeah, what Myra said.
Ah yes, important detail: the kids have no idea about the DOWT tickets. I couldn’t bear to not go if they knew about it, but feel like a terrible mummy for even considering *not* going, even though I know we’ll never recapture the magic of the first time. Ugh!!
my vote: ditch the tickets
DITCH. THE. TICKETS.
Ok?
I’m in for the ditching tickets idea. I know someone who would buy them from you n a heartbeat. As someone who has been on a long road of trying to get pregnant for a second time and have had no success, I would be forgoing the hellish 8 hour trip. There is the question of children to consider. If you really want them to experience the TTE hoopla can Beloved take them on his own with a buddy and call it a “boy’s weekend”? I know pictures and video won’t capture the true magic of the adventure but it might work as a weak substitute for your missing out. Tough decision Dani!
1) Did you just say driving 8 hours to see Thomas the Tank Engine?
2) I’m not 100% sure, but I’m guessing you have more invested in the IVF than you do in the tickets. The question answers itself.
Thomas will be back. Maybe even closer.
Ditch the tickets and come see TtFTE with us in New Hampshire on 7 July! It can’t be more than an 8 hour drive. Mapquest says it’s only 6 hours.
I like Kirsten’s idea of sending Beloved with the boys to Southern Ontario while you treat yourself to a wonderful spa-type (insert your favourite things to do here) break. Consider it part of the treatment. You need to be nice and relaxed to provide the best possible environment for your baby-to-be!
I say sell the tickets (for your own sanity), and maybe go on the Wakefield train instead? With a picnic and a visit to the Wakefield Bakery. And DON’T FEEL GUILTY!!!
Thomas will always be around, but how many chances will there be to meet Frostie?
I vote for the embies…BUT…perhaps all will work out and you can do both?
I missed something.
Is this a FET or fresh?
Can this be a game day decision? I mean if you don’t transfer in time, then not go but if you do, then go?
Will the trip add to your stress level or be a nice “Get out of Dodge” kind of break?
If the answers are
Fresh
Now
add to stress
then ditch the tickets.
My lord. I would never drive eight hours for children’s entertainment. But hey, that’s me. 🙂
I vote for Beloved taking the boys.
That’s a toughie! I think I’d lean toward skipping. But only with tremendous attendant guilt…
Good luck!