Kittens

So I kept the promise I made to myself of not calling Monash IVF prematurely, instead waiting until I received the information/registeration pack in the mail. Hubby and I are now the proud (lol) owners of little barcoded laminated cards, a thickly-bound book of information and one counselling appointment (next Tuesday, June 1st).

The thing that made me laugh the most was the IVF newsletter enclosed. Not because of the content but because of the cover... it's covered in kittens. I can just imagine the scene now...

Person A: "What do we put on there this quarter?"
Person B: "Babies? Chocolate"
Person A: "No.... kittens. Infertile women love kittens"

Person B: "Rightio, kittens it is".

I promise I'm sane. Just in waiting mode. :P

Resisting the Urge

I'm proud of myself for resisting the urge and not call Monash IVF to check they received our registration on Friday - instead I'm waiting until Monday afternoon because it's entirely more realistic that they will have received and processed our forms.

I started a new cycle yesterday and cramps have been kicking my arse both days. So much so that I'm sitting in bed with my laptop and it's already 12.35pm (ho hum!). Sure, it's Sunday and a designated 'lazy day' but old habits die hard and I want to be productive too. Perhaps I'll do a little work for the week ahead later in the afternoon. Or find an excuse to take photos somewhere -- I've been in a picture-rut since December, I realise.

Speaking of cycles, I'm guessing that this one will be the last 'natural' one for a couple of months (before down regulating and stimming), both a little poignant and frightening. My poor bank account's going to take a battering this year...!

In the Mail

*thumbs up*

Hubby's police check arrived in the mail after...what, four or five weeks? Sure, he's got a more common name than me (first name/surname combination) but it was getting a little ridiculous.

The paperwork is now in the mail to Monash IVF, so here's hoping that they receive it tomorrow and I can make the counselling and pathology appointments.

I haven't quite made it in to start on the down-regulating for next month, as I have a period due some time in the next week. But assuming that the blood test results come back normal, I'm crossing my fingers that this time in a month we'll be starting the process. :)

Happy Sunday

Good morning!

Today is Mother's Day here in Australia (and in a few other countries I'm told; it's easier to live in a bubble sometimes) and, while I thought it'd be a grand plan to avoid blogs and Facebook today, I'm in a good place.

Maybe it's because of the afternoon tea I'm throwing to honour my own mother today, or the fact that the police check for my hubby is on the way (as of Frikday; Public Enquiry Service told me so!), or that I'm finally letting go of the stress/anxiety related to trying to conceive.

Several friends and family have told me in the last fortnight that I seem 'full of energy' or 'positive', when they don't really know the whole story. Am I radiating positive thinking again? Maybe so, this is a big step if it's the case.

Happy Sunday to you, my fellow infertile friends. May this week continue to be a good one.

Saccharine

When I saw the title of a friend's blog post this morning, my heart leapt while at the same time sinking. She'd birthed her very-much-wanted baby girl - which now brings the pregnancies of four friends all due within the past month to an end.

In a way, it's easier to cope with the newborn pictures at times than it is to cope with the tummy pictures and saccharine musings. Those I can gloss over, or choose not to read at all - I can hide away and pretend that I'm taking some time out from being online.

I started reading a book today that my naturopath let me borrow called Inconceivable, by Ben Elton. It's a romantic-comedy about a couple struggling with infertility. Used to the complex worlds of sicence-fiction (particularly space opera) I've flown through it and in the first 60 pages I've both laughed and cried. I realise how much of a broken record I am, and how I'm selfishly dwelling on what I don't have instead of what I do have (stable marriage, job, finances etc).

But I suppose at the same time the stability induces guilt, there's nothing really to validate my thoughts, nothing concrete except a piece of paper and receipts for medical services proving that I really ferociously infertile at present. Damn you fallopian tubes!

Three Cheers for my Naturopath!

I went and saw my naturopath today, I was excited since I hadn't seen her since November and I especially wanted to talk to her about the implications of artificial hormones and drugs coursing though my system come IVF cycle time.

She was fantastic and answered so many of my (new) questions, and lent me a book to read. I feel so blessed to have found her last June, and don't think my path would have been the same had I not decided to visit a holistic practicioner.

Now loaded with herbs and other such things which should last me for the next four weeks or so. ;)

Still waiting on police checks to come back.

Looks Like an Offline Day

Sometimes I wish that it were possible to log onto my Facebook account without seeing the pethora of friends posting photos or statuses about their bellies, babies or children.

I suppose that it's my own fault... I'm in my late twenties and so are most of my friends. It's logical that they've made the leap into parenthood for a multitude of reasons. There's so many websites that I need to avoid on a low day... my blogging communities, forums, photography sites - and now Facebook. It would probably be for the best that I don't go online during those days, I think I'm PMS'ing today.

P.S. - The cheque that I wrote for the police checks hasn't been cashed yet, so I doubt they'll arrive this week (hoping for next week).