Flower

I rejoice the days the my iris plants are coming in! This summer I am hoping to expand my garden but first I meds to figure out the perfect location for my hydrangeas.

Here are my beautiful iris plants.

Someone who makes me happy

#PHOTOADAYAPRIL

He makes me happy. What can I say?!?

Reflection - April 1

I'm trying that photos a day challenge again for April. April 1st was reflection. I like to dress goofy when I'm at home working. On Monday, I wore leggings, Christmas shorts, tank top, hoodie, and socks. David was super embarrassed of me! LOL. I had fun.

Today is leggings, nightgown, socks, pink fuzzy slippers, and an athletic/workout jacket. I'm sexy and I know it. I work out.

A pound of Peanut Butter Cups

I ate a pound of Reece's peanut butter cups in the past three days. Somebody isn't dealing with her delayed UVF cycle very well.

It's National Walking Day. Out for a walk I go! How many hours do I have to walk to burn off a pound of peanut butter cups???

Oops.

March 30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 1 -Up

I've decided to try a daily photo challenge for the month of March. I am hoping I can keep this up so that I can, at some point, make a scrapbook of these pictures.

Today's picture assignment was "Up". I have been working in my dining room this week. The basement just seems so depressing now that the snow has finally fallen and stuck around. When I look "Up" from my computer, I see this picture.

The picture is called Grace and was first photographed by Eric Enstrom in 1918 in Bovey, MN. I grew up admiring this picture. Seeing it in almost every home of my relatives. I affectionately called this painting and it's female counterpart "Grandma and Grandpa Moses". Not sure why!

This photograph was originally black and white. Later on, Enstrom's daughter added color by painting the photograph in oil paints. She passed away this week. Her passing allowed me the opportunity to read more about this painting.

I took this photo using the Instagram app on my iPhone.

Drug Protocol

I was so relieved yesterday when I talked to my nurse. I was really worried that my drug protocol would be different than last time. I responded so well to the protocol last week as far as side effects are concerned. I was worried I would be placed on different drugs and I would start having the horrible side effects I had heard about (weight gain, hot flashes, etc.).

I will be on the SAME drugs (thank you LORD!). The first drug (lupron) will be in a smaller dose in hopes that we don't supress my ovaries as much. This is to increase the number of eggs. This is a good thing because I did not get that many eggs last time for the amount of stimulation medications I was on. I will take this two times/day.

When I start the stimulation meds (2 drugs), I will take those two times/day rather than 1 time/day like the last cycle. The dosage is similar.

After the transfer (pray we make it this far!), I will be on the same drugs as before but adding a patch. The patch will just help my body maintain the pregnancy. Sounds like a good deal to me!

April IVF

Leave it to the cost concious couple to decide to move up their IVF cycle date because of almost expired medications and costly bloodwork!

I called my nurse this morning to talk about the drug protocol and a few other questions I had. During that time, I found out that David would have to take his HIV/Hepititus tests again. Federal (?) law requires that you have this bloodwork done once/year. It is quite costly ($300 plus with insurance) to do this. David was NOT looking forward to doing this again and shelling out the funds!

Then I discovered that 8 viles of one of medications was going to expire in April. I thought no big deal but my cost conscious hubby thought differently.

One of the reasons for delaying the IVF for May/June was my school work and the Fargo Marathon races (I'm doing the 5k and David the 1/2 marathon). David thought it was pretty silly to revolve our IVF cycle around the marathon dates! Good point, honey!

We are scheduled to start the process on Tuesday, February 28th with birth control. I will have my baseline ultrasound on March 23rd and start the medications on March 24th. We are tentatively scheduled for a retrieval date sometime in the week of April 2nd-6th.

We are excited. I'm a little nervous. I'm the most nervous about the spinal. I just didn't enjoy being paralyzed for six plus hours.