We are now on HOLD!

We had everything planned for having an IUI done the Monday before Christmas, but I was not able to go into the office the Friday prior due to the funeral. So, instead I was going in for blood work and they were watching my levels through my bloodwork. You should have seen my arms. I looked like a druggie that kept on missing! I had SO many bruses on my arms! Everything was seeming to be fine, up till Sunday when I got the call from the doc that states that my levels are over 3,000 and it should only be at 2,000! Also, that I need to keep moving - I can't sit or lay for longer than 4 hours. I am HIGH RISK and have a higher chance to getting a blood clot! I was told to take a baby asprin a day. I had my ultrasound on Christmas Eve, only to find out that my Ovaries were the size of cantaloupes! Yes, you read that right - Cantaloupes! He states that I responded too well to the meds. He said that most women that he deals with can have 4 vials a day and only produce 2 or 3 eggs, while I was on 2 vials and produced 12! I was scheduled to go on on the 6th, but that is now canceled! Since the Sunday after Christmas my body decided to go ahead and start the cycle without no meds... I NEVER start on my own!!! I always have to take meds to get they cycle going. So, because of this, my appointment is now not till the 20th! I guess we will have to wait till then. Just by what happended this past month makes me think it's more possible - since now my body is reacting the meds, since when I was on the clomid by it's self I didn't respond very well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Christmas Holiday...

The holidays came and went TOO fast. I swear that I didn't have time to enjoy it at all with everything going on. Well, after the funeral, mom came back with us to stay until we went back on Christmas day. I think it was good for her to stay with us - it was a chance for her to get out of the environment for a little while. I was working a lot, due to the holiday schedules - I unfortunately was not home for long.

Christmas Eve
We went over to Eric's aunt and uncle's house to celebrate Christmas with his side. We took over a meat and cheese tray. OMG! I didn't think it was going to cost so much for us doing it ourselves. Next time I will spend the $25 to have someone else do it. All the food was good, as usual. Mom had gone along with us.

Here are some pictures...

The kids playing together...

Brandon being the little helper...

Watching the kids open their gifts...

Aunt Nancy...

Mom (in-law) and Dana..

Christmas Day
Morning
We started off by heading over to Eric's parents house to have them open gifts. It was entertaining watching Heather open our gift. Well, it all started with Eric's idea of rolling up cash. I took it the next step... I used a ziplock bag and filled it with powdered sugar and made sure it was airtight. I made a "starter kit" consisting of a mirror and a credit card. I had tightly rolled up 25 dollar bills and each of them were taped together. Along with some loose money in the box. We were all cracking up over it.

Here's some pictures:

Hannah - all dressed up!

Heather counting the rolled money...

Mom(in-Law) opening her gifts..

Afternoon
We headed up to Saginaw to celebrate Christmas with my side. We first went over to the house, set up the cage for Hannah, make the green bean casserole, and finish getting ready. When it was about time we headed over to Uncle Don and Aunt K's house. Once again - good food. Eric enjoyed Aunt K's holly cookies. Eric seemed like he was kinda bored. It was more low key then what it normally is. Since grandma was still so fresh in our memories. We did the white elephant gift exchange and Eric and I got left with the crap! So, not fair! Oh well, I'll use the one I got for next year. Since I don't want it. Usually after Christmas we always played cards, BUT this year it all changed. Everyone decided to do their own thing. Which was rather lame - since Eric and I were planning on spending the night just do we didn't have to run around and leave to come back home.

Here are some pictures...

Sitting around for the White Elephant Gift Exchange...

Jennifer not wanting her picture taken...

Playing the white elephant gift exchange...

Eric and TJ being bored...

Jenn and I (I love this picture!)AWESOME WINE!!!

Evening

Since there was nothing else better to do - Eric decided that he wanted to go see a movie. And since I was bored too, I said sure. We took along my 14 year old cousin - Jennifer. We went to go see the Spirit. At least tried to... We went into the theater and we were waiting for the movie to start... It was rather loud, but thought that it would quiet down after the previews started... WRONG! The theater was filled with rude, immature, little gangsters or wannabee's. I'm from that area and it was NEVER that bad! They were SO loud, walking all the time (even in front of the screen) talking on their cell phones, kicking chairs, throwing popcorn. When the little punks behind us started shaking Jennifer's chair - we decided to go. Eric was SO pissed. He asked to talk to the manager. Before we could even tell him what theater we were coming from he had already guessed. We got our money back - took Jennifer home and then went back to the house and went to bed.

Day after Christmas
I didn't feel very well from the time that I got out of bed, but we were still keeping our plans to go meet Steph for lunch. We met at Hunan for lunch. I couldn't really eat - I just felt sick. Then we went over to the mall. I just felt like I was getting worse. So, we had to call it a day. We said our goodbyes and we went back to the house to start packing. I tried taking some pepto while Eric was packing and loading up the car. I still wasn't feeling well and Eric just wanted to get me home. Well, on the way home - yeah - didn't make it home before we had to take a little detour. I had gotten sick IN the car! All over myself. Eric helped me the best he could by getting me a change of clothes out of the trunk and stood cover as I got changed on the side of the road. I had to sit in the back with Hannah for the remainder of the trip... Poor Eric, he could barely handle the smell. Yeah, it was rather bad!! I did start feeling better from that point. As soon as I got home. I took the LONGEST shower ever! I was a big ol' prune afterwards, but it was worth it!

The Funeral - the goodbye...

Grandma's funeral went over well. The day of the showing was long but we all got through it. The day of the funeral, it had snowed overnight. And OMG it was bad! All of the roads had at least 10 inches of snow and the snow continuted to fall. Eric drove to the funeral home and when we finally got there it was NOT plowed! When we parked and I opened the door the snow came to the door... They decided not to have the continued service at the gravesite, except for immediate family members. So, after the funeral service was over with we went over to the cementary. We stood around the gravesite shivering in the cold watching grandma's casket be lowered into the ground. As Eric, I, Aunt K and Uncle Don were walking back to our cars, Eric slipped on some ice (since his shoes had NO traction), then as I was trying to help him up he slipped again and then fell face first into the snow. Poor Guy! It was a little humor on the dark day. We then were off to the church for some food. As we were trying to get out of the cemetary - we got stuck! Stupid snow! I was the one that was chosen to drive to the church. OMG! The roads were so horrible - One lane on a major road with no salt or anything with white out conditions. The food at the church was decent. It's always nice the church does so much for the family when something happens.

Now it comes to - everyone coping with the loss of a mother, a grandmother, an aunt, a sister.... R.I.P. - Barbra Lou Morse - I will miss you and love you forever, my grandmother. I know that you and grandpa are together now looking down watching over all of us.

Things are starting to look up.

Even in this dark time of Grandma's passing we are seeing a little light.

So, I went in for bloodwork before I came into work yesterday. By 8 am the Doc already had the results and asked if I could come right in. So, I did... They did an ultrasound to see how many eggs there were and the sizes. Well, I have 1 that's the size of 13 and 4 the size of 12 then a bunch of smaller ones. I was told that it almost looks like a honeycomb! The mature size is 15, so, almost! I had to get bloodwork done before I came into work today too. You should see my arms, they look horrid. Thank God it's wintertime so I can cover it up! Then I have to go in for bloodwork on Saturday when we get back. Then either the doc will call me once he gets the results or I have to call him by 1. He will then give us directions on how much HCG to use and when to give it. It should be given either Sat or Sun. Then, the IUI on MONDAY! I plan on working only 1/2 the day and then going home afterwards and resting. Hopefully I can! I should know 2 weeks after the IUI which if it's on Monday will be Jan 5th. Just past Eric's birthday. I only hope that it's going to be positive! That would really spread some light to the family. Since this Holiday is going to be really hard on everyone!

Grandmother and Update!

I was on the phone with Heather on Monday around 10 and my mom kept calling me, I didn't know why, so, finally I told Heather I have to get the other line. When I went over to that line mom was hysterical - She told me that Grandma got killed in a car accident on the corner of Tittabawasee and Center Roads in Saginaw (not that far from her house). What we think happened... The roads were slick and Grandma tried stopping for the red light, but slid right though the light and the GMC truck that hit her was going TOO fast for the weather conditions. If you look at the impact of the accident, you would understand. She was hit hard. I'm going to miss her! This is just so hard, since it was totally unexpected! The whole family is taking it hard.

Here's the information for her funeral and showing...

Funeral Services and Showing will be held at:
Cunningham-Taylor Funeral Home (same as my grandfather's)
310 E. Washington Ave.
Freeland, MI 48623
989.695.9431

Showing will be Thursday from 2-8pm
Showing for family - Friday at 10am
Showing for Public - Friday at 11am
Funeral Services will be held Friday around Noon.

Link of the article in the Saginaw News...
http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/12/saginaw_township_woman_dies_in.html

Link to her Obit... (please sign the guestbook - Thank you!)
http://obits.mlive.com/Saginaw/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=121459150


Update on the Infertility...
I got the phone call on Monday for the instructions. I keep on taking 150mg of the Gonal-F, go in Wednesday for bloodwork (and since today is Wednesday - I went in to the lab before I came into work). Now I have to wait till 10 to find out what's going to go on from here.

Gotta love the waiting game. We seem to be doing it all the time!

The latest update.

I know it's been a few days since I have posted. I've just been so busy! I've been trying to get the house around for the christmas party, get shopping done, christmas cards and not to mention all of the doc visits. Which I just got home from one not that long ago. So, we had our class this past Thursday to show us how to inject the meds. That was interesting. I thought I would be able to do it easier than what really happened. I nicked myself with the needle four times before the assistant helped me push it in. When the time came for Eric and I to do it at home - He did it for me. Which does make it better! I'm surprized that he's handling it so good. There is hope yet! We have been giving the injections since Friday night. We have to do it at the same time every night. I had my dr visit this morning where I had to get blood work done beforehand then go in for an u/s to check the size of the eggs. The biggest one was at 10, but they have to be at 15 to be considered Mature. So, depending on the results of the blood work they might up my dose to 3 vials or just let it stay the same at 2 vials. I keep this for a couple of days then go back in to check the size in a few days, but I won't know when until later.

So, Saturday was our Christmas party. That went over well! I forgot to get out the camera though. BOO! I always seem to forget the camera at the parties that I throw. At least for the New Years Party that we are going to I will remember the camera, since it's not here! YAY! Like normal, we had TOO much food, but it was all good! The White elephant gift exchange went over well - it seems like everyone liked what they got. Eric got a bar set, which suits him now, since he has figured that he like some drinks. Then I got a margaritta mix along with glasses and the salt. So, when I can drink again - It's so mine!

Well, it's time for me to take a nap. Since I haven't been feeling so well lately. I think it's from the injections, but I can't say for sure. The doc isn't sure either. Anyways, I will write more when I know more.

Some snow has fallen - I wasn't able to catch Hannah's first time in the snow, but she's funny as hell in the snow. She prances in the snow... It's a sight to see! Here are a few pictures from last night (as it was snowing heavy and it was COLD!) we were taking a nice longer walk. Did I mention it was COLD? LOL!

She likes to shove her nose and head into the snow...

Just look at all the paw prints that she left behind!

After receiving my Christmas Party invites, Raja and Deeann were so impressed... Deeann asked me to go ahead and make her invites! I did - I made 29 of them. They all looked a little different. And as I went along I think the better I got. Here are a couple of examples (the pictures do not do any justice to the invites at all)...





So, I took old Christmas Decor and took into my office to decorate. Here are some pictures from my office after it had been decorated (notice the paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling? I made those too - I'm so crafty! haha Thanks Mr. A for all the arts and crafts classes back at FHS!)...









Now about the ongoing drama also known as Infertility...

We had a doc appt on Wednesday the 26th. That told us that the surgery showed that nothing was wrong - everything looked normal. Other than - I'm starting to get a hernia (however it's spelled). Whoopie! Thanks QD, for the help! LOL! The next step is I had to take Prometruim for 7 days to get my cycle started and get all the perscriptions filled - all SIX of them! . I go back on Friday (the 5th). I have to take my meds in with me to my next appointment. This cycle is going to be the following:

1. Ultrasound (12/5) to make sure no cyst.
   
2. Clomid (for 5 days)
3. Gonal F (injections)
4. Mid-Cycle Ultrasound - to see if I have Mature eggs
5. HCG Injection (If I have mature eggs)
6. IUI (If I had mature eggs, within a day of the HCG injection)
7. Then wait!

I will keep you posted on all of the latest developments.... Waiting sucks! haha BTW - I need some of the water that seems to be getting all the chicks around here pregnant! Within the past Month or so, I know at least 4 chicks that have gotten pregnant! And one of them is with her 3rd! I wish it was that easy for us! Damn Manchester side of the family - I blame you dad! haha - I have to put blame somewhere!