Sementics

I should not be this excited to talk about sperm. But I am. Super excited! One could even say ecstatic. I'm going to start with a bit of the back story on this first.

Back in October, after my initial consult with the RE, I was sent home with a Semen Analysis Collection kit. He wanted to check hubby out as well right off the bat since it is so simple and way easy. The "kit" was just a bag that had a specimen cup and the associated paperwork. The day of the analysis, the sample is collected and transported to the RE's office on my way to work. I apparently thought it was normal to stick the bagged cup in my lunch bag, next to my PB&J sandwich, so it wouldn't get cold and stay at least room temperature. These were the results we got back that afternoon:

Can you sign sperm up for swimming classes?

Abnormal. Ridiculously low motility, low volume, low count. Ugh. So now we had a male factor on top of my several female factors. Crap. This gave us that very minimal chance on our own and why the RE brought up IVF at my follow-up in December.

Well, since we had made a few changes (added multivitamin and FertilAid's Motility Boost supplement) since then, the RE and I agreed a repeat SA was warranted. That was supposed to be Jan 27th. Well, that was when we found out I was pregnant. We never officially scheduled the appt, but were going to that week. Since I was feeling "off" we decided to wait and see. And you all know what we saw.

So fast-forwarding to today, I had scheduled this appt last week and Boy was on board with providing another sample. We were both curious to see what, if any changes had occurred and if those changes could explain our luck of the draw that Jan. cycle. I was given the Collection kit after the follow-up appt, and it's just been hanging out in the bedroom. Totally not romantic or anything, but where else do you put those things? The paperwork was filled out and the cup had it's collection. Mother Nature decided snow and freezing temps were in order for today and my lunch was a frozen burrito. What is an TTC-crazed infertile woman to do? That's right. That little bagged cup was tucked neatly under my arm inside my jacket. While I was driving, it rested between my thighs. Under the arm was to awkward with steering and that is the only warm place I had to hold it as I'm not endowed. It was back under the arm on the way into the clinic.

There I sat in the waiting room with my Cup O' Sperm, waiting for my "husband" to be called back. Apparently, this go round he was also slated for morphology analysis. His boys were getting the works! I was over-joyed when the following results made their way to my inbox:

Someone's been eating their Wheaties!

I was blown away at the improvement. Those little guys went from a few circle swimmers to almost a decent army! I've been giddy about these results all day! I almost wanted to tell people that my husband passed his sperm test! His dunce tadpoles have become honor roll students! Only 7% shy of being totally, 100% normal!! No more male factor! I don't know if it was the vitamins or the Motility Boost or both. To be honest, I don't care!

I've never been more excited to say that now, the only thing standing between us and our little baby is my wonky hormones. I actually think we might have a chance this cycle! The timing couldn't be more perfect either as I think I saw a hint of EWCM (or vaginal gold as Elphaba likes to call it) earlier today. I also topped off my evening by visiting a friend and her 11wk old daughter. Beyond adorable! Man, do I want one of those!!

It's that time again!

** Initially written 01/15/11**

Since July, there has always been one special time each month, where I get so excited and am beyond optimistic that this is it, this is the month. Ovulation. The big O. I'm not sure if it is the crazy surges of LH or estrogen or endorphins from the accompanying physical activities that occur at this time, but I'm just bursting with hope and possibility each time it comes around. The weeks loom before me. Which will it be? Will I see red or will I see that glint of pink on that white background? So much hope, so much anticipation over the slightest of lines on a strip of paper, a piece of paper that I pee on.

So here I am again. Ovulation. Except this time, I don't even know when it was exactly. There is a 3 day range where my fertility signs all point to fertile and possible O, but not my temps. You see, I've been horrible about temping this cycle. I've decided to stop temping after I'm confident that I've ovulated so I can start taking my progesterone supplements, as well as during my period b/c they are usually all over the place until I start to approach O. Well, on top of being a bit out of practice, I've been sleeping horribly. Tossing and turning all night. Alternating between hot and cold. This makes my temperature not remotely accurate. I've also been extremely fatigued and out of it when I wake up in the morning, sometimes to the point of sleeping through my alarm even. This makes my temps not reliable b/c of time discrepancies.

The one time I decide to be lax with temping and not to bother with any ovulation prediction tests is the one time in the past 8 cycles that it would really make any difference. Surprisingly, as frustrating as that all is, I'm not wholly concerned about it. Sure, I need to know that I have actually ovulated for the progesterone bit, but a day early or a day late won't have any grave impacts. We got busy when we felt like it rather than because I was fertile and we didn't want to "waste the opportunity." This is usually more frequent around my fertile time anyways, thanks to the libido boosting powers of estrogen. Regardless of when O was, our "bases" are covered, so now it is onto the "dreaded" 2 week wait (which is actually more like 10-12d for me thanks so much to the med regimen I'm on).

On top of the mystery of my egg's release date, weird things have been occurring physically as well. No ovulation pains to signal the ovum's escape from its follicle. No crazy acne outbreak (yet). Unusual cramping, bubbly sensations inside my right hip bone has been entertaining me as well as super *fun* tenderness in my twins. One day they felt like they were on fire. The next, you'd think I was locked in a meat locker and sporting 2 temperature buttons. And now, they are just a bit sensitive. Sensitive to hot, cold, pressure, and touch. It's not painful, just annoying.

If I had to sum up the last week with regards to my body in one single word, baffling is at the top of my list. Make that 2, no 3 words- baffling, optimistic, and hopeful. Hopeful that even though I have no clue what the heck my body is thinking right now, I'm optimistic enough to hold out on the possibility that in less that 2 wks, I too may be joining the ranks of women who have peed on a stick and seen that glorious faint hint of a 2nd line.