Nashville Fertility Center- Eh!

Ok so this morning I went in for my first monitoring appointment. Lets just say it was an interesting morning. Before I start to explain my day I'm going to take you back 2 weeks ago when we were trying to set the appointments. So in order to make appointments they first needed an order from Reproductive Medicine in Minnesota and they needed me to fill out some new patient forms. Angie had spoken to Naomi from Nashville Fertility a couple times and I spoke to her once about the forms I needed to fill in online. She seemed very nice as did everyone else who I spoke to in that office did.

So at 10 this morning I arrived for my appointment. They at least had me down for an appointment but had no idea who I was, why I was there, and had me fill out the new patient forms all over again. They claimed they never got the order from Reproductive Medicine even though they wouldn't let us make the appointment without it. Weird. Needless to say that annoyed me (although that's really not hard to do anyway). I had to call Angie to get Dawns number so they could call her and get another order.  They also gave me a hospital bracelet which I thought was weird but Angie says that some clinics do that so they don't get clients mixed up!! Oh dear!

Once they got everything straightened out the nurse from hell called me back! She is every needle fearers nightmare! She was in a very big hurry it seemed like, even though there were only 2 people in the waiting room. Really wasn't that busy. I haven't seen any Vanderbilt nurses in that much of a hurry and trust me Vandy is much busier! I had to have blood work taken and she was in so much of a hurry that she didn't even pay attention to where she was sticking me and stuck me very hard. I wanted my mommy! I still can't really extend my arm very far without it hurting and it was a little blue this morning but its not that bad anymore. She asked me what Reproductive Medicines number was so they could fax the results and I didn't have it on me which seemed to annoy her and I asked her if they were going to be able to get the results in by 2 cause thats when Dawn needed them by. She said "Oh, thats not going to happen". Crap.

Next, the technician comes and tells me what room to go in. I go in there and get ready for the ultrasound and I can hear another patient and nurse arguing outside my door! Not good for other patients to hear!!

The tech comes back in and does her thing. I ask her about the test results getting to Dawn in time and she said "Look we do this all the time you don't need to tell us what to do". I'm a little caught off guard at this point and I said "I'm not telling you what to do. I'm asking you a question!" She handed me some forms and left the office. I few minutes later she opened the door (while I was trying to get dressed) and said they would have the results in  at afternoonish. And that was that. No goodbye, have a nice weekened, nothing.

So at this point I'm a little shocked and caught off guard to everybody's weird behavior. And I'm afraid that they really aren't going to get my test results in on time.

I'm checking out and I asked the receptionist if I could verify my next appointment. This is how our conversation goes....

Tiffany- Can I verify my next appointment?
Receptionist- Sure. Your next appointment is on October 1st.
Tiffany- That's a Friday right?
Receptionist- Hold on I have to go to another window.
Do do do dodo do do do. Do do do do DO dododododo.
Receptionist- Yes that is on a Friday.
Tiffany- And what time is it? I know its in the morning.
Receptionist- Uh, hold on I have to go to another window.
Do do do dodo do do do. Do do do do DO dododododo.
Receptionist- Its at 8:30am.
Tiffany- Do you have a reminder card I can put on my refigerator.
Receptionist- Nope.
Tiffany- Well alrighty.

I know, thats great huh?

But we have a happy ending. The results got in 20 minutes early!! And everything is just as it should be.

Tomorrow I lower my Lupron dosage to 5U. I start taking Estrace every morning. And I also have to start taking 81mg of asprin and 1000U of vitamin D.

We will see how my next appointment goes. Cross your fingers that I don't get crazy nurse again!!

Loopy Lupron... I've come to grips with it. You do too!!

So I started my first round of hormones this week!! I think it was last week when Dawn and I talked and we got my meds ordered over the phone and delivered the very next day. Dawn also sent me a calender that pretty much spells out for me what I'm supposed to take, when I'm supposed to take it and how much. So on Wednesday the 8th I started taking 20U of the Lupron injections.  I take that every morning till the 18th and then my dosage goes down to 5U.

The Lupron needle is very small. Its the same kind of needle they use for diabetics. But even though it is so small I was still so nervous the first day I had to give it to myself! I made my mom come over and keep the kids entertained while I tried to give it to myself cause I really didn't want to be interrupted. What could have taken less than a minute ended up taking more about 30 minutes! I pricked myself about 4 or 5 times trying to get it in but then chickened out at the last minute. I finally did it though! It didn't hurt at all and I was very proud of myself. I was so proud of myself that I went and bought myself a cute skirt at Target and club supreme at Jersey Mikes! Since then I haven't had any problems giving it to myself.

I have had a few side effects from it. I thought it was funny cause Dawn said that there would be no side effects but the psychiatrist  in Minnesotta said that it sometimes messes with people nerves which made me a little nervous since in the past I have already had anxiety problems. Since I've started taking it I have felt 2 side effects, fatigue and mood swings. Heres the interesting part. I have to take the Lupron at the same time every morning. By noon is when I start feeling fatigued and have to take a nap. Luckily Alex has been taking only one nap everyday that last for about 3-4 hours after lunch so when he goes down for his nap I turn on a movie for Nevaeh and I go take a nap myself. She is pretty good about letting me take naps.

About 4pm is when I start feeling a little moody. I'm either sad or really mad and it last for about 20 minutes. So stay clear of me between 4 and 4:30!

By 5 I get a burst of energy! I feel like I could pick up the house and throw it. Kinda like a female Hercules!! And then at 8:30 I'm having another mood swing. I feel better once I lay down and chill.

How about that for side effects?? I've been a little sensitive and cried at least once or twice a day. Jon has had to apologize for something silly everyday since I started this stuff. I have 6 more days taking 20U so I'm thinking when I go down to 5U I'll be back to normal! Hopefully! I make no promises. I do have 2 more hormones to get through that I haven't even started yet! So I've discovered that this will not only be an interesting journey for me but for everyone else around me too!

This is what we have to look forward to the next couple of weeks....

September 17th- I have an appointment with the Nashville Fertility Clinic. They are going to check to see if my endometrial layer is thick. Think thick!!
September 18th- Change Lupron dosage from 20U to 5U, start taking 2mg of Estrace every morning.
September 23rd- Start taking Estrace twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night.
September 27th- Start taking Estrace 3 times a day. Once in the morning, once at noon and once at night.
September 29th- Stop taking the Lupron.
October 1st- I have another appointment with the Nashville Fertility Clinic to check on my endometrial layer.

As of now our transfer date is October 15th. Angie will have her eggs retrieved 5 days before the transfer and that is when I start taking the progesterone injections. That date isn't certain yet but that is what it looks like so far.

Everything is moving right along. Before you know all the medications will be over and I could be pregnant with Angie's baby. That is so weird to say!!