Common Thread

The waiting room at Shady Grove was packed this morning. I didn't have a magazine, so I was looking around at the other people who were there. I found myself trying to find a common flaw in all of us. Looking for what it was that was wrong with us that we were all still childless. Infertility seems to spare no one. There were people of all races, a punk rock chick, a preppy uptight looking lady clutching her husband, heavy ladies, skinny ladies, tomboys, and girlie-girls. I guess that is somewhat comforting, but I'd feel better if I could just figure out what was wrong - with me, with any of us in that room.

They had trouble getting blood this morning. I swear, if I hadn't been sitting down I would have passed out. She was digging around in my arm with the needle to try to get the vein. It didn't hurt or anything, it just made me get weak in the knees. I get a little dizzy just thinking about it.

The nurse said my follicles were "all over the place". Apparently, I have a bunch of little ones, but I have one large one on my right side (13.1 mm) and 3 bigger ones on my left side (17.3, 12.5, and 10.8). My estrogen levels were good (if they were low it would indicate that my ovaries wouldn't be able to release any of these developing eggs) - the estrogen levels should be in line with the number and size of the follicles, which they are. They want me to continue my shots tonight and then come back tomorrow for more bloodwork and another ultrasound. They couldn't get a reading for the luteinizing hormone (LH) from my blood from today for some reason. They need that because a LH surge would indicate that I was getting ready to ovulate - and we'd have to work fast!

After my appointment, I went to the gym looking like some sort of drug addict or hospital escapee with gauze and tape on both of my arms. I decided I didn't really care! Anyway, I'll update you all again tomorrow afternoon/evening on the follicle situation and the next steps.