Sunday, May 31, 2009

IVF Pregnancy Due Date Calculators

My internet has been down last few days, all is good now, not sure what was up?

It has been 9 days so far of wonderful pill taking, prepping my lining for my babies. It is going well actually, not too bitchy actually and I feel ok, other than the occasional crapping and headaches which are sweet.

I think I will see Dr. Polite on the 4th, then the transfer should be a few days later if all looks well. We have only four frozen embabies, the last from IVF#3 . So this will be transfer number 7 and the first since being tubeless in Cairo. Ya Raab, (Oh God) let this be it!

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As always I wanted to update the AMAZING pregnancy calculators that ivf.ca provides.

In this update you can find the following calculators:

IVF Due Date and Fetal Development
For fresh IVF and ICSI cycles.

FET (3-day embryo) Due Date and Fetal Development
For FET's with 3-day embryos.

FET (5-day embryo) Due Date and Fetal Development
For FET's with 5-day embryos.

Natural Pregnancy Due Date and Fetal Development
For natural pregnancy, inputting start of LMP (last menstrual period).

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Tragedy is everywhere

Reading my Google News this morning and happen upon this sad story in San Francisco, California. In all ways a disaster, so sad. How is it that people like this do not think about the children they have, how can  they put their kids into a car with a person who is not sober, and no car seats too?

i.just.do.not.get.it!

Also another sad story is about Mike Tyson's 4 year old daughter, who may not survive the accident she had on a treadmill.

If you're a parent please be responsible, please. I promise I will if I ever become a mom.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Secrets anyone?

So i was reading Niobe's blog today and totally stole from her this idea. Its kinda crazy huh, but I find it so interesting. (And it has nothing to do with my upcoming transfer nor the sadness in our family now, and I needed to post something totally unrelated, just because.)

It reminds me of a website I check out once in awhile where people send in anonymous confessions or a secret on a postcard.

Why do we like to read anonymous confessions? Why are people obsessed with real life sins and secrets being exposed by the ones who actually commit or keep them?  Don't know, but thought I would try it here and see what we get. I too will post a secret or two or three among yours.

There is no way to track any of these, please choose to post anonymously and lets see what we shall see, shall we?

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Thank you

Thank you all for your well wishes during this incredibly hard time.

Death is something none of us will escape, it is the final destination for everyone. I am going to try to spend my time better and try to prepare for my final destination. I like to think I am trying my best but I can try harder and will.

You know none of us know when we will die. Could be today, could be tomorrow, could be many years from now. It is so sudden and can come at any minute. But one thing is known, it will come to all of us.

It takes a tragedy like this sometimes to rethink your life, for me anyway. The thought of death is always with me. Not like I think about it all the time, I don't, but the thought is there. I have always said this supplication before sleeping "Oh Lord by Your Will I lay my head to sleep, and by Your Will I raise it up. So if you should take away my soul during sleep forgive it, and if you should return it back to me protect it, even as you protect your pious servants." Because our waking up from sleep is not guaranteed is it?

My husband is doing better. This is so so so so hard for him. He and his brother were so close and he was the youngest of them of all so it is extremely hard for all of the family. He was not sick and it was so sudden and unexpected, just a real tragedy. We buried his brother on Tuesday.

I was surprised the day before yesterday when my husband said to me "are you going to start the pills?" I said yes I am. This is day 3 of my cycle and started pills on day 2. I will see my doctor on day 11 or so to see how my lining is coming along. I am hoping this time will bring some happiness at such a difficult time. We said if we have a boy we will name him after his brother.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Keep us in your thoughts...

My husband's youngest brother passed away.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

From God we come, and to Him we return.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Show and Tell: 300th Post

Well this is something, something to be proud of I tell you, I feel like a proud mama.

I started this blog back in May of 2006, so its been 3 years of blogging and this is my 300th post!

What makes this milestone so special? Well for starters I can't believe how wonderful and therapeutic this has been for me. I have met so many of you, you wonderful, strong infertile and fertile women along the way and your comments, emails and support have got me through all the fun that infertility offers.

When i started this blog, initially it was for family and a few friends only. I never envisioned meeting so many of you and that anyone would even be the least bit interested in an infertile expatriate in Cairo.

So though we have not seen success yet, I try to stay hopeful and know that whatever is meant to be for us, or not, will be. I will continue to blog and read and comment and be part of this awesome community whatever the future brings.

I took a look back at my first post on this blog, I laughed and cried at the same time. I laughed at how simple and hopeful my words were, (little did i know later those simple words would turn into FET, BETA, BFN and so many more fun acronyms) and cried as it was the beginning of this crazy IVF train we've been on for the last 3 years.


So i share with you my very first post and our journey into this crazy world of IVF and infertileness, thank you all for coming along....

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May 6th, 2006 (important date because next month i'll be pregnant )

Finally after 10 years of marriage, one tubal pregnancy in January, we officially started the IVF process today! So i MUST tell you we are VERY EXCITED!!! (excited because next month I would get to write about being pregnant)


Took my first, of many more to come, injections today. Did I give it to myself, you know I didn't! The doctor gave it to me, but from here on, I will go daily to our pharmacy here, for 1 LE, a doctor will administer the injection. (LOL....many many more. Little did I know that Super Nice Doctor Gal would become my homegirl)


S. could NEVER do it, he is worse than me! He said he would, no problem, but I am going to spare him this....poor guy. (Super S is THE man with injections, he just didn't know it yet. I bet after that first one he did not think he would have to be giving them for so long now...)


So here's the drill.....- I will take injections (two daily) for awhile now. (and for many months and years to come)


- Day 7, I will have an ultrasound to check if my ovaries are being stimulated enough and the doctor will adjust the medicine accordingly. (not knowing then how lucky I was going to be to experience those fun pills and injections that would make me so nice and so patient and just super sweet )


- Day 15, he will extract eggs, mix with S.'s sperm. (extract and mix LOL, love it!)


- 36 hours later they will implant fertilized embryos in my uterus. (implant, how very very proper)


- Day 30, 15 days after implantation, we and you all, will pray a period does not come. (i did not know her as Aunt Flow then, and I did not consider her a b*tch actually, so thanks for introducing her to me. Thanks.to.all.of.you. beyoutches!)


Will try to post daily, I hope you will enjoy sharing this experience with us. You know how badly we would love to a child, God Willing we will soon. (this statement will always stay the same with me. One thing this IF did not get from me is my faith and deep down belief, however hard it is to find sometimes, that whatever is meant to be will be. )

There's a lot of other kids showing and telling on this one year anniversary of Show and Tell with Mel go check em out!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Blooming and thinking




May in Cairo is awesome. Everything is blooming and looks so beautiful. Makes me feel good and corny.

I have not thought much about my next FET until recently. Well let me rephrase that, the thought is ALWAYS there, but I guess I filed it on the back shelf, along with other things I don't want to think about now.

So last night i say to Super S, "are we going to try to transfer this month?" ( wish we were talking about money...) He's like "yeah." That was it. Is that bad, no. It's just become that simple for us. The talking about doing it that is. I remember I used to get all excited and hopeful, now I just get nervous and I guess a bit of hope still lurkes around too I can't deny that.

So embryo transfer number 7 is about to begin. As soon as our dependable, never failing to appear friend Aunt Flow arrives, the first day I will start the wonderful pills that Dr. Polite likes me to take. Can. Not. Wait. As the pills are hormones of some sort they really add to my mood and make me so sweet as I get my uterus and body ready for transfer. Fun.

But you know what, I am kinda excited about this time actually. This will be our first transfer where I have no damaged tube connected to my uterus. Remember I had my last and final left tube ligated in January. So this may just work huh?

A few of the super gals on my blog roll are pregnant so maybe 2009 is the year for us? Let's hope so.



Monday, May 11, 2009

Show and Tell: Happy Mother's Day

I had another post planned for Show and Tell, one about our trip to the Red Sea and all the fun we had.

Then I opened my email.

Some of you remember Aimee, last year I did a Show and Tell about her and her mother, my friend Annette before.





A great inspiring story to read this Mother's Day. Please take a minute and read....

Love you Annette. xoxoxoxoxoxo