Sunday, January 31, 2010
2010 Africa Cup of Nations- Egypt WINS!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Egg retrieval Wednesday Morning
Friday, January 29, 2010
January 30th, 1915
Arabian Sand Cat born via IVF
Egypt Wins!!! Beat Algeria 4 to 0
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Egypt vs. Algeria again...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Life during an IVF cycle
Monday, January 25, 2010
Moving right along
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Was it a loss?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
ICLW January 2010
Welcome all ICLW-ers. Its that fun time again, I just love it! I missed it last month as I was travelling, so I look forwad to meeting some new bloggers this time.
I live in Cairo, Egypt and am currently doing IVF for the 4th time. Today is Day 3 of my cycle. I feel really good about everything and feel this is the cycle that will bring us the baby we've been trying for for what seems like forever.
My blog is about our IVF cycles and our cats and my fun filled life in the Land of the Pharaohs. Its gets out of hand sometimes and I am actually all over the place most of the time, but it works out well, for me anyway. I see this blog as great a venting machine and really a relaxation for me. Real exciting stuff here let me tell you.
I love perfume, shoes, cooking, blogging and a good chocolate ganache sauce on anything sweet. A charcoal grilled beef hot dog is one of my favorite "gourmet" foods. The hot dogs SUCK here in Cairo so I miss them so.
Oh, 2010 is the year of our baby. I will be pregnant next month and I ask that you come back and congratulate me then. Thanks and do stop back by anytime.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
No more needles
Right... I wish!!!
You'd think I'd be used to needles by now. I can't even count the number of injections I've taken in the last couple years.
So, today I started Fostimon which is injected into the butt with a long ass needle and I experienced what I think maybe was an anxiety attack?
You see, I CANNOT, under any circumstances, ever SEE the needle penetrating my skin, never, ever, ever, ever!
Super S gives them to me, thank God and if for some reason he is not around I go to the pharmacy and there is a nice little pharmacy girl that can give them to me.
So as Super S was preparing the injection today, (mixing the water with powder etc.) thats when i felt anxious as shit. Just seeing that needle, I got all shakey and sweaty- I had to walk away. Ok I am sure it wasn't a REAL panic or anxiety attack, I don't think, but the sight of that needle made me uneasy man.
Now when I ice the injection area just before and then get the injection I'm cool, I cannot see it and I don't feel a thing.
Just the sight of those damn needles make me cringe. I have three syringes in the kitchen now and I had to put them in a drawer so I would not see them as I walked by.
I'm good each cycle as long as I don't watch the prep time if there is any, i should know better. I have to laugh at myself, but I know me, I am a BIG baby, a total punk, always have been.
The only one who gets it really is my Mom. Super S knows and deals with me, but Mom is the one who I get sympathy from, LOL. Sad thing is I have not even told her about this cycle, I want to surprise her when I get my positive beta.
I'm off to bed now, almost midnight. Have I ever mentioned that when I lay down, I think up blog posts? I never remember them, but I can see the title, and as I am thinking of sentences I see them too. And they are damn good too, not like what you read here.
I know, I know, give this girl a baby or two and fast! Night. xoxoxoxox
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 1
Today is Day 1 of this IVF cycle, the one that is branging us our baaybe.
AF started today and I officially started stims, even though I have been injecting for 6 days prior to flow with Puregon, that stopped today.
Today began with a half syringe of Decapeptyl and tomorrow, Day 2, four vials of Fostimon will be added and I'll continue both of these daily for a while until follicles reach desired size, etc. I will see Dr. K on Day 7, next Monday.
You know this cycle has started out so good. For so many reasons... One is that we had just enough of Puregon and thought we may have to go buy more, but AF being the sweet little B that she is, showed up in time today. Did last of the Puregon yesterday.
See Puregon is not available in the pharmacy where we live, at "The Center" they sell it for alot less (60LE less) than the pharmacy does, if they had it. But we didn't need it and the other drugs are available in our pharmacy and they are not "on sale" at Dr. K's.
The "sale" at Dr. K's I think is the pharm.aceut.ical company kick backing to them maybe to get their patients to use Puregon?? The drugs are ridiculously cheap here compared to the USA and Europe so that little kick-backing-it, if that's what it is, is ok with me.
There are NO ads on TV for any drugs, you don't see any kind of advertising for drugs, except MAYBE a poster in the pharmacy, but even there I have not seen many. I do miss all those disclaimers at the end of those commericals- too, too funny. "You may experience death, explosions from parts of your body not related to human functions while taking this medication..."
The same companies are administering these drugs like in the USA or Europe- Me.rck, Pf.iz.er, etc. Most of the drugs I take are imported and most are not manufactured here in Egypt. They are the same quality, grade, etc. don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I think perhaps they are cheaper as there is not much advertising or need for lobbying going on here maybe?
Whatever the reasons, i am happy and it works out great for us! By Western standards it's stupid, crazy, sick cheap here, but of course it still adds up for us.
A perfect little comic to sum up my superwoman feeling right about now.....
nataliedee.com
The Cat's Crib
Its after midnight here in Cairo and I am off to bed. Watched a really strange movie with Ashley Judd called "Bug".... weird, but good, well sort of.
Anyway, I wanted to share with you Super S's magnificent creation, the condo for our babies i mentioned the other day.
We laid a towel down inside temporarily, we are having cushions made to put in the house. It opens from the right side, (your left while looking at the pics) its a door, for easy cleaning, see the little latch?
What do you think? Pretty suite eh?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunny and better
I was able to get to sleep last night, thank God.
My eyes are better but still irritated a little. Just not sure what happened.
Dentist could have just been coincidence, maybe this flare up or whatever it is/was had nothing to do with being there. Maybe a reaction to this Prednisolone or Puregon, both of which I am taking for the first time? Anyway all is good and I will live.
Its beautiful here in Cairo, sunny, warm 75 degrees, like an early summer day really.
The babies are loungin' enjoying the weather... Super S and I willjoin them in a bit.
Have a great day wherever you are. xoxoxox
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Proping my eyelids open
I got a tooth filled today. A cavity came out a while back, I've been putting it off and since I'll be pregnant soon I thought I better take care of this now.
Right now I can barely see. Ok, i can see but my eyes are watering like crazy, they hurt like hell, and are a little swollen.
This all started about an hour after I had my tooth done. I called the dentist to see what kind of anesthesia he used, making sure there was no penicillin in it, I know its anesthesia... but I had to ask, I'm allergic to penicillin.
I told him what medications I am taking now and asked if it could have been a bad reaction or something, he didn't know.
The worst thing is when I close my eyes it feels worse, how will I sleep man? I am like proping these babies open and then they water even more, sweet.
Hopefully this will all be gone in the morning. It really really sucks though, feels like there is little rocks under my eyelids.
Friday, January 15, 2010
IVF Number 4 in Session
First off, my heart goes out to the people of Haiti. What devastation and grief they are suffering. If you can make a donation, however big or small, i think it will help.
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Well its official. I have started medication for this IVF trial, our 4th and the one that will bring us our baby(ies), God Willing.
Here's my yummy cocktail as of now...
- Currently doing a super fun belly injection of Puregon daily until AF arrives.
- Also taking 10mg Predinisole daily now and will continue until 13th week or so of pregnancy.
- Taking a "super" antioxidant supplement I bought in the USA, along with low dose aspirin, and a prenatal vitamin, that by the way, I have been taking for 5 years!
- On day 1 of my cycle, Decapeptyl and Fostimon injections daily until follicles reach
desired baby making forces, monitored via ultrasound.
- Planning on IViG infusion 7-10 days before ET.
- Start Clexane (Lovenox) injections day after ET.
So I was reading last night about the "Colorado IVF Protocol" seems alot of people in Austrailia have had success with it. I read that some doctors there do not like it, but that some of the ladies were insistant and pushed their doctors for it, they did it and many had success.
So being that Dr. K is very cool and open to what I want, I am going to pull a few things from this protocol and add to ours. He doesn't know it yet, and of course will run by him.
Specifically....
- Super S will take Doryx 100mg twice a day for 7 days once I start stims.
- I will add Augmentin 500mg twice a day on the day after the HCG (trigger) injection and take for 5 days.
- I will see if they have Crinone Progeterone gel here and if so will do one application each morning starting after egg retrieval.
- I will also check to see if they have Estraderm mx patches (100mcgm) here and then two are applied to the butt, again starting after egg retrieval.
- Have intercourse the day before embryo transfer (why?).
It really is a fun bunch of stuff isn't it? I still have such a really great feeling about this cycle, and I am going to do all I can to make it work. Trying things and adding a few from here and there, my body is going to love me huh?
Monday, January 11, 2010
A change is gonna come
Just hung up the phone with the wonderful Dr. K here in Cairo. He asked if we could come in Wednesday. He said is thinking about changing our protocol this time around.
How happy am I to hear this? Extremely.
Not sure yet what he is thinking but its something different and to me thats good.
I will get to discuss with him what Dr. Ahlerling suggested and I that I want to add these few things as well.
After we meet with Dr. K. on Wednesday I will post a full update of what we will do this time around.
So get ready- start practising your congratulatory wishes... 2010 has got to be it man.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
If I was doing IVF in the USA...
I would be doing it at SIRM - St. Louis. Why?
Because of Dr. Peter Ahlerling.
I just want to tell you that I have never been to SIRM St. Louis nor met Dr. Ahlerling.
Dr. Ahlerling has been more than gracious in answering a few questions I had via email. He did not have to do that, but he did.
So IF we are ever to do IVF in the States I am so there. But we won't have to right as we will be pregnant in a few weeks after IVF number 4 in Cairo, more to come on this soon...
I wanted to share this with all of you in case you are looking for a good IVF Center in the United States. They have such a great reputation and for me, not even being a patient and getting such wonderful responses via email from Dr. Ahlelrling says alot. Imagine if you are a patient?!
Again, thank you Dr. Ahlerling for sending me such great information and for being so helpful to me!
Be sure to visit these websites for tons of excellent information:
http://www.peterahleringmd.com/
http://haveababy.com/?St._Louis_IVF_Clinic
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Back in the land of dust
It took my being away to realize how friggen dusty it is here. It just seems dustier than usual, maybe its just me or maybe it was the dust collecting in my house, although Super S was the man and kept the house in such great shape.
So I made it home safely thank God. Good to be home with Super S but missing being in the US already!
I came home with three bags, which gave me a nice additional baggage fee (2 bags up to 50lbs. are free). But it was all worth it and mucho thanks to my Dad for covering the outrageous fees. Thanks more than you know man.
I missed by babies so much, they all got bigger and it was great to see their furry little butts when i got home. Super S built them a sweet house, we call it the cat condo- I'll post pics tomorrow as he just finished painting it today.
Lots coming up this month, will share with you soon.
*** I made a cake the other night without baking powder, why? We wanted something sweet and were too lazy to go to store and buy baking powder or a ready made desert. This "cake" tastes like marzipan, is not super dry, rather moist, minus the rising that cakes usually do and know what we love it! I know you are so glad I'm back.