Giant289Pig

Please forgive me for interrupting the current programming with a surprise part 3 of our four hundred thousand, seven hundred and ninety two part series...

People Who Hate Me

So, I had to reset a password. The site sent me a temporary password to log in with. Yeah. The title above is my temporary password. They don't even know me and they're calling me a giant pig. Effers.
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In other news, I commented at:

The Pitter-Patter (on her BFN)
The Baby Chase (on her pregnancy after IF)
On (In)fertile Ground (on being lapped)
Local Nourishment (on an awesome reusable grocery bag)
Into the Light Again (asking a question about knitting)

I returned a comment to:
Grace by Inches (aka Girl, Esq. who I know IRL!!) (on making good choices for herself)

Slog Going

Add cons.tip.ati.on to the list of symptoms at 11-12 dpiui (days past the IUI). Ugh. Was laid up last night on the couch with cramps from it, even though I ate an apple and spent all of Glee and Top Chef sipping water.

I'm meeting my mom today for lunch, and we usually go to this restaurant with fabulous veggie burgers. Seriously, they are the best veggie burgers EVER! I'm hoping that the beans in them will help. I'm also counting on the french fries for awesomeness.

Been following the basic routine today of being nauseated except when I'm eating. To paraphrase Sam the Blue Eagle, I'm a weirdo.
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Here's where I've commented today:

Three Is a Magic Number (on Top Chef and organic gardening)
The Privileged Infertile (on her recent weight loss. Go Alison!)
The Pioneer Woman (on some awesome Pac Man jewelry)
I Never Thought It Made Sense Anyway (on the fact that she is a strong, awesome woman)
Banking On It (on side effects from Pr.ome.triu.m)

I returned a comment to:
The Desire of My Heart (on depression and MF results)
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Edited to add: the title of this post should be "Slow Going," but apparently, I can't type. Is that another symptom?

I Feel the Earth Move, But I'm Standing Still

Still dizzy and nauseated; still holding out against the forces of darkness (that would be part of my brain) who want me to google "4dpiui pregnancy symptoms".

Where I Commented Today:

Infertility on the Brain!

Communique

Stirrup Queens

Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Go Sperm Go

I Returned a Comment to:

Queen Wilhelmina

Are You? Are You? Are You?

John Dear has resorted to asking me if I feel pregnant about every 10 minutes. He intersperses those questions with "Are you pregnant yet? Are you? Are you?" I might have to kill him.

Why is it that he doesn't understand basic biology? I am blaming it on the school system in Virginia (where he grew up and where we live now). I don't think anyone from the great state of Maryland would make these same mistakes.

For those not in the know, there's a big rivalry around the DC area as to which state is better: Maryland or Virginia. Guess where I come down?

Dizzy and nauseated (unless I'm eating), so mah nishtanah halilah hazeh mikol halailot? (why is this night different from other nights?). Going to have an acupuncture session before my yoga class tonight. Been eating well and ate a bunch of pineapple this weekend as I read somewhere that pineapple core aids implantation. Plus, I love pineapple.
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Where I've Commented:

The Meatless Chulent

Baking and Books

Eggs on Sunday

Geek by Marriage

Local Nourishment

I Returned a Comment to:

Becoming Whole

Hurry Up and Wait

DIUI - Part II went as smoothly as Part I. I was in a different exam room this time (kitted out with a lovely new mobile, much thanks to Chez Perky), but otherwise, everything else was the same.

I did find out the counts for both samples. Our clinic prefers that frozen samples have a post-wash count of at least 3 M. Here's our counts:

Round I - 23 M
Round II - 17 M
The doctors and nurses in both rounds (since we had weekend procedures, we didn't get our regular nurse and RE) were impressed with the counts and hopeful that this cycle would be the only one we needed. Round I had 40% motility. I didn't see the motility number for Round II, but am hoping that it was similar.

Now that we've gone through all the stress and rushing around to get everything ready for this weekend, now we just have to wait. Beta scheduled for June 8th.

Given the fact that my symptoms for ovulation and PMS are the same as early pregnancy symptoms, I'm going to try not to do any self-diagnosing. I'd also like to not drive myself crazy with the tests. We'll see how that goes.
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Where I Commented Today:
On the Fringe -- Al Tzitzit
We Are What We Repeatedly Do
Healthy Indulgences
MoJo Working
Here in HP

I Returned a Comment To:
Another Jennifer Speaks

Sleepless

So, everything went well for dIUI - part I. I wore all my lucky jewelry (earrings from JD for our 1st anniversary, necklace from parents, bracelet from LorzaRN, fuzzy socks from KateDaphne). JD held my hand and put his other hand on my forehead; he was so supportive.

The procedure was really quick. Walk in, make sure all the numbers match, sign the form, lie back, you're done. They had me stay laying down for 5 minutes. Afterwards, we walked across the hall to my acupuncture appointment and I just tried to relax and visualize my body as a peaceful and comforting location, one where sperm could meet egg and settle down a while.

I had some cramping for most of the day. Nothing painful, just uncomfortable. I pretty much just rested all day while JD took care of me.

We both had trouble sleeping last night. I was able to sleep for a few hours but once I woke up, couldn't get back to sleep. When I gave it up as a bad job, JD went in to sleep for a few hours. I'll go out soon, taking The Boy for his walk and getting us some breakfast.

The second IUI is later this morning. I'm glad that I have Monday off since, if I go by yesterday, I won't be getting any tasks other than reading done today.
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Doubling up on comments, since I was unable to leave comments yesterday --

Where I Commented Today:

Misadventures of a Homeschooling Family

Were You Looking for Me

Here We Go Again

Subfertile Myrtle and the Temple of Womb

The Pitter-Patter

I Never Thought It Made Sense Anyway

No Swimmers in the Tubes, No Bun in the Oven

Our Family Beginnings

Positively Organic

Life in the White House

I Returned a Comment to:

Run Amok Amok

Conceive This!

Ongoing (also, ICLW May Day 2)

Time to tell you interwebs of all the BIG MAJOR THINGS going on at Chez Jendeis.

1. Donor #1 is available!! We got the call last Thursday that they were releasing two types of vials (ICI - unwashed and our clinic's preferred; IUI - washed and acceptable) for our donor. I told John Dear that if my Caps had to lose Game 7 (last Wednesday) in order for Donor #1 to be available, that I was OK with that outcome.

2. Since time is/was a factor and the vials HAD to be ordered on Friday (in order for them to get to our clinic within the allotted time frame), John Dear and I woke up at sparrow's fart on Friday (thanks to Sam for this fabulous description) to get the ID Consent Form signed, notarized and hand-delivered to the bank.

3. Since I'm the patient, JD was not allowed to order the vials. That means that I had to call on my cell phone from my sister's doctoral graduation. Yeah, I ordered 5 vials of sperm (2 to clinic; 3 for storage) while standing on a DC street with a couple hundred people crowded around trying to get into an air-conditioned auditorium. Thank G-D the people at my bank are so professional - they know how to talk to you so that you don't say anything you wouldn't want others to hear.

4. Yay for Elle! She's now Dr. Elle! My sistah the doctah! Unfortunately, they didn't give her a wicked cool blue phone box, just a doctoral hood and a diploma.

5. I've been doing the Is-the-test-line-darker-than-the-control-line? squint for the past 5 days to see whether or not I've ovulated. Got the dark line today and just called my nurse. I don't think I sounded crazier than I usually do. I'm pretty sure all my calls to her are at the same level of "Dayum, that girl be kuh-rrrrrr-aaaaa-zeee!"

6. I've been having a healthy breakfast every day the last two weeks. This good-for-me meal usually consists of tea with milk and less-than-a-teaspoon of sugar (down from one heaping teaspoon) and Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts.

7. Was planning on going to the farmer's market tomorrow to try and pick up some good milk and yogurt from happy cows. I'd also like to get some berries, some asparagus and some more of the delicious spring onions I got last time.

8. Not sure if I'll be able to make it to the farmer's market though -- it depends on when my nurse schedules the IUIs. We're doing two - should be one Saturday and one Sunday. No trip to the beach for moi this Memorial Day Weekend, but hopefully, there will be a better payoff.

And now, for something completely different.

Where I've Commented Today:

Flotsam

Making Me Mom

The Angry Infertile

Cooking During Stolen Moments

Food Renegade

I Returned a Comment to:

Our Surrogacy Adventure

ICLW May - Day 1

Stuck in a closing and some transition meetings. Will update on all of the BIG MAJOR THINGS* going on in life when I get a chance.

Where I've Commented Today:
Bloorb
Kitchen Stewardship
Mission: Impossible
The Unfair Struggle
I'm a Smart One

I Returned a Comment To:
Fertilized

*No, not a BFP. Just lots of stuff I haven't updated on yet.

ICLW - April - The Intro Post

Hello, internets! I'm excited to kick off another edition of International Comment Leaving Week! Welcome everybody!

For those who are new to the crazy, my husband (John Dear, aka JD) and I have been TTC for almost 3 years. With a diagnosis of very low motility and some genetic considerations, we've decided to go forward using donor sperm.

Last week, we were cleared by the RE and LCSW, all that was left was to pick the donor. We picked him!! I'll be doing a separate post this week on our process of choosing a donor (it did not involve the flipping of coins nor did it come down to a round robin tournament of rock, paper, scissors), so if you're interested, check back later this week.

SO, I guess all we're waiting for is CD1 and then we're actually going to have a shot at getting pregnant! I'm bouncing up and down with excitement! Yay!
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I'm also a huge Washington Capitals hockey fan, so I must give a shout out to my boys in red (well, white when they're away). Go CAPS!! While I have to settle for having naughty meditative visions of Alex Ovechkin during my yoga nidra class, my sister saw him for real this weekend while she was out and about. So cool!

ICLW - Day 7

Hosea wins Top Chef? Man, that was unlikely. Hosea is a very lucky man that the judges only considered the meal in front of them for their decision.* Otherwise, the Fish Chef's mediocre performances would have found him out on his arse.

I had been rooting for Carla, the cheftestant who resembles (to me, at least) a Fraggle. I wasn't rooting for her because of her Fraggle-ness, I feel that she's a gifted chef who delivers when it counts. Plus, she's from DC. Hootie Hoo!

I think Carla's problem, however, was in listening too much to Casey. Why would you discount your own ideas for someone who didn't even win the dang competition? Didn't Richard lose last season on a sous vide dish?

I completely agree with the analysts at Television Without Pity that Stefan was never a villain, though the production "elves" tried to twist the editing to make it seem that way throughout the season. His behavior towards Carla during and after the final challenge proves how caring a person he is.

Anyway, congratulations to Hosea on his win and many good wishes to Carla and Stefan. I hope to hear great things about you in the future.

* A criterion that the show's fans have been screaming about and pestering for since the beginning of the show. Now? Now, they decide to do the right thing? Also, many, many thanks to Tom Colicchio for pointing out to Toby Young that he was being a little twerp for wanting a dessert when the rules specifically stated that the cheftestants didn't have to do a dessert.

Comments Left At:
1. Schroedinger's Zygote
2. Baby OCD
3. I Think I Hear Your Mother Calling
4. The Great Big If
5. Chez Perky

Comment Returned To:
1. Here is to another day

ICLW - Day 6

I didn't stay up to watch Governor Jindal's response to President Obama's address. Wonder if I should have, as it's making big rounds on the political blogs as to how bad it was. Should try to see if I can find it on YouTube; or I could just watch Jon Stewart's take on it.

Comments Left At:
1. Maybe I Will Have a Glass
2. Who Shot My Stork?
3. A Mother in Israel
4. A Few Good Sperm
5. Antigone Lost

Comment Returned To:
1. Awake in the World

ICLW - Day 5

For an intro to my blog, click here.

While I was up in Bahstahn (gotta say it like a native), John Dear had dinner with his parents. I think this did a lot of good as they were able to discuss specifics without me there and talk about JD's concerns. His parents told him that all they wanted was for JD to be happy and that in whatever manner our children came into our family, they were our children and our family. JD told me that he now understands that what would make him happy is having a child, not a genetic link to a child. So, JD is on board with using donor sperm.

Now, we just have to decide if we're both in this marriage. We're not going to try and have a baby while we're unsure about US.

I've been talking this through with some close friends, BFF, my Fairy G-dmother and my mother. Right now, I'm working through the angle of whether or not JD would be a good parent to our child. I think he would be good at the fun stuff, but he can also be scary with his moods. Plus, his lack of logical thinking and reason/reasonableness isn't a good trait to have when being a parent.

I don't know how this will turn out.
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Comments Left At:
1. Ima on (and off) the Bima
2. Barren Is the New Black
3. This Side of Eternity
4. Happy to Be at Home
5. Mulberry Spot

Comment Returned To:
1. Baby Making Journey
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Looking for tips and hints on decorating, kids, cooking and more? Just looking for interesting blog posts? Stop by the Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival hosted every Wednesday by We Are That Family.

ICLW - Day 4

Back from freezing Boston to chilly DC. Now, I'm trying to catch up on all the blog reading that I missed this weekend and yesterday.

Comments Left At:
1. The Meatless Chulent
2. Israeli Kitchen
3. Smitten Kitchen
4. Life in the White House
5. Eggs on Sunday

It looks like I only read food blogs, but it's not true. :)

Comment Returned To:
1. A View on My Life

ICLW - Day 3

For an intro to my blog, please see my post here.


Greetings from sunny but verrrry cold Boston! Up here to teach a class at my alma mater on real estate investment. Specifically, I'll be talking about tools once can use to turn bad deals into good ones.


Let me say a big "Yay!" for the expected but hopeful win of Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture. I watched the show till I fell asleep, somewhere around Best Song (yay "Jive Ho"!).


Sarah Jessica Parker, please meet me at Camera 1. Dude, you are 42. You were not getting married last night. When James Bond has to give you a wide berth due to your dress, it's too large. Stop this nonsense. Thank you.


And now for the blogs...


Comments Left At
1. Conceive This!
2. MoJo Working
3. The Great Big If...
4. The New Life of Nancy
5. Before there were more


Comment Returned At
1. Dragondreamer's Lair/The Fertile Infertile

IComLeavWe - Day 2

Hello! For an intro to my blog, please check the post below this one.

Yesterday, John Dear and I attended the Best Picture showcase at our local movie theater. We saw all five movies nominated for Best Picture (Milk, The Reader, Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon). I am definitely rooting for Slumdog Millionaire (or, as the host of the show says it "Melonaire"). We were at the theater from 10 AM on Saturday till just after midnight today. It was so much fun!!

Since I didn't get any computer time yesterday, I'm doubling up on comments today.

Comments Left Today for these Bloggers
1. Stirrup Queens
2. Baby Smiling in Back Seat
3. Dragondreamer's Lair/The Fertile Infertile
4. Musings of a Fat Chick
5. Portraits in Sepia
6. Trying for a Baby
7. Life and Times of Kimbosue
8. LaRay's Crazy World
9. There's a Baby at the End of This, Right?
10. Sticky Feet (Part Deux)

Comments Returned Today
1. Making Me Mom
2. Beautiful Mess

IComLeavWe - February - Day 1

Welcome and hello to my regular readers and those stopping by from IComLeaveWe.

A short intro for those not familiar with my story: John Dear (JD) and I have been married for 3.5 years and trying to have a kid for almost 2.

IF-wise: we are hampered by severe male-factor (low, low, low motility), and our clinic will not do ART on women whose BMI is resting somewhere between Dayum and Fluffy. I have successfully lost 20 pounds since our diagnosis date. I would like to pursue IUI with donor sperm to avoid John Dear's genetic, medical issues; he's still considering.

Life-wise: JD is currently between jobs (again). Our marriage has fallen on some very hard times. I'm waiting for Candid Camera to jump out of a closet as my life turns into a country-western song.

Come join in the fun and follow along!!