Two Lines

I mentioned in my last post that I'd been seeing the Chiropractor.  When I went, the Chiropractor listened to where my pains were (I have lots) and felt around an informed me that the area of my lower back that has been causing me pain for a couple of years, which had several vertebrae out of place, is where all the nerves are that control my reproductive organs!  Wow.  Of course he said that he can't promise that it will help my infertility but they can definitely help with my pain.  I've been going for about 3 weeks now and I feel much better.  I went for my first adjustment on a Thursday then started AF over the same weekend and had absolutely no cramps.  That is a major hurdle in and of itself.  Then, at the request of my husband, I have been doing the OPK strips (the cheap-o's) this month.  Today was day 18 and I got two dark lines!  Yay!  I have not really, for sure, ovulated on my own in a long time.  I mean, before I would sometimes get a faint line or a "maybe that's as dark as the control line, but I'm not sure" line.  And, always day 18-19, which is probably a little late - but my cycle last 30-32 days generally.  But, this morning it was for sure two lines the same darkness!  So, what did I do...I woke my husband up to inform him!  He certainly didn't mind. ;)

So, even though I know that you can get a positive and not ovulate and you can get a negative and still ovulate with those OPKs, that's still better than many of the tests I have done in the past.  I also am very aware that I could have been ovulating all along and getting a fertilized egg all along and the poor things have been dying b/c my ovaries suck the life out of them before they are even released.  Or, probably my lining isn't thick enough b/c my estrogen is crazy, so they may not be properly implanting.  So, I am not getting my hopes up, but this is definitely a positive sign!  Yay!

Random Funny

So, I was just commenting on Angie's blog and my little word that I have to type to prove I'm a real person was "fatiesse".  I looked it up on dictionary.com and it's not a real word, but dictionary.com offered:  did you mean fatties?  Nice.  Now I am sucking in my stomach.  :)

Follow up on the Last Post

Hi Everyone!  Thanks for all the input from my last post.  I have been meaning to look for a new Gyn for a while, but I keep telling myself I'll wait until I'm pregnant to pick one.  Why, I don't know.  He is a nice guy, but he has said too many things like that to me for me to actually think he knows what he's talking about.  I do not have PCOS.  He thought I might after doing a day 3 blood test including glucose test incorrectly by not telling me to fast, but my first RE confirmed that I did not have PCOS and my second RE never thought it looked like I did either.  Everyone seems to think I have ovarian issues.  I guess it is my own laziness that is to blame for me still going to see him.  But, there is one other thing - when he does the pap smear, it doesn't hurt.  I barely even feel it.  Every other Gyn that I have been to it has been very uncomfortable and sometimes actually painful.  But, I guess I just need to get over that.  I guess my other excuse has been that I only go to him now for my annual appointment and I see the RE for the issues I have.  But enough is enough.  There are enough doctors to choose from in the Atlanta area that I should be able to find someone I like.

Hopefully in my next post I'll talk some about what I've been going through with the psychologist I've been seeing.  I've also been seeing a Chiropractor and my back is feeling so much better. I have a lot to tell!

Quick Question

Okay, this is just a quick post to ask a question to all of my bloggie friends out there.

Yesterday I went for my annual ob/gyn visit.  I will say here that I go back and forth between liking and not liking him.  He does seem like a nice man.  I would never have a baby with his practice b/c I have a good friend that goes there as well and she had some not so great experiences with them while going through the pregnancy process.  Also, he is the one who (or maybe his office) failed to tell  me to fast for my first day 3 blood work, so my blood sugar was high (obvi) and instead of re-testing me at his own cost, put me on terrible Metformin (blah). 

Anyway, I digress.

So, my ob/gyn comes in and says so, are you actively trying to get pregnant.  Yes.  How long?  3 years.  Nods.  (Really, buddy, you should know this).  Are you still having regular periods?  Yes.  Well, that's good, at least we know you're ovulating.  I am certain I am not.  You  have to be.  You wouldn't be having regular periods if you weren't.  We could do a day 24 blood test for your progesterone levels and I'll prove it to you.  No.  I've done everything and I don't want any more tests.  Have you charted your temperature?  Yes, they are all over the place.  My temperature tells me nothing.  Silently nods.

I did try to soften it by telling him I know he's an expert, but I am not a normal case.

Obviously my therapy has not begun dealing with my issues with doctors. 

However, I was told by my first RE that they could test progesterone and do OPKs, but the only way to be absolutely certain that I ovulate is to hold the u/s wand in my vagina and watch it happen, which obviously isn't an option.

So, what have you all been told/read?  Can you have regular periods and not ovulate.  I mean, in the 3 years I have been TTC, I have had 2 very late periods (and strangely, they both came the first month I began seeing a new RE).

Stylish Blogger Award

Angie over at Random Thoughts from Angie has graciously awarded me with the Stylish Blogger Award!  How thoughtful!

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you the award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 other bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.


Here are seven things about me:

1.  I am really short.  Only about 5'1".

2.  I can't stand watching the super stupid movies, like Ace Venture or Dumb and Dumber.

3.  I enjoy gardening - when it's warm outside.

4.  I like to clip coupons and save tons of money when I go grocery shopping.  I feel disappointed if I don't save 40-50% when I go grocery shopping.

5.  I love red grapefruit.  It's kind of like candy.

6.  I like action movies like Indiana Jones, Die Hard...stuff like that.

7.  I recently tried Peanut Butter Snickers and they are delicious!

I don't regularly follow 15 blogs that haven't already posted about the award, so I will list the ones that I love reading that I don't see the award listed on their recent posts.

I'd like to share this award with:

Murgdan
Baby Baker
Rebecca
Nick and Kristi
Jen
Mummy in Waiting
My Infertile Confessions
Uneggsplained
AP
Jess/ Glass Case of Emotion
Andrea

Happy ICLW!

Happy ICLW!  For those of you who don't know what ICLW is, you can read all about it here on the Stirrup Queens website.

Just to give you a little information about myself, I am 31 years old (at least for a few more months) and I have been married for 7 years and TTC for 3 years.  I have had 4 IUIs and 1 IVF, all failures.  I've been to two REs, 2 acupuncturists, and a nutritionist.  Currently, I am on hold on all other treatments and seeing a therapist.  According to my current RE, I'm too stressed out for treatment to work.  Great. 

Let's see what else I can tell you about me that is fun and non-infertility related - maybe even something new for my blog readers altogether.  I have 3 super cute, super sweet cats.  The Controller at my company was showing me pictures of her cats the other day and she was just so excited about them.  She said, "I'm addicted to my cats!"  That's how I feel.  I love them and they are like my kids for now.  My husband and I both spoil them rotten.  I enjoy scrapbooking but haven't done much lately.  I did make all of our Christmas cards for 2 years in a row (2009 and 2010).  That is an undertaking!  I've already purchased next years in "after Christmas" sales.  I can actually put my creative energies into scrapbooking in 2011.  I have decided to pick up crocheting because I have always wanted to.  My mom was an avid crocheter and she taught me the basics, and I am surprised that I am picking it up pretty quickly.  My church has a new ministry where we sew, crochet, and knit little blankets, hats, and booties for preemies and still borns at the hospitals in our area.  I want to be able to participate in that.  I enjoy reading and I am currently reading 3 books:  Persuasion by Jane Austen, Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney, and The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis.  I am an accountant by trade and I do work in a pretty stressful position in my job. 

So, there.  That's me in a nutshell.  Please feel free to comment!  I'd love to hear from you and be able to link back over to your blog and read all about what's going on with you!

Snow in Atlanta!

It snowed Sunday night and most of Monday morning.  We got about 7 inches.  That is a lot for the Atlanta area, for those of you who don't live here.  We are NOT equipped to deal with weather like that.  Before church, half the schools in area had already announced closing and obviously it had not even started snowing yet!  I had to work from home today.  I hate WFH!  I just want to curl up with a good book with a cat or two laying on my legs and feet.  But instead, I was tied to my laptop (but I still had Maxwell on my legs some of the time).  I was not the most productive person today, but I did get more done than I thought I would.  I guess when it snows, the only way birds can keep warm enough to stay alive is to fluff up their feathers and eat.  So, they did.  My husband filled up all the bird feeders yesterday when we got home from church, and I am glad he did.  The cats were so excited, they did not get their usual "day of cat naps" which means they sleep all day until we get home.  So, they are all three asleep right now. 

The top picture is a picture of our backyard at 7am today.  The second one is Mathilda trying not to fall asleep this afternoon after a long hard day of bird-watching (and chattering and tail swishing and running from the front window to the back window to get the best looks at the best birds).  (And, yes, there are crumbs in the chair.  I am a little annoyed they are in the picture, but I didn't realize they had been left there until after I'd gotten the super cute pic).  The third one is of Sampson bird-watching later in the day (note the empty bird feeder, which was full in the morning).  Then, last but definitely not least, is Maxwell, watching birds.  The funny thing about that picture is that you can really see all the nose prints I desperately need to wash off the window.  None of my pictures have been great quality lately.  I need to work on getting the setting right on my camera for various picture taking opportunities.