follicle check sunday, 11.7.10

Super awesome. It just deleted my whole effing post. I will try to duplicate.

Egg is at 16.4mm, exactly 3mm larger than it was on Friday. It's growing! Slow growing, but still progressing.  It's just a lazy potential-Garcia.

As of now, I've been instructed to grab an OPK (ovulation predictor kit). They're in the neighborhood of $60+, so I'm going to get the week supply, since I only need 2, for $20.  I wish I had time to shop online, I know I could find them cheaper--but I don't have the time. Plus, if this cycle doesn't work out the way we hope, maybe I'll have a use for the other 5.

Dr Chen wants the egg to be at 20mm before the IUI.  My uterine lining surprised us all when she checked it today--it was like a normal ovulating woman's uterine lining! I think it was 5? With that news, (the lining is supposed to thicken when a maturing egg is in the making to prepare for baby/implantation) she thinks I just might ovulate on my own, since the rest of my body is shockingly acting 'normal.' That would be amazing.  I'm a 'natural' type of person, so this process has been a mix of emotions for me.  I'm thankful and excited that we have a real shot at this with the aid of modern technology, but at the same time the more I can 'do' on my own the better I feel, the more grateful I feel.

Backtracking a bit.  The high dose of Clomid (I'm sure I've mentioned this) thins your uterine lining, and you need to be supplemented with estrogen. I'm so happy we're not going to need more estrogen.  Moving forward. Our instructions are to buy the OPK, use one tomorrow morning (Monday, 11-8) and Tuesday morning (at the same time I did it Monday morning).  God willing, it will be positive come Tuesday morning. If it is positive Tuesday morning, I am to call the office, tell them the good news and make an appointment for a Wednesday IUI.  If negative Tuesday morning, I will still call the office, but it will be to make (another!) ultrasound appointment for Tuesday to check the egg's progression.  By this time, at the rate it's been growing, it should be 20mm.. or damn close.  She'll give me the hCg (hGc?) shot to trigger ovulation and we will also make a Wednesday appointment for IUI--though I believe it will be a different time of day as opposed to the positive OPK appointment. Either way! Wednesday is the day, assuming nothing crazy happens. :)

Oh, I've been reading the famously ridiculously informative (and sometimes silly) book 'What to Expect When You're Expecting.'  Many things I knew prior to picking up the book, quite a few that I didn't, and some I laughed at. At any rate, I am much more informed than I was before.  I'm reading it alongside Sebastian and his book, 'What to Expect When Your Wife is Expanding.'  His is mostly just hilarious. I bought them both on Amazon a couple weeks ago for about $11 total (including shipping). Of course, in his book the front page is devoted to a wonderful dedication about what a great dad Ronald was going to be in September, 1993.. but it was a sweet dedication, so I just crossed out Ronald's name and put in Sebastian's. And replaced John and Kim's name with mine.