IUI-Day 0

So last month was a wash. I had a HSG where they inject dye into your tubes to check for blockages. I was told by my doctor that this would be a great month to try because the chances of conceiving seem to increase slightly for cycles with HSG. Something about the tubes being all opened up. But my family came to visit right around that crucial fertile time and brought huge drama...like crying for days and everyone calling each other four times a day to talk about what to do. Let's just say, my hubby and I had no time at all and nothing happened in the baby department. I was pretty bitter after my family finally left. One, because I'm mad at my dad for his issues...and two, because they affected my life and hindered something I've been dreaming about. So, I wasn't really surprised when my period came and I'm on to this cycle.

I started month four of clomid and I know my doc said that she doesn't keep people on it for longer than six months. Your uterine lining gets thinner and thinner which is not condusive for babies. So I was wondering what the other options would be. I subscribe to other infertility blogs and in the past month, two of them have gotten pregnant...one with IUI and one with IVF. Hey, these methods work and made me really hopeful. So I asked my doc if we could be more aggressive for cycle 5 of clomid and she asked if I wanted to try an IUI this round. Sure...anything that even slightly betters our chances.

So, I was a little nervewracking about the timing of it all. She said to call the clinic when i had a positive ovulation test and schedule it for the next day. She said if the ovulation test was positive on a Sunday, not to worry, the egg would be okay for a few days. But i didn't really believe that, I've read that the egg is only good for 24 hours...so if by some small chance I ovulated on Sunday...called the clinic on Monday and had the IUI on tuesday, I might have missed my chance. I was praying praying praying. I got the positive ovulation test on Monday (yesterday)...oh thank goodness.

My husband has to give a sample of his ...ummm, genetic contribution to the lab a few hours before my IUI. THe instructions read that he should give his sample to the lab thirty minutes after collection. He has a different insurance so the gyno had given us a collection vial two weeks ago...but I asked the clinic if they had any special rooms he could go in. They said " There are restrooms on the floor." Um, never mind. So we had to just rush from our house to the clinic to make the thirty minutes. And we hit traffic because of an accident...oh, just our luck. I was clutching the vial in my sweaty hand because the instructions said to keep it at room or body temperature. I felt like rolling down my window, waving it outside the window, and screaming at the slow moving cars to get out of the way "We Got Sperm Here!!!"

i was scared about the IUI because I've heard there can be cramping and bleeding. And I hated the HSG...HATED IT!!! I felt like I had been put through a grater. The IUI was awesome. She said that my cervix was open so I shouldn't feel anything. She was also impressed by my husband's sample after the lab was finished. Oh, pretty please. They injected the sperm and then had me lie there in the room for fiteen minutes. I read a book (I love reading...they could have kept me there for an hour if they wanted) and in my mind, I was urging the sperm on.

TMI to follow: I love the IUI because its so much easier than sex. No worrying about using sperm-friendly lubricant that I had to buy from the internet. No having to lie there still for twenty minutes trying to resist the urge to pee. And I know that we got the sperm halfway through their journey and past the more difficult and dangerous part of their journey. Go find the egg!!! get em!!! Oh, it would be awesome if there were two eggs...I would love twins. Of the two fertility blogs that just found out they are pregnant, one had a vanishing twin and the other one has two gestational sacs.