Two week waiting (post FET)

Let's start off with the best news: I was able to switch to a new form of progesterone! NO MORE SHOTS! No more sore butt! Well, at least… no more sore butt soon! I read it can take up to two weeks to heal from the lumps and bumps and bruises of progesterone in oil, but I can handle that. I'm close to ecstatic about not having to get those nasty shots in the rear anymore. I can walk again! Parent again! Clean again! Cook again! Sleep through the night again!

For those interested in the medical side of this decision (i.e. if you are going through IVF/FET yourself), I had a great conversation with a nurse at our clinic which I will briefly share. For years, she explained, they let patients pick their own form of progesterone (PIO, Crinone, or Prometrium) but about six months ago a very good study was published showing that women who stayed on PIO for seven days post transfer had higher pregnancy rates. I knew this, but in my head I had interpreted the recommendation as "AT LEAST 7 days." No. That's wrong. It's just 7 days. No "at least." And the reason is because unlike the other forms for progesterone, PIO does not irritate the cervix or cause uterine contractions which can interfere with implantation. Implantation should have occurred by the 7th day post transfer. All forms of progesterone keep your blood levels where they should be; the difference is with the irritation/contractions.

Though I was having a really hard time functioning on the PIO, I did not want to go off it if there was reason to believe it would harm the babies. What good news it was to hear that there is no medical reason to stay on it longer than 7 days! I may have cried from relief.

Different Reproductive Endocrinologists will of course have different perspectives and protocols, but I will just tell you that Dr. Colbert (my RE) is in the top 1% of nationally ranked REs. I totally trust his perspective on the research and his recommendations.

No more sore butt!

I'm so happy.

That has definitely been the highlight of my two week wait so far.

I've also tried to keep up with my mission to "do things that make me happy" during the wait. My efforts have been dampened by my butt situation, however not completely wiped out. There was Halloween, Orphan Sunday at my church, a very special time of community with our small group on Sunday afternoon, and a last minute invitation to friends' for a rib dinner (yum!).

On Tuesday evening I started something I have been wanting to do for a long time: learn how to make pottery. This summer at my sister's wedding I reconnected with my former pastor's wife (formerly my pastor, not formerly his wife!). At the reception she said with a huge smile on her face, "I can't wait for you to see our gift for your sister! I made it!" The next day at brunch I waited eagerly for Jenna and Justin to open this particular gift and I loved it when I saw it. A set of beautifully formed and glazed stoneware mugs. As soon as I got home I went online to see if I could find a pottery class nearby. I did. I signed up. And now I'm attending.

I made a set of four "pinch pot" nesting bowls on Tuesday. They are not exactly beautiful, but I will take a picture when they are done. Maybe.

My pottery teacher told us not to worry about having the perfect pieces, but to embrace the Japanese principal of wabi-sabi which is to embrace the beauty of imperfection.

I made a joke about wasabi at that point to which no one laughed. I guess wickedly funny play-on-words are not welcome in pottery class. ;-)

Next week we will learn how to use the potter's wheel and I am praying I don't sent a chunk of clay flying across the room. I really need to redeem myself from my wabi-sabi/wasabi moment.

Today my goal is to do some baking with Arie who has been extremely patient through my butt situation, but is also in desperate need of some "fun with mom" time. I remember how weird it felt when my mom would be sick in bed or on the couch when I was little… I can tell Arie hasn't liked seeing me so weak and sore these past few weeks. I told him yesterday that I would be getting better soon and his eyes absolutely shone with hope. I think some a a little chocolate chip something will go a long way to making him feel better!

As far as pregnancy symptoms or anything like that, I've got nothing. I mean, I have some "typical pregnancy symptoms" but nothing I haven't felt in the two-week-wait before and as we know, I've never been pregnant. I DID eat a turkey ruben for breakfast earlier this week… and two sloppy joes with dill relish the next morning, but is that pregnancy related? Impossible to know. It could just be all the hormones I'm taking. I'm trying not to took to far into any symptoms or lack there of.

Thank you for all your continued prayers, posts, and messages. They each mean so much to me. I try to respond to as many as I can but please know I do read and cherish each one of them! These little babies are absolutely saturated with your prayers. I could not ask for anything more!

xo