Day 3

Did you know druggies can get needles and syringes at any time and place for anything, but ME a non-drug seeking indivual cannot? My evening started in a panic when my good-good friend Michelle and I left for a night out. I realized while we were out I would need to take my repronex injection and to do that I would need more needles. Since the last pharamacy forgot to order them I was on my own to find a pharamacy who could fill them and could fill them TONIGHT prior to 8pm. After several calls to different pharamcies I figured I could call my PCP and ask them to give me at least ONE needle to hold me over until South Hill Wal-Mart filled my 'script tomorrow. Would they do it? NO! The doctor told me he "didnt feel comfortable" giving me one. Even with my 'script right there from my RE! I just needed one! ONE! ONE DARN NEEDLE! After hanging up with my PCP I called Good Sam Hospital, they informed me that in Washington State you DO NOT need a 'script PERIOD to get needles and ANYONE can get them. I will be calling my PCP tomorrow to question his reasoning. Needless to say we found a pharamcy who could fill it. PHEW! As Michelle and I head to Ikea we stopped at Taco Dell Mar (YUMMY!) before we were going to go in I told Michelle we might as well just fill up the needle and you can give me the injection now. She looked at funny and said "what time is it?" I looked at my phone and said "7:42pm"! "NO! Its not 8pm we will do it at 8 o'clock. I want it to be at 8o'clock" So I said "fine" and we ate a quick dinner. After dinner I felt rather silly going into a public one stall restroom with Michelle. But we did and Michelle gave me my injection :) She did a WONDERFUL job :) No pain, no blood....and she has asked that Floyd remain busy the next few days so she can give them to me. Funny, somehow I don't think Floyd will object. Sorry to say Nathan was unable to capture that monumentous event on film tonight as he was home with his dad. Tomorrow Michelle will have to come back and do it again so Nathan can take our picture! Michelle was a true pro!

So afterall that we made it to Ikea! We spent too much! I bought a new duvet and curtains. I will have to post a picture later of my new bed and new bedding set tomorrow. Well tomorrow afternoon because its currently 12:09pm and its far far too late to redoing bedding....well maybe!

On a sad note my washing machine is currently farked up. It will not drain so tomorrow we will hopefully have it working. As for now I am borrowing Michelle's washer! She is returning the favor to me because not too long ago her washing machine broke down as well. Mine however MUST be fixed by tomorrow or I will probably be put into a mental instution by Sunday. I cannot live without my washing machine or vacuum. Any other appliance I could do with out. Those are total "no-no's" to live without!

Off to think about putting my bed together tonight!

Enjoy your weekend all...its my last 48hours until Monday, when I must return to work!

Today is day 2 of injections....

So Breonna was our photographer. She took a picture of her dad giving me the injection of medication :) She enjoyed it a little too much I think! Again please excuse the chub, stretch marks and my granny panties!

Day 3 will be Nathan taking the photograph of me "in pain"! Ha ha! Today's injection was actually painless! WOOHOO!

So today Breonna had her 10yr well check up. Overall she is doing wonderfully. She is 75% for both height and weight. She is offically able to "check out" of the carseat world. For a long time she was tall enough to be out of the booster seat, but unfortunatly not heavy enough. Her dad and I both agreed it would be best to keep her in one until she hit the weight requirements. Thankfully she didnt battle us too much and we NEVER made her bring her booster with her when she went with friends. Breonna got a finger stick to check her iron levels, which was all good and she got her Heb A vaccine as well. She didnt cry at all. I was so proud. Breonna also had her eye appointment. All good for the most part, but because of the long delay in getting her glasses back on her we are at a standstill and are starting with a lesser prescription and will need to get her evaluated in a month, which means a new 'script and more money! But all worth it.

Nathan also had his eye appointment. He will have to wear reading only glasses. He was glad to hear they were only for reading and not something he will need to wear all the time like his sister. Nathan's 12yr well child check up will be on my birthday, July 10. I will update you all then!

My 1st injection

Was tonight at exactly 8pm. Floyd gave it to me and he did a great job. He of course second guessed himself which made me second guess myself about how to put it (90 degree angle) but still we had a little "tiff" and I finally said "JUST DO IT!" To which he did :) And did a great job.

So here is a picture of my "target" and the little red dot in the center is where Floyd stabbed me :) Which by the way hurt like a SOB because the alcohol was not dry when he pushed in the needle...ouch!

Please DO NOT look at those stretch marks OR the chub hanging off my jeans...only the target, you see ONLY the target!

We got the offical go head

to start injections and clomid. My ovaries were all clear. So tonight I will be starting 150IU's of Repronex and 100mg of clomid.

I was totally nervous going in, thinking the worst. I have been in so much pain the last few days I was worried I had some cysts in there. But nope, nothing! WOOHOO! So I had the ultrasound with the ultrasound tech and she gave me the all clear. My Doctor came in and repeated the meds needed and had the nurse come into show Floyd where to put the injections. I have lovely "targets" on my upper hip/butt area in permanent marker. I go in on Sunday for a blood draw for my E2 levels to make sure things are growing and moving and then I will be coming in every 2 days after that until the Doctor gives us the go ahead to use the trigger shot and do IUI.

So there it is in nut shell. We are starting a new round of injections. Please say a few prayers for us. We need them!

Baby Names

So over dinner Floyd and I played more of the "name game". Our latest names are nothing spectacular, but atleast he agreed on more than one name. However, we were only able to come up with Girl names....amazing considering he is dead set on a boy coming out of my vagina first :)

Girls:

Adisyn Michelle Powell

Sofia (Sofie) Christine Powell

Georgia Michelle Powell

Because I really like older names it was hard for us to agree. We have also agreed on Ella (or Ellie) Loralei and Phoebe (except Phoebe doesn't mesh well with our last name). Those names are still in consideration, but were not a favorite.

Boy names I like are:
Names w/ astris by them are names I like more.

*now most of the middle names for boys are Robert (my dads 1st name) and LeRoy (Floyds dad's middle name)*

Jaxson Wyatt**
Seth Robert-LeRoy **
Carson Robert-LeRoy
Riley LeRoy Robert
Chase LeRoy-Robert **
Carter Robert - LeRoy
Jacob Evan OR Jacoby (jah-ko-bee) Robert **
Owen Robert-LeRoy
Connor Haze **
Hezikya (Haze) Robert-LeRoy **
Ryan Gage**
Noah Robert-LeRoy


Anyways there is our list, kinda. So tomorrow morning I will be heading up for an ultrasound and some blood work. I will keep you all posted.

Today is cycle day 1

Well I started my period this morning. I knew it was coming for sure last night. I was crampy and uncomfortable and did not sleep this well. So I called my doctor's office and we scheduled our cycle day 3 ultrasound and a blood work up for Wednesday at 10am. As long as I have no apparently big cysts I will be given the go ahead to start the clomid and repronex. I am very nervous.

Floyd and I always seem to play the "name game" when we start a new round of medication for fertility. Floyd is always thinking that if we get pregnant we will have a boy. I however, given our families history KNOW we will have a girl. I am secretly wishing for a girl though.

Well off to put my feet up. I am waiting for a friend to call about coming to her house to make a few blankets :)

Talk to you all soon. I will keep you updated!

Wednesday I popped my last pill of...

Provera. Which means my cycle will be starting here anyday and that means I will be going in for my first ultrasound on cycle day 3 to see if I have any cysts (please pray that I don't) and if I have no large cysts on my ovaries I will be starting the clomid and repronex combo.

I am sure my cycle will start soon. I can feel twinges of pain on both sides of my ovaries. For those of you who have ovulation pains it sort of feels like that, just stronger. I also am getting mild cramping...so for those of you who hate getting your period I am sure its totally weird to hear about someone writing about how excited they are to be getting one! I just LOVE having my period! I don't exactly like all the tampons, cramps and advil but the ending result is what I long for....

So more updates as the days go by. For now here is a link to PCOS for those of you who have asked what it is.

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/pcos.htm

Here is a picture of what an ovary with PCOS looks like...its kinda looks like a chocolate chip cookie...

Today is the last day of school....

Today is Nathan and Breonna's last day of school. Coming home with them will be a ton of unused school supplies, art projects galore, and assignments the teacher has kept for the year. That is the one thing I hate about the end of the school year. All the "stuff" that comes home with them. Unopened markers, crayons, packs of paper, peechees, etc. We spend probably 70.00 to 80.00 on school supplies each year per child. We make sure we get all the supplies on both lists, run from store to store and then even during the start of the school year we make more trips back to the store for the items that werent in stock or the supplies the teacher forgot to add on to the list..... and all for it to come back home in June! What really cracks me up is the fact that each year their grade level supply lists change so the unused supplies from last year arnt needed/wanted for the new year. Teachers!

So Breonna attended her year end Choir party. They did a potluck BBQ at the school and played her favorite sport, baseball. She very much enjoyed it. She really is an excellent baseball player.

Here is a picture from their last day of school. Overjoyed and all...

This will be Nathan's last year of wearing uniforms as he will offically move on to Jr. High School fo the 7th grade. How totally scary! Breonna will spend another 2yrs in the Elementary School, very aware of the fact that she will be wearing a uniform for the next two years.

It really does seem like yesterday that I was meeting Nathan at his kindergarten classroom. He insisted on taking the bus from daycare to school on his first day. I remember getting to his classroom and seeing the huge spaghetti mark on his new yellow shirt. First day of school and first impression of us looking like slobs. It was a great feeling. I remember trying my best to cover it up with his name tag. It still looked awful...he had a great first day of kindergarten. He loved every minute of it and its all he talked about that day. He was up and ready the next day at about 6:10am, and hour and half before I needed to even think about getting up and 2 hours and 15min before the bus even arrived...he was eager to go and still does enjoy school! Breonna's first day of kindergarten was so hard. I remember Floyd and I both took her there. We dropped her off at the door and she said good-bye to us. My mouth was on the floor..my baby was leaving me, for SCHOOL! I was the only parent standing outside the classroom window crying like a fool. Floyd trying to pull me away and now I kinda feel dumb. Breonna enjoyed her first day of kindergarten too, talked about it for the rest of the day and then the next morning came and I told her to get dressed and ready to go. She replied "uh, why? I already did school. I'm done now. I grad-ju-mated, I can go back to Sandy's (daycare) now" Life was a total shock for her from then on...she was a big girl and she was going to be at school everyday for the rest of her life (or so she say...)! Since then every school morning has been a similar battle...ugh!

Bows for sale!

I almost forgot to announce that I am now selling hair bows! I am making these bows and selling them to help with fertility costs!As most of you know the drugs are very expensive AND our insurance is no longer covering all the labs and such like they once were! So if you know anyone who is looking to buy some hair pretties for their little ones, girls preferrably!

Here are a few pictures! I can make them in just about any colors. Just ask :) $5.00 each or 2 for

$8.00.

Its nearly Friday....

...and I am counting down the days until my much needed vacation. After 2yrs with not taking any real time off from doing daycare I really need it. I have taken a few days here and there off, but mostly because I have been either sick or an appt to go too. This will be a whole week of bliss...well maybe! I am going to try and schedule Bree and Nate's eye appts in and attempt to clean out the spare room!

We are supposed to be getting our backyard redone soon. Hopefully, it will be done the week I am on vacation. It would be nice to have the kids come back to a newly done yard. We are having one side cemented. I can't wait. My hopes is to buy maybe a basketball hoop for the older kiddos and a few more ride on toys for the new toddlers I have. Should be great! Seeing as how my licensed has been upped to 12 children I can't very well drive anywhere with them all unless of course I rent a bus and that is not happening!


Oh goodness me, I almost forgot. Tomorrow is the last day of school for Nathan and Breonna. So next fall Nathan will be starting Jr. High and Breonna will be in the 5th grade! Amazing and sad all the same. Nathan had his 6th grade graduation ceremony this afternoon at 1pm (wish I could of gone...another post for another day!) and tonight he has his 6th grade "party". Breonna is awfully jealous that Nathan will be going to another school where he won't have to wear uniforms everyday, I on the other hand LOVE the idea of uniforms....what are your opinions on them?

....A couple pictures from Nathan's graduation! Now, Floyd took these....

Job opening! Job opening! Polka-Tots home child care (my daycare) is hiring. I need a morning assistant and soon. My younger sister Stephanie is helping me until she finds a job. She just graduated from college (go Steph!) and has now joined the "real world" and is looking for a job making more than 10.00 an hour! Her twin, Emily is working at Boeing and loves it. I pray Stephanie will find a job just as wonderful! They deserve it! College is hard work! Anyways, she is working here. So far, so good.....I hope. She didnt say she loved it but she never said she hated it so I am thinking I need to find someone FAST before she does decide she hates it and doesnt want to come back! But hey, for now its someone and she is great with the kiddos and she is making some money. I do wish I could offer her more. My neice Melissa would like a summer job working here. So I will need to schedule a couple days for her to come out and work. She is awesome with the kids and is my artist! I think I will have to let her know her job will be thinking of two art projects to do with the kids each week, granted I will buy the stuff.

Well I am off! I need to head for the shower!

Does anyone even read this???

Does anyone even read these blogs?

Leave a comment and let me know I am not writing to myself :)

Thanks!
Nicole

Day 3 of my provera...

Well its going to be day 3 of my provera. I have tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday of provera and hopefully I will start my period by what I am hoping for Friday or Saturday. However, I am pretty sure it won't start until Sunday or Monday. Because I am timing this so I have my period on my vacation (yeah, I know what most of you are thinking) I want my cycle to start early enough that day 3 (when I get my 1st ultrasound) will be on Monday so I am not wasting a day.

On another note, my morning assistant quit. Her reasons we justified, however she did not offer to work two weeks for notice given. Its been hard since she hasnt been here. I have several new kids and my husband isnt exactly "Mr. Wonderful" with the daycare. He does try and I am blessed to have him here helping me, but this isnt his job, nor his calling. He wants to be back at work and I know helping me isnt what he wants to do. Thankfully, he is willing to try. He does a lot and is great with the kids, until they don't listen. So I am on the prowl for another assistant. My last assistant who just quit was really great with the kids. The kids keep asking when she is coming back. Talk about a bummer for not only me, but them. My little sister, Stephanie has offered (okay, so I asked her to help and she said "yes") to help me here on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. My neice wants a job for the summer too. So I have help. I just need consistent help and someone who isnt going to leave me again. One of the biggest reasons I was bummed about "M" leaving was that I adjusted our fertility schedule to after she got her 1st aid and CPR so I could leave her alone for 2 hours with the kiddos while we ran up to Seattle for the appts. However, it won't be happening as I planned. Most likely, Stephanie will be here with either Melissa or Floyd while I go up alone or with a friend. Not something I wanted to happen. Floyd should have to be there with me, I am sure he wants to be there with me.

So, there is a small update. No side effects from the provera. I am used to it. The metformin is the one I am having troubles with. Its for insuline resistence. Something PCOS patients like myself suffer from. Anyways, I am only able to stomach 1000mg which the doctor said was better than nothing, but I know deep down she really wants me to either be at 2000mg or max out at 2500mg.

On the WW front, I have lost some weight. I am not "great" at it, but its coming off. This last week I lost nothing, but didnt gain anything! So that is something.

I am at 238.4lbs heres hoping to losing something this week! Embarressing to tell everyone where I am weight wise BUT I think that writing it down for everyone to see and read will help me get to where I want to be. My first goal is just losing 2 more pounds. After that my next goal will be to loose 5lbs. I can do it. Will take time....


Off to realive my husband. He is holding a baby for me. I needed a quick break!

They have arrived....

At 11:27am the door bell rang. As I tried to beat the dogs and all the daycare kids to the door, I of course fell on my ass. Lucky me. The kids looked at me like I was nuts, only one asking "you okay? You gonna get up or what?" Thanks Gabbie... Answering the door is the man from DHL, he hands me my package and ohmigosh I am so excited I am rambling on and on telling him how excited I am that the fertility meds came so soon and how happy I am to see him here and the rambling dosnt stop until he says "Ma'am can you sign here please?" Signing away I see he is looking at me quite oddly, I look over my shoulder and I see two 15month olds, a 17month old and 2 preschoolers still behind me. I look up and say "they arnt mine". "uh huh" as he smiles and leaves...

So anyways they are here. This little package, in bubble wrap mailed to me with my name on it all the way from London. I got the kids all settled into an activity and set the package on the counter, staring at it I know this package, this $471.00 is hopefully going to contain the "magic" needed to help my husband and I produce a baby. About 10min later I rip open the package and read over every little thing.

~ Store at room temp
~ Store HCG in fridge
~ May cause mood swings (not "may" WILL cause mood swings)
~ Draw up using saline only; not water
~ May cause pregnancy (duh! That is the hope!)
~ May cause hyperstimulation of eggs

So I store the HCG in the fridge and call about the repronex to double check that I can store in a cupboard. Yup! All storage is a go....now....I wait for a couple weeks...

The drugs have been ordered!

Well we ordered the drugs to start a new treatment for fertility. I am excited and nervous. I was stressing over finances and how we were going to pay for these drugs and then I remembered we have payflex from Floyd's work. We had money put aside from his checks for fertility! So I went ahead and ordered the drugs only to find out the company we want to use doesnt take mastercard...and payflex doesnt reimburse right away. I was so upset. Thankfully, I got up the nerve to ask my mom to let us borrow the money and we would pay her back when we got reimbursed by payflex. She agreed! And I ordered the drugs! $471.50 for this round of meds, not too bad. Definetly better than over 1200.00 if ordered in the states. We get our, or should I say MY drugs in Europe where they are MUCH MUCH cheaper!
I also started my metformin back up, 500mg. I was informed by the pharmacist that i could CRUSH this pill up and either add some water to it OR sprinkle it over food. So I bought a pill crusher and sprinkled it over applesauce and took it with NO issues! I am so stoked! This pill is HELL and I have had a knock down drag out uphill battle with this pill ever since I was told to start taking it a few years ago. But hopefully this applesauce trick does it for me because I need to take atleast 3 or 4 of these pills every day!! ARGH!

So say a little prayer for us! We need it!

I will keep you all updated (for those who read this...does anyone read this?!) on what is happening with the fertility stuff and all dr's visits.

Trying again....

Well, we have decided to step up to the plate and try the fertility drugs again. Kind of a scary moment for me. I mean just when I was feeling somewhat "normal" again, we decide to start all over. It was kind of nice to not have the worry about making appointments, waking up extra early to beat traffic, injections, heartache, metformin (which I need to order more of), money for my drugs, ultrasounds, clomid, bloodwork, tears, and so much more. But we are going to get on the wagon and hope it works again. I have heard and read patients with PCOS (like me) respond better to the clomid/repronex combination. But I also heard a lot of good stories about PCOS and repronex only so I don't know what to believe. But I have faith something will work.

Anyways, I went to order the drugs today. For 30 ampules of Repronex in Europe its only $12.75 each ampule. In the states its close to $48.00 per ampule or more! I also needed to order 2 trigger shots, where in Europe they are around $14.00 and in the states its more like $80.00 EACH. Okay so back to ordering...I call IVF meds and talk to Ryan we get the whole order set up and he tells me "sorry ma'am we don't take mastercard anymore!" WHAT THE HECK? Who doesnt take mastercard...well apparently IVF meds doesnt anymore. This mastercard/debit card was from our flex pay spending account so now I am stuck, kinda disappointed and frusterated here I was all ready to order the meds and make it "offical" and I find out they don't take mastercard GRRRrrrr...more phone calls to make tomorrow I see...hopefully one day soon ALL WORTH IT

Please keep us in your prayers that this cycle works. Not sure if I can muster up the courage to do another round anytime soon. Our last cycle of injectables was 32 DAYS of me getting injections in the hip area...NOT FUN and then after all those injections and hundreds of ultrasounds and bloodwork they cancelled the cycle due to not responding well! So please pray for us. We need it! :)

Thanks
Nicole