Climbing the Fertility Mountain

Mid-Cycle Ultrasound #2 Just a quick update today. IUI #2 went as planned last week. Compared to my first IUI, the mid-cycle ultrasound showed only one matured follicle (there were three follicles the first cycle). Doctor says we will probably increase the Clomid dosage if we continue with a third IUI. IUI #2 - Here We Go! I'm currently in the two week wait time frame, so I need to wait several more days before taking an at home pregnancy test. School is starting up again for me. For the past two weeks I've had teacher in-service days to prepare for the new school year. The students start again on Thursday. Despite the pandemic, my school district is having all the students come back in person, with several restrictions in place. Instead of me teaching general music to all the students, I have been assigned to one grade level for a three week time period. So, I will be working only with the 6th grade classes for the first three weeks. I will teach a music lesson to each class e...

Arin's adorable foot prints given to us by the nurses at the hospital. I've written this post in my head so many times. I think through this story daily. It has become a story that has defined almost every molecule of my being for the past year. And not that many people even know the full story. Which is why I am finally ready to share. On February 9th, 2019 I took a pregnancy test. I was actually in a hurry for my period to start that month since I was supposed to start an IUI cycle with the fertility clinic. But, my cycle did not start on time, so I took a test. After the allotted five minute wait time, I saw the second pink line and literally said out loud "Holy S***!" It was 6am on a Saturday and Brandon was still asleep. I hurriedly woke him up and told him the good news. Since I had been disappointed in the past with early miscarriages I tried not to get too excited but we did celebrate that day by attending a "Sweetheart Festival" in Loveland, CO, sin...

Unfortunately, our first cycle of IUI failed. I took an at home pregnancy test, which, sadly, showed up negative.  Only one pink line...again. I tried not to get my hopes up this time, but knowing we had a cycle that looked promising - three good sized follicles in the ultrasound and an above average sperm sample, it was difficult not to think we had a chance of conception. Even the doctor seemed surprised that our cycle failed, as he said I responded well to the Clomid medication and had a good uterine lining.  So, for now, we are moving right into a second IUI. My baseline ultrasound looked good - sometimes the follicles that develop with the help of the fertility medicine, do not properly dissolve during the menstruation cycle, basically creating a cyst, so they want to check at the start of every cycle to make sure there are no ovarian cysts. But, my ovaries are good to go! My doctor kept me on the same Clomid prescription this cycle as well. If a women does not respond we...