Drugs and needles and sperm, oh my!

It has been a couple of weeks since either of us have updated this blog but, honestly, there hasn't been much to update. Picking the donor and deciding - again - that yes, we do want to do this thing (for-REAL-for-real) has left us in a place where now we wait.

And wait. 

And wait and wait and wait.

I think I am only just beginning to realize how much of this process will be spent... waiting.

In the past few weeks I have taken the requisite blood tests and our repro doctors want to put me on a mild fertility drug called Clomid. My progesterone levels, though high enough to safely assume that my body is ovulating, were slightly lower than what they like. Clomid increases the odds of achieving pregnancy by making extra, EXTRA sure my body produces an egg (or eggs - there is a *slightly* higher chance of twins on the drug) that month. 

While the upside to this is that, barring-unforeseen-difficulties-fingers-crossed, D and I can expect to be pregnant within 3 months, tops, the downside is that my entire cycle is now out of my hands. Taking the Clomid during my period will be followed by an ultrasound to check the development of the eggs (at $356-$499 each time), and THE SHOT ($60 each time) that will force the eggs to *pop.*

I am not naive and I am, generally, opposed to unnecessary medical intervention, but at the cost of $360 for one batch of sperm and $350 for the insemination it makes sense to want to ensure that we are not throwing $710 down the tubes because my body failed to produce the necessary egg that month. You feel me?

Anyways. Today I ordered the drugs and the sperm. It's for-real-for-REAL now. By tomorrow our donor's frozen sperm will be pulled out from storage and kept for us somewhere... else. That was kind of exciting. 

But, truth be told, what was really exciting was hearing that THE SHOT does not need to be injected into my muscle, but is to be injected into my top layer of fat (I have many layers, for the record). 

I DESPISE needles. I get worked up over blood draws days in advance. I became worried when my preggo books informed me that the shot *may* need to be injected into my muscle. Thank goodness that is not the case. Still... I'll make D do it. She'll probably enjoy it ;)


♥ N