Coasting...

Today's progress report from the RE: 31 measurable follies -- 20 on the left, and 11 on the right (what a slow poke!). Lab results: E2 level is now at 4,103.

When the nurse called to give me today's report, she said my dr is 99% sure they'll trigger me tomorrow night, for a Saturday morning ER. ...I sure hope so. I have a college friend that will be in town this weekend, and she's planning to spend the day with me on Sunday.

I know, I know---REALLY bad timing, right? Yep--couldn't agree with you more! I am fully aware that baby-making trumps time w/ friends --- I'll just be grateful to have the ER not fall on the same day of her visit. She's one of my best girlfriends, and lives in Raleigh, otherwise I'd have asked to re-schedule. Thankfully, she's fully aware of all my IF treatments, and is ready to spend a day just lounging around the house with me, laying low...which is what I'm expecting to do.

As for tonight's dose-- given that my E2 level is continuing to climb up there, my RE decided to have me coast tonight, in an attempt to avoid any further increase. I think they're hoping to keep me under the 5,000 mark this time. We'll see if that works! I sure hope so.

I'm definitely feeling the heaviness and pressure of 31 follies down there... there's some discomfort when sitting now, that wasn't there before. But it's not bad at all. Very manageable. --I still think that this round of IVF is a breeze compared to how whacked out I felt on clomid!

Last night's support group meeting was SO good. ...If you guys haven't been to one yet, I'd highly recommend it. I know it's intimidating and overwhelming and scary to go--'specially by yourself, without knowing anyone--but definitely well worth it, in the end. I met some amazing women last night. Hearing their stories was a privilege---anytime anyone shares their heart with me, I think it's a privilege. There were 8 of us there, and most of us had all had varying issues, experiences, successes. Some were on the treatment side, others had crossed over to Mommyhood already -- but all were bound by the common thread of IF.

We agreed at the beginning of the meeting to all share our stories, and to try and focus on the positives of IF. --We ALL know that there are days when IF will leave you crushed--mentally, physically, emotionally--but we wanted our time together, as our host so perfectly put it, to be life-giving... not life-sucking.

And so it was.

I was inspired by the courage, perseverance, and heart of the girls surrounding me. By what they have endured and overcome, or by what they are still facing. And I know that there's not much that I can do for them, except pray for them daily, and be there for them, whenever and if ever they need a friend.

Because, as Ecclesiastes so beautifully puts it, "a cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Eccl. 4:12b)

Together, we ARE stronger... we have the power to give one other strength and encouragement along this journey-- and those gifts can make all the difference in the world to someone going through a rough day.


...If I wasn't so blogger-challenged, and knew how to put music to a post, I'd have Joe Cocker's "A Little Help from My Friends" playing in the background for this one... ;-)