Monday, April 30, 2012

RE conclusions

Well, I really meant to post this earlier because obviously all of you were on pins and needles waiting to hear.

I was able to visit the RE today, I was in the office from about 1:30 until nearly 4:00. I knew it might take a long time, but really?!?!?!

Anyway, we were able to come up with some solutions if not conclusions.

Here is the play by play.

1:30-arrive at clinic, I was forewarned that the clinic doesn't open it's doors after lunch until 1:30, however, I also knew that my appointment was scheduled at 1:30 so there was no way I was being seen upon arrival without filling out paperwork.

1:35-doors to clinic open, I'm first to sign in, but last to be called upon because I am the only new patient of the 4 or 5 women who are checking in at the same time

1:45-I'm finally given the new patient paperwork, it's not so bad, it's just personal information, not health information

1:50-turn in paperwork

2:15-I'm finally called back after everyone else in the waiting room is gone, not in back rooms, but checked out and left, meet with an MA who asks me questions, but doesn't really ask me to elaborate, they apparently have copies from my gyno (who has no idea what my other gyno who did IUIs, my rheumatologist, my endocrinologist and my GP had to say, or even did for that mater) I basically answer yes/no questions because she obviously doesn't care about the details

2:30-I am placed in a room that is very much like a small conference room with a large glass table and 9-10 chairs around it and find that I am facing a wall with about 10-15 plaques on it that say that this Dr. has been voted one of the best Dr's in Texas for the last...oh...10-15 years or so

2:45-A resident is sent in to further question me, but still is basing all of his questions off of the paperwork given by my regular gyno, he does however allow me to elaborate on my Hashimoto's and the husband's varicocele and repair, he cares nothing about the stack of paper's I've brought with me, but does acknowledge that I've done my homework and seem prepared

3:00-The Dr. Himself has been consulted by the resident and comes in to verify a few things and obviously plans to order more testing, only I'm one step ahead of him and am able to provide the necessary paperwork referencing the cystic fibrosis, rheubella, etc etc screenings I have already had done. He moves on to repeating day 3 and day 21 bloodwork, which I am also able to produce (in duplicate, from both February, 2011 and July, 2011). He also questions semen analysis, which has been done twice...but not 6 months after varicocele repair...FUCK...called out on a technicality. He indicated that we needed to have that repeated before we could make any decisions or come to any conclusions.

3:30-A fun unexpected pelvic exam along with a chlam.ydia and gon.orrhea swab...as part of the evaluation, he does cervical manipulation and re-questions me about pain during intercourse (insert red flag).

3:35-The most brief and succinct discussion of endometriosis ensues, which based on the 2 seconds he had his fingers in my vagina tells him that I have it, included in the *wealth* of information he gave me was a nod to the fact that I needed to be on a different form of folic acid since I have had to discontinue my pre-natal so that I don't overdose on vitamin D while supplementing it over the next 16 weeks.

3:40-I am re-dressed and sent to the waiting room for the front desk to schedule my husband a semen analysis and a 3 week follow up for me

4:00-I am finally called to the desk after watching 2 unattended 3-4 year olds chase each other around the waiting room (actually they were quite well behaved considering there was no obvious adult watching them) I check out, pay the co-pay and leave

Conclusions
-They think I have endometriosis and I am inclined to agree as no one else has been able to put their finger on it prior to now
-Sex shouldn't ever be painful, and neither should manual cervical manipulation, if it is, it means bad things
-Doctor's can give out homework, I was given a 20 page document on "Endometriosis, A guide for patients", but from what I have read so far I am sort of convinced, but that is a whole other post
-Front desk personnel can not multi-task if it takes them 20 minutes to check someone out
-Even if you think you're on top of your game, someone is bound to prove you wrong
-I think that my RE is more willing to help me because I was "so incredibly organized" according to him, which he must have said 3-4 times during our initial sit down

My opinions

First of all, does every RE really need to have a wall plastered by baby pictures somewhere in their office?

Up until now, I have only considered infertility merely an inconvenience. I simply thought of it as delaying pregnancy and having children rather than truly preventing it. I always thought that if someone could just determine the problem, there would be an easy fix. But things in life aren't always that easy. I really try hard not to complain too much, I'm just feeling a little broken.

Maybe this will end up being an easy fix, but my patience has run out. I don't know how I will make it through the next 3 weeks until my next appointment. I've just recently learned how to function respectably in 2 week time increments.

Is it worth inquiring about why I have to wait 3 weeks if my husband's semen analysis is scheduled one week from today? Should I have my husband try to move it up when he goes for the semen analysis? Is that being to forward/annoying/pushy?

*denotes extreme sarcasm

RE appointment is this afternoon

Finally, the day we've all been waiting for...errrrr....I've been waiting for!

My RE appointment is this afternoon.

I think I am prepared. I'm trusting no one else and I don't want to have to wait or have the Dr. trying to make decisions without all the information he needs, so I have collected all of my records to take with me.

Primary Care Privider...check
Regular OBGYN...check
OBGYN who did IUIs...check
Endocrinologist...check
Rheumatologist...check
Thyroid bloodwork...check
All other bloodwork...check
HSG results...check
Sperm Analysis results...check
BBT charts...check

Anything else I missed?

I have it in my mind that if I'm organized enough, that this may actually happen, that I might actually find someone who can help get me pregnant. Let's just hope he speaks English!

Here's hoping for the best!

Friday, April 27, 2012

NIAW

As many of you know, we are coming to the end of National Infertility Awareness Week.

I've not outed myself on Facebook, nor have I even done a post here to recognize this week. I've never considered myself an activist, at least not in the realm of infertility (maybe for hearing loss).

However, I was asked to be a part of a roundtable discussion hosted by WEGO Health. WEGO is a health activist's forum.  WEGO even created a white paper based on our conversation.

Please check out the review of the roundtable discussion here.  You can even have a one page white paper sent to you by signing up here.

I wasn't sure before, but I do know now that we are making a difference for infertiles everywhere, even with this little blog here that barely anyone reads.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In: Starting Week 20

 

Sorry about last week, I just got really busy and with not working out and not losing weight and not having time, I just didn't feel the need to post.


However, I did very good this week even though I didn't lose weight, I'm happy with my progress.

1. Reiterate my goal and where I stand in reference to this goal. (BMI info from this website)

Starting weight: 145        
Last Week's Weight: 136
Current Weight: 135 (-10 lbs total, 10 lbs to goal!!!)   
Goal Weight : 125       

Starting BMI: 26.5
Last Week's BMI: 24.1
Current BMI: 23.9 (In the normal range!!)
Goal BMI: 18.5-24.9 or exactly 22.1 for goal weight

2. Discuss what I am going to do to achieve my goals.

Progress on last week's activities:

I've gone to work out in some way or another every day since last Thursday.

Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Signed up at new Gym and hubby trained me
Friday: Cardio including stair/tread ergometer and eliptical
Saturday: Yoga class with the hubby
Sunday: hiking at White Sands National monument
Monday: Cardio including stair/tread ergometer and treadmill
Tuesday: Yoga class with hubby

1. Get to the gym and walk/run on the treadmill or go for a hike: yes, at White Sands (does the picture look familiar to any of you?)
2. Continue with no soda or beer: yes!
3. Yoga video on netflix: No need for video, new gym has several classes to choose from and most are harder than I am capable of doing, but I try
4. Continue with My Fit.ness Pal app: yes (although I need to control my intake a little more)
5. Limit eating out this week to one time/one meal:Close, two meals, one was Tac.o Bel.l though :(

Activities for this coming week: (the more activities I attempt, the more I am likely to achieve)

1. Get to the gym and walk/run on the treadmill or go for a hike
2. Continue with no soda or beer
3. Yoga 1-2 times per week
4. Continue with My Fit.ness Pal app
5. Limit eating out this week to one time/one meal

3. Post a (reasonably healthy) recipe that I've tried, a cooking tip, a new idea for working out for people to try, a photo update of my weight loss, or anything else I feel like sharing. 
I finally got a new gym bag last week. My old gym bag was my volley ball bag from high school. It was stolen from me by my husband. It was all black, so as far as colors go it worked perfectly for him and he has now been using it for the last few years.
Because the new gym is further from our house and if I go home after work, I have to backtrack across town to get to it. So I needed a bag to be able to take everything to the gym with me. Also, I wanted one that kept your shoes in a separate compartment, but it also had to be pink (so that the husband wouldn't steal it again). It took me a while to find one that I liked and I ended up buying it online. The shoe compartment works but not quite how I thought it would.
I had my first chance to use it yesterday. It's reasonably big but I packed it pretty full and added to it through out the day as I went to the dentist and Wa.lgreens. Carrying that thing around was a workout in and of itself.
In addition to my gym clothes, I packed a towel and showering accessories, so was able to shower at the gym before I went home. I just wanted to check out the showers in case I want to workout in the morning before I go to work. It turns out that I am an adult and can shower and be naked in front of other people at the gym (I wasn't sure if I could). Also, showering at the gym saves us on water and gas for the hot water heater (I'm not that cheap, but every penny counts). 
The bag has a good space on top to carry my yoga mat too (which is also pink by the way). 

Here's the beauty herself, any suggestions for names?


.........................................................................................


Michele @ Nowhere in NM (TTCer) MFP: shesshells
Gee @ Gee Baby (TTCer)
Mag @ Witty Infertility (TTCer)
Shannon @ Arkansas Runner (TTCer)
Donor Diva @ Motherhood via Egg Donation (TTC#2) MFP: horn5378 
The Cornfed Feminist (Pregnant) MFP: katie112007
Nico @ Phred, Fwed, and Schweffel (pregnant)
Josie @ My Cheap Version of Therapy (postpartum) MFP: _Josey_
Kristy @ Relaxing Doesn't Get You Pregnant (postpartum)
One Day @ Are We There Yet? (postpartum - twins)
Laura @ Legos and Jets (postpartum)
ks @ Inconceivable!?!?! (postpartum)
jenn @ Adventures of a Nomadic Housewife (postpartum)
Holly @ Holly G. and Co. (postpartum)
Julia @ 3 bed 2 bath 1 baby (postpartum)
Meghan @ Maybe Baby, It's You...Two! (postpartum - twins)
Just Us & A Miracle Baby too! (postpartum)
Heather @ The Road Less Traveled (postpartum)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Dogs make me laugh

My dogs are funny, sometimes they are even really funny.

But none of them are quite as amusing as this dog.

All you dog lovers out there, check out the link. You're welcome in advance!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In: Starting week 18

 



1. I have good intentions but poor follow through, so not much is happening

2. I lost half of a lb but have no way to write that below because I've been working in full lbs, current weight is 135.4, previous weight has been 135.8

3. I will do better next week.

1. Reiterate my goal and where I stand in reference to this goal. (BMI info from this website)

Starting weight: 145        
Last Week's Weight: 136
Current Weight: 135 (-10 lbs total, 10 lbs to goal!!!)   
Goal Weight : 125       

Starting BMI: 26.5
Last Week's BMI: 24.1
Current BMI: 23.9 (In the normal range!!)
Goal BMI: 18.5-24.9 or exactly 22.1 for goal weight

2. Discuss what I am going to do to achieve my goals.

Progress on last week's activities:

1. Get to the gym and walk/run on the treadmill or go for a hike: went one time
2. Continue with no soda or beer: 2 beers, last night,
3. Yoga video on netflix: I don't get much of a workout at this class and the teacher is dealing with her father after surgery, I'm not sure I will go back, but I didn't try to find a video
4. Continue with My Fit.ness Pal app: did much better this week
5. Limit eating out this week to one time/one meal:We did very good on this, a patient insisted she take me to lunch last Friday, but that was the only time I ate out
Activities for this coming week: (the more activities I attempt, the more I am likely to achieve)

1. Get to the gym and walk/run on the treadmill or go for a hike
2. Continue with no soda or beer
3. Try to find a yoga video on netflix
4. Continue with My Fit.ness Pal app
5. Limit eating out this week to one time/one meal

3. Post a (reasonably healthy) recipe that I've tried, a cooking tip, a new idea for working out for people to try, a photo update of my weight loss, or anything else I feel like sharing. 
 
I am most motivated to workout on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's. I think it is because I feel accountable to you guys because of these posts. I am going to try to use that to my advantage this week. I lost yesterday, but I will try to make the most of today and tomorrow.

.........................................................................................


Michele @ Nowhere in NM (TTCer) MFP: shesshells
Gee @ Gee Baby (TTCer)
Mag @ Witty Infertility (TTCer)
Shannon @ Arkansas Runner (TTCer)
Donor Diva @ Motherhood via Egg Donation (TTC#2) MFP: horn5378 
The Cornfed Feminist (Pregnant) MFP: katie112007
Nico @ Phred, Fwed, and Schweffel (pregnant)
Josie @ My Cheap Version of Therapy (postpartum) MFP: _Josey_
Kristy @ Relaxing Doesn't Get You Pregnant (postpartum)
One Day @ Are We There Yet? (postpartum - twins)
Laura @ Legos and Jets (postpartum)
ks @ Inconceivable!?!?! (postpartum)
jenn @ Adventures of a Nomadic Housewife (postpartum)
Holly @ Holly G. and Co. (postpartum)
Julia @ 3 bed 2 bath 1 baby (postpartum)
Meghan @ Maybe Baby, It's You...Two! (postpartum - twins)
Just Us & A Miracle Baby too! (postpartum)
Heather @ The Road Less Traveled (postpartum)