Finally some news

After some scrambling around, I went for our WTF (if you want to call it that) appointment yesterday. I had made this appointment 3 weeks ago after my initial consultation with the RE. I was unable to make it any sooner (as it turns out it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway because we have to wait until my next period to do anything).

I got a voicemail after I was in yoga class on Saturday morning that the office needed to change my appointment from 2:45 to 9:45. I ran over to the husband who was doing cardio and said that they had called him after being unable to get a hold of me and he told them that no way would I be able to go as I couldn't change my schedule that last minute. I called immediately back and said that I would figure it out, but had to leave that on their voicemail. I ran over to work and on a Saturday, called all of my patients for Monday and moved them from the morning to the afternoon and then hoped that I would actually be able to be seen.

I called first thing in the morning (as we were already driving to El Paso) and confirmed that they did get my message and that I would be able to be seen. It turns out that they got it and things were OK.

Got there on time for my 9:45 appointment but we didn't actually see the doc until 11:00 and I had to leave by 11:30 in order to make it back to see my own patients.

He basically gave us the long and short of it in about 5 minutes.

Husbands sperm look OK, not great, but OK and slightly better than they did at any previous testing, so it turns out that the varicocelectomy did help even if only slightly.

That means that we aren't automatically moving to IVF because his numbers look OK. If they had been any poorer, our only option would be IVF.

He explained that he does believe that I have some degree of endometriosis and that the only way to diagnosis it is laparoscopy.

He laid the two choices in our hands:

Choice 1: Do IVF, it bypasses the toxic pelvic environment as well as the fair sperm counts, he gives us a 60-70% chance of success

Choice 2: Have laparoscopy to diagnose and treat endometriosis and sit that month out of the game, then try naturally for 2-3 months (because I do ovulate and there is sperm), then do injectable IUIs for up to 4 cycles. He gives this a 60% chance of success.  and if it doesn't work move on to IVF.

Regrettably, we have chosen choice 2 as it makes more financial sense at this time. If it doesn't work, it will be at maximum 8 months until we can do IVF and we will have the chance to save up some money and likely use next years tax return to pay for IVF.

So, for now, I wait for my period, call on the first day and schedule my laparoscopy for 1-2 weeks after my period starts.

In the meantime, while TTC is on hold, I'm going to work my butt off to get down to my goal weight. I've gone to the gym for the last 3 days in a row and everyone is commenting on how much weight I've lost in the last few weeks. I hate to break it to them, but the actual weight loss is 0 pounds! Trying desperately to lose 1 lb by tomorrow's weigh-in.

Side Note: Mary moved away, guess I need to start making new friends.

Second Side Note: I got to meet my friend Stephanie's twins, she finally brought them home (their technical due date is tomorrow), they are so small, but I got to hold and feed and burp them. Didn't have to change any dirty diapers though, nor did I get spit up on! I haven't asked if I can post any pictures, so that will have to wait.

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In: Starting Week 23

 

I just realized that if I had kept to my original plan of losing 1 lb per week, I would have already lost the 20 pounds I planned to lose.

I just needed to set a final goal so right now, I am simply trying to lose the last 10 lbs over the next 10 weeks or so. I am going to a friend/former roommate's wedding June 29th and will be seeing my extended family the following week (all attractively at their ideal weight).

This week was pretty good so I think I'm just about on track. Even though I still haven't lost any more weight, some weight was creeping back in over the last two weeks and I'm now back to where I was 2 weeks ago.

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:

Wednesday: Nothing

Thursday: Nothing

Friday: Nothing

Saturday: Yoga class with the hubby followed by 30 minutes on the AMT

Sunday: 30 minutes on AMT followed by 30 minutes on treadmill

Monday: Nothing

Tuesday: Yoga class with hubby

I did very well with no soda or beer, really I think I had one of each
I tried to get back on my fitness pal with limited success
We went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse in Las Cruces on Saturday, but I ate only half of what I ordered, but that is were I had the beer too.

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 two times/two meals

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. 

OK, so a friend got me hooked on this machine at her gym in Colorado Springs a few years ago, however, none of the gyms in town here had one at the time. However, the new gym (actually the old gym that we rejoined after a year at another gym) now has one.

It is a machine called an Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT) and lots of companies make them. It is like a combination of an elliptical and a step machine. It's perfect for me because I hate treadmills due to the pounding that my joints get, but I don't really care for ellipticals either because my stride is typically shorter than they will allow and my feed are usually held too far apart by the foot plates for comfort.

However, the AMT seems to fit just right and because your feet move sort of independently and manually instead of being driven by the machine, you can make it do short choppy steps like a step machine, or you can use your arms to increase your stride to a more elliptical type feel. You can also increase the resistance.

I can typically keep the machine going so that I burn about 10-12 calories per minute so I burn 300+ calories in a half hour and then usually have enough energy left to still go on the treadmill after, or I can do the AMT after a yoga class.

If your gym has one, you should try it, I was really scared the first time around and it does take a bit to get the hang of it, but if you can do it and it's comfortable, I've found that it's the easiest machine to use to burn calories fast!

Here's what it looks like.

Image found on the internet, not a picture of my gym, unfortunately my gym only has one of these machines

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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)

I'm here...

If a blogger doesn't post for a while, I know she still exists, but since I don't know what's going on with her, it's almost as though she doesn't exist.

I assure you that although I'm not posting very often, I do still exist.

So, let's think, what's been happening since I last posted.

Well last weekend the husband and I drove to Scottsdale for a training that I had to attend. I wanted him to be able to come because I knew I'd have a hotel room at a resort all to myself and that he could come and enjoy the relaxation and free time while I attended classes. Driving saved us money on both a flight and a rental car and a 7 hour drive isn't that big of a deal for us. It was also nice to be able to come and go as we like and go to the big mall and drive around. All in all it was a good weekend even though the husband had a final to finish and turn in and other homework to do, he never even laid out by the pool!

Then last week hubby had to go for his repeat sperm analysis. We don't have the results back yet, but he did actually go even though it had to be rescheduled twice, our fault, not the clinic's.

I'm still watching my diet and trying to exercise, but haven't been very good, I'm trying to get back on track so that I will be my ideal weight before any more IF treatments.

We turned off or satellite TV back in February/March and it has been a great stress relief and money saver as I actually do get more done without having the boob tube to sit down to each night. However, the husband gave in and let me buy a digital antenna from R.adio Sh.ack and I hooked it up. We now get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, The CW, and some channel called My 50 TV. I can watch most of the junk I typically would and without really paying for it (yes, the antenna was about $70, but it is not a recurring fee like satellite was).

This weekend, we did a whole bunch of nothing, you know cleaning and the like, but not really much else.

I'll very busy at work these coming weeks. We have two graduate students who work for us right now and although they are technically still students, they will graduate and go on to other jobs at the end of May, so they are reasonably skilled by this point. As soon as they leave however, we get two new students. Although students do help with the workload in the long run, initially they are ever so much more work for me.

I have my follow up with the RE in El Paso, TX a week from today, I'm excited and nervous because hopefully he will have a plan and we can finally get this show on the road. By the way, I did call to see if they could move the appointment up, and although there was no specific reason for not doing the appointment sooner than 3 weeks from the initial consultation, they did not have any openings for a follow up any sooner.

Side Note: I don't think that I ever told you guys that my infertile friend/hearing aid patient delivered her babies at 28 weeks. They were in the NICU in El Paso, TX until last Friday when they were finally able to come home. Their actual due date (40 weeks) is May 23, 2012. She is very lucky to have two very small babies who are both healthy and home (and who passed their newborn hearing tests!!).

Second Side Note: My friend Mary is separated from the air force now and will shortly be moving home with her kids to Connecticut. I will miss her and wish desperately for more time before she moves away, as my mind has been so preoccupied and work has been so crazy, we haven't really had the chance to hang out before she moves.

Third Side Note: I am tentatively going to have my first meet up in real life with a blogger friend. Donor Diva is coming with her husband and son in August to visit her family who live in the area. We have yet to firm up any plans, but I'm still so excited!!

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In: Starting Week 21

I'm not doing a regular post because I'm getting ready to leave to drive to Phoenix for training. Hubby is coming with me and we didn't want to pay for the flight or rent a car (so a 7 hour drive it is!).

As far as weight goes, I've been exercising regularly but have let my diet slip, I don't think this weekend will be very good for me either unless I can also get to the gym while we are there, we'll see how it goes.

Side note: I've tried to fix the commenting issue that some of you have e-mailed me about.