The day...
I got a phone call from my infertility doctor the other day. Well, first I got a call from his office, wanting to know how the pregnancy was going. I chatted with the nurse for a few minutes, letting them know that everything was going well, but that I didn't know if it was a boy or girl.
The next day, the doctor himself called me. He also wanted to know how things were going. I wasn't sure if he normally calls his patients personally or if this was just some sort of professional courtesy. He asked me some of the same questions, and then asked me to send along a card or note after the baby comes to let them know if it was a v*ginal birth or c-section, the weight, etc. I guess they keep track of this kind of information as part of their research.
Anyway, it was kind of weird hearing from them since I haven't really thought about him or that office in a while. But it did get me thinking again about the day we did the IUI, and I realized that I never posted about it here. It was a crazy day, but of course I didn't post about it when it happened because this has never been that kind of blog, and then I just didn't really think about it as much. But I have often thought it would make a good post. Partially because I, like many women who struggle with infertility, got very tired of having people say things like, "If you'll just relax....." There was NOTHING relaxing about that day.
The appointment was scheduled around 9am - that is Jeff's part was scheduled then, and then the procedure was supposed to be at 10. I had the morning off, but I was scheduled for clinic starting at 1:30, which seemed like plenty of time. Jeff also was supposed to have class that afternoon. We were ready to leave before 8, since it takes about an hour to get there. We get in my car (Jeff's was in the shop) and then Jeff turns the key.... nothing. Not even a peep. Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with lots of other residents, so I start calling around to find someone to come and give us a jump or loan us a car. No one answered. I begin to worry a little more because I didn't want to be late. I try a few more people, but still no one is home. Then Jeff runs over to our next-door neighbor's house, and he is going to jump us off. Of course it feels like it take FOREVER for him to get there, but finally he does and we are on our way.
Then we realize my car has no gas. So we stop at the gas station and fill up. When we try to leave, again the battery is dead. Being at a gas station, though, means lots of people are around so we quickly get a jump and are finally, really on the way. We get to the office a little late, but we don't have too much time to wait. Jeff's appointment goes fine, then it's back to the waiting room again. I brought along a little light reading - Moby Dick. About an hour later, we go back to the room again, and the doctor comes in to do the IUI. Seriously, it takes all of 5 seconds. Of course, I'm thinking, "That's it??" The doctor gets me to stay laying down on the table for another 15 minutes. Jeff holds my hands and we pray. Then it was back to reading Moby Dick. After the appointment was over, we got lunch in the cafeteria before heading out.
We get out to the parking lot, get in the car, and yep, you guessed it....nothing. We quickly flag down another car to jump us off. This time, though, when we try, nothing happens. The car will not start. I'm trying to stay relaxed, but I know that if we don't leave soon I'll be late for clinic. I call my mom since I can't think of what to do. We don't know a lot of people who live in Greenville who can come and help us. As we are trying to figure out what to do, Jeff calls one of his professors to let him know he won't be able to make it to class, which started at 1. His class had been cancelled, and then we realize that his other classmate lives in Greenville, and since there is no class, probably is not super busy at the moment. We call him and although he's a little ways away, he can still come. I'm trying not to think about the 12 patients I had scheduled in clinic. There's a car parts store just down the road. When he gets there, he and Jeff go and pick out a new battery. They come back, put it in, and.... still nothing. At this point, it's well after 1, so I have to call some fellow residents to let them know that I'm going to be late to clinic.
Jeff has numerous talents but is not big into care repair (nor is his friend) , so he pops the hood and looks around for a few minutes. Then he thinks to check out the fuse box, and notices that one of the fuses looks like it might be blown. So it's back to the car parts store where we spend a few minutes trying find the right fuse. We are pretty sure we have it, come back, get it in the car, and .... the car finally starts!! Finally, we are on our way home. I get to my clinic at 3:30. Two hours late. Another resident had seen one of two of my patients, but then I just have to get going. I hurry through clinic as quickly as I'm able, and even manage to finish almost on time. Then I go home and THEN I can relax.
So I'm not sure if it was the added excitement of trying to get home or fix the car or maybe just reading Moby Dick - but exactly two weeks later we had our positive pregnancy test.
Actually, as I've said before, I know that for reasons I do not now understand, God chose to use IUI - even this very stressful IUI - to begin this pregnancy, and we are continuing to pray for the little one inside me - that he or she will continue to grow and move and be born a healthy baby sometime in March.
The next day, the doctor himself called me. He also wanted to know how things were going. I wasn't sure if he normally calls his patients personally or if this was just some sort of professional courtesy. He asked me some of the same questions, and then asked me to send along a card or note after the baby comes to let them know if it was a v*ginal birth or c-section, the weight, etc. I guess they keep track of this kind of information as part of their research.
Anyway, it was kind of weird hearing from them since I haven't really thought about him or that office in a while. But it did get me thinking again about the day we did the IUI, and I realized that I never posted about it here. It was a crazy day, but of course I didn't post about it when it happened because this has never been that kind of blog, and then I just didn't really think about it as much. But I have often thought it would make a good post. Partially because I, like many women who struggle with infertility, got very tired of having people say things like, "If you'll just relax....." There was NOTHING relaxing about that day.
The appointment was scheduled around 9am - that is Jeff's part was scheduled then, and then the procedure was supposed to be at 10. I had the morning off, but I was scheduled for clinic starting at 1:30, which seemed like plenty of time. Jeff also was supposed to have class that afternoon. We were ready to leave before 8, since it takes about an hour to get there. We get in my car (Jeff's was in the shop) and then Jeff turns the key.... nothing. Not even a peep. Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with lots of other residents, so I start calling around to find someone to come and give us a jump or loan us a car. No one answered. I begin to worry a little more because I didn't want to be late. I try a few more people, but still no one is home. Then Jeff runs over to our next-door neighbor's house, and he is going to jump us off. Of course it feels like it take FOREVER for him to get there, but finally he does and we are on our way.
Then we realize my car has no gas. So we stop at the gas station and fill up. When we try to leave, again the battery is dead. Being at a gas station, though, means lots of people are around so we quickly get a jump and are finally, really on the way. We get to the office a little late, but we don't have too much time to wait. Jeff's appointment goes fine, then it's back to the waiting room again. I brought along a little light reading - Moby Dick. About an hour later, we go back to the room again, and the doctor comes in to do the IUI. Seriously, it takes all of 5 seconds. Of course, I'm thinking, "That's it??" The doctor gets me to stay laying down on the table for another 15 minutes. Jeff holds my hands and we pray. Then it was back to reading Moby Dick. After the appointment was over, we got lunch in the cafeteria before heading out.
We get out to the parking lot, get in the car, and yep, you guessed it....nothing. We quickly flag down another car to jump us off. This time, though, when we try, nothing happens. The car will not start. I'm trying to stay relaxed, but I know that if we don't leave soon I'll be late for clinic. I call my mom since I can't think of what to do. We don't know a lot of people who live in Greenville who can come and help us. As we are trying to figure out what to do, Jeff calls one of his professors to let him know he won't be able to make it to class, which started at 1. His class had been cancelled, and then we realize that his other classmate lives in Greenville, and since there is no class, probably is not super busy at the moment. We call him and although he's a little ways away, he can still come. I'm trying not to think about the 12 patients I had scheduled in clinic. There's a car parts store just down the road. When he gets there, he and Jeff go and pick out a new battery. They come back, put it in, and.... still nothing. At this point, it's well after 1, so I have to call some fellow residents to let them know that I'm going to be late to clinic.
Jeff has numerous talents but is not big into care repair (nor is his friend) , so he pops the hood and looks around for a few minutes. Then he thinks to check out the fuse box, and notices that one of the fuses looks like it might be blown. So it's back to the car parts store where we spend a few minutes trying find the right fuse. We are pretty sure we have it, come back, get it in the car, and .... the car finally starts!! Finally, we are on our way home. I get to my clinic at 3:30. Two hours late. Another resident had seen one of two of my patients, but then I just have to get going. I hurry through clinic as quickly as I'm able, and even manage to finish almost on time. Then I go home and THEN I can relax.
So I'm not sure if it was the added excitement of trying to get home or fix the car or maybe just reading Moby Dick - but exactly two weeks later we had our positive pregnancy test.
Actually, as I've said before, I know that for reasons I do not now understand, God chose to use IUI - even this very stressful IUI - to begin this pregnancy, and we are continuing to pray for the little one inside me - that he or she will continue to grow and move and be born a healthy baby sometime in March.
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