The Swimmers Are In

When we pulled up to the RE clinic just before 7:00 AM for our blood test we saw one other woman waiting for the doors to open. As we walked up we realized this person was one of our good friends; she and her partner actually accompanied us on our trip to VA. Wouldn't it be great if we were pregnant at exactly the same time? This will be her 6th round of IUI - the first three were not medicated and she has been on Clomid the last three. It was great to see her there and to have a familiar face walk us through the so very rote procedure that seems to happen at the clinic each morning.

At 7:00 AM women who are scheduled for lab work line up outside. Once the doors open, everyone files in and takes the elevator up to the second floor where all walk into the office and resume their place in line according to the order they arrived while waiting for the doors to open. Everyone signs in, gets their lab order paperwork and gets back on the elevator to go to the third floor. Two women at a time get their blood drawn and then head back downstairs to check out. It all happens in less than 10 minutes. I cannot even begin to tell you how many women are there - and this happens every morning, including Saturday and Sunday.

Dana commented how it is so bizarre that the clinic can be such a happy and sad place all at the same time. She also noticed that many of the women seem embarrassed to be patients there. I do not feel this because I do not necessarily think I am infertile; we just need some help with the sperm part. My heart goes out to them all though, because ultimately, we are in the same boat.

A nurse is scheduled to call between 9:30 and 10:00 AM to let us (and everyone else) know if my progesterone levels indicate I am in fact ovulating. If so, we are to return at 11:00 AM for the IUI. 9:30 - no call. 10:00 - no call. 10:30 - no call. I call and leave a message. 11:00 no call. 11:10 the nurse calls and says the machine that analyzes the progesterone is broken so they had to send all the blood work to a local hospital's lab. The hospital promised to have the results back by 10:30 but failed to do so. They would call when they get the results back. 11:20 - the nurse called back and said, "Today is the day. Can you be here at 11:45?" Absolutely I say. Dana is on her way to pick me up.

Unfortunately our RE is in surgery today so the doctor du jour was charged with performing the IUI. I was a little uneasy because he tried two catheters and then asked me if I knew which way my uterus slanted. What? Isn't he supposed to know that? Dr. W. has done ultrasounds and an HSG so perhaps it would be in my records somewhere? I have seen my uterus on a screen multiple times and all I was ever told is everything is normal up in there. I mean this is an RE clinic and they only work with fertility patients so this must be routine. Anyway, they moved us across the hall to another room so he could do an ultrasound and check out the slant of my uterus.

Next thing I know I feel a slight ache and the swimmers are in. We are told to wait 10 minutes and then I can dress and go on about my day. It was all so very uneventful. Dana was so incredibly sweet the whole time. She rubbed my belly and told the swimmers to keep swimming, she held my hand, and the best part was that I could truly see the excitement in her eyes too. She is so very supportive and I would not for one minute want to be on this journey with anyone else.

So now we wait, and wait, and wait. I am up for any bits of wisdom from those of you that have gone before me about how to make it through the two week wait and when you tested. Anything else any of you want to share is always welcome. Enlighten me!