The Eternal Guest Room

We’re moving right along. I take my last birth control pill tomorrow (yaaaaaayyyy). In the meantime we do a lupr.on shot every morning at 7:15. The shots themselves have been worse than I expected; 2 days D couldn’t get the needle to pierce my skin on the first attempt, and it turns out being poked with a needle is much more painful that being pierced with one. Ow. Yesterday I had a weird little bump/reaction. Today it bled. So that hasn’t been super fun. D told me that it’s harder than when we did injections for the IUI because I’m a little thinner now. I don’t know if that’s the reason or if my body is just putting up a fight and trying to be even more difficult than usual. Doing them in the morning has been pretty weird, too; either I’m half-asleep (on weekends and the days I work from home) or in the process of rushing to leave (on the days I go to my away-from-home job).

Emotionally, I feel better. My moods seem to have stabilized quite a bit. I haven’t felt like killing anyone or burst into tears at nothing. So that’s progress.

Physically, my one side effect is headaches, and those suck. I have a near-constant headache. Sometimes it’s a dull pain that’s barely there, sometimes a medium throbbing, and other times like a migraine complete with nausea and stabbing pains throughout my entire head. So that’s not so awesome.

I’ve been going to acupuncture for 2 weeks. There have been actual studies that prove it improves success rates for IVF, so even though it’s an extra cost we feel that it’s worth it. This is our one attempt for the foreseeable future, so we’re putting everything we have into it. Unlike the last time I did acupuncture (a year ago with IUIs), I’ve been enjoying it. I’m pretty sure it’s 95% because in that time she has gotten heated beds. So I get nice and cozy and relaxed. She also puts a heater right over my stomach or back and covers my feet and shoulders with thick blankets. So it’s a nice little warm cocoonish 20 minutes instead of pure agony like last time. Amazing what a change in temperature can do. I also think I’ve just gotten used to the needles; and maybe I’m better at being still. Who knows.

I finally got around to taking a photo of my meds to show you. I actually have a lot less than most people seem to. Partly because my doctor orders the minimum and then I get refills later if I need them. Hopefully not, as they are expensive and I’d really rather not need any more. It also just varies based on protocol, age, situations, etc.

And yes, I did use my photoshop skills to remove my name, address, & phone number before posting these to the internets.

See all those needles on the left side??? Holy crap. I’m really hoping (and thinking) that they sent me way too many. Both pharmacies that I ordered from sent me a whole bunch, so I’m thinking (and again, hoping) that they both sent me a full set. And each more than what I actually will need. Because yikes.

Most of them live in the refrigerator, so I get to see them every time I need something from there. I have a lifetime supply of ice packs at this point, so if you’re in need of ice packs, please, let me know.

What else is in my refrigerator, you ask? Well let me show you them:

The holidays…that’s a completely different post. For now I leave you with these guys. I know you all want one.