Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mommies out there. We have such a blessed job that we too often begrudge and don’t appreciate. I’m so thankful to be a mommy. I don’t know how others experience infertility with the plaguing thought haunting them that they may never hold their own child in their arms. As hard as things get, what a comfort to glance at my fantabulous little girl and be thankful for her.

Friday, all cuddled up next to me on the couch, she told me that she was going to get me LOTS of presents for Mother’s Day. :) I tried to ask what it was going to be, but she informed me that it was a secret and she couldn’t tell me. Later, Chris asked her where she was going to get them, and she began to intensely explain how she and daddy would go in her room to wrap them and how I must stay in the living room.

Sunday night, she was a bit disappointed that she didn’t have anything to give me. So I whispered to her to go get some of my shoes and bring them to me as a present. She was thrilled with this game, and it went on for a few rounds of her bringing me first a pair of her pink flip flops, then two of my shoes. :)

 I was shocked Friday when the FedEx truck stopped in front of our house and the lady knocked on our door with fedex package of completely sealed flowers. She said, “Someone gave you flowers!” I just couldn’t believe there could be fresh flowers inside a hot, sealed fedex box. They stick the stems in soaked foam wrapped in plastic to keep them hydrated, and then you put them in water when you get them. We are definitely living in the 21st century.

There was a note inside that informed me that Chris is going to be able to start working a more family friendly schedule starting next month. He’s moving from a 9:30 am – 6:00 pm schedule to 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. I am thrilled at this news. It will be so nice to be able to have more time with him through the week.

My actual day on Mother’s Day started out bright and early with our trip to the Fertility Clinic to do our lab work. Let’s just say things didn’t start off too well. They were made worse by our less than polite lab tech. I have a hatred for tape or bandaids on my skin. Especially my arms. I will admit. I am a BIG wimp when it comes to this. I think the worst part about having Haylee was all that horrid tape on my arms from the IV’s etc.

I’ve had blood work done twice previously at this very office, and both times, I asked them if I had to have tape. They both looked at me like I had a third head, but agreed I could go tape-less.

This time, when I asked the lab tech (a man, which I guess could explain his complete lack of compassion and sensitivity) if I had to have tape, his response was a you’re-so-stupid-of-course-you-have-to, “YES.” Then he sadistically slapped it on there nice and tight. Then the charming fellow asked, “Do you want some more?”
I don’t get it. What is the deal? I don’t know why a girl can’t refuse tape if she wants to. Are the tape police going to come out and take away his blood drawing needle?

So, complete with my tape intact we headed back home for a couple of hours before reporting back at 10 am for the IUI.

We learned that what I had been calling it, Artificial Insemination, is not really correct. IUI or intra-uterine insemination is the more applicable term. Artificial insemination, it turns out, applies to females using a random sperm donor. IUI is where the female’s partner is the donor. Chris is convinced he spotted a candidate in the lobby for AI. He says they were an oh-so-obvious female couple. He also wondered how they picked who got to have the baby. Maybe they did paper-rock-scissors.

As far as we know, things went well for us. We think everything happened like it was supposed to. We have to wait a couple weeks to take a test to find out if it was successful. The doctor said there was only an 8% success rate per cycle which was not very encouraging. The trusty internet, however, said that for my age group (29) the rate was about 15%, which I think, should be increased since I was on Letrozol, and I took the ovidrel shot. A 7-8% success rate was given to the age group 35-40. Chris thought it would be funny to point out that maybe the doctor thought I was 35! What?? I can only hope he didn’t.

EDIT for disclaimer…

Possible TMI ahead…

As we were waiting on the doctor to come in our room, we could hear him, through the wall, talking to the patient in the next room. So much for the privacy act, huh? He loudly informed her that her partner’s sperm count was 13 million.

We had no idea was what normal, and 13 million sounded like a lot. A lot, lot. So we decided to guess how many Chris’s would be. He guessed 7 million… the number of perfection. We were quite shocked when the doctor informed us that his was 50 million. Definitely good news from the whole fertility aspect, and good news for his ego, too, I’m sure. :) We learned later from the world wide web that a normal count is 20 to 40 million.

When the procedure was over, I was instructed to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after the doctor left. While I was resting, I told Chris that I couldn’t believe the people next door’s was only 13 million and his was 50 million. A few minutes later, Chris quietly observed the fact that the lady next door was probably still in there resting, and if we heard them, they could probably hear us. So he thought he needed to tell me that she probably heard my big mouth saying that her man only had a wimpy 13 million. Whoops. Hopefully, she didn’t hear… we’ll just assume she didn’t hear.

So… a good day was had by all.

Now we wait.