Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch changes.......

Okay, I decided to seriously edit my blog for a few reasons:

1. I actually had the time to do it.
2. I finally figured out how to add links to my blog-yay!
3. Honestly, this was intended as a means of stress release (without having to park my ass in a therapist's office) for me, considering the mess we're going through now with infertility, so I might as well actually come out and change things to reflect it on my blog. That doesn't mean that I won't talk of things other than my fertility problems, or add my sarcastic, bitchy comments on the world at large, but hey, I really doubt that people read this anyway...and if you do, thank you!!

Now that I got that out of the way...........

I went for my first IVF appointment with the nurse-practitioner this morning-had to miss the third Wed of work in a row, but shit happens. Actually, I do feel a bit guilty about it-I hate that it's Wednesday, b/c that's when I have my 4th grade classes, but my supervisor is so nice about it-he told me that this is a medical issue and it needs to be taken care of, and that's why I have sick time. Still, that old Catholic guilt creeps up on me....well, I got a SHITLOAD of lab slips for all the bloodwork I'll be having (not looking forward to that), a prescription for birth control pills, a basic primer on IVF and a copy of my protocol. Since the RE is a solo practitioner, I actually have to go to a different clinic to have my embryo retrieval and transfer, which is only 7 miles away, so they require a chest x-ray, EKG and pre-admin testing (three more 'scripts). So, this is really going to happen. I'm still bitter about Mr. Buzzkill's appearance on the scene and having to go on the Pill again after almost three years-I hope the motherfucker shrinks like male genitalia touching cold water-but at least I will be able to start this sooner rather than later.

I go back on the 18th for the injectibles class (which I'm bringing my mom to), which still scares the shit out of me, but I only have to do micro-injections of the Lupron, the Follistim (which is a pre-loaded pen, like an Epi-pen they use for bee-sting allergies), and the Pregnyl, which is the hCG shot (and the one that goes in the ass)-the progesterone supplements will be suppositories. I'm not too thrilled about having swamp-crotch for awhile, but hey, it's better than shots of progesterone suspended in oil in my ass every night. I have to inject my meds at 8pm every night, which should be interesting if we want to go anywhere, and especially interesting on the nights that I have church choir rehearsal-I'll be shooting up in the church sacristy-nice, huh? That's me, allright, a hormonal junkie for Jesus........heh......

On another note, when I had the hysteroscopy, they had to do a blood type/crossmatch for my pre-admin testing, and I found out my blood type is A-, which the RE tells me is pretty uncommon. The upshot of this is that, if I ever do get preggers, my OB/GYN has to monitor me for Rh factor. So, the RE tells me that we need to find out Sean's blood type, so he calls his primary doc to request the labwork, and the doc's office tells him that insurance won't cover it, because the insurance does not consider it medically necessary. Are you fucking kidding me? Knowing your blood type isn't medically necessary!? God forbid that he ever needs an emergency blood transfusion in the event of an accident or anything! He tried to explain the situation to the nurse on the phone, but they said that he could do it on his own, but insurance won't cover it. So, I called Cigna up to see if this was really true, or if the doctor's office were being lazy bastards. Sure enough, it is true-the customer rep even said that it seemed weird.

Welcome to the wonderful world of medical insurance!