Job Update, etc.

The family that I talked to on Friday who are adopting a newborn in the next month or so and are also having a baby in December, would like to hire me to watch their children.  However, this job wouldn't start until sometime  (up to a month) after the first child is born, which hasn't actually happen yet.  A very cool thing about the family is that they also go to my church and attend the same Mass that I sing at.  I still need to figure out something temporary to have income for the next month or two.

I'm still having brown tinged CM, but thankfully I'm not having the bleeding like I was.  I'm on P+12, so I'm trying to decide if I should attempt to test should I make it to P+14.  Anyone have suggestions?  I'm not feeling very hopeful for this cycle after the bleeding.

I was thinking about doing a novena to St. Joseph for those whose husbands need prayers so that they can become more of the spiritual head of the family, like St. Joseph.  I probably will wait until June 12 to start it so that I can finish on June 20, Father's Day, which seems fitting.  I know that there are a number of other bloggers that are struggling with this, and I know I need to focus more on praying for my husband.

There was some talk a couple weeks ago about doing a prayer buddy thing for those of us who are still waiting to conceive and/or adopt.  I think it would be a very cool idea, but we'd need to work out some details.  If anyone is interested, let me know and give me some suggestions on how you think we should do it.

Updates: Job, PPVI

I finally got a call from PPVI about 11 today.  The nurse said that progesterone supplementation might stop the bleeding even though my levels are generally on the high side of normal.  She also said that if a couple rounds don't clear it up, they'll move on to looking at other possible causes.  Since tomorrow is P+10, I won't be starting them until next cycle.  I'm still having sporadic bleeding, but most of the time it's just a brown/pink tinge.

On the job situation, I'm still looking.  One possible part-time summer child care job for a friend of mine has fallen through for now.  I just talked to a family who is about to adopt a newborn in June, which I think went well, but they won't need anyone until July or August (depending on when the baby is born).  I'm starting to get a bit stressed out about what I'm going to do.  

PIO

I did have a message on my home machine from PPVI from this morning with more details that I just saw (however, I'm still annoyed that I didn't hear back from them).  Dr. H wants me to do PIO shots on P+4, P+7, and P+10, which is funny to me since I have high progesterone (20 ng/mL+) every time it's tested including during crazy bleeding.  However, I'm willing to try most anything to get this stupid bleeding to stop.  Since I've already passed P+4 and P+7, I may not be starting until next cycle with the shots, but I'll find out when I talk to them tomorrow.  If I do need the shot this cycle, I'll have to go through the local compounding pharmacy and try to get in touch with my doctor friend  How do I find out whether any part of PIO will be covered by my insurance?  Any suggestions on what the least expensive way to go on getting them for next cycle is?

Annoyed

I got a call from PPVI this morning, but I missed it since I was in the shower.  I called back within 15 minutes (and it was about 10), but I didn't get a return call, even after calling again at 4:30.  So I'm still waiting to hear what Dr. H said about the bleeding, which is really annoying since I called on Tuesday morning and sent my chart yesterday morning (and the fact that they had an answer this morning but I missed the stupid call).  I understand that they have a lot of phone calls, but they ought to return a call where I had missed their call within the day, especially since it was so early in the day that I called them back.  I'm not having constant bleeding, just a tinge of brown right now, but there was a quick spurt of heavier bleeding for a little while yesterday (warning TMI ahead) after a BM.  I'm P+8 today.  I better hear from PPVI early tomorrow, or they'll be getting another call from me.  So annoyed right now.

Bleeding

So last night I started bleeding (TMI warning) during intercourse and it was more like period bleeding than a cut.  Yesterday was P+5 and I did have a bit of a cry while hugging D.  I'm going to call PPVI and let them know, even though they probably can't do anything.  I'm posting email so I'll end here.  

It wasn't a cyst!

I finally heard from Dr. H's office on Tuesday morning (it was my local ob/gyn's office's fault for not sending the ultrasound results from Thursday until almost 5pm on Friday).  They said (like TCIE expected) that it looked like it was a mature follicle (23 mm) not a cyst.  They also said that my lining was 8mm, which is great especially since I was bleeding until the day before the u/s.

I started have wonderful peak type mucus on Friday through yesterday.  The B6 and mucinex made it even better than my normal peak type (and it's usually pretty good except the two cycles after surgery).  I had 5 days of 10KL and yesterday (which looks like it was peak day, CD 19).  We used Saturday and Monday (P-3 and P-1) so our timing should be decent.

I've gotten a couple leads on find a new job (still planning to stick with nannying), but I haven't found anything for sure yet.  I got a couple people who are looking for someone to start in August with very young infants, which would be perfect if I can find someone who needs summer help only.  I'll post if anything comes up.

Need some job prayers again

I need to find a new job.  The family I was nannying for was offered free child care and financially had to decide to go with that.  I'm working through May 26.  I need lots of prayers to find something very soon.

My u/s results didn't get fax from my local ob/gyn until yesterday (Friday) at about 4:45, so I haven't heard from Dr. H yet.  I did have some wonderful 10KL last night, but we haven't had used any days of fertility yet. Hopefully we can find some time today.  Maybe it's just a mature follicle not a cyst.

Cyst? *Edited

The ultrasound found a 2.3 cm (23 mm) cyst/follicle on my right ovary (where I had pain last week.  I'm on CD 14, but I'm pretty sure I haven't ovulated yet (I haven't even had any peak type CM).  My left ovary had a 1.5 cm (15 mm) follicle.  My endometrial lining was 8 mm.  This is all from my local ob/gyn's office, and I haven't heard from PPVI yet since my appointment was only an hour ago.  I've got an appointment to have anything cyst check in three weeks on June 3.  I'll update once I hear from PPVI.  I hope that everything makes sense; I also had an eye doctor appointment and he dilated my eyes so I can't really see up close well.

Bleeding updates

The bleeding/spotting may have stopped.  I'm saying may since I thought it was stopping a couple days ago.  I talked to PPVI and Dr. H wants me to have an ultrasound done to see what my lining looks like, check for cysts etc.  I've got an appointment at 3 pm with my local ob/gyn and they are supposed to fax the results to PPVI.  I'll post after the appointment, although I probably won't hear from PPVI until Friday or Monday.

And the winner is...

The winner of the book from the giveaway is comment #1, JellyBelly.  Please email me at mrsblondies at gmail dot com with your address so I can get it sent out to you.

Ridiculous *Updated

Update: I just called PPVI and I'm waiting for a call back.  I'll post when they've called me.

I have been bleeding for 19 straight days (and I had two days of bleeding four days before that started).  This is ridiculous and I'm going to be so angry if this happens on any more cycles.  Yesterday it seemed like the bleeding was tapering off, but it got slightly heavier again (still light to medium).  I don't know if it would be worthwhile to call PPVI since I don't know that they can actually do anything to make the bleeding stop.  Since April 1, I've had only 10 days where I wasn't bleeding.  The most frustrating thing about the bleeding for me is that my progesterone (for my luteal phase) is high.  I'm not sure how long I can deal with this; the bleeding better stop in the next 24 hours.  I'm ready to be "fertile" (as inaccurate as that description has been in the last nearly three years).  I'm guessing this cycle will be back toward the longer side since I'm already on CD12 and still bleeding.

TCIE, does last cycle with the crazy bleeding even count as an effective cycle?  Or am I still stuck in "fake" trying?

Is it normal to feel so discouraged after the laparotomy?  I feel less hopeful and more down than I did before.

Gianna Center in NYC

A reader emailed me and requested that I post about the new Gianna Center in NYC and I'll also link to it in my sidebar.  Here's her email:

Hello ladies,

I am sure that most of you are familiar with NaPro technology. Consider yourself to be lucky. I suffered with infertility for 2.5 years before I learned about it. Nobody in my church or diocese knew about it. There are too many IVF clincs and too many women think that IVF is their only option. 

 There is a new NaPro trained surgeon in NYC. Dr. Beiter. I have been his patient since November. I have just completed my diagnostic phase which included 2 months of charting, BW/US, exploratory lap, and then the laparotomy to remove endo.

 I need your help to spread the word that the Gianna Center is now open. Please tell anyone you know. Even if you do not live in NY you can help. Women travel to Nebraska from all over. The Gianna center does a good job with phone consults for long distance patients. The Gianna center does not have a wait list yet. So if you know someone who is on a long wait list to see a Napro surgeon for a consult or for surgery, suggest Dr. Beiter. I can answer any questions you have about him.

 Please put a link to the Gianna Center, www.giannahealth.org if you have a blog or website. Put the blurb at the bottom in your parish bulletin. Give the contact info to any catholic woman you know, including family life offices or NFP teachers. Put the blurb as your facebook status and ask others to copy and paste it. 

We need to spread the word to other catholic woman all across the USA that there is a pro life alternative to IVF so they are not talked into something they know is wrong.

Thanks,

K

New York’s new Gianna Center for Women offers effective treatment for infertility and recurrent miscarriage using NaPro Technology, an alternative to in vitro fertilization.  The Gianna approach in completely in line with Catholic Church teaching and allows a couple to conceive naturally, with success rate which are comparable to other methods. The Gianna Center also offers pro-life obstetrics, gynecology and general medical care for women. To schedule an appointment with a  NaPro Technology physician, please call the Gianna Center at 212-481-1219 or visit www.giannahealth.org

If you are a blogger, please consider posting this information on your blog as well and linking in your sidebar.  Please spread the word about the center.

Ouch

This cycle has been weird.  CD 1 started off with about 15 minutes of pretty heavy bleeding, but then went done to pretty light flow.  CD 2-5 were light flow too and it's only been the past two days (CD 6 & 7) that I've had my normal medium flow.  I'm also having some pretty sharp pains that come and go (and have only happened really in the evening the past three days or so) in the area of my right ovary.  Since it's not consistent and hadn't really bothered me during the day, I haven't called PPVI but I'll call if it continues into tomorrow.

My youngest brother stopped in for the night yesterday on his way "home" (since my parents are living overseas, he doesn't really have a home) on the way home from college.  It was good to see him since I hadn't seen him since Christmas.  I'll see him again in August on his way back up to school.  He's working at a Catholic teen camp this summer and then going to Ghana for a mission trip in July.  Please keep him and the group he's going with in your prayers.

There has been so much wonderful news in the Catholic IF blogger world lately.  Congratulations to Sew, Jeremiah, and Thankful.

I need to work on hope in the Lord for myself like TCIE and Kaitlin talked about.  I've been feeling a bit down, like it's never going to happen for us (even with my FCP and Dr. H saying we have good odds).

An email should be going out about the Southern blogger get-together soon.

Giveaway, etc.

Living God's Will recently gave away a book called "Longing for a Child" by Kathe Wunnenberg.  I won but when I got the book I realized that I had already won the book from a different giveaway about 6 months ago.  I really like the book and although it's not specifically Catholic, it's Christian.    So comment on this post if you would like to win the book.

At adoration yesterday, I felt compelled to offer up my sufferings for three particular bloggers and carry the cross for them if they shall become mothers before me.  I hope that my prayers for them are answered (and soon, they've all been waiting a long time).

I think I'm starting to get sick.  I woke up during the night with a sore throat.  I was wiping noses of the kids I nanny for a lot on Friday, so that's probably where I caught it.  I've actually not had too many colds lately, so I'm probably due for one.

My body is still being a bit odd.  My period seems to be starting and stopping instead of just normal flow.  Hopefully my body will normalize after this and I can have a reasonable cycle.