What a difference a month can make! After a very disappointing appointment last month and only two antral follicles, I was hoping things would be much better this month, and they were. I have seven antral follicles this month, four on one side and three on the other. Plus, I have my customary cyst. This one is 3cm, but because I will be on birth control for two weeks at least, it's no big deal. The birth control will cause it to shrink. The most antral follicles I've ever had was eight, so this is a pretty good number for me. The nurse said it looked good and I should take it and run with it, so I will.
For the next 2-3 weeks, I will be on birth control. I am on IVF protocol, so I am taking the same drugs as an IVF patient, but I will do IUI instead of IVF. This treatment will take six weeks. It does make Christmas a toss up for me. We knew there was a chance it would impact Christmas, but you just have to do what you have to do. We spend Christmas in Dothan. This could postpone when I can leave for Dothan and how early I have to come back, or I may have to make a trip to the satellite office in Montgomery while I'm in Dothan. We will just have to see. There are so many drugs that I have to take and varying time frames. They actually make out a calendar for me that tells me what to do. I will get that in the mail this next week, so then I will have a better idea of what plans I will have to make.
The next step is taking out the dreaded loan. Richard will handle that this next week. However, praise God! We have raised well over half the cost, so there is only a few thousand to pay off. We hope that we can take a big chunk out with our tax return. God is good. He has made a way for us to afford every single fertility treatment. I really don't believe he would provide us with the money if he had no intentions of giving us a child.
We need your prayers. It's going to be a hectic month. Pray that I will not be stressed out. Pray that we are able to work around Christmas and not have to leave Dothan early or Tuscaloosa late. Pray that I have an awesome response to the drugs, and most importantly, pray that it works this time. I really need it to. Pray for God's wisdom and guidance in what we should do. Also, pray that my skin will stop breaking out. The concoction of supplements I've been taking for the last year have really messed my skin up. My face and back look horrible, and it really bothers me, but there is nothing I can do. I'm sure it's the male hormone they have me taking. I will be so glad when I can get off this hormonal roller coaster ride. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
