Ultrasounds, Blood and Munchkins

I got up yesterday at 4:00am. Blech. Showered, grabbed my stuff and was out the door by 5:00 to get to the IVF Clinic for ultrasounds to check the thickness of the lining of my uterus, and blood work to check my progesterone levels (though I didn’t know this till I got there and was told to go see the phlebotomists.) Thank goodness for coffee and loud music, is all I can say. Trying to stay awake on an early-morning three-plus-hour drive by myself is not easy.

The ultrasound tech was NOT gentle with me. Note: While most people think ultrasounds are all done externally; they’re not. Pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy ultrasounds are done… Internally. Thus please understand my meaning when I say I am still quite sore. On top of that, the phlebotomist missed my vein. Three times. Granted, I hadn’t finished my second 32-ounce bottle of water yet, but even in a dehydrated state, I have HUGE veins, and they don’t generally roll.

Oh, and The Agency’s money guy seems to be in putz-mode. The Carrier Coordinator is furious with him. My check from the 8^th was JUST sent out on Tuesday. The Carrier Coordinator is planning to make sure my check from yesterday is sent out today, along with preemptive reimbursement for Tuesday when I go back down. Except for that one little issue, I really do love The Agency – they’re communicative, friendly, helpful – it’s great. I’m also told that they’ve hired a new money person, so that one little issue should be resolved very shortly.

As for the results of the ultrasound and blood tests, my uterine lining is already at 8.6mm, which I’m told is the thickness required for embryo transfer, so the IVF Clinic is happy about that. My progesterone levels are right where they’re supposed to be, too; so it looks like we should be a go for embryo transfer next Friday! I.F. isn’t going to be able to make it down for the transfer, but I’ll keep him posted anyway.

I also got to see my friend, to whom I will refer as Xaotl, and her kids yesterday. Holy CRAP are they cute! The older one is your standard excited toddler who, by the end of the visit, was crawling all over me and squeaking with my favorite kind of munchkin giggles (those kind of giggles are 100% contagious). The younger one is still an infant, but sociable! Holy macaroni; just totally mellow and smiley and cool. Both kids have these absolutely beautiful, stare-straight-into-your-soul big eyes and bright red pouty lips. I tell ya, they’re gonna be heart-breakers, the pair of them. All in all it was a fabulous visit; Xaotl is absolutely radiant, both as a woman and a mom, and it was so good to see her after so many years. Hopefully it won’t be another decade before we do it again!