Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Exam Room 4

Well...the insemination is over! It was very nerve racking. Pace and I decided to wait at the RE's office between his "drop off" and my appointment. We watched the movie Radio - a great move if you have never seen it! I was doing pretty good until the nurse came out and called my name. That is when my heart started racing and my knees got all wobbly.

It has taken us over 2 years to get to this point and in a matter of minutes I knew it was all going to be over. We have done everything we can do for this cycle, now it is in God's hands. It was strangely comforting to know that I could relieve myself of all this stress because no matter what I do from this point on, it is all Him. (Actually it was all Him from the beginning, but it is hard to keep that into perspective when my husband is having to give me shots every night and I am going to the doctor every other day)

We walk into exam room 4 - a room I have come to know quite well. I get changed and sit on the table. A few minutes later, a female nurse practitioner comes through the door with a small vial containing Pace's washed sperm. The final count post wash: 67 million sperm! Amazing! She said that pre-wash his numbers were actually 127 million. How in the hell can he produce 127 million sperm in 3 days and it takes me 2 highly medicated, very expensive weeks to come up with one follicle! It just isn't fair.

Of course the high numbers went to Pace's head a little, but you know what...he deserves to be cocky about it and I am not going to ruin that for him!

The nurse explained the procedure to me and then asked me to "assume the position" Ah...this is where the phrase stirrup queen comes in to play. I have had my feet in the stirrups in exam room 4 more times than I care to remember.

I would first like to say that an IUI is NOT like a pap smear. At least not for me. Holy crap! The pain was not pleasant at all. I kept holding my breath and tensing up - the NP kept telling me to "breath and relax". Easy for her to say - she doesn't have a plastic tube all up in her business stabbing the top of her uterus.

She did say that I have a "beautiful cervix" so I guess I will forgive her for stabbing my uterus. Seriously, I didn't think I would ever hear anyone compliment my cervix, I think I have heard it all! But it did make me feel a little better. Hey, my ovaries may not work well, but I have a beautiful cervix!

As soon as the NP left the room after the procedure - the tears came. It was 10% because of the pain and 90% the overwhelming emotions. We have finally done it. We are finally at a point where we have a chance to conceive our first child. I just felt so overwhelmed and the whole experience was so surreal. After lying on the table for 10 minutes, I was up, dressed, and out of the door.

I am still crampy, I am in my pj's lying on the couch with Pace's laptop trying to lay low and just rest.

Welcome to the 2WW. My very first "official" 2WW!

3 comments:

LJ said...

Congratulations!!! Definitely cause for celebration to get to this milestone. Treat yourself well these next two weeks. I am thinking of you both. Give the hubby a pat on the back from us, that's some good numbers!!!

Anonymous said...

Nichole I can imagine how emotional that was for you. Please know that I am praying for you. You have the right attitude. Keep your faith strong.

Joy said...

Congrats!! And yeah.. I still don't get the people who say it feels like a "pinch." Personally, I think it hurts like hell. Congrats on the great sperm count.
Now go distract yourself for 2 weeks!