Visit 1 - Complete

Ok, where to begin?

I guess first I should say that the visit went wonderfully. I was so overloaded with info yesterday, I couldn't get my thoughts straight to post. So hopefully this will make some sort of sense. Let me try it this way:

• Appt was at 10...was seen at 1015...not a bad wait...I hate waiting
• Staff was great
• No funny looks or out of line remarks about M and I being together.
• Nurse W took my vitals (She promised she'd minus 2 lbs for my shoes :o) I like her already) ( They were heavy)
• She explained to the both of us what was going to happen today and walked us to the docs office
• "Fellow R" (he's doing his fellowship there...fellow sounds funny) spoke with us before the "Real Doc"
• He was great. Asked all the basic stuff (age, reason for visit, cycle info, etc)
• Told me start taking prenatal vitamins now. I know, I know yall already told me that. I had held off on it thinking I would get a prescription or he would recommend and certain kind. He said he could give a prescription to fill each month or just buy an over the counter with folic acid. I opted for the over the counter. Stopped by CVS on the way home and bought the store brand. 300 pills for $20. That should work for a while...like 10 months!
• He explained the IUI process and much more
• That I would have an ultra sound this visit
• I would need 2 tests....1.) Day 3 Hormone Eval(FSH, LH and Estradiol) and 2.) HSG...both which will be scheduled on Cycle Day 1 (March 23 or so)
• He explained the above tests and gave me a prescription for some anti biotic to take after the HSG.

*** I still can't get my thoughts together. thinking...thinking ***

• Informed us we could use Clomid right off the bat or do the first round "natural". He suggested we start off with it. (I hadn't really done much reading on Clomid but knew it had something to do with ovulation. He informed us it would make me ovulate. That's good right? ) Also explained the possibility of twins or more. YIKES!
• I checked my question list and he had pretty much already answered most of it.
• We asked about prices and such. He told us to check with the desk. *1
• He kinda lost us for a bit talking about donors and stuff. We let him continue and I guess he could tell by the look on our faces we were confused. We had planned on using a known donor from Fairfax (its within driving distance...would save us around $150 on shipping) But we were pleasantly surprised when he told us they have a bank there. GREAT!
• Next was the ultra sound. Not the most comfortable thing but nothing to whine about. :o) M and Nurse W were there with me. M got to see my insides on the screen(ovaries, uterus and my not empty bladder, TMI? ). I kinda wanted to check it out, but didn't want to move. HA! I was trying to zone out. He had to pause once for Nurse W to load more paper. Don't they know I want my legs closed, down and clothes back on?! Geesh!
• He at one point said something about my eggs or developing eggs looking like mini chocolate chips. Whatever...that was just weird.
• Ok, that's all done and I'm dressed
• Now we get to meet the "real doc", Dr SO *2.
• He didn't have too much to say that Fellow R hadn't already told us.
• He just went over everything again and made sure we had all our paperwork and that our questions were all answered. The only thing he said different was that he would like us to start off natural and not use Clomid the first time but that it was our decision.
• Nice guy
• We were left with Nurse W who again went over everything. Very nice lady. Said to call with any questions
• We were directed to the cashier D. I guess we could call her the cashier. She took our money. HA!
• Another nice lady
• She went over our insurance stuff and said shes hopeful that everything (minus the sperm and insemination) would be covered. $30 copay each visit is ok with me. Ultra sound, blood tests and HSG should be covered. Sure hope so.
• We gathered all our info and out the door we went! * BIG smiles*

*1 - Cost? $120 for insemination. $220 for sperm at their bank

*2 - Dr. SO? I just thought this was funny. In my Ring Ring post I called the doc, Dr So and So. Well come to find out that really is his initials! S.O. He really is Dr SO! I know...I'm a dork. :o)

Ok, so overall we were both SO pleased with how everything went. VERY pleased. I was a nervous wreck the night before and in the lobby while waiting but walked out at ease and with a big smile.

I, we, thought we were getting a break by having a sperm bank at our docs office. Which would be lowering our costs dramatically. (sperm at our place = $220, sperm at Fairfax = $495, BIG difference) It wasn't until we got home, stuff started sinking in and I started reading the info they had given us that I noticed a glitch in our new perfect little plan. Their bank doesn't have known donors. :o( BIG let down for us. A known donor was #1 on our list of requirements...with Caucasian, blue eyes and blond hair following. ( M is blond and blue). So the high we had from having a bank there and the cost being half was shot. BLAH! But hey! Its just money right? I mean how could we tell our child 18 years from now that "No we don't know that info because we were too cheap to pay the extra $200". And plus we had already planned on spending the $500 for Fairfax. You see how I'm trying to talk myself into feeling ok about this? Nothing in life is free or cheap right? Right?

So, now I have a whole new list of questions for our baby making crew.

1. Will they store sperm from Fairfax
2. Cost
3. And so on

Wow this turned into really long post. I know Ive forgotten to list some stuff and will post later as I remember or if anyone asks.

But let me close on a high note. I asked Fellow R when we could get this thing started. He said soon. Like next cycle! That would mean April 3 or so! That's just 3 weeks away!

However, M and I have decided to wait til May. She will be out of town the whole first week of April and we want to be together when it happens.

And what better Mothers Day present could we get than finding out we're gonna be mommies!

*fingers and toes crossed*