February 16, 2008

The SHOTS are what everyone dreads, but I tell you...these Estrogen patches are from the DEVIL. They stick on with SUPER FUCKING GLUE (not really, but you'd think), hurt like the dickens to rip off, and in the past week, have irritated my skin more than anything in my entire life has. I can clearly see where the patches were that were ripped off nearly 72 hours ago, because I have a red, raised, irritated RAW rash EVERYWHERE that the patch touched. EVERYWHERE. It truly looks like I am WEARING a bright RED patch, only the patches are clear. With my olive complexion, it takes alot for reddness to SHOW on my dark skin, and let me tell you...this is not hard to pick out. Fire engine red is pretty. Because my estrogen levels are good, they're allowing me to "wean" off of them, so almost 72 hours ago, I got to step down from wearing THREE to TWO, and today I got to step down from TWO to ONE, and 72 heavenly hours later I will be patch free. I would take 100 shots to wearing one of these patches And I'm really not exaggerating.

Here is a photo just so you can truly see and maybe feel the love...



Other than that, I'm feeling fine. I am 5w1d today, so really I'm so early I don't think I'd feel the symptoms yet anyhow. I BELIEVE with Olivia that I started to feel TIRED about 6/7 weeks. I was very blessed to not have morning sickness with her, and am hoping for the same with this bean!

I hope my venting does not make me sound ungreatful. I would wear patches throughout my entire body to get the result I have. I am over the moon with elation and excitement about this pregnancy. I simply think it's amazing that of all the things in this process, 3409234 shots, the retrieval where they stick a needle through my vaginal wall, etc, these patches have been BY FAR the worst and most annoying of all. Raar.

The RE gave us the option of doing a 3rd beta (pregnancy hormone level check). He left it up to us, telling us to do it Friday or Monday if we wanted to do it. Well...I can tell you...at first I thought "why would we NOT do it??????????" but the more I think about it, I've decided not to do it. This whole process has been timed, precisely monitored, poked, prodded, checked, i's dotted and t's crossed. Most women that get pregnant naturally, don't go in for three betas to check their levels. At least, I know that *I* did not go in with Olivia AT all (minus the one my mom ran through her lab for sheer curiousity's sake!), and her levels must have done their thing because here she is, perfect and lovely. I am on every hormone to aide in sustaining this pregnancy known to the earth (hahahah...not really...just estrogen and progesterone), so if this baby is going to make it, it is. If this baby is for some reason going to not make it, then another beta will not change that course of treatement. I am finally ready to relax, and let my body do as it SHOULD do, and as I KNOW it can do. I will have an ultrasound at 6.5/7 weeks for my RE, and then he'll discharge me to our regular OB. But for now, no more blood... Grow baby Grow!

Please continue to pray for a happy and health 9 months for this little one (and for these patch welts to go away forever and ever).

Love love love.