Surviving the Two Week Wait.

The TWW.

Also known as the two week wait. 14 days doesn't seem like a terrible amount of time to wait for an answer, but I swear to you the TWW is measured in dog years. I'm not a terribly patient person to begin with, so knowing that I have to wait 336 hours before I find out if my life is about to change or it's about to repeat itself for the sixteenth time sure is some sort of torture.

We started our first round of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) this month. It's been mostly positive, but naturally I let my anticipation get the better of me from time to time. IUI starts with an ultrasound and "routine" bloodwork. They check out your ovaries, follicle count, and endometrial lining on cycle day 2. If all is well, you start Clomid. Clomid is a drug that encourages production of a mature egg in those who don't regularly ovulate. In those who do (that's me y'all), it can produce multiple mature eggs for IUI. I was instructed to take it each night before I go to bed cycle days 3-7. Side effects can include hot flashes and some pretty intense mood swings...nothing like being hot and emotional during a time that you're supposed to remain stress free. Luckily I seemed to dodge the better part of these side effects, but if you ask my husband he might tell you otherwise.

Next comes cycle day 12, another ultrasound (are you noticing a theme yet?). This is the first moment of truth. This time, they're checking to see the size of follicles in the ovaries that will produce a mature egg. This time around I had 2 confirmed eggs with a possible third (insert small sigh of relief here). Since my body responded well to the Clomid, I then was given my HCG injection which induces ovulation. Now there's a 24 hour wait between me and the IUI.

The next day we're at the specialist's at 7:30 am. My husband has to give a sample and he is less than excited. Two hours later it's time for the IUI. Our nurse joked to us that she calls herself the "baby daddy" anytime she performs a successful IUI. I so appreciate the humor that the ladies have in this office. Anyway, the IUI isn't too bad with the exception of brief cramping caused by the insertion of the tube. Once all is said and done, I lay on the table for 20 minutes and we're on our way back home.

Thinking about the whole IUI process makes me feel like there's no way it couldn't work. I have three mature eggs, endometrium is thick, ovulation is timed, and the sperm wash came back with an A+. How can that not work? IUI has a 10%-20% (or in my case, 10%-12%), chance of resulting in a pregnancy. My doctor said not to look at the numerical value of 10%, but to remember that my chances of pregnancy just doubled (reference my first post). I can appreciate the glass half full mentality, but I'm cautious to embrace it.

So here we are, day 4 of my TWW. Saying that out loud made me wince. Is it seriously only day 4!? Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue.