+ OPK and non-TTC stuff

It's CD 15 and I got a super positive OPK this morning. It turned dark really quickly and the test line is darker than the base line. Woo-hoo! I don't think it will mean anything though. We've been using those MFers since August of last year, so I think if we were going to get pregnant without any interventions, it would've happened. Still, it doesn't hurt to try. ;)

I started working on my literature units yesterday. I have each grade level in a three ring binder and the outlines for the plan, discussion questions, vocabulary tests, etc all right there. I will admit I am mostly using materials I found online and in my copy of the Common Core Maps book, but still. I'm getting organized. They FINALLY buffed the floor in my classroom, so tomorrow I can put the furniture where it goes. I can't believe we start school in one week.

I guess because I worked on lesson plans for so long yesterday, I shouldn't be surprised that I had a dream about school. In it, right after we picked our students up from the cafeteria, we went into the math teacher's room and showed a film on Duck Dynasty. We also discussed the lessons in it. I thought this was hilarious when I woke up. During "class" there was this one guy who refused to do anything I wanted him to, including keeping his head up during the film. He ended up having to stand, and I caught him sitting down like three times so I took him into the hall for PTs. He was exhausting! "Sit up. I told you to sit up! Your choices are that you can sit up or stand up. Okay then, stand..." Not so different from a real life moment.

My agenda today:  I have an appointment to get my hair trimmed. I'm going to bake some cookies to take with me, I think. Then I'm off to mom's to mow and have dinner. Then to a friend's for a monthly get together. I also have to knit this morning in order to finish up a commissioned project. Busy but fun day. No lesson plan work today, but I'll get back to that tomorrow.

The Plan

It's been a while since I've posted because I've been kind of busy. Nathan took his vacation week, we went on a mini-vacation, I had work friends over for a girls' night, etc. Busy, but the good kind. In between my last post and now we had his stuff analyzed and it came back normal! That was such good news. After they told us that, I was told that they would call me letting me know what's next. I got the call Friday afternoon! I have to call on the first day of my next cycle, take Femara days 3-7, monitor for ovulation, then take progesterone.

I have mixed emotions about it all now. I'm nervous about the monitoring because if it's done in office I'll have to be late to school or leave early, and I don't like that. On the other hand, I hope it is done in office with an ultrasound because then they can tell me how many follicles I have. I'm also nervous about the medications because I'm afraid of the side effects and experiencing them at work. I figure if I feel a mood swing or nausea coming I can radio an assistant and take a time away similar to how the kids do when they need to manage their emotions, except I'll take mine in the car or bathroom instead of their designated area obviously. In a way it's no different than working while pregnant I guess because I have no idea how that will affect me. We're moving forward and I'm excited because this could finally be it, but my mind gets stuck in anxiety mode pretty often too.

CD 22 bloodwork

Today I had my blood drawn to check my progesterone level. My appointment was at 9:30 and only took about 5 minutes. The nurse was really good and got my vein the first try. She said the results would be in by this afternoon and that someone would call me, but that didn't happen. From there I went to JoAnn's to get some more bulletin board border and some scrapbook paper that I'm going to use for the letters. I worked in my classroom from noon until 6:00, painting and working on bulletin boards, trying to distract myself. Patience when it comes to getting information isn't one of my strengths as it turns out. When I find out what my progesterone number is, I'll know if I can even get my hopes up this cycle or not, because if the progesterone isn't high enough that means ovulation didn't occur. While that would be really sucky news to get, at least I'd know something. I don't know how I escaped being afraid of needles, but I'm glad I'm not. If this cycle isn't it for us, I'm sure that will mean more blood work, probably on CD 3. I wonder what day that will fall on.

 It really sucks that I couldn't get all this started up in early June. I hate the rule about having to wait a year before getting referred to an RE. This is not good timing to have a lot of appointments, especially if some of them have to happen on a certain day. I can't miss state ordered in-service, and it would be INSANE to miss any part of a day during the first week of school. That time is very important to establishing a routine and structure. If it came down to being late to work and missing an appointment with the RE, I guess I'd just have to be late as much as I hate to. It's no secret that we've been trying to conceive for a while, but our place runs best when it's fully staffed. I'm not trying to make myself sound more important than I am, but sometimes we need all hands on deck for coverage issues, especially if there are meetings of any kind going on. Why can't my body just cooperate and do what it's supposed to do already so I wouldn't have to worry about this?

Appointment with RE

I have my first appointment today. Unfortunately, Nathan could not get off work to go with me, but one of my best friends is going. It may work out even better this was because we plan on going to JoAnn's afterward. I'm nervous about having a male doctor for this, because up until now all female issues have been discussed/looked at by females. The midwives group I use made the referral, and I trust them so I know it'll be okay. But still. I'm also nervous about what we may find out, but it's better to know and have a plan than to bumble around hoping something will change unassisted when that might not be the case. I know I won't get any answers today, but it's a big step I think.