So in my first post I mentioned fertile I am not. This is a recent bit of information, as for all my life before this it really wasn’t something I tested. So a little over a year ago (Thirteen months to be exact,) I went in for my annual check-up with my OBGYN and mentioned The Fox and I were thinking of trying for kidlets. She smiled and told me how wonderful that was and sent me off to get blood work with the admonition to call as soon as I got those two little pink lines. I expected to be back in that office in three months, happily in the family way. (Insert hysterical laughter here.)

A little over four months ago I receive a post card in the mail reminding me to make an appointment for my yearly check-up. My doctor’s office sends these things out months in advance so that everyones not trying to make last minute appointments. I call up to set my appointment for the end of July and casually drop the comment that we had been trying with no success at getting pregnant. The chipper nurse informs me that will all be handled at my appointment. So around three weeks ago the appointment finally rolls around. I bundle up six months worth of my temperature in chart form to let my doctor see when I ovulated, a whole lot of questions neatly typed up on a sheet, and oh yeah, The Fox, and I head down to the office. After my ice cold pap smear we get down to the nitty-gritty. Looking over my ovulation pattern the doctor admits I have a kinda short Luteal Phase. Now note Stara is not a doctor, although she would probably look smashing in one of those white coats, but from what I understand the luteal phase is the period between when the egg drops, or ovulation, to when Auntie Flo come to visit, or menstruation.

At this point she wants us to keep trying and come back later. I’m so not going for that, so she calls in the nurse assistant of the offices fertility expert. Between the two of them I get orders for two blood tests: one seven days after ovulation, and one for day three of my next cycle. (By the way webbies, for all you non-females of child bearing age out there. One cycle goes from the start of your period, to the day before the start of your next one.) I also get an appointment to meet said fertility specialist. That original appointment is actually set up for tomorrow, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Fox also gets a referral for a semen analyses.

So lets recap here, I get to get pricked with needles and Fox gets to orgasm. So not fair.

Anyway I go in for my first test and all they take is one little vial. Now for reference sake Stara does not like needles, but if she only gets stuck once and is able to lie down generally she does okay. (By the way I’m sorry I keep changing from first to third person. I talk that way too and it drives The Mom crazy.) Anyway one vial, I did it and I was fine. Period starts and I call to let the nice nurse lady know, because she asked me to tell her. Her response “Come in here Friday at 10:30.” I mumble my acceptance and wonder why I have another appointment but basically go on with my life. Friday comes and it happens to be day three of my cycle so I stop off at the vampire lair to get my blood work done before my appointment. It was suppose to be a fasting test, so I was pretty hungry when I got there. Laying down I see the lady take out five vials. This does not put me in a better mood, then two vials in my vein decides it doesn’t want to play anymore. Gratefully my other vein is more cooperative.

So as I head up to my appointment I’m hungry and a little shaky from my blood draw. I then find out my appointment is for an ultra sound, and not the usual one either. The good side is I met the fertility specialist. She was very nice and was very positive on our outlook for getting pregnant. We found out three things from the ultrasound. My uterus is tilted. This one I knew. I have all the parts in the right places. This one I figured. I probably have at least have boarder line PCOS. This one hit me out of left field. Now remember I am not a doctor, but this is what I’ve learned since then. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is when potential eggs become little fluid filled cysts in your ovaries. These cysts put off male hormones that can cause obesity, skin tags, hair loss or growth, and infertility. I had fifteen in one ovary and nine in the other. It is thought to be genetic (Something The Mom refuses to even consider could be from her.)

The upside of this diagnosis is I got Clomidified. Clomid is a fertility drug that should smooth it all out. Don’t ask me how. I am, you guessed it, not a doctor. So for the past three days I’ve been taking a drug that raises my chance of multiples to eight percent. Dad will be so happy. I’ve had no side effects yet and I still have my appointment tomorrow to talk about my last blood test and other things. I’ll try to update about that then. So for all you people out there getting on towards that one year mark in trying to conceive, you can probably expect to have the same kinds of tests that I had. With your own diagnoses of course.

Keep Surfing Webbies and may all your Imaginings be Fertile!

— Stara