Here we go!!

**Side note: the title of this post reminds of me of playing Mario on Nin.tendo**

Because I am doing a long lupron cycle for our IVF, we are actually already on our way! I was able to speak with the nurse at our new clinic yesterday and got the run down of what our plan is. There are a few tests that they require I do through their clinic because of the shared risk program and that included bloodwork. I thought I was going to have to drive there to get it done, but then they told me I could ship it! And then I realized that my parents live 45 minutes away from the clinic, so my dad hand delivered my blood to the clinic this morning--what a nice guy!! And, I was quite impressed that they were in the office on a Sunday! Anyways, they were able to get three of the blood tests done today-LH, FSH, and estradiol-and they all look good (4.7, 6.4, and 33 respectively). They had to send out my blood for AMH testing and I will get those results when I go in for my hysteroscopy on the 21st. There are still four more tests I have to pass: lining check on cycle day 13 (must be at least 8mm), the hysteroscopy, AMH level, and antral follicle count. Then they need to review our first IVF cycle embryology report and fertilization report, and then we will be officially approved to hand them over more than what I make in a year. I am not really worried that I will fail any of these tests as I have had a lap and an HSG done in the last year and never once did the doc find anything abnormal in my ute. My lining has always been fine, even on Clo.mid. And my last antral count was 26. The only way we could be declined is if my AMH comes back abnormal or the doctor things our last cycle went so poorly that it's not worth repeating. When we spoke with him in February he said he would be more than happy to do shared risk with us (I think he heard "24 years old, male factor" and immediately went "cha-ching" in his head). So, I'm planning on it.

What does this mean? In approximately 3 weeks I will begin lu.pron---yay injections?! Then 10-14 days after that I'll start stims with every other day ultrasounds and blood work. About 8-12 days after starting stims we'll have the egg retrieval and 3-5 days after that we'll have the egg transfer. Depending on when our transfer ends up being, we will likely find out around labor day whether or not our first attempt (at the new clinic) was successful. By the way, what is up with us always finding out news around a holiday?? We got our last IVF BFN on New Year's Eve and we got our first BFP (brief as it was) on July 4th. Now we will know around Labor Day about our next IVF. Hopefully we'll have reason to celebrate that day with something non-alcoholic!!

So, here we go!!! (again)