CD17 4dpiui

Well I had my IUI 4 days ago. It went relatively well. I had company in from out of town, my best friend. Who is pregnant with her first child due in October. She has known of the struggles we have been going through for the past three years and has been very supportive of everything we have done.

I had asked her the day before she flew in if she would be willing to come to my IUI appointment with me, as my husband could not be there. In fact he's only been there for 1 procedure. She obliged and I kept the appointment planned.

It was the day of our appointment. My husband drove to the Clinic right after work and I met up with his sperm at 10:30AM. This was the second IUI I have had at this Clinic and both times have gone really well. We walked into the suite and I gave my name, I was called back right away and I asked if my girlfriend could come in the room. They said if you want her too... She was ok so therefore, I was ok. Heck, at this point, who hasn't been in-between my legs?!

I sit down on the table and the medical assistant comes in... She talks to me about the procedure asks how I am feeling and says she will be right back. She comes back in with the cup my husband donated to the Andrology Lab. I had to confirm his social security number and make sure everything was accurate. After I signed off on his specimen, we were ready to begin.

I lay back and tell the medical assistant that I need a long/wide speculum, as my cervix is very difficult. I also asked if she had to use the tenaculum if she could use lidocane. I am not a wimp and have a high tolerance for pain, but when it comes to pinching your cervix with something that looks like a jumbo pair of tweezers with a claw at the end made for Paul Bunyon, I reconsider succumbing to the pain. She said if she had to use the tenaculum that she could probably use the lidocane.

The medical assistant tried one speculum, but it was too "short". So she decided to try a different one. The actual one she wanted was in another exam room with a patient already in it. So we had to improvise. Turns out the only speculum they had in the room was long and really wide. My girlfriend said when she saw it she crossed her legs in fear. There I lay, a willing participant to it all. I know nothing about what is to be stuffed inside of me. Just call me Thanksgiving dinner... She begins to insert the mega-sized speculum, I feel a bit of discomfort, but carry on. My girlfriend is looking at me with this awkward face... And I am trying to hide the discomfort I am having. She can see it; she senses it. We have been friends for a very long time so, I give in. I make the face, the face of pain. She sees me and I could tell she wanted to say something, but she just couldn't find the words to say it. It was this unspoken support that meant the world to me. That she could be there to experience what I have been telling her about for all of this time. As we have this unspoken "conversation" with one another the medical assistant finally inserted the catheter holding 10 million motile sperm into my cervix. It stung, as usual. I cramped up, as usual. Internally I was saying a cheer to the soldiers hoping that they would attack my egg and one would implant in the days to come.

I was finally done. The medical assistant lifted the bottom of the table to raise my pelvis and I laid there for 10-15 min to help nature take its course. As I lay there waiting what normally feels like a lonely eternity, I talked with my girlfriend. She began to tell me that she gives both my husband and I a lot of credit for doing what we do. She said I can't believe that you travel this far and you endure so much for the chance of getting pregnant. She said I don't understand how you remain so confident and positive month in and month out. I told her it's not easy, but I have to hold out hope. I have hope and I have my faith and I cannot give up on either of them. Because without them I wouldn’t stand a chance.

The medical assistant came back into the room and advised me that I would need to follow up on my HCG shots. She said that I had to take a shot the following day, then every third day. In total I would be taking three shots. The first day of the follow up we were at a family function. I had to excuse myself to mix my medicine. As I was in the middle of mixing my medicine, some friends came in to say goodbye and I have a syringe in my hand. Kind of makes for an awkward situation... Thankfully they knew what we were going through so there weren’t any questions asked. After I was done mixing, I called in my husband to administer my HCG. I pulled down my pants, he swabbed my leg with an alcohol pad let it dry, then grabbed some skin and poked me. All the while, my girlfriend is sitting next to me at the table cringing in pain. Admittedly, the shots don't feel like a walk in the park, but at least its not blood being removed from my body. I can handle it. I am still sore from my shot. Tonight is another night that I will be doing it, then one more time. That's all I keep telling myself... One more time, only one more time...

Tags: HCG, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, IUI, Intrauterine Insemination, Speculum