More OUCH!!

We had the IUI today. The procedure was probably the worst that I have done. This is our third IUI, and the hsg (dye test that revealed a blocked tube) was similar in that the catheter was used to introduce something into my uterus. Out of all of those experiences, today was the worst. Not to say that it was really bad. Just very uncomfortable and at times very crampy and painful. She tried quite a few times to get the catheter in and it just wouldn't go. She said there was probably an enlarged gland inside the cervix blocking the path. After several minutes of trying, she changed to a different type of catheter with a smaller, but slightly stiffer tube, and it took a few tries but finally she got in. This isn't the first time it's been a rough entry. I have a tricky cervix. Add that to the list of my malfunctions!

There is definitely nothing wrong with Mark's boys. As always he had great counts. 36.5 million total count. 83% of them were motile. After they were washed and processed 11 million were used for the insemination. You may be asking why the insemination? What's wrong with the old fashioned way?

The uterine cervix acts as the principle filter for sperm during intercourse
and less than one percent of the sperm is naturally able to migrate up through
the uterus and into the fallopian tube where natural fertilization occurs. With
IUI, the cervix is bypassed and a small volume of highly concentrated sperm is
placed directly into the uterine cavity, thereby increasing the chances of
success to a much higher rate than can be accomplished with natural intercourse
or intracervical insemination during treatment cycles.

Basically, for conception to occur, the sperm have to find their way into some friendly fluid secreted by the cervix. They swim their way from the semen into that fluid called cervical mucus. If conditions are right in that mucus, they can last for up to 5 days. From there they go up through the cervix, inter the uterus. From the uterus into the fallopian tubes, where they meet up with an egg. There are any number of obstacles in the way throughout this process. I can't find the exact article I once read before our first IUI 2 years ago (2 years ago tomorrow to be exact!) but it goes something like this. While the initial deposit of semen may contain millions of sperm, often only tens or hundreds of thousands of the little swimmers will make it through the cervix into the uterus. By doing the IUI procedure today they were able to cut out a whole bunch of obstacles (swollen gland in the cervix blocking the way, etc) and deposit a MUCH higher concentration of 11 million near the tubes. This just gives us greater odds.

Tomorrow I will begin progesterone support for the next 2 weeks until our pregnancy test. The progesterone is to help maintain the lining of the uterus so an embryo has a nice safe place to nestle in. Progesterone is naturally released by the remains of the ruptured follicle (corpus luteum-- you can see this on the diagram from a yesterday).

I'm on princess status now. Until such time as we find I am definitely not pregnant, we will operate on the assumption that I am! No matter what we have done, this is still in God's hands. So now we wait...


Oh yeah... The picture and post about injection site reaction were made from my cellphone. That's why the picture is a little blurry. It really doesn't do the welt justice. It's about the size of a chicken egg and very red. I asked the nurse about it today and she said it's a fairly common reaction. If it lasts more than a few days or gets worse then there would be concern about infection. And NO, it's not my bum. All of these shots were in my belly. Not much prettier than my bum, but just putting your minds at ease. I'm not posting bum pictures online.