....:: ~ {.TTCAL "Newbie" Check-In.} ~ ::....

KacyChicago

And I thought I was nuts before.  NATO's coming into town today, so I am working as hard as possible to get out of here before they shut tons of roads down (including two I take every day) getting into the city. So, expect me to check back in with y'all later on tonight and this weekend. But hey, I'm proud of myself that I got to all the July Moms this week, and that I'm only posting this a day late. Ha. Love to you all!

Hey ladies! Hope you're having a great day! Welcome to the NEW TTCAL "Newbie" Check-In. Instead of this only being a one-day conversation, from now on, I'm going to continue to post the link for several days, so feel free to come back and ask any questions you may need to! I'll be checking this post every day until next Thursday, and getting back to you all ASAP! And please let me know if I missed you checking in last week, so I can make sure I get to you.

This is a weekly check in for the newer members of the board ... So, if you are new to TTCAL, please feel free to join us here.

Welcome to Trying to Conceive After Loss!

I'm so sorry for your loss but am happy you have found us. This board is full of brilliant and kind women who have experienced the hardship of losing that which is most precious, and I hope you find great comfort and support here in your journey to your rainbow baby.

For those of you so new you don't know the routine, this is a check-in for newer members of the TTCAL Board. Please feel free to use this space to ask those "newbie" questions that feel intimidating to ask on the main board, I will try my best to get you an answer.

Please take the time to read the TTCAL blog to answer any questions you may have regarding our board etiquette, trying to conceive, miscarriages and loss, and much more: https://www.ttcalblog.blogspot.com/

Finally, If you haven't done so, please post your introduction on the main board including your story, and tell us a little about yourself here.

So, who are you? How are you doing? Any updates?

* * *

LAST WEEK'S CHECK-INS:

DaisyZH: How are things going with you this week? I see you're gearing up to O, at least I'm hoping you are! Here's to good timing this cycle.

shellyco: Well, I know you've been suffering from lack of CM, so are you planning to do anything different next cycle? (Hopefully, being 10DPO, you won't need to! Fingers crossed for you.)

neesie3173: How are you doing this week? Are you feeling OK emotionally as you continue to recover? Thinking of you.

krisztina33: Any news back on your bloodwork yet? I'm hoping you're feeling OK this week, and June comes and goes swiftly for you!

twotexans: How's the Clomid treating you this cycle? I assume you're gearing up to O now, so I hope the worst has passed ... Now go get knocked up this weekend! (Or Monday, or whenever.) 

Actingdiva09: Love your new necklace, it was a very wonderful, thoughtful gift. I am glad to see y'all had such a wonderful vacation!

MrsPBandJ: Tested yet lady? I know you're in that window, so I was hoping you had gotten some good news by now!

Elle jM: Yeah, I just like knowing you're around. New? No. Loved? Yes!

lovelainie: So, what's the plan for y'all this month, my dear? I'm hoping you're doing OK emotionally, as I know it's been tough. Thinking of you!

ncchnat: You're another one who's getting close to hopefully testing ... How are you feeling this cycle? Mind fetus out the wazoo ... Or are you feeling "out" this go-round?

DC2London: Willing those temps to stay up! I know you've had a crazy cycle, but here's hoping your timing was spot-on. I don't know if you say my response to R.P., but please make sure to give her a huge hug for me tomorrow!

lsuhoneybadger: I guess you're waiting to O as well, just to then be put in the two-week wait ... I swear, TTCAL is a study in patience for sure! Thinking about you as well, and hope things are going well with you.

RickandTricia: What are your latest beta numbers? Have they dropped any more, as I really hoped they have. I hope you're doing OK emotionally as you continue to recover from your loss.

daylights1: Holy rising temps, Batman. Not going to get my hopes up ... Not going to get my hopes up. Feeling any symptoms? I'll be stalking your chart the next few days! Oh, and my boyfriend picked up "Kafka on the Shore" for me this week, and I'm looking forward to starting it!

NBBride05: Another lovely waiting to O! I hate to say I'll be thinking about you the next few days, because well, it's weird, y'all are hopefully having a lot of sex. Ha. But I will be thinking about you! 

expatmama: Going crazy yet, lady? How do you feel about this cycle so far? Do you think you're out, or will you be testing this week? Fingers tightly crossed!

ahbEsq: How are you this week? I've been thinking about you, and hope that you're doing well emotionally! I know you're waiting for AF to come so y'all can get back to it ... Best of luck to y'all!

klbowie: I may have missed an update from you, but I've had you on my mind. I hope the D&C went as well as it could, and that you are recovering well. I know it's been a long, hard road for you, and I hope you find some peace soon. I know that it won't be long before you're back to trying for a baby!

mamato3boys: So, I know you said you would probably test this week, so any good news to share with the class? (Or, if you feel more comfortable, my inbox. Ha. I've gotten a few emails like that this week, and love them!)

eroplane: I know you probably feel stuck in testing limbo, so know I'm thinking about you! Hope you're doing well this week.

CCline09: Assume you're just waiting to get out on the sea!  So glad you have a distraction. We're hoping to move at the end of the summer, if not before, so I'm trying to focus on that. It helps, for sure!

* * *

Tip of the week: You have probably heard this one before -- lie in bed with your feet in the air after having sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant. The verdict? Not (totally) true. "It's good advice to lay in bed for 10 to 15 minutes after intercourse, but you don't need your feet in the air," one doctor says. "Your pelvis does not move when you put your legs in the air." Don't go the bathroom during this time either. "If you wait 10 to 15 minutes, the sperm that is going to get into the cervix will be in the cervix." (Now, for what it's worth, I immediately go to the bathroom after sex, since we're TTA, and were when we got pregnant ... So, it's definitely all a crap-shoot! Ha.) So, my TTC advice: Orgasm at the same time as your husband.  I'm pretty sure that's what helped me get knocked up! Ha.

 

Quote of the week: "Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality." {Emily Dickinson}

 

The GTKY of the week is: Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy?

 

Have a wonderful week ladies, and don't hesitate to ask any questions here!

RickandTricia

My latest beta numbers were only 172!! A huge drop from 1,977 the week before. I am so relieved. My next blood draw is on Monday, so hopefully they will be down even further. Monday's test will be just over two weeks after my m/c was complete.

Other than that, I still feel like I'm doing ok. It was one month ago today that we found out about the blighted ovum. On one hand, it seems like it was 100 years ago. But on the other hand, it's only been a month and we've come pretty far.

GTKY: No vacations are planned for this year yet. We have started a tradition of taking a big vacation every two years, and we just went on a cruise in November. We may take a short vacation over the week of July 4th to somewhere close -- either Chicago or Virginia -- but that's still up in the air right now. 

Other than that, no big plans for this summer. I just want to take advantage of it, because it's my favorite season!

luvsdogs2

I would like to join, please.  Here's my intro:

 https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/65904803.aspx

Reading that again, I was a lot more positive about my future success a week ago.  God, what a constant emotional roller coaster.  Anyway, I think I O'ed on CD18 (was too late in month to temp, so just by OPK's and possible O cramping).   It is now CD 22.  Not going to POAS till May 27th at the soonest, that will be 12 DPO. I already have fake symptoms.  I couldn't sleep last night, so it was all omg, like when I was pregnant!  Super tired, same thing.  Yeeeaaaahh, this is going to be a long 10 days. *sigh*  I swear, give me the bloating, constipation, sore boobs and fatigue back, I won't complain, I promise.

GTKY: No vacation and no taking it easy.  I'm a full time student, and I'm taking 7 hours this summer, plus the 16 hours a week I work as a bridal consultant. This was actually my week off before summer classes start on Monday, and I did nothing.  Literally nothing, like one day I laid in bed all day, and it was great.  Back to the grindstone next week. 

DaisyZH

Hi there! Things are going okay, I am hopefully gearing up to O although I am a notoriously late ovulator (if that's a word lol). I'm usually somewhere between day 19 and 22 with an occasional earlier day just to make me crazy for a longer period of time. I hope our timing is okay we've pretty much been doing every other day which I read is supposed to be good for sperm quality, but now I'm second guessing and wondering if we should step it up. I also bought some OPKs, yesterdays was negative but hopefully we'll get there and ovulate eventually!

GTKY: Not really for the summer, we are going on vacation in September but this summer should actually slow down a lot which will be a very welcome change!

ahbEsq

Thanks for doing this Kacy.  You are incredibly busy and still take the time to reach out to each of us.

Things have been much better for me this week.  I'm finally starting to return to some semblance of productivity at work whereas the first three weeks post-mc I would sit at my desk all day and not be able to function very well.  I'm really looking forward to AF arriving in a few days.  I'm going grocery shopping today and plan to stock up on some POM!

GTKY: I started planning a vacation soon after the mc because I knew I needed to get away.  DH and I are planning a long weekend in Charleston, SC in two weeks with my BFF and her husband.  I am really looking forward to it!

shellyco

Hi Kacy!  Hope you are doing okay.  I know you're always super busy, make sure you take some time to yourself!

I don't know what else to try to get more fertile CM.  I already drink lots of water and I'm on those fertileCM pills.  I'm feeling a little beat down. 

To top it off, MH will likely be gone during the fertile window next cycle.  He's going to Alaska for a fishing trip, so I'm both super jealous and super worried about our chances.  I need to relax-- stress will not help the situation!

QOTW:  MH's trip combined with other unexpected expenses means no vacay for us this summer.  It's ok though, because where we live we get about four nice months, so it's good to enjoy them while they last.   

twotexans

Yikes!  That sounds like a travel nightmare.  We went Chicago last summer and loved it, but we both agreed that the traffic was a little nutty!  Good luck!!!

Currently cd11 on the Clomid cycle from hell.  I've been plagued with headaches and hot flashes.  At least I know the Clomid did it's job.  I went in for my monitoring appt. this morning and had 1 great looking follie and another that might be promising.  Now I wait for O day and get busy.  I'm expecting to need to inject myself on Sunday or Monday.  I'm crossing everything I can!

The GTKY of the week is: Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy?

Dh will be doing a fair bit of traveling for work this summer, so we haven't planned anything big.  I'm hoping to join him in Orlando mid-June.  One of his customers is Disney, and he needs to do some onsite testing.  We have been toying buying an travel trailer, but we are planning on renting one for a week over the summer and heading to the river before we take the plunge.  Both of our families had one while we were growing up. and we loved it.  We'll see if the same holds true 20+years later.  Other than that, I foresee many hours lounging in the pool.

krisztina33

Hi Kacy!

Thanks so much for checking in on all of us   Hope you get out of there before the road gets all screwed up...

No news from the doc   I actually had to go back on Tuesday for another draw because they didn't take enough the first time to run all the tests ???  Ugh.  Another week of waiting. 

On a brighter note, AF showed up today!!  First post MC AF so I'm pretty stoked.  Going to start temping this month, and maybe go back to TTC.  I'm just really impatient and waiting until after my June 6 procedure seems so far away   Gonna check with my doc first though to get the green light...

GTKY:  No major plans yet.  My sister will be in town at the end of June with my 7 mo old niece--mixed feelings (although it took them forever, so I can't really begrudge her)

Hope all of you ladies have a wonderful weekend!!!!

andreagb

KacyChicago:

And I thought I was nuts before.  NATO's coming into town today, so I am working as hard as possible to get out of here before they shut tons of roads down (including two I take every day) getting into the city. So, expect me to check back in with y'all later on tonight and this weekend. But hey, I'm proud of myself that I got to all the July Moms this week, and that I'm only posting this a day late. Ha. Love to you all!

The GTKY of the week is: Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy?

 

Have a wonderful week ladies, and don't hesitate to ask any questions here!

Ha Kacy no kidding!!  NATO is shutting down this town. My DH works downtown and they have closed his offices today and Monday!  We are in the northern burbs though and will be avoiding the city this weekend!

Update: I think I missed last weeks checkin?  I'm in the 2ww wait but not much to report....*twiddles thumbs*

GTYK:  Summer is always busy for us. Next weekend we go to Utah to visit my sister.  Then we usually go to my Inlaws lake house several times a month with different groups, friends, family, girls weekends, couples weekends...its fun but can also be exhausting. 

Actingdiva09

Hey Kacy! I hope you're doing ok!!

Our vacation was extremely relaxing!! Now we're getting close to my FW so time to sex it up!

GTKY: we always do a bit of a trip for the 4th of July, although this year will be more low-key since it's on a Wednesday. It's like Christmas for my family, the one time we all get together! 

BootsOrHearts

Heya! I posted my intro yesterday on the board, but if you missed it. Here I am. My story posted on the Loss board. 

I'm officially cra-cra. Yup, started Prozac today. I had been taking Wellbutrin but it just wasn't doing what it did for me a few years ago. Ugh. Hopefully I don't have to be on it too long. I know it's ok to keep taking it even if I get pg again but I'd rather not. 

Current status is waiting for bleeding to stop, then waiting for AF to start so I can get my fibroid surgery scheduled. Meeting with my doctor in a couple weeks to check HCG levels and put a plan together for the fibroids. These dumb botches are a pain my arse (or more correctly, a pain in my ute). There are 7-10 of them and we have to map out each stupid one and decide if it stays or goes. She wants to take every last one out but I really don't want my ute to look like swiss cheese so I'm trying to be a bit more thoughtful about it. My current worry is whether or not insurance will pay for the surgery.

I had a 2nd tri loss, and I've seen a couple intros from other ladies in the same boat. If you want to chat, share gory stories or whatever over PM, just let me know!  

lovelainie

lovelainie: So, what's the plan for y'all this month, my dear? I'm hoping you're doing OK emotionally, as I know it's been tough. Thinking of you!

This month we're doing 100mg of clomid+TI. If this cycle is a bust, then next cycle we'll more than likely move on to IUI, based on DH's last SA and his history.

I'm finally starting to recover from the disaster that was Mother's Day, and I'm feeling hopeful.

 

 The GTKY of the week is: Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy?

I want to go on vacation soon, but my job is really stupid about who gets to take vacation and at what time. Part-time people get vacation over full-time people, which makes me feel pretty stabby this time of year.

So far, the only plans we have are taking two days off to see Fiona Apple in KCMO in July, and then the bluegrass festival, but that's not until September.  

NBBride05

daylights1:

DH and I are headed to New York next weekend for Memorial Day.  We also have a trip planned to the Miami area and I'm sure we will take a couple trips to the mountains here in Colorado.  DH and I usually sneak off to Mexico once a year but I don't see that happening this year.   

I will be in Breckenridge for a week in June! : ) 

NBBride05

Kacy: your post about "thinking about me" made me laugh!! : )

Update: Waiting to O! Today is CD 11 and it is usually around CD13 or CD14.

The GTKY of the week is: Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy? 

Yeah - a question that is easy for me to answer! Going to Maui for a week for our 7th wedding anniversary. Then home for a week. Then I am off to Colorado for a teaching seminar on the environment and economics. Then my DH is driving up to meet me. He has family in Denver. Then we will drive home by way of New Mexico and Flagstaff. Its going to be a fun summer! 

klbowie

Hello Kacy!! I hope you are doing ok.

I did not post an update on my D&C.  I was trying not to think about all the negatives that could result from the tissue sample so I just avioded thinking about it all. 

The D&C went well.  The doctor found a piece of white tissue that was trying to die off inside.  She said it came back as a normal tissue left over from conception.  (No molar pregnancy- thank goodness).  She said she thinks she got everything and my numbers should drop drastically from here!!  I am super happy but also staying cautious with my optimism.  However, I POAS today and it came back a light negative!  It?s so weird to be excited to almost see a negative pregnancy.  I cannot wait to be back to zero. 

Once I am back to zero, the doctor says I can start trying again.  I cannot wait to start trying again but I am also nervous about the stress it will put on me.  Part of me also wants to paint the r0om that would be the nursery.  We just brought our house in January and I want to paint something and why not the nursery to be?  Maybe because it would cause added stress.  Augh!  However, I am a step closer to getting my rainbow baby and I am so excited and nervous.

Do you have any big plans coming up this summer? Going on vacation somewhere? Simply taking it easy? 

H and I are going out to Oregon for the 4^th of July.  I work 4 tens so I only have to take one day off of work to get a five day weekend.  I am really hoping this is our lucky trip.  We went out to Oregon in February and that is when we conceived ?Poppy,? so maybe it will do the trick this time too!