We went back to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up ultrasound. It's a good thing too because Heidi is about on the verge of bursting. She's barely used to having one egg form and "burst", but having nine seems to be pushing the limits of her little tummy. She rode to the doctor's office with her pants undone to relieve some of the pressure created from growing excessive numbers of follicles.
When we get to the doctor, he explains that he is going to measure the follicles from Saturday to see if they have grown any. During the ultrasound, we learn that between Saturday and today, Heidi's follicle count went from nine to six. Three must have absorbed into her system but the remaining six are growing...large and in charge! One is over 27mm in length. I know that a millimeter may seem small, but we're getting used to getting really excited over really small measurements. And you multiply that times six and factor in the tiny circumference of her mini-abdomen and if you carry the one and divide it by PI, well, her tummy hurts. I digress...
So the doctor tells us to continue taking the ovulation tests and advises that based on her ultra-sound, she should be actually ovulating within the next forty-eight hours. A bittersweet pronouncement, since we won't be inseminating, but good news nonetheless. After she gets a positive result on her ovulation test, she needs to call him for next steps.
Guess what? Yea, she's ovulating. Her LH surge was so strong that the test indicated positive almost immediately. I tell you, even with six follicles, she's an egg-making machine! I'm so proud of my little ovulator! She took two tests this morning, just to make sure and then called the doctor. Next steps...she has a blood test on Friday to again test for progesterone and then she has to have another ultrasound when, um, well, how do I say this, um, on her, well, on the first day of her cycle. She's pretty icked out by this but the doctor wants it, so we're gonna do it. Kind of makes me happy I don't have his job. Ew. The nurse said it was a standard test so we're not concerned, just icked out. :)
After that, she'll hopefully start the next, reduced level dosage of Clomid. And if all goes well and she doesn't over-achieve on the egg making...insemination! Poor little cowboy hat baby is getting tired of hanging out in storage...he wants to be free to impregnate!
One little blip relating to something outside of our insemination. Unfortunately, Heidi has had to make the decision to forego walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk in October. She was ridiculously excited about participating but with the number of days we anticipate in her cycle, we'll be inseminating right at or near the day of the walk and the nurse said the heat may have an adverse affect on her eggs. So, bummer for Heidi, but if she gets preggars, not the worse trade-off in the world.
Back to waiting for her period again. There will probably be another two weeks before anything else happens. So, we'll miss you...see you in about fourteen days, crampy and ready for the next step!
