First shot sub-q, cycle update, and "sicker than a dog"

Where does the phrase "sicker than a dog" come from anyway?  Oh, well.  Here it is entirely appropriate.  I don't think I have ever been this sick in my life and the timing sucks.  But, in all fairness, there is never a good time to be sick (and always a worse time to be sick-like when you are pregnant and can't take crap and have to make awful decisions like "is this illness hurting the baby or would my taking the meds hurt the baby?  which is worse?")  I digress...I have a virus that turned into a secondary infection.  I am: coughing (though occasional, always disgusting junk that is hard to move, tastes horrid, and makes my throat feel like fire, and my chest seize up), more physically exhausted then I have ever been (heart pounding, tired going up stairs, etc), with fever/aches/chills/headache to top it all off.  I pray it doesn't move into my sinuses.

It is bad timing primarily because my husband is working crazy hours and can't help much with me or the baby, my mom is taking care of my sister's 3 kids while she is out of town so she can't help, and I am fearful that my hubby will get this because I know he won't be able to stop working.  I dread when I feel better and have to go back to the piles of laundry, dishes, school, and work that have been piling up.  Not to mention the disinfecting that will need to occur.  Additionally I worry about my son getting it, of course; he already has a junky cough and a few sneezes but seems otherwise unaffected.  My husband is helping the most he can, letting me be upstairs in our room while he is with our son, taking care of the meals he is home for (i.e. takeout), last night he did the bed/bath routine (bathing is exhausting on a good day!) and today he took my son with him to church while I slept.  Being sick sucks!  Oh yes, it also bad timing due to the meds.  I will explain later.

Anyway, on to the "good" stuff!  I love love love being back on the meds for the most part because things are predictable and the signs are clear.  Of course, I am completely tied to the clock, and the number of meds is insane, but I am hoping and praying it is temporary (we are only trying 3 cycles before we know this regime won't work and will look for additional problems, etc).

Reminder: this cycle is the first one medicated since I got my period back and the 3rd one I have had since nursing.  We are NOT trying this cycle, just getting on the meds and then doing a peak plus 7 draw and then we will know based on the cycle review and levels if they are good enough to support a pregnancy.  Then, and only then, would we be given the green light (I am hoping for it to be around Valentine's Day-totally possible and dh proposed the Sat before, but would be ecstatic for any BFP as anyone who knows me knows). 

This cycle looked good on paper.  I had 6 days of bleeding with no brown blood.  I had a little peak type on CD10 and CD13, but I knew not to be "faked out" because I took clomid 4,5,6 so I was figuring CD 15 peak type and that is when the real run actually began (of course we had to avoid those days anyway, just in case, poor dh, seriously).  Unmedicated I would have maybe had 1 day of peak type and it would have been 1".  But not on these meds, baby!  Six, yes six, day of peaktype that ended with 5" (sorry TMI) that I didn't think possible until I did the meds last time.  It was a pity not to take advantage!  lol

Peak day was CD 20.  Here is where the little problem came in.  I filled the amox and started it on CD10.  I was told to take it when I saw peak type and continue through peak day (weird, you don't know peak day until the day after...).  So that is what I did, but recall there was 2 false alarms so I actually had to fill the script twice and take it 10 1/2 days total-oops, I missed a dose somewhere in there.  Technically I should have filled it a 3rd time!  Additionally I am on clarythramyacin (biaxin) (and dh) on CD1-10.  But we didn't get told this (like the clomid) until my cycle review.  By time I got the call back with order, due to the holiday, it was CD 4.  So I was told to take it CD 4-14.  So lots of antibiotics.  (and probiotics) And yet, I got sick.  With a virus.  But they called me in a z pac.k.  I wasn't going to take it.  I got sick Thursday morning, Jan. 14th, my peak day, but by Saturday I was dying.  I called the doctor and they said it had become infection (a secondary one had developed) based on my symptoms and to take the meds.  Which are similar to Biaxin.  Gosh, I really hope we don't get resistant to this stuff.  Typically I don't worry about that since it is here to be used when we need it and it is important to take the right amount so it actually works and not dilute it or why bother...anyway, we only take it a few cycles and then have a break for one reason or another.   But this time I am little worried.  Such large amounts!

Sorry for the long post.  Just one more thing-I gave my first peak plus 3 hcg injection sub cutaneously today and it was so not a big deal.  Really!  I took a minute to get over the body's natural desire to not want to harm itself!  But I just did it in the stomach where I definitely had some extra, and no problem!  It is so much better than that progesterone in oil during pregnancy where you give anywhere from 2-4 cc's since my place doesn't compound it strong enough...and you give that veeeerrrryyyy slowly.

Hide and Go Seek CM and Pro-Life Poundcake

Do you ever feel like there might be CM there, I just can't find it!  This is how I feel about CM when I am not on meds.  Since I often only have one day of peak type CM (and only one time that day) without meds, I have to be extra careful observing.  Especially when a peak plus 7 blood draw means I better know when Peak actually is!  In that respect, I am actually looking forward the range of meds that increase CM-mucinex, amox, etc.

I was surprised to find CM this month early.  I had barely finished the red stamps and was looking forward to a week of green, silly me, when there she was-10Cx1.  Not K, not L, not great in quantity or quality in general.  I was hoping I would see more the next time to confirm or more the next day, but no luck. OAD.  I must chart on its merits, so there it is.  What I had extra of last month (hormones), I appeared to lack this month.  I figured it was temporary.  I am one of those low hormone gals both pre and post peak and needed prog my entire pregnancy as well. Hopefully if it is a peak that go delayed b/c of stress than I will have the real deal prior to a week from now when I get the blood draw. 

On a very bright note, I received my pound cake from Kathryn (though you forgot the book, silly!)  It's timing was impecable since I was going to a bachelorette party (of the lovely low key variety, a bunch of girls sitting around chatting and laughing, eating a great meal with even better desserts and margaritas to boot-sidenote of a sidenote-I am not a margarita fan, call me crazy, but I do love that they equal a festive atmosphere!).  The girl getting married is the one that started our sidewalk counseling group at the local abortion mill.  She is AMAZING.  And the girls there, the counselors, are some of my favorite people in the world even though I have known some of them only 2 years or less.  I received the cake in the mail right before I was heading out the door and thought there was no better group who would appreciate this poundcake for a cause!  And I sure didn't want to eat it all myself (and I have a bad way of bringing desserts in the house and tempting dh when he tries to be so good!)  I must say, it was as delicious as you've heard!  Here's our group minus a few (busy making margaritas).  I am in the top left corner.