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Christina H's Diary Entries Diary Navigation: Choose A Diary Entry -------------------- Latest Entry: 6/12/01 -------------------- 6/5/01 5/29/01 5/21/01 5/14/01 5/7/01 5/4/01 4/30/01 4/4/01 3/18/01 3/9/01 3/2/01 2/24/01 2/16/01 2/9/01 2/5/01 1/29/01 1/22/01 1/15/01 1/8/01 1/1/01 12/22/00 12/5/00 -------------------- Christina H's Introduction

January 15, 2001

Aside from the fact that I have been pretty ill this week, it’s been a good week. I only worked one day in the hospital and have been home the rest of the time. It’s been good for me to be able to relax and recuperate.

I think it’s going to be awhile before we sell our condo. NO ONE has looked at it this week at all. At first I was really down about it. Now, I just realize that everything happens for a reason. If it takes six months, then OK. That will be six months to save money, pay off some things, and get more prepared. I can definitely live with that. I really, really believe that everything happens for a reason and I can usually deal with things in a stress-free mindset when I keep that in mind and don’t question what those reasons are.

On the TTC front, the stats this week are as follows: TTC#1, C#3, CD#31. In my last entry, I said that I was pretty sure I had O’d. Now I’m not quite so sure. I am just not in touch with my body I don’t think! As I’ve said before, I haven’t been checking temps and don’t check CM – I don’t really have all that much CM to check. I got a little more insight on why …

On Friday, I went for my preconception appointment. It was WONDERFUL! I can’t believe what a positive experience I had there. I actually saw the nurse practitioner that day. I had visions of walking in there and having them tell me, "You’re too fat. You’re crazy for thinking you should get pregnant!" But that is not at all what I got! I was told that being overweight can make it more difficult to get PG and that I would be monitored closely for high blood pressure. I was also told that the C-section rate can be a bit higher and that it's more difficult to heal from C-section. Otherwise, she said as long as my nutrition was good and I continued to exercise, it shouldn't be a problem.

After getting my vital signs, the nurse sat down and just TALKED to me for about 45 minutes. She handed me a nine-page handout on preconception concerns and things to do to prepare for pregnancy. She commended me for coming and said that they encourage everyone to have a preconception visit. We talked about personal and family history, immunizations and other things. We then had the all-important talk about cycles!

After telling her how long my cycles have been the past three months (in the neighborhood of 44 days each), she said that she suspects that given the fact that I am overweight and have long cycles, she thinks I may not be ovulating. She said that when women are overweight, they sometimes have more estrogen floating around ALL the time and so once a month, they don’t have a SURGE that produces an egg. She said that when you lose that extra fat store, the estrogen levels decrease again and you are able to get a surge that produces the egg.

She wants me to take basal body temperatures for a few cycles. She said if I faxed her the charts she would be happy to look them over and call me. She was really nice and said that if in a few cycles it doesn’t look like I’m ovulating, she would be happy to put me on Clomid if I wanted. She was very positive and said that technology is good and not to stress about it. She also checked my blood work that day (hormone levels as well as thyroid function). I also had my annual pap and pelvic exams which were the best I’ve ever had. I barely even felt them. All in all, it was a GREAT appointment and I am so glad that I found this office. I will eagerly await the results of all my tests.

In the meantime, I guess that I NEED to get moving and lose this extra weight if I ever want to hope for pregnancy. Besides, it’ll just make me healthier to support a PG in the future. I really have a sense of peace about TTC now. I no longer feel like I have to get PG NOW! If it takes a little while, I’m OK with that.

Well, all the couples that DH and I have been hanging out with are PG! One is newly PG and the other two are due in the next couple of months. It’s been so fun to talk to them all about pregnancy and birth and babies and symptoms and all that good stuff. I hope they can send some baby dust my way! I will be sending ANY baby dust I feel right on to all the diary writers here! Until next week ... I wish everyone lots of positive vibes!!!