I feel like things are pretty much stalled in terms of medical treatment. I've checked zero items off my "list of three" I got from my new doctor back in October.
SA: how can one simple test be so darned complicated?!? Because it's my blog, I feel at liberty to complain. (grumble grumble) The one piece of advice my new doctor said was, "why don't you take the sample to [big local fertility company]?" Not so simple. We called them up, and you have to be a patient of theirs for them to run the test. I don't want to be their patient. I don't want anything to do with them. They are one of the biggest (if not the biggest) IVF clinics in the country. No way am I going in there to have a doctor push IVF on us. What a waste of time.
So then we had to call around and find other possible labs. Well, I can't do that at work - who wants their coworker overhear them ordering a semen analysis? Not me. So Mr. M has been calling (I'm very grateful) and it's so awkward! It's also a real challenge to find a place that will take our insurance, or will give us a quote up front. There are two places that might be in driving range (meaning we could do the test at home). That would be great because last time we tried from a hotel and the time crunch (check-in time, check-out time) just put too much pressure on it. But still, I'll have to take time off from work, time which I don't really have because of the holidays.
Really, why don't napro doctors run their own SA tests? Especially because you have to bring it in - it would just make things so much easier. I don't know, maybe some do?
Grumble.
Ovulation ultrasounds: well, I'll be mid-cycle at my parents over Thanksgiving, and then at my in-laws over Christmas. So January is the earliest I can do this test. But January I have a sizeable project at work with an end of the month deadline, so honestly I think it will be February before I do this. And the time commitment gets me: at least an hour for multiple days. That's just not easy when you work full-time!
Surgery: won't happen until the other 2 are done, so that's that.
With no medical options in the near future, I am giving myself the birthday gift of not even checking my "vitals." No charting at all. Just trying to love my husband, spend more time in prayer, and doing things I love. Not a bad way to spend Advent, I think! I hadn't realized what resentment I'd been harboring toward charting until I stopped doing it for a day or two and just felt incredibly relieved.
Happy birthday! It sounds like a break is just what you needed. Sometimes it's just good to get away from all of that.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday and enjoy your charting break...and that is a good question..every Napro dr should run the SA. Our dr used a lab at a hsp not too far from us...but still..my dh had to get going to make it there in the time frame. The test and getting it to the lab was a huge pain. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!! Doing the things you love is a great gift :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome birthday gift to me!! :)
ReplyDeleteSorry the SA, ovulation ultrasounds, and surgery are not exactly working out these next few months, but at least the silver lining is that you get to forget about it all and just enjoy being husband and wife for a while. Wooohooo! NaPro-free holidays!
Glad your taking a break, hope you have a blessed advent. SFA's are the worst, we had to have the test run at our local IVF clinic, not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!! I took an extended charting break (probably longer than I should have as I didn't keep great notes in my phone and well, I hope what made it onto my chart is at least close to accurate), but yea, it was so good. I, too, don't think I realized how much stress charing causes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, while December is the best month for me to do the FMS schedule wise, AF's arrival yesterday is screwing it all up because I can't get the order for it. I'm offering up my frustrations for you!