A year ago today my husband and I had our first visit with the Reproductive Endocrinologist. So much has happened since then. It hasn't brought a pregnancy yet, but it had been crucial in bringing us closer to our goal of parenthood. Will we spend another year under his care? I hope not.

I forgot to write about my blood draw yesterday. It was located at the lab across the parking lot from the RE's office. The nurse who drew my blood saw the needle holes in both my arms from my last blood draw. She asked if she had made them, and I told her my blood was drawn elsewhere. She then asked me if I was having "egg harvesting". I said I wasn't. She asked when my procedure was. I told her it was on Friday. Then she decided that she would look somewhere else to draw the blood, since I might need more blood tests and she didn't want me to be sore. She went on to explain how women who are having "egg harvesting" need many blood tests. I was a little annoyed by her because she seemed like a little miss know-it-all.

She then decided to try to poke this tiny blood vessel in the middle of my forearm, and assured me by telling me that she often draws blood from children. The vein didn't cooperate; he was a tough little guy. I thought this was a little funny after all her bragging. Next she tried a vein in my hand. That worked out well, and soon my blood was drawn, and I could head to school.

The term "egg harvesting" that the woman used doesn't sound right to me. From what I've read, the proper medical term is "egg retrieval". My eggs are not a crop to be harvested. For certain procedures, such as IVF, they must be retrieved, and that means removed from my body, not picked like an apple off a tree. You don't harvest a chicken's eggs, you gather them. You don't harvest a woman's eggs, you retrieve them.

I found out yesterday that my husband hadn't heard that my old teaching friend was pregnant. He was surprised that his brother hadn't told him first. This friend of mine is my husband's brother's sister-in-law. My husband wondered if his brother didn't want to tell him. Does knowing that you are having trouble getting pregnant make people hesitant to share the news of other's pregnancies with you?

There's one more incident I must share that occurred today. I was standing near the office after school (the last day was today!) and a mother of one of my students, the one with eight children and sister of the friend I spoke about in the previous paragraph, said she heard I had been gone a few mornings. I said that yes, I had been. I didn't quite know what she was getting at yet. She said, "We're getting a little suspicious about you being gone in the mornings." First I thought, she doesn't know where I've been does she? I don't want to explain where I've been. Then it dawned on me. My recent early morning doctor appointments were giving people the impression that I was pregnant and had morning sickness. I blushed, quickly said, "Don't ask me any questions," and stepped into the room next door. I left and went back to my classroom, still stunned that people had assumed something like that. The whole reason I had made my appointments first thing in the morning was to miss the least amount of school and make the kids think it was nothing important. Apparently one student of mine, unlike most of my students, is telling her mother when I am gone. This was the same one that told her mother when I went to the hospital for my surgery.

My principal/friend came into my room and I told her what had happened. She thought maybe I should have told her that it wasn't what she was thinking. Maybe I should have said something to dismiss her suspicions, but I wasn't expecting such a comment, so I didn't have a ready reply. If I wasn't trying so hard to get pregnant I probably would have naturally said, "No, it's not what you think. I did such and such." But since I had no excuse I wanted to give about where I was, I just said not to ask any questions.

Now that I think about it, maybe it's okay that she doesn't know for sure. I don't want to always say, "No, I'm not pregnant," because when I am, and don't want others to know, my evasive reply might give it away. The less people know about my private business the better. I shouldn't have to tell people that I'm not pregnant just so they won't have suspicions. So what if she thinks I'm pregnant. She'll find out the truth later on.

Graduation is tonight, and my old teacher friend (the pregnant sister of the parent I wrote about) is likely going to be there. For sure I'll see her next week at Vacation Bible School at church. When she heard about my surgery from her neice, she asked me about it. Will she now find out about my late arrivals at school and want to know more? I really don't want her to know what's going on right now. I did do a little math and decided that she probably found out she was pregnant after my visit with her in February. Still, I wonder if the story about her having a miscarriage is true. Maybe it isn't. I think, for now I'll let her be as suspicious as her sister. I need little more time to deal with this latest series of teatments before I tell her. Don't be asking me any questions, because you won't get any answers out of me!!

Yesterday I started noticing that my ovaries were feeling strange. First I thought I was imagining the feeling of something growing down there, but today the feeling of stretching is more evident. It almost seems like a cramp, but if I push where my ovaries are, it doesn't hurt. I must remember not to run. I caught myself running yesterday as I realized I had forgotten something. I often run or jog when I go from my car to a store, or the store to my car. It's a good way to get a little extra exercise and to get somewhere faster.

Tonight I take the shot to trigger the release of my eggs. I've also scheduled some time with my husband as we want to abstain for two days and get the best count possible. I'm aiming for 5 million or better. My hope is that with his diabetes under control his counts will be better. I'll find out Friday.