It is soon coming upon the second "reunion" that I have planned with my other fertility warriors. Those who know me well know that I have been conversing for a few years now on a support forum for people suffering with infertility issues. I have become close with two particular groups of women over that course of time. Last year, I took a leap of faith and agreed to meet up with a fairly large group of these women that stretch from all walks of life. I guess that certain struggles in life give you focus, courage, and a sense of self...at least they did for me. I felt empowered to meet these people, as if they were sisters in some sort of secret club that it took a certain degree of suffrage and challenge in which to be included. This is a special group of people.
On this second reunion we will be once again meeting in Mystic, CT. So many of us hail from the East coast (even more so now), and this seems to be a centralized location for most. We have no special plans. We have no special motives. We simply come together to be reunited in our common ground of struggle, perseverance, strength, faith...
Not all of the group is capable of making the trip, as we stretch from as far as Trinidad and Australia. Others simply do not have the time, nor the economic means to make the trip. Once again, we will all be there in spirit. Some of our group are examples of success stories, in that they have achieved the coveted end of parenthood. Others are success stories in that they have stared down the evil of infertility face to face, and they did not succumb to defeat...even though they might never be parents. Others still suffer on the road to an unknown end. In it all...through it all, we lean on each other for support.
I look forward to this adventure (as my husband so lovingly calls it, a "retreat") again this year. These women hold a special place in my heart, as only those who have walked in our shoes can truly understand the separation, anxiety, emptiness, strength, isolation, empowerment...and all the other random emotions that we feel at any given time. We welcome support and empathy in any form in which it is received...but it truly means so much coming from those who have drudged the path that we continue to travel. See you soon, friends....
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Hoops and Hurdles
Hoops and Hurdles is going to be our new "update" section. Anytime you see that title...it will just be a brief update on another hoop jumped through or hurdle jumped over on our track to IVF.
Matt had his semen analysis, and we just received the results on Friday. His sperm concentration came back at 207 million. 187 million were motile (moving), which translates to 90% motility. This is read as a "normal" semen analysis...but we think it is better than normal...we think it is pretty great! Matt especially. He claims the state of NJ is going to hold a parade in his honor because his results were soooo good.
Matt and I will both be going for our required bloodwork on Monday.
Matt and I both have to start a required course of antibiotics (Z-Pak) on Wednesday. We only take the five day dose, and we are done.
I will be going into SJFC for all of my other testing on Friday: uterine measurement / trial transfer, cervical cultures, pelvic ultrasound, and sonohysterogram.
Results of all testing will be posted when as we receive them!
Matt had his semen analysis, and we just received the results on Friday. His sperm concentration came back at 207 million. 187 million were motile (moving), which translates to 90% motility. This is read as a "normal" semen analysis...but we think it is better than normal...we think it is pretty great! Matt especially. He claims the state of NJ is going to hold a parade in his honor because his results were soooo good.
Matt and I will both be going for our required bloodwork on Monday.
Matt and I both have to start a required course of antibiotics (Z-Pak) on Wednesday. We only take the five day dose, and we are done.
I will be going into SJFC for all of my other testing on Friday: uterine measurement / trial transfer, cervical cultures, pelvic ultrasound, and sonohysterogram.
Results of all testing will be posted when as we receive them!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Calendar Coercion
It is an intricate and delicate choreograhpy of multiple items that needs to take place in order for our calendar to be appropriately coerced into suiting not only our social and work lives, but also our upcoming IVF cycle. I have been diligently working on this routine for the past week, and I have certainly made some progress. Things are decidedly falling into place, and I am amused that I have become so good at feeling out and setting up this process. Perhaps bemused is a better description. So many things need to happen at the exact "right times" in order for us to be able to: get all of the screenings done, get the appropriate approval for the IVF cycle, entertain friends coming to town, attend a class reunion, take a company trip to Orlando, AND enter the IVF cycle prior to Christmas. To those on the outside, it might not seem like this would be overly difficult to achieve...however, there is always SO much involvement, not only for the testing portion of all of this but also for the IVF cycle itself, that it can be a daunting task.
I received a call from Kat, the IVF nurse coordinator at SJFC, and she will be helping me to work through and choreograph this process. She had to wait until she had all of our information back from the billing department before she could call me and start the planning. Billing interfaces with the insurance company in order to find out what hoops we all need to jump through while on this course. The billing department notified Kat that in order to even get the ball rolling for the IVF approval process, Matt and I both need to have our infectious diseases bw done, Matt needs to do his SA, and I have to have cycle day (CD) 3 bw done to test my FSH levels. However, in order for Matt to do his SA, he first has to have a referreal from our primary care physician (PCP). See how this starts to get complicated? Well, that is just for starters!
My next cycle is coming up...and in order to move forward with an IVF cycle prior to the end of the year, I would need to have ALL of my RE required screenings done with this upcoming cycle. So, I asked Kat if this was feasible and possible. She said that I need to be sure that I have approval for all of the screenings, so Kat referred me to the billing department. The billing department "thought" that I would be covered for all of the testing, but they recommended that I call Aetna just to be on the safe side. So, I called Aetna...and lo and behold...I am covered for all of the screenings. Several hours and phone calls later into this mission, I now had answers! As long as SJFC can fit me into their schedule, I will be able to complete all of my tests with my upcoming cycle..and this DOES keep us on course to do ER and ET prior to Christmas. It also would allow us to keep all of our committments that we had penned on the calendar prior to reentering the world of IF and IVF.
For those of you who are well-versed in the world of IF and expect these miniscule details, or for those of you who are just simply interested, this is what is in store for this cycle:
Once all of this has been accomplished, AND we have received our approval to do the IVF cycle...the treatment part will actually begin. It can be a dizzying venture, but for old pros like Matt and myself...these pieces of the venture are just simple and necessary evils.
I received a call from Kat, the IVF nurse coordinator at SJFC, and she will be helping me to work through and choreograph this process. She had to wait until she had all of our information back from the billing department before she could call me and start the planning. Billing interfaces with the insurance company in order to find out what hoops we all need to jump through while on this course. The billing department notified Kat that in order to even get the ball rolling for the IVF approval process, Matt and I both need to have our infectious diseases bw done, Matt needs to do his SA, and I have to have cycle day (CD) 3 bw done to test my FSH levels. However, in order for Matt to do his SA, he first has to have a referreal from our primary care physician (PCP). See how this starts to get complicated? Well, that is just for starters!
My next cycle is coming up...and in order to move forward with an IVF cycle prior to the end of the year, I would need to have ALL of my RE required screenings done with this upcoming cycle. So, I asked Kat if this was feasible and possible. She said that I need to be sure that I have approval for all of the screenings, so Kat referred me to the billing department. The billing department "thought" that I would be covered for all of the testing, but they recommended that I call Aetna just to be on the safe side. So, I called Aetna...and lo and behold...I am covered for all of the screenings. Several hours and phone calls later into this mission, I now had answers! As long as SJFC can fit me into their schedule, I will be able to complete all of my tests with my upcoming cycle..and this DOES keep us on course to do ER and ET prior to Christmas. It also would allow us to keep all of our committments that we had penned on the calendar prior to reentering the world of IF and IVF.
For those of you who are well-versed in the world of IF and expect these miniscule details, or for those of you who are just simply interested, this is what is in store for this cycle:
- SA for Matt
- infectious disease panels for both Matt and I
- blood typing for Matt
- CD3 bw for me to test my FSH and E2 levels (ovarian reserve)
- pelvic evaluation for me, to include: uterine measurement (trial transfer), cervical cultures (to check for disease or infection), and a pelvic u/s to check ovaries
- sonohysterogram for me: they will inject saline solution into my uterus through a catheter. they will then use transvaginal u/s to check the uterus for abnormalities (fibroids, tumors, scar tissue, etc.). this will reveal whether or not there is anything in my uterus that could affect implantation or that could cause m/c
Once all of this has been accomplished, AND we have received our approval to do the IVF cycle...the treatment part will actually begin. It can be a dizzying venture, but for old pros like Matt and myself...these pieces of the venture are just simple and necessary evils.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Not our first rodeo
Altogether true. Wholly, an understatement. We have been here many times already and have thus far been quite disappointed. Each time is always full of new hopes, anxieties, and excitement, as we allow ourselves to dream just a little. Not too much that a defeat will knock us down and not allow us to get back up, but just enough to make the effort worth it. Each time is filled with a new bit of cynicism, too. We are wounded but not ultimately defeated.
So, to the rodeo we travel once again. I think going back into treatments is somewhat bittersweet. As much as we enjoy the prospect that maybe this time will be THE time, it is hard not to be a wee bit apprehensive. We have been enjoying just being a couple, doing the things that couples do when they aren't worried about black clouds hanging over their heads. Starting this process once again throws us into a whirlwind of unknown and sometimes unexpected emotions. We now have to start planning ahead, changing plans to fit into or around any upcoming cycles. Everything starts to be affected by what we will or may possibly be doing on a given day or during a given week. Everything is affected by how things will or may end up. Some people who haven't walked in similar shoes, albeit unintentionally, start to tread lightly around us because they just have no way of fully understanding. None of this is easy, but ALL of this IS outweighed by the potential reward. We cling to that. We have to.
Today was in someways a "kickoff" to all of the above. I had my initial consult with South Jersey Fertility Center (moving forward, known as SJFC). I met with my new RE, Dr. Van Deerlin to discuss our fertility history and our fertility future. Dr. Van Deerlin was extremely sincere, thorough, and likeable. He made a point to memorize our history prior to coming in to speak with me. This was impressive and the first time that an RE had really put forth such an effort. It was refreshing. The recommended treatment our RE proposes is quite simple: IVF. Getting to that point is a little bit stickier, but it will happen. Here is what things look like for us:
All of this will take at least one cycle to complete, so it will be at least one to two months before we will even begin the actual IVF cycle. The cycle will be a straightforward IVF cycle. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too new. Much more on the actual IVF cycle will be noted once we get closer to that time.
So, we have unofficially blown the dust off of the cowboy boots and are ready to climb up on that bull and get back in the ring. Hold onto your hats...rodeos can be rough...
So, to the rodeo we travel once again. I think going back into treatments is somewhat bittersweet. As much as we enjoy the prospect that maybe this time will be THE time, it is hard not to be a wee bit apprehensive. We have been enjoying just being a couple, doing the things that couples do when they aren't worried about black clouds hanging over their heads. Starting this process once again throws us into a whirlwind of unknown and sometimes unexpected emotions. We now have to start planning ahead, changing plans to fit into or around any upcoming cycles. Everything starts to be affected by what we will or may possibly be doing on a given day or during a given week. Everything is affected by how things will or may end up. Some people who haven't walked in similar shoes, albeit unintentionally, start to tread lightly around us because they just have no way of fully understanding. None of this is easy, but ALL of this IS outweighed by the potential reward. We cling to that. We have to.
Today was in someways a "kickoff" to all of the above. I had my initial consult with South Jersey Fertility Center (moving forward, known as SJFC). I met with my new RE, Dr. Van Deerlin to discuss our fertility history and our fertility future. Dr. Van Deerlin was extremely sincere, thorough, and likeable. He made a point to memorize our history prior to coming in to speak with me. This was impressive and the first time that an RE had really put forth such an effort. It was refreshing. The recommended treatment our RE proposes is quite simple: IVF. Getting to that point is a little bit stickier, but it will happen. Here is what things look like for us:
- Matt needs to see our PCP in order to receive a referral for a SA
- Once the referral is in place, the SA will be done at SJFC
- I need to contact the IVF Nurse Coordinator to get set up for all of my screenings. She will need to coordinate all authorizations and approvals with Aetna.
- We will both need to repeat testing that we had done in the past, namely the infectious disease screening (for HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, measles, etc.)
- Starting with my next cycle, I will have a plethora of things that need to be done: pelvic evaluation, uterine measurement, cervical cultures, a
sonohysterography (which checks for uterine abnormalities), and day 3 FSH and E2 bw
All of this will take at least one cycle to complete, so it will be at least one to two months before we will even begin the actual IVF cycle. The cycle will be a straightforward IVF cycle. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too new. Much more on the actual IVF cycle will be noted once we get closer to that time.
So, we have unofficially blown the dust off of the cowboy boots and are ready to climb up on that bull and get back in the ring. Hold onto your hats...rodeos can be rough...
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Red Tape
As usual, there is always red tape to get through in the infertility world. I finally looked into what needed to happen for me to be able to make a consultation appointment with the Reproductive Endocrinologist. I first spoke with a lovely woman on the Member Services line for Aetna. She answered some very general questions for me regarding all of our coverages, referrals, referral processes, and more. She could not offer me any detailed information regarding infertility coverages, though. Luckily, Aetna has its own dedicated Infertility Services department / line for the state of New Jersey. See, NJ is a "mandate state" for infertility benefits. Go, NJ!!!
The woman I spoke with on their dedicated IF line was VERY helpful. Imagine that...a helpful benefits representative! She walked me through the entire process. I need to get "authorization" from the HMO in order to go for the initial consult. The rep handled that over the phone through a brief, yet detailed interview. I am now approved and authorized to go for a consultation AND to have the South Jersey Fertility Center put me through a "monitoring cycle". This cycle will involve bloodwork and ultrasounds in order to show that all looks good and that I am ovulating. After this cycle, the Reproductive Endocrinologist will decide if any more testing for Matt or me is necessary AND / OR what the next treatment steps would be. When we get to this point, all authorizations will be applied for by the RE's office and approved (hopefully) by Aetna. I will personally be out of the red tape loop!
So, our consultation is now scheduled for Wedensday, September 10th at 3pm. I will be seeing Dr. Van Deerlin. I scheduled this appointment, of course, on the only day that Matt was not available. Given that we are "old pros" at this game, we decided it didn't matter, so I will be going solo.
Here is what I learned today about our GERNEROUS coverages:
* UNLIMITED lifetime IUI cycles (artificial insemination)
* Four lifetime fresh IVF cycles (includes past covered attempts, so we have 3 left)
* UNLIMITED frozen embryo tranfers
* diagnosis, treatments, and related meds are all covered
* cyropreservation is NOT covered
* PGD is only covered on a case by case basis, and at this point I would be denied
All in all, looks really great!!! Aetna also uses a "less before more" approach, so you have to exhaust less invasive and less costly treatments before you will be authorized for more invasive and more costly treatments. Given that I have already been through 4 IUIs (not to mention IVF and FETs), the rep from Aetna thinks I will be have no trouble getting approved for IVF right off the bat. All that needs to happen is the RE's office has to fax over my past IUI cycle information / results to Aetna so that they can review them and hopefully approve them (aka:"behind the scenes" red tape). No big deal.
That is the scoop for now.
I am including in this post some general abbreviations for amateurs in the world of Infertility (IF). This will be the last post in which I write out all the big words...just takes too much time, and, after all, this is MY WORLD...you are just visiting it!!
IF = infertility
tx = treatment
dx = diagnosis
RE = reproductive endocrinologist (aka, fertility specialist)
IUI = intrauterine insemination (aka, artificial insemination)
IVF = invitro fertilization (eggs removed / fertilization with sperm in petri dish / embryos grow / placed back into uterus)
PGD = pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (testing of embryos for chromosomal abnormalities prior to being placed back in uterus)
b/w = bloodwork
u/s = ultrasound
pg = pregnant / pregnancy
BFP = big fat positive (positive pg test)
BFN = big fat negative (negative pg test)
OV = ovulation
OPK = ovulation predictor kit (at home)
endo = endometriosis
m/c = miscarriage
s/a = semen analysis
POAS = "pee on a stick" (home pg test)
If we think of any others moving forward, I will try to fill you in!
Stay tuned...
The woman I spoke with on their dedicated IF line was VERY helpful. Imagine that...a helpful benefits representative! She walked me through the entire process. I need to get "authorization" from the HMO in order to go for the initial consult. The rep handled that over the phone through a brief, yet detailed interview. I am now approved and authorized to go for a consultation AND to have the South Jersey Fertility Center put me through a "monitoring cycle". This cycle will involve bloodwork and ultrasounds in order to show that all looks good and that I am ovulating. After this cycle, the Reproductive Endocrinologist will decide if any more testing for Matt or me is necessary AND / OR what the next treatment steps would be. When we get to this point, all authorizations will be applied for by the RE's office and approved (hopefully) by Aetna. I will personally be out of the red tape loop!
So, our consultation is now scheduled for Wedensday, September 10th at 3pm. I will be seeing Dr. Van Deerlin. I scheduled this appointment, of course, on the only day that Matt was not available. Given that we are "old pros" at this game, we decided it didn't matter, so I will be going solo.
Here is what I learned today about our GERNEROUS coverages:
* UNLIMITED lifetime IUI cycles (artificial insemination)
* Four lifetime fresh IVF cycles (includes past covered attempts, so we have 3 left)
* UNLIMITED frozen embryo tranfers
* diagnosis, treatments, and related meds are all covered
* cyropreservation is NOT covered
* PGD is only covered on a case by case basis, and at this point I would be denied
All in all, looks really great!!! Aetna also uses a "less before more" approach, so you have to exhaust less invasive and less costly treatments before you will be authorized for more invasive and more costly treatments. Given that I have already been through 4 IUIs (not to mention IVF and FETs), the rep from Aetna thinks I will be have no trouble getting approved for IVF right off the bat. All that needs to happen is the RE's office has to fax over my past IUI cycle information / results to Aetna so that they can review them and hopefully approve them (aka:"behind the scenes" red tape). No big deal.
That is the scoop for now.
I am including in this post some general abbreviations for amateurs in the world of Infertility (IF). This will be the last post in which I write out all the big words...just takes too much time, and, after all, this is MY WORLD...you are just visiting it!!
IF = infertility
tx = treatment
dx = diagnosis
RE = reproductive endocrinologist (aka, fertility specialist)
IUI = intrauterine insemination (aka, artificial insemination)
IVF = invitro fertilization (eggs removed / fertilization with sperm in petri dish / embryos grow / placed back into uterus)
PGD = pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (testing of embryos for chromosomal abnormalities prior to being placed back in uterus)
b/w = bloodwork
u/s = ultrasound
pg = pregnant / pregnancy
BFP = big fat positive (positive pg test)
BFN = big fat negative (negative pg test)
OV = ovulation
OPK = ovulation predictor kit (at home)
endo = endometriosis
m/c = miscarriage
s/a = semen analysis
POAS = "pee on a stick" (home pg test)
If we think of any others moving forward, I will try to fill you in!
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A chopping we will go....
Hair chopping, that is. I finally took the plunge and had all of my hair hacked off. I needed to get rid of all the damage from the unfortunate color mishap that took place back in CO. There were also some funky layers left from my last haircut in CO, and it all looked disconnected. So, I am starting from scratch to get my hair healthy so I can grow it back out again. Oh the joys of being a woman...
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Housewarming
Matt and I had our first housewarming party. I now live closer to some of my friends that I met through the fertility support board, and they came out to spend the afternoon with us. It was nice for Matt to finally be able to put faces and names together, and it was fun having the husbands all there. A great afternoon, and we can't wait to do it again! I look forward to having more parties at the house to really "break it in". It certainly is feeling like home now for both of us. The area / location just could not be any better for us, and we look forward to sharing more of our new adventures as they take shape. I am sure there will be oodles of them knowing us.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Our New Home - Slideshow now available
Hello there! I have finally taken photos of our new home and compiled them into a slideshow. Instead of embedding the show on this site, I am providing you all with a link to our web album. This way you can see and read all the captions, too. Once you click on the link below, it will take you to the web album of our house. On that page, simply click on the "Slideshow" button...and it will do the rest! I hope you enjoy it!
Matt and Megan's new home
Thanks for stopping by!
Matt and Megan's new home
Thanks for stopping by!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
House is SOLD...now living in South Jersey
So, for those who might not know, our house in Colorado is sold. We closed on it last week, so we are down to owning just one home. (Thank you Travis for your help with the closing!!!!) Whew! That makes life a bit better and easier to handle. Now we are in Haddon Heights putting together our new home. We are getting there! The main floor is completely put away, set up, and decorated. The upper level is a work in progress, but we are close! The guest room and master bathroom are complete. The office is Matt's project, but it is at least halfway done. The master bedroom is decorated and is not too far from being complete. At least all the boxes are gone! That is a start, and certainly not bad for one week's work!
I will take pictures of the house once it is all done, and I will post a link to our Picasa web album.
Batman LOVES his new yard and screened in porch. He thinks squirrels and chipmunks are the coolest toys ever! If only he could catch them. He has nearly ripped my arm off a couple of times while going for a jog in the morning...stupid squirrels!
Matt is back to work after his relocation period, but it is great just getting to see him every night and every weekend! Woo hoo!
Outside of that, not much to talk about. We will be enrolling in our new benefit program this week, so we will have fertility benefits again. Guess we will be exploring that sometime in the near future. We will keep you up to date as we move forward!
I will take pictures of the house once it is all done, and I will post a link to our Picasa web album.
Batman LOVES his new yard and screened in porch. He thinks squirrels and chipmunks are the coolest toys ever! If only he could catch them. He has nearly ripped my arm off a couple of times while going for a jog in the morning...stupid squirrels!
Matt is back to work after his relocation period, but it is great just getting to see him every night and every weekend! Woo hoo!
Outside of that, not much to talk about. We will be enrolling in our new benefit program this week, so we will have fertility benefits again. Guess we will be exploring that sometime in the near future. We will keep you up to date as we move forward!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Aruba, Jamaica...oooooo, I want to take you to Bermuda, Bahama...
Ok, so it was only Aruba...but we will take it! We just enjoyed the most fabulous "vacation", generously provided by Subaru. It was a part of a sales contest / reward trip for the Subaru dealers, and Matt got to go as the RSM for the Mid-Atlantic region. We stayed five days / four nights at the Marriott Renaissance Marina hotel. This hotel has its own private island! This private island also just happened to be the location for Timbaland's (music industry mogul) big wedding! There were up to 300 people invited to this wedding. It is rumored that the following were actually at the wedding: Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Beyonce, Maddona, and more! Most of his guests were staying at our hotel, and the day after the wedding we just happened into conversation with Timbaland's uncle (Marcus) at the pool. This uncle is also the president of Timbaland's record company. Marcus' girlfriend, with whom we were also speaking, is a fashion / wadrobe person for network TV. She does a lot of work on Mark Burnett shows (as well as others), and she just recently spent time at fasion week in Paris. So, yup...just hob-nobbing with the rich and famous as usual!One of the highlights of our trip was a half day snorkel trip which inlcuded three snorkel stops (lots of tropical fish, a shipwreck, and more tropical fish), lunch, and the ever-importatnt open bar. What a blast!! And, you just can't believe the color of the water in Aruba. It is surreal.
In addition, we also went on a submarine ride. We went as low as 132 feet under the water. We got to get even better views of all the underwater life, the corral reefs, and the shipwreck. We were lucky enough to sneak a peek at an eagle ray (huge underwater creature!) and another smaller ray, as well.
We had two amazing meals. One was at The Flying Fishbone. They actually set up tables out on the beach and serve you dinner while watching the sun set. AMAZING! Another great meal was at Pincho's. This restaurant sits on stilts out in the water. You walk down the pier over the water to get to the restaurant. Everything is open-air seating directly overlooking the water.
Lots of pool time, drinking time, shopping time, casino time, etc. Exactly what a trip should be!
For the picture slideshow of the trip, feel free to visit our web album:
Matt and Megan's Aruba trip
Now (sniff, sniff) I am back in Colorado, and Matt is back in New Jersey. We are both in earnest preparation for our big move to Haddon Heights. Must get in gear to finish all the chores! I will be sure to post more after we have settled in!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Updates!
To start things off...I lied in my last blog. Not intentionally, but I did. We are moving to a gorgeous little home in Haddon Heights, NJ...but it is 78 years old, not 40. Sorry!
I finally got to see the house for myself one day prior to closing. It is an oldie but a goodie. Very charming with a plethora of unique features. Certainly not cookie-cutter! It will be interesting living in an older home since we have always lived in new homes...but I am excited about it!
I gave notice to my employer on Monday. My boss is sad, which is nice...if she were happy then I probably had not been doing my job very well! My cube mate ("officle" mate") would like to kill me, but she will get over it in time. My last official day with Great West will be July 3rd, but I have made myself available on the 7th and 8th for training purposes / emergencies. We will see how it goes. The rest of my group (and hopefully my other boss and his region that I support) will find out tomorrow.
I just whacked all of my hair off again. Super short and funky just suits me, I guess. I keep going back to it, so it must!
Matt and I will be going to Aruba with Subaru in about a week and a half. Submarine ride and other fun adventures are planned! Yay! I am looking forward to that for sure. After that...it is practically move time. It is wonderful to think about living with my husband again, and it would be even more wonderful had we already sold our house in CO. Oh well...it will happen one day.
That is the scoop for now! Thanks for checking in!
I finally got to see the house for myself one day prior to closing. It is an oldie but a goodie. Very charming with a plethora of unique features. Certainly not cookie-cutter! It will be interesting living in an older home since we have always lived in new homes...but I am excited about it!
I gave notice to my employer on Monday. My boss is sad, which is nice...if she were happy then I probably had not been doing my job very well! My cube mate ("officle" mate") would like to kill me, but she will get over it in time. My last official day with Great West will be July 3rd, but I have made myself available on the 7th and 8th for training purposes / emergencies. We will see how it goes. The rest of my group (and hopefully my other boss and his region that I support) will find out tomorrow.
I just whacked all of my hair off again. Super short and funky just suits me, I guess. I keep going back to it, so it must!
Matt and I will be going to Aruba with Subaru in about a week and a half. Submarine ride and other fun adventures are planned! Yay! I am looking forward to that for sure. After that...it is practically move time. It is wonderful to think about living with my husband again, and it would be even more wonderful had we already sold our house in CO. Oh well...it will happen one day.
That is the scoop for now! Thanks for checking in!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Here we go....again!
Here is a picture of our new house in Haddon Heights, NJ. Gorgeous 40 year old home with a BEAUTIFUL yard. Batman will be thrilled!For those who don't know (which there can't be many), Matt has accepted a new position as a Regional Sales Manager for Subaru of America. He is overseeing the Mid-Atlantic region for the company, so he is based out of Westampton, NJ. He is in charge of a team of District Managers, and has responsibility for sales at 96 dealerships in the region. This is a big job, and a great challenge for Matt. So far, he is loving it.
We are still trying to sell our house in Parker, and we are hopeful that that will happen soon. I am staying back in CO until we have a contract on the house. During that time I continue to work at Great-West as a Corporate 401(k) Sales Assistant for the Southeast region. The job is fine, I have a great co-worker, and the money is a big help.
No other big news for the moment, except we will have fertility benefits again after the move. NJ is a "mandate" state, so we will actually have fertility benefits covered at 100%. Not sure how many IVF attempts that gets us, nor do I know if they cover PGD...but something is certainly better than nothing!
Wish us luck in selling the house and in yet another new adventure (this one appears to have lasting power)!!!!!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
We have great neighbors!!!
We really really do. Our neighbors Ken and Ginger coordinated a 1970s themed Murder Party. There were four couples total, and we each had an assigned role. The players: Polly Esther Stuffincupp, Manny Baritone, Belle Bedham, Knight Feevah, Brady Bunsch, Angina Palpatori, Vinny V. Divichi, and Chaka Moon. Matt played Vinny,and I played Chaka Moon. Turns out that I was the murderer! Bad me! Anyway, the party was a total blast, and the theme was taken so seriously that Pabst Blue Ribbon was even being served. Nice!
A link for some photos of the evening follows, enjoy!
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/ritter911
There are now actually two albums from the party on the web page now. One is for the pics that Matt took, and the other (take two...) album is the pics our neighbor took. They are probably the best ones....OMG....way too funny!
A link for some photos of the evening follows, enjoy!
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/ritter911
There are now actually two albums from the party on the web page now. One is for the pics that Matt took, and the other (take two...) album is the pics our neighbor took. They are probably the best ones....OMG....way too funny!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Interview # 2 - Job Offer
Well, I received a call for a second interview. I interviewed yesterday with a Regional Vice President for the company, and it went really well. He told me that some of the answers I gave were the best that he had heard yet. He also mentioned that I had a really good personality, seemed fun, and would fit in really well. He told me that he would give me a "thumbs up" to the hiring manager. At the end of the interview he noted that they had done first interviews with 45 people already, and I was one of four people brought back for a second interview. Of the three other people, one of them was not hired.
Well, the good word was put in, and I was offered the job today. So, being in a group of three people chosen from 45 candidates is not bad at all. I will take it! The starting pay is decent, and the company seems really solid and employee / family-focused. I will start my new position (Sales Assistant for Great-West Life and Annuity, FASCore Division)on Monday, March 10th. I will be giving my two-weeks notice to the school on this coming Monday. I am allowing myself a two week break prior to starting back to work full-time. I deserve that, right?
Outside of that...not much to report. We are all doing well. Skiing has been ultra-fantastic. Dog is goofy. Husband is handsome and lovely-as-ever. Life is good!
Well, the good word was put in, and I was offered the job today. So, being in a group of three people chosen from 45 candidates is not bad at all. I will take it! The starting pay is decent, and the company seems really solid and employee / family-focused. I will start my new position (Sales Assistant for Great-West Life and Annuity, FASCore Division)on Monday, March 10th. I will be giving my two-weeks notice to the school on this coming Monday. I am allowing myself a two week break prior to starting back to work full-time. I deserve that, right?
Outside of that...not much to report. We are all doing well. Skiing has been ultra-fantastic. Dog is goofy. Husband is handsome and lovely-as-ever. Life is good!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Interview
Well, I have an interview for a fulltime/ "real" job. It is scheduled for Friday at 2pm. Should take about an hour. Not going to get into all the details, because if I don't get offered the position, or if I don't take it....what difference does it really make? I am very well prepared. I have done my homework on the parent company as well as the specific division with which I am interviewing. I have an updated resume and references prepared. I have a company / job specific cover letter ready. The company application has been printed and filled-out. I even typed up a list of questions to ask the hiring manager. If nothing else, I am a good little interviewer!
Outside of that, just going skiing this weekend and having a small SuperBowl party (think chili-cookoff). Fun!
More posts as anything interesting happens....
Outside of that, just going skiing this weekend and having a small SuperBowl party (think chili-cookoff). Fun!
More posts as anything interesting happens....
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Not much going on....
I know we haven't posted anything for awhile. I guess there isn't a lot to post about. We are still loving life here in CO. The skiing is fantastic this year...powder, powder, powder. It has been a beautiful winter, and we always seem to have some snow on the ground. Not a bad sight to see.
I am still working at the elementary school, although I am not sure what I really want to do at this point. I may look into going full time, either at the same school, or at another school in the district. I also might try to get a corporate full time gig. Who really knows. Mostly I am looking for an opportunity to make, and therefore save, more money. More money will allow us to be able to attempt IVF with PGD. So, we will see what happens.
Batman is still the best dog in the whole wide world (completely unbiased statment, I assure you).
Looking forward to a new year with new prospects and possibilities!!! Well-wishes to all!!!!
I am still working at the elementary school, although I am not sure what I really want to do at this point. I may look into going full time, either at the same school, or at another school in the district. I also might try to get a corporate full time gig. Who really knows. Mostly I am looking for an opportunity to make, and therefore save, more money. More money will allow us to be able to attempt IVF with PGD. So, we will see what happens.
Batman is still the best dog in the whole wide world (completely unbiased statment, I assure you).
Looking forward to a new year with new prospects and possibilities!!! Well-wishes to all!!!!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
IUI Failed...no big suprise
So, another attempt and another failure. Not a big suprise to us given the odds of success that we were given, but still not a happy thing for sure. I think we have decided to not do any more IUIs given that the more you do without success, the worse your odds become of succeeding. I feel it would be somewhat foolish and irresponsible to spend a $1000 here and there just to give us a sense of hope from time to time. I feel we are better off trying to save the $21,000 that it will take to do the fertility treatment that all of the REs recommend for us (IVF with PGD). Given the amount of money it will require to even try, it will be a VERY long time before we move forward with this process....we'll see when we can actually make it happen. Time is not going to be kind in this equation since after the age of 35 (for women) the odds get worse. Oh well. We will continue to try on our own in the interim and hold onto hope for our chance at a miracle.
Monday, November 19, 2007
IUI
Well, it is all done with. The IUI took place this morning. This wasn't the greatest IUI cycle for us by any means. It wasn't horrible, either. I had two follicles which should have been mature by the IUI today. Our sperm count was a bit low, especially compared to all of the other cycles we have done. They want a washed motile sperm count to be at least above 5 million for IUI. Our final washed motile count today was 7.6 million. An ideal count for IUI would be between 20 and 30 million, although anything above 10 million is pretty good. So, our chances are not the best for this cycle to have worked....but then again, things have never worked out great for us, so this wouldn't be any different. At least this cycle wasn't too invasive or too expensive. I will have a progesterone check in one week. Outside of that, we just wait and do a HPT in two weeks to see if we are pregnant or not. Stay tuned...but don't get too excited...we aren't...
Saturday, November 17, 2007
IUI Update
RE appt. for monitoring on Friday was a bit disappointing. I only had one large follicle...and one smaller one. I was told to shoot up one more ampule of menopur and come back on Saturday for more monitoring.
Well, today (Saturday) is of course Ohio State / Michigan game day. Matt ended up dropping me off at the doctor's office for my bloodwork appt. at 7:30am and my u/s appt. at 8am. He left from there to go to the Ohio State alumni bar...he needed to secure parking and then a seat for us for the game. The bar was opening at 8am. Well, while he was doing that, my appointment went just fine. I now have two good follicles for my IUI. After my appointment I had to call a cab company to come get me and then drop me off at the bar. Nurse called and left a message. Apparently my estrogen is high, so they are having me do my IM trigger shot tonight. My IUI will then take place on Monday morning (36 hours after the shot). Well, after all of that....BUCKEYES WIN!!! So, all in all, a very good day. Oh, the things we go through in an effort to start a family AND for the love of football!
Well, today (Saturday) is of course Ohio State / Michigan game day. Matt ended up dropping me off at the doctor's office for my bloodwork appt. at 7:30am and my u/s appt. at 8am. He left from there to go to the Ohio State alumni bar...he needed to secure parking and then a seat for us for the game. The bar was opening at 8am. Well, while he was doing that, my appointment went just fine. I now have two good follicles for my IUI. After my appointment I had to call a cab company to come get me and then drop me off at the bar. Nurse called and left a message. Apparently my estrogen is high, so they are having me do my IM trigger shot tonight. My IUI will then take place on Monday morning (36 hours after the shot). Well, after all of that....BUCKEYES WIN!!! So, all in all, a very good day. Oh, the things we go through in an effort to start a family AND for the love of football!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
New Dress / Updated 'Do
This was before going to the CSU wine tasting event at the historic Oxford Hotel in Lodo. Finally found a stylist who knows how to deal with my hair...she can bust a thick wig like no other. So, my hair is all cleaned up and shaped properly for the first time in about 6 months. Matt and I had a great time at the event downtown. Very fun! On a separate note...already experiencing hot flashes and extremely vivid dreams thanks to the clomid. Only my second day on it, too. This will be fun for sure!