IUI Week 3

If you're just joining the series, this is post #3 of 6.  If you'd like to start from the beginning, scroll down to the bottom and click "IUI" which will pull up all posts associated to our IUI process.  Once the refreshed view generates, scroll to the bottom and read up.  As I stated in the series introduction, please don't make any assumptions, ask any questions or post any comments until the series is complete...you never get the full picture until the puzzle is finished.  Thanks!

Day 15
Today was the big day...insemination.  We woke up before 7...on a Sunday...and arrived at Dr. K's office about 10 minutes to 8.  We pulled into the parking lot and were the only car.  Luckily, the front doors of the office building were unlocked and we proceeded to the 2nd floor.  As we stepped off the elevator, the clinic doors weren't open and the lights weren't on.  Oh no...did we go to the right place at the right time on the right day?!  Sigh of relief...a few minutes later, Dr. K's nurse came in and opened the clinic.

The technician called JPug back once she arrived and he did his thing.  It would take the technician about an hour to wash his sample so we left the office and enjoyed a quick breakfast.  Once we returned, we waited in the office for about 15 minutes before Dr. K's nurse, Jamie, escorted us back into an exam room.  She answered a few questions we had and reviewed the results of JPug's sample.  Good news...the numbers were improved from the previous 3 samples...still below the target numbers but literally 100% better than they were previously so JPug and I were pleased...guess the medical food is actually working :)  Jamie provided a gown, asked me to change and returned about 10 minutes later to complete the procedure.  The procedure is similar to a yearly exam...slightly uncomfortable but no real pain.  Once she was all set up, she inserted a catheter into my cervix and inserted the sample into my uterus...insemination complete.  I laid back on an elevated table for 15 minutes and we were free to go about our day.

Now comes the hardest part...waiting.  We'll wait two weeks before we take a pregnancy test.  Right now, two weeks seems like FOREVER.

Day 20

Today I began another medication, Endometrin, to ensure the lining of my uterus stays thick enough to support implantation and a maturing embryo.  I’ll continue to take the pills once a day until we take “the test”.  If it’s negative, I’ll discontinue the Endometrin and allow my body to cycle.  If it’s positive, I’ll continue taking the pills through my 10^th week of pregnancy.  The pills are literally the biggest I’ve ever seen but at this point there’s no denying I’ll do whatever it takes to give a potential baby Pug the best chance to come on board and stay on board for a full 9 months.

Going through the process…the hurry up and wait…I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting.  On one hand, it sucks that we couldn’t conceive naturally and we had to turn to modern medicine for assistance but on the other hand, modern medicine is literally giving us the hope that we will one day have our own, biological child(ren).  The advances in medicine, understanding of the reproductive process and steps doctors can take to make positive changes…the whole process is TRULY AMAZING.

IUI Week 2

Day 9 - AM
I finished my first round of Clomid two days ago and I'm happy to report that I experienced NO side effects.  JPug is the big winner in this situation because that means no moodiness.  This afternoon I go for my HSG (hysterosalpingogram) which I'm secretly dreading.  An HSG is an x-ray procedure where dye is injected into my uterus and should flow into my fallopian tubes.  Hopefully, it will ensure the structure is normal and no blockages exist (if there's a blockage, the egg is unable to meet the man's sperm for fertilization in the fallopian tube which is crucial for conception).  When Dr. K's office told me they'd be performing the procedure, they also added the caveat to stay off the internet.  HSGs are notoriously painful if a blockage exists as the contrast dye builds up in the woman's fallopian tubes until the pressure clears the blockage (good thing but painful during the process).  The internet provides a wealth of information regarding the procedure but it's also a place where women who have had bad experiences come to vent; for the most part, I stayed off the internet.

Day 9 - PM
I left work at 2pm and headed to a diagnostic imaging center.  As I left work, I realized I forgot to take the recommended 400mgs of Ibuprofen 1hr before the procedure so I detoured by a pharmacy on the way.  After checking in, I was moved into an x-ray exam room where they provided a gown so I could change.  Before beginning the procedure, the technician explained what the radiologist would be doing and asked JPug to take a seat in the waiting area.  They would be inserting a catheter into my uterus, inflating a small balloon at the end to ensure the catheter doesn't fall out and injecting contrast dye while taking x-ray pictures of the structure...sounds simple.

I laid back and the radiologist began.  It took a few minutes to get everything set up and in place; thus far, the procedure had been uncomfortable but not too bad.  Once she was ready, the radiologist said "OK, I'm all set".  I lifted my head (which had been turned to the right watching the monitor) to acknowledge her comment but she didn't make eye contact.  Before I knew it, I turned my head back to the monitor and could see my uterus and fallopian tubes clear as day.  I didn't get a chance to ask if the procedure had been a success before the radiologist said "Wow, you're almost finished"; she snapped a couple pictures and I was done.  The procedure had been slightly uncomfortable but wasn't anything near the pain some women expressed online.  I would classify my visit to the radiologist as a complete success.

Day 11
This morning, JPug and I stopped by Dr. K's office for my second ultrasound.  As the process continues and I near insemination, the ultrasound technician is looking at the size and number of maturing follicles (each follicle contains an egg) as well as the thickness of my uterus (which will hopefully, eventually support a maturing embryo).   Today the radiologist found 3 maturing follicles (one larger than the other two) but noted that my uterine lining was thin.  I'll begin taking Estradiol for the next 3 days which is a drug that's used to enhance the thickness of my uterine lining.

Day 13
Today is my last day of Estradiol and I'm happy to report I haven't experienced any negative side effects.  Today is also the day for my Ovidrel shot which I'll take between 8 and 10pm to trigger ovulation .  Please note...I'm REALLY not looking forward to giving myself a shot.  Neither Dr. K's office nor the pharmacy provided directions regarding administering the shot but I was lucky enough to find some on YouTube...the internet is pretty cool, huh?!

Around 8:30pm, I finally mustered enough courage to give myself the shot.  I was at a baby shower for a friend so I excused myself to the bathroom, laid out all the supplies and began.  First, the alcohol swab...somewhere between both hips and below the belly button.  I allowed the alcohol to dry and pulled out the syringe.  I pushed the excess air through the syringe, pinched the previously-swabbed area, stuck the needle in and shot away.  I have no interest in becoming a regular drug user but the shot wasn't too bad.  I cleaned up my supplies, left the bathroom and rejoined the party.

Simply Divine

Interrupting my regularly scheduled blog series to bring you something delicious...
I recently (well, not so recently anymore) discovered Dove's Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Swirl Silky Smooth Promises.  If you like raspberry and dark chocolate and don't mind artificial flavors in limited quantities, these little chocolates ARE.AWESOME.  They come in small squares (maybe 1sq. inch) and are wrapped in brightly colored pink foil with a fancy brown swirl.  Each candy comes with a little message on the inside wrapper (Dove calls these Promises) which always makes me smile.  Indulge a little and pick up a bag next time you're out and about...hopefully they won't disappoint.  Enjoy!

IUI Week 1

Tuesday - Day 3
Today was my first of 4 or 5 appointments at Dr. K’s office over the next month.  Since seeing Dr. K for our initial visit in August, we’ve gone through a battery of tests, I started a synthetic thyroid hormone supplement and we consulted Dr. N for a full JPug check.  All the while, one thing remained the same…I was to call Dr. K’s nurse line on the first day of my cycle.  My cycle started Sunday and I went in for the first of many appointments today.  I’m sure each physician practice has their own way of doing things…our experience is with Dr. K so that’s what I’ll share.  

Day 3’s appointment was quick, easy and painless…hurray!  It’s been 5 weeks since Dr. K increased my  supplemental thyroid hormone dose and it was time for a re-test.  My last TSH level was 2.7 and Dr. K looks for 2.5 or below so we’re hoping for good news later this afternoon. After the blood draw, I moved into an ultrasound exam room where the technician completed a baseline transvaginal ultrasound to check my uterus (thin lining, free of pollups and clots, etc.) and ovaries (no large follicles which could react poorly to medications during the cycle and cause problems).

If Dr. K thinks everything looks good, I’ll begin my first dose of Clomid later today.  Clomid, the brand-name for clomiphene citrate, is a well-known fertility drug that’s used to jump start ovulation in women.  If you’re interested in additional information on Clomid, read this article.  I’ll take it for 5 days (cycle days 3 – 7) with the hope that it enhances egg production, producing one (or potentially more) mature eggs.  Dr. K will likely start me on a low-dose of Clomid (50mg) which my body may not react to.  If that’s the case, that’ll be another piece of our ever-evolving puzzle and we’ll wait to increase the dose and continue our journey next month. 

Clomid does have a handful of side-effects including mood swings (lucky JPug) and over-production of eggs.  Multiple mature eggs increase a couple’s chance of multiples and could even cause a woman’s ovaries to twist or rupture…neither of which are considered “good” outcomes.  The prospect of having multiple babies might seem cool and exciting but for a couple experiencing infertility, the goal of treatment is to have one healthy baby in utero and deliver a healthy baby at full term.  Multiple babies are more likely to deliver early and have complications related to pre-term delivery. 

I heard from Dr. K’s office a few minutes ago and my morning ultrasound looked “good” (or maybe even “great”…I can’t remember).  They feel comfortable moving forward with Clomid for this cycle (as well as two other drugs which I’ll explain in a future post) and hopefully the tricky Thanksgiving holiday timing will be on our side.  I’m happy to report that we continue to make steps in the right direction and am cautiously optimistic that the procedures will lead to a baby Pug on board.

Wednesday - Day 4
One more quick update...I heard from Dr. K's office just after lunch and the results of my TSH evaluation are in.  Drum roll please..........it's 1.46.  YIPPEE!  One step closer.

The Process

Over the past month and a half, I haven't published many posts but I've been blogging like crazy.  TeamPug went through our first round of IUI and the roller coaster of emotions associated with it.  The posts, organized into a series of 6, will be published over the coming weeks.  They track the process and associated emotions every few days.  The posts were written in real time...as we experienced the ups and downs...so what you'll read is pure.  I have one request...please don't make any assumptions, ask any questions or post any comments until the series is complete...you never get the full picture until the puzzle is finished.

Sew What?

Two and a half years ago, one of my best friends from high school delivered her first child, a baby girl, 7 weeks early; after a couple of tough months, Ava finally came home.  Today, she’s a healthy, thriving little girl shows no signs of prematurity.  During her stay in the NICU at Mercy hospital in St. Louis, Ava received a different crocheted hat every day to keep her little head warm.  The hats were donated by various individuals/groups in the STL metro area…not only did Ava receive a hat but every child in the NICU did…every day.  Inspired by the kindness shown to her family and a love of crafting from her childhood, Ava’s mom Sarah began crocheting.  Before leaving the STL area, Sarah and her husband Andrew returned to Mercy and provided replacement hats for every day of Ava’s stay…paying the love they received forward.

I’ve always wanted to pick up a hobby I could work on while watching TV in the evenings.  After joining Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics in February, I thought crocheting NICU hats similar to the ones Sarah gave to Mercy would be a great start.  I consulted Sarah (who has continued crocheting since Ava’s arrival), watched a couple of YouTube videos, made my first supply trip to Joann’s and got started.  After I had a handful of hats to donate, I stopped by the hospital’s volunteer services office to make my donation. 

Hit the breaks…upon my arrival at volunteer services, I found out that Children’s Mercy doesn’t accept crocheted hats...only sewn hats made with a specific type of fabric (stretch cotton) from a single, approved pattern.  Well shucks, what’s a girl to do with a handful of tiny hats, no sewing machine and limited knowledge of sewing?  In swooped JPug with a sewing machine for our fourth anniversary (in June) and I got to practicing.  Along the way, I picked up the necessary fabric and thread for the NICU hats and convinced a couple of friends to sew with me.  Now we have a nice little sewing “club” that meets once a month…making NICU hats, baby items, holiday gifts and household items (to come).  The first projects weren’t great but we’re continuously improving and that’s what matters.

Below are a couple of pictures from our first go at sewing NICU hats.   To date I think we’ve donated about 100 hats and have enough material to donate a couple hundred more.  As I have time, I’ll continue to blog about our sewing adventures…patterns, how-tos & the finished products.  If you enjoy sewing and are interested in donating NICU hats to Children’s Mercy in KC, just let me know and I’ll forward the information on.  Last but not least, if you’re on Facebook and are looking for beautiful, handmade children’s items, check out Sarah’s B.I.B.S (Baby Items By Sarah) page and see all the terrific items she’s been crafting up.

In progress...sewing the top of the hat.

Finished product!

A Mile in My Shoes

I believe the saying goes… “You can’t fully understand a person until you walk a mile in their shoes”. So, I thought I’d give you a chance to try my 7.5 (sometimes 8s) on for size...

The “I” word (you know that big elephant in the blog) is as much physical as it is emotional. I haven’t talked about emotions much…sure, I may touch on something here or there but I wanted to devote an entire post to the topic. I know you won’t be an expert after a few paragraphs but hopefully you’ll have a better understanding of how I feel and where I’m coming from.

As I stated in a previous post, emotionally…the process of infertility is tough. In one moment, you’re full of hope and excitement but the next moment may bring disappointment and heartache. These emotions are typical for everyone…for so many things that can happen in life. For Team Pug, these emotions have been on a constant loop…regarding the same topic…for 17 months and counting. Trust me, there’s a point in time when it becomes exhausting. But, at the same time you have to stay strong, keep hope alive and keep trying because what if that one month you decide to give up was supposed to be your magic month?!

Because JPug and I have been married 4 ½ years, it’s natural to field questions about when we plan to start a family. When we first got married, I told everyone 5 years for no better reason than to get them off my back. Things fell into place sooner than we both expected and we decided to start trying just after the 3 year mark. Before infertility…I’ll be honest…I was one of those people who asked when a couple plans to start a family. Now, absolutely not…what if the couple is experiencing trouble and I’m rubbing salt in an open wound with my probing questions? I’ve also gotten firmer in my own response. At first I’d stick with the original “5 years” or “eventually” but now I find myself saying something to the effect of “The process doesn’t work for everyone”. By no means am I saying that you have to censor what you say around couples experiencing infertility but sometimes a question that may seem mindless really isn’t mindless at all on the receiving end.

When you long for a child of your own, I think you pay more attention to babies in general…in a cart at the grocery store, in commercials on TV…sometimes it seems like they’re everywhere! I’m not one to go home and cry myself to sleep but on bad days even a trip to Target can be overwhelming. At an age/point in our lives when a lot of friends are expecting, I won’t say it’s not hard. I can think of 8 babies due between November and April right off the top of my head…some are acquaintances from work and others are close friends but Holy Baby Batman...that is a lot!

The emotions wrapped up in friends expecting children are so mixed…a healthy dose of wow, that’s awesome/exciting/congratulations, mixed in with some fear and jealousy. Fear that as my friends’ families expand, change and grow that they’ll leave Team Pug behind. You tend to migrate toward friends who are at the same life stage as you…we’re friends with some pretty terrific people at this stage of our life and I don’t want to lose them just because they’ve moved on and we haven’t. Jealousy, which is a natural, human emotion, rears its ugly head because others have what you so desperately want. I don’t like it, don’t like the way it makes me feel but it’s a fact of life.

Before I finish, I’ll leave you with some food for thought…a few comments I’ve fielded over the past 17 months for better or for worse. Luckily, I understand folks don’t always mean what they say.

• I’m not sure how to react to folks complaining about unplanned pregnancy or sickness because the process worked as intended...I empathize but definitely don't sympathize.  My best suggestion is that a woman experiencing infertility is not the person to go to for sympathy.
• "You'll probably love your children more because it’s been harder to conceive".  Jeez I hope not...or maybe we will (wink, wink)!  Let's not make me question the love you have for your own flesh and blood...
• "Being pregnant isn’t all it’s cracked up to be".  I wouldn’t know because I haven’t been there... 
• JPug and I literally had a conversation with someone he's known since his childhood that went like this:
• A: “ When are you going to give Ralph & Bev a grandchild?”
• B (Team Pug): “The Process doesn’t work for everyone.”
• A: “Well, you’re obviously doing something wrong” (in an overly snotty tone).
• B (LPug - comment in my head): “Well $%&@!#$%...go fly a kite!”

Did You Know?

The Mayor’s Christmas Tree, located in downtown Kansas City’s Crown Center, is shipped to KC as a trunk that’s been completely separated from its branches?  Shocking, right?!

Let’s back up a little…I’ve lived in KC on and off since January 2006 and didn’t pay much attention to the Mayor’s Christmas Tree the previous 5 Christmases. I started a new job with Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics in February of this year…the hospital has grown so much that a good majority of non-patient care associates (including me) work in the office buildings surrounding Crown Center which is just across the street from the downtown hospital.

For you non-KC folks, here’s the low-down on Crown Center from www.crowncenter.com. “Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, Crown Center is often called a city within a city. Three levels of great shopping and dining complement two of the city’s most luxurious hotels, exquisite office buildings, a residential community and several entertainment attractions. It all surrounds the worldwide headquarters of Hallmark Cards, Inc.”

Sometime in November, just beyond the windows of our floor, the Mayor’s Christmas Tree started taking shape…literally. First the trunk, which is nearly 100 feet tall, was anchored to the plaza floor. Next, a couple of guys with cherry pickers would take individual branches and somehow affix them to the trunk. A few weeks later, the tree was finally finished.

I have so many things to say about this process...

1. Do other major metro areas (NYC’s Rockefeller Christmas Tree, DC’s White House Christmas Tree) put their trees together in this same fashion? Maybe I’m totally ignorant regarding the ways of Christmas tree delivery but I thought a tree was cut down, carted across the country and set-up…branches virtually unscathed. Unfortunately, my hypothesis is likely wrong…
2. Wouldn’t children be somewhat horrified to see a major symbol of the holiday season hacked down, taken apart and put back together like Frankenstein? Good thing kids are resilient… 
3. The guys who put the tree back together…is that their “normal” job?! Or…are they power company employees who go rouge for a few weeks in November?! 
4. HOW THE HECK do they do it?! Our local news reporters report on all sorts of investigative topics…please, please, please report on this next year because the process is very intriguing (in my humble opinion).

I had a few pictures of the process but they didn’t turn out so you’ll just have to believe me on this one. The tree, as it stands in its completed state, looks nice…a little barren on the branch-front but nice. I’m sorry if I’ve crushed the perfect picture of a metro-area Christmas tree delivery and set-up in your mind; I’ll try not to give away and more dirty little secrets until after the first of the year.

Unexpected Hiccup in a Regular Routine

The past few months, I’ve been getting out of bed in the middle of the night to use the bathroom…I think it’s a small sign that I’m getting older or maybe I just need to drink less water in the hours before bed.  Either way, I wake up…do my business…crawl back into bed and fall back asleep.

Last night was no exception.  I felt like I had been sleeping forever and figured it must be close to alarm time.  I checked my phone and discovered that it was only 3:30am…YES...2 ½ more hours of sleeping bliss!  I jumped up to do my business, made sure I didn’t step on the dogs on the way and entered the bathroom.  From there, it’s a regular routine…pants down, sit down, go.  Except this morning wasn’t regular…there was a major hiccup between the pants down and sit down.  

The new few seconds transpired as follows…pants down, sit down…wait…oh no…I’m sitting much deeper than usual (2 or so inches is “much” deeper when 1/1,000 sits is a longer journey).  PHEW…I didn’t miss the toilet completely but the seat seems very narrow.  Oh s*!t…JPug, you forgot to put the toilet seat down (I thought to myself).  By this time, my body had already moved on to the 3^rd step and I couldn’t stop it…go, go, go.  There I was, trying to finish my business, hoping not to fall in and slightly annoyed with JPug.

I’ll admit…this sort of slip is rare for JPug which in my mind almost makes the situation worse.  If I knew he was a serial seat leaver-upper, I’d check for it before doing my middle of the night business.  You may be thinking why I didn’t notice the seat was up in the first place and my answer is because I don’t turn on the bathroom light in the middle of the night…does anyone?  This sort of thing is a once every couple of months occurrence so it’s like a sneak attack that comes out of nowhere.

In the grand scheme of things, this event is totally inconsequential but I just had to share.  Ladies, if this has happened to you, you’re not alone!  And guys, please don’t forget to put that seat down in the future!

Quick & Delish: Mushroom Soup

A few years ago, I made a conscious decision to begin cooking meals from scratch, using fresh ingredients whenever possible. Besides tomatoes for sauces (when I’ve run out of our fresh/frozen pureed garden tomatoes) and beans for chili, I can honestly say that I don’t remember the last time I bought a canned vegetable. Two years ago, I was on the hunt to find a made-from-scratch green bean casserole recipe for Thanksgiving and this one from Food Network’s Alton Brown doesn’t disappoint. The homemade mushroom soup baked with blanched, fresh green beans and topped with French’s onions (yes canned…but I can never get the fresh ones just right) is a total hit.

This little back story brings me to today’s recipe. With Thanksgiving over, omit the green beans and French’s onions and enjoy a delicious pot of mushroom soup as winter rages on.

Ingredients

• 4T unsalted butter
• 16 - 24oz. mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces (depending on how mushroom-y you like your soup)
• Suggest chopping about 1/3 and leaving the remaining 2/3 as slices
• 1t freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½t freshly ground nutmeg
• Who has freshly ground nutmeg in their kitchen? Just use the stuff from your spice rack.
• ¼c all-purpose flour
• 2c chicken broth
• 2c half & half

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mushrooms, 1t salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t be afraid to let the mushrooms cook a little longer if you feel they need to.
3. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Sprinkle four over the mixture and stir to combine…cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute.
6. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half & half.
7. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. My soup never seems to thicken in 6 to 8 minutes. If you’ve stirred for a while beyond the recipe directions with no thickening in sight, make a roux of chicken stock and corn starch (2 - 3 parts stock to 1 part starch in a small dish) and add a little at a time until the soup thickens to desired consistency.
• A couple notes regarding the use of corn starch...
• It usually thickens better if your soup is simmering. Be careful if you raise the heat with this recipe as the half and half could scorch…just keep stirring constantly.
• Make sure you add the starch in as a roux…if you just dump it in, your soup will be lumpy.
• Corn starch can over-thicken in the blink of an eye. Like I said earlier, add a little at a time and mix thoroughly before adding more. It’s better for your soup to be on the thin side rather than over-thickened.
• If you do over-thicken, add some chicken broth to the mixture until the soup reaches desired consistency.
8. I didn’t say this recipe was healthy but it’s definitely delicious…serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

A Turkey Tale

In November 2008, JPug and I were living in Gainesville, FL for JPug’s temporary work assignment…building a self-sustaining power plant for the University of Florida’s Shands Hospital.  Being budget and vacation-conscious, we decided to stay in Gainesville for Thanksgiving and make our way back to the Midwest for Christmas.  My mom and her other half, Joe, joined us for the holiday.

Rather than cook a grand Thanksgiving meal for four, we had been invited by a co-worker of JPug’s, Jimbo, to spend Thanksgiving with him, his wife Linda and their family.  Potentially our one chance in life to enjoy traditional southern Thanksgiving…YES PLEASE!  They were taking care of all the food and we were in charge of dessert.  I scoured my stash of cooking magazines and came up with a Caramel, Chocolate Pecan Pie…sounds delicious, right?  

One of my (few) downfalls is that I’m HORRIBLE at reading recipes in advance.  I get through the ingredients, maybe step 1 and lose interest from there.  This M.O. has lead to a lot of waiting for the oven to preheat and scrambling at the last minute but things usually turn out OK.  Mom and I started making our pie Thanksgiving morning and the process was no good from the start.  The tiny galley kitchen in our apartment was impossible to maneuver with two cooks in the kitchen.  Our electric stove, homemade caramel-making combination made for a disaster and we ended up abandoning the first batch and starting over…all the while, time continued to count down.  

Finally, the layers were complete and we assembled the pie…chocolate pecan layer, caramel layer, homemade whip cream.  It looked divine!  We had just enough time to clean up the kitchen and ourselves and travel from Gainesville to Williston for our celebration.  Before jumping in the shower, I read the last line of the recipe “Chill for at least 6 hours before serving”.  EEK!  6 hours…we barely had 1 before we needed to hit the road.  I opted to put the pie in the freezer while I showered and changed, hoping it would set-up as much as possible.  I balanced the aluminum foil pie-plate on a tub of ice cream and made a B-line for the bathroom. 

As my mom and I finished up, JPug and Joe gathered our things and got the dogs ready for their cages.  JPug opened the freezer door where we kept peanut butter popsicles (Kongs filled with peanut butter) and that’s when it happened… Opening the freezer door jolted the pie just enough that it managed to flip over in the freezer, slide down the vent at the front, down the fridge door and onto the floor.  Our pie, which took a combined 6+ hours to put together, was OBLITERATED!  Sometimes these incidents are salvageable but this one was definitely not.  We couldn’t let the mess sit (or freeze in the freezer) so we took to disassembling the freezer vent, cleaning everything and travelling to Williston (late and with no dessert in hand).  

On the way, I think we stopped by a gas station and purchased a handful of personal-serving pecan pies that had probably been on the shelf since Thanksgiving 2007.  Luckily, the Williams family didn’t mind that we were late or that we came without dessert.  We had a wonderful time and a pretty entertaining story to tell.

This Thanksgiving, I hope your day is less eventful than the one we experienced three years ago but no less wonderful.  Enjoy great company, great food and great football.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It's November, Give Thanks

Originally written on Friday, November 18th...

As JPug would say, today I’ve managed to put on my Grumpy Pants in lieu of the traditional Friday Jeans so I figured what better way to snap me out of a funk than to start writing about what I’m thankful for. With Thanksgiving just 6 days away and the tone of November moving from post-Halloween candy coma recuperation to honoring our nation’s veterans on Veteran’s Day to Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking about what I’m thankful for…A LOT. Without further adieu, here goes.

First and foremost, I’m thankful for my husband who I knew I loved four and a half years ago when we were married but I had no idea just how strong our bond would become. In JPug, I found a true life partner…someone who will love me unconditionally, put me in my place when I need it, make me laugh and console me when I cry. I could go on and on about why I think we’re such a terrific pair but the best way to sum it up is that he makes me want to be a better person…not for me…but for us.

I’m thankful for my parents who provided the foundation for the person I’ve become today. They taught me the value of hard work, graciousness, optimism, integrity and a dollar. Even when their marriage didn’t work, they made a decision to be respectful to one another and continued to present a united front (discipline, holidays & celebrations) even though they didn’t live in the same house. Wow…what amazing, inspiring people!

I’m thankful for my cousins, Jenni & Katie who, for this only child, are more like sisters from another mother. We celebrate each others successes and support each other through difficult times; we love unconditionally and embrace differences. I’ve never had siblings and thanks to these two wonderful ladies, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

I’m thankful for friends and family who offer support, encouragement, silliness, craziness, wit, love and laughter. No matter if you’re someone I talk to every day or once a year, I’m lucky to have each of you in my life.

I’m thankful for the experience of infertility. I’ve learned more about my body and the process of conception than I ever thought I would. I’ve learned we’re not alone in our journey and hope other couples experiencing infertility know that too. I’ve learned to be more sensitive to others…you never know what situation they’re facing.

These things are just a small excerpt of what I'm thankful for...there isn't enough time to capture everything and I'd rather not turn a single post into a novel.  As the holiday draws near, I hope you travel safe no matter how far you go. If the pressure of the day starts weighing you down, take a deep breath and a big gulp of wine (in moderation, of course) because it'll all be okay. On a day filled with thanks, don't sweat the small stuff...just enjoy all the wonderful things life has given you.

Gettin’ Fit

I’ve always been a fairly active person.  I danced from the time I was 3 and coupled that with cheerleading throughout high school.  When I went off to college, I continued to be active but wasn’t at practice or in class for a couple hours a day as I had been previously.  I went to the campus gym a couple times a week and joined my sorority’s dance team for events each semester.  After college, I became less active as a regular job and household duties dictated my time.  Fortunately, I hadn’t gained much weight but I definitely wasn’t as fit as I had once been. 

About two years ago, I decided to make a change for me.  I began running regularly…a couple minutes turned into a couple miles which eventually turned into a couple hours straight.  In 2010, I completed two half marathons as well as a handful of other, shorter races.  My time for the halfs wasn’t great but I finished and as a beginner, that’s all that mattered.  After the second half, I took some time off from running to let my aching knees heal and concentrated on cross-training with the P90 & P90x workouts. 

This past spring, I got back into running and completed a couple short races before our primary care physician, Dr. B, suggested that I pull back in favor or concentrating on conception.  After four months passed without a baby Pug on board, my friend Lisa and I took up running again.  Nothing too strenuous…started with a single mile and worked our way up to 5 over 3 months’ time…improving time, distance and elevation as we went.  As a first time runner, Lisa (who was slightly scared to death at the get-go) did great!  The culmination of our training was the Ruckus Run the first weekend in November. 

In mid-October, I picked up CrossFit (thanks to a Groupon) as a way to cross train and incorporate different exercises into my running routine.  CrossFit is a program that offers broad, general strength and conditioning.  The equipment is pretty basic but an hour-long class will absolutely kick your butt.  I’ve really enjoyed learning the CrossFit exercises and techniques and feel great after finishing a workout.  I somewhat attribute the “feeling great” to my newly-stabilized TSH…at least I’m not exhausted and wanting to crawl into bed at 7pm, right?!  I can honestly say after running and incorporating CrossFit into my regimen, I’m probably in the best shape of my life…at 28!  This is where things take a turn for the worst…

As we go through treatments with Dr. K, her office suggests that I don’t exercise.  Well, let me rephrase that…the nurse said they wouldn’t have a problem with me walking on a treadmill.  GASP…walk on a treadmill?!  The nurse must have no concept of real exercise because let’s face it folks…walking on a treadmill is NOT exercise in my book…at least not for someone at my level of fitness.  Going forward, JPug and I will be bundling ourselves and the pooches up and taking a brisk walk each night.  Just to reiterate, the walk will be brisk (JPug is really more of a stroller). 

Am I thrilled about abandoning running and CrossFit cold turkey?  Definitely not.  Am I willing to make the sacrifice for my own health and well being and to give potential baby Pug the best opportunity to come on board?  Unequivocally yes.  Here’s to hoping my new “workout routine” is worth it.

Goodbye 27, Hello 28

This past Friday, 11-11-11, was my 28^th birthday.  Twenty-eight isn’t much of a milestone and I may not remember it five years from now, but for one 24 hour period, it was nearly perfect.  For one day, I got to do exactly what I wanted…turned my back on the to-do list and just enjoyed myself.  No need for a full run-down but I took it easy, splurged with a massage, manicure & pedicure at the spa and traveled to St. Louis where I had a wonderful dinner with my family.  Gifts aren’t ever at the top of my list but I got some pretty great things…a gift card to one of my favorite stores, some new sewing gadgets, an e-reader and a charm (suggested by a friend who’s been experiencing her own, unique hardships) that reads “Expect a Miracle” on the front with “Team Pug” engraved on the back.  When it comes down to it, I had a wonderful day filled with love and family that I wouldn’t have traded for the world.

We rounded out the weekend with “family” pictures…JPug, Bella, Beau and I met a friend from high school turned photographer who put up our crazy antics at a local park for an entire hour.  The pictures should be ready in a couple of weeks so I’ll be sure to post a couple on the blog.  We spent Saturday evening celebrating the marriage of one of Joe’s friends from high school, Tara, and her husband, Chase, who is originally from Springfield, IL.  Once you’ve planned your own wedding, I think you have a much greater appreciation for any wedding you attend…and I was very appreciative of Mr. & Mrs. Cooper’s!  I’d post a picture of the couple but in true LPug fashion, I didn’t bring a camera.  It’s not much of a resolution but taking more pictures might have to be my 2012 New Year’s resolution because I downright stink at having my camera, battery charged and ready to go. 

Oh my goodness…I almost forgot.  JPug also received our latest “I Word” update on Friday.  Dr. N called with the results of his recent blood/hormone tests and everything was normal (hurray!).  JPug will continue his prescription medical food which will hopefully enhance future counts but otherwise, all hormone levels were within the normal range.  Our mystery still hasn’t been solved but we’re another step closer so that's good news.

Family, friends and readers...thank you for your love, wisdom, laughter and support at 27 and I look forward to an even better 28!

The Carriage House of Cady Cottage

Now that October has come and gone, it hit me this morning…this is the first year since moving back from Florida that we didn’t visit Hermann, MO for Oktoberfest.  Hermann was established by Germans on the banks of the Missouri River in 1837.  Today Hermann offers quaint shops, numerous local wineries and a brewery all with an old-world look and feel.  The first four weekends of October, Hermann celebrates its heritage and opens its arms to visitors who enjoy fall colors, festive bands, brats and plenty of drinks.

In 2009, we made the trip with a group of friends…rode the train from KC to Hermann, squished way too many people into two hotel rooms and enjoyed beer, wine and food from sun-up to sun-down (reminiscent of a number of college trips).  In 2010, JPug and I decided to make the trek on our own and classed it up a bit whole lot.  I found a B&B online with a decent website, reasonable rate and a charm I just couldn’t resist.  The same weekend as MU’s homecoming, we detoured through Columbia to enjoy campus for the afternoon and continued on to Hermann.

Once we arrived, we had some difficulty finding the place…from what I remember, the numbers weren’t well-marked on the house and there was no discernable front door.  After circling the block twice, we figured it out using process of elimination and the help of a nosy neighbor.  We walked up the path to the front door (which was actually on the side of the house) and knocked; the owner, Chris, came out.  Big sigh of relief…we’d come to the right place!

Chris (short for Christine) was on the upper end of middle-aged, standard build with silver-grey hair pulled back into a classy ponytail.  She asked if we had any trouble finding the house to which we replied (and lied through our teeth) “No”.  After a few pleasantries, she asked us to pull our car into the alley behind the house which was the main entrance of The Carriage House of Cady Cottage. 

As we pulled up, it appeared that The Carriage House was a two-car detached garage that had been converted into the only room Chris had to offer.  From the outside, it was well kept but didn’t look like much.  As we entered, we were transformed into an old English cottage complete with four-post bed, dining area, sitting area w/ fireplace, reading nook and bathroom.  I’m usually not one for cluttered décor but the look and feel Chris infused into this small cottage was absolutely amazing.  Come to find out, she had been collecting English cottage pieces (furniture, accessories, etc.) for years and opened The Carriage House once her collection was complete.  Chris walked us through each of the features of the room and was sure to point out our evening dessert on the dining table…homemade apple pie!

The next morning, Chris prepared a gourmet breakfast…truly better than I’ve had at any B&B.   The breakfast area was decorated as an art studio and displayed numerous pieces of Chris’ own handmade folk art.  As we wrapped up our meal, she was sure to provide recommendations regarding places to eat and things to see and do in Hermann.  After a long day of enjoying Oktoberfest, we returned to The Carriage House to find another terrific, homemade dessert.  The next morning, Chris whipped up another amazing breakfast…homemade stuffing & egg soufflés served with a side of seasonal berries.  Once we were finished, we said our goodbyes and were on our way.

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, I would absolutely recommend Hermann, MO and The Carriage House of Cady Cottage.  Whenever possible, JPug and I try to support local B&Bs rather than large hotel chains.  We’ve stayed at our fair share of B&Bs and I can say with certainty that The Carriage House of Cady Cottage tops them all.  Hermann is known for its wineries but the visitor’s bureau does a great job of offering all sorts of events and opportunities to enjoy Hermann if drinking isn’t your thing.  Bon voyage my friends…I hope you have a great trip!  

Quick & Delish: Momma's Bran Muffins

Growing up, momma made all sorts of delicious food.  She worked weeknights so we weren't able to spend a lot of time together in the evening.  She almost always had breakfast ready before I left for school and we had a sit-down dinner most nights before she left for work.  One of my favorite recipes momma made regularly was bran muffins...they're a quick, delicious grab-and-go for weekday mornings.  I'm happy to share the recipe with you...enjoy!


Ingredients

1c. Kellog's all bran cereal (original variety)
1c. buttermilk
1/2c. packed brown sugar
1/4c. butter or margarine (cut into pieces)
1 egg
1c. raisins or craisins I have a strange aversion to raisins so I typically opt for a craisin substitution
1c. flour
1t. baking powder
1/4t. salt
cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large, microwafe safe bowl, combine bran, buttermilk, brown sugar & butter....mix.
3. Microwave mixture on high for 2 minutes.
4. Stir mixture to combine and allow to cool, stir occasionally while cooling (5 - 10 minutes).
5. Add in egg & raisins/craisins.
6. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.
7. Spoon mixture into greased or lined muffin cups...approximately 2/3 full.
8. Bake 14 minutes or until toothpick pulls out clean. 

Boo to You

Happy Halloween everyone!  And…more importantly…happy birthday to my wonderful momma.  Growing up, Halloween was a special holiday for us.  It was an opportunity to dress up and get great candy but it was also a day we spent with friends and family to celebrate my mom’s birthday.  Every year, we’d eat take-out pizza and birthday cake before donning our costumes and heading to the biggest neighborhood we could find to trick-or-treat.

This weekend was quite a bit different from the Halloweens I experienced as a kid but no less wonderful.  Completely un-Halloween related but the Cardinals won the World Series on Friday night and MU had a terrific come from behind win against Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon…I knew the weekend was shaping up to be pretty terrific.  We spent Saturday night with some of our closest friends who know how to throw a heck of a party.  The evening had a very simple equation…Food + Alcohol + Twister & Ultimate Ping Pong = A GREAT TIME!  JPug and I were vampires…

Sunday afternoon we volunteered at the KC Zoo with Tiger Stripes (an MU Alumni Association service organization) for Boo at the Zoo.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather while handing out candy to hundreds of metro children.  We continued the vampire theme which was a total hit…most of the kids were mesmerized by my fangs which I assured them were NOT real :)

The big weekend culmination was pumpkin carving with friends.  JPug and I used patterns while Blake & Mary free-handed their masterpieces.  I think this might be the first time JPug and I have ever carved pumpkins together but this was Blake & Mary’s 5^th Annual Carve-Off.  Check out the pictures below and vote for your favorite in the comments section…Pumpkin “A” is on the right and Pumpkin “B” is on the left.



Duren A (Right)     Duren B (Left)



Pug Pumpkins

Today’s the big Trick-or-Treat day…have fun, be safe and don’t be stingy with that candy! 

Quick Update

As excited as I was to talk about non-“I” word topics…

The results of JPug’s 3^rd analysis came in this week and were…improved.  Not “normal” but also not the down-and-out, move straight to IVF story that we heard a couple months ago.  So, I’m happy cautiously optimistic to report that we should be starting IUI (if you don’t know what that is…read my previous post) with my next cycle. 

There are still a few potential hiccups we could encounter…1) my body is still getting used to the synthetic thyroid hormone which takes time (although the thought of “time” is super annoying to me, I feel like I’m actually getting more patient as the process progresses).  My TSH (if you don’t know what this is…read my previous post) is lower but the affects the dose has on my body and systems vital to reproduction are still in transition.  2) The hand-off of JPug’s blood tests from Dr. K to Dr. N have been the exact opposite of smooth.  Dr. N needs to complete a full review of JPug’s blood work as he may be able to identify the root cause of any issues. 

Man…Team Pug is a heck of a pair with what seems like a fair amount of problems!

Because I have no interest in blog readers becoming cycle-stalkers, I probably won’t discuss the IUI process a whole lot as we go through it.  I’ll continue to write posts about the process in real time (experiences, thoughts, feelings, etc.) but probably won’t publish those posts until the time is right.  It’s important to me that we share information about the entire process but it’s also very important that if we do conceive, we get through the crucial first trimester before announcing to family and friends.

Enough of this “I” word talk…back to the fun stuff!