Yesterday, I woke at 3am with period cramps. Normally, I get period cramps: a.) only when I have my period and b.) usually on the first day when I'm already bleeding. But yesterday, my body did something new...again. I laid in bed trying to fall back asleep but after about a half hour I figured I'd better get up and check if there was any bleeding. On the way to the bathroom, I grabbed the last of the pregnancy tests and a cup--just in case. No bleeding. None. At all! WTF is this trick? Period cramps but no period?! So I peed in my little Dixie cup for what I hoped would be the last time for a long time, dipped my shteek, and waited (sleepily) for the results. Negative. But wait, was that a faint second line if you tip it and hold it just right to look at it? Bah...go back to bed, crazy woman...it's 3 in the morning!! So I did. I went back to bed and got up for work a few hours later. Still. No. Period. Worked with cramps and a sour stomach all day; cramps got worse as the night progressed, and even as I'm writing this...I still have them. I had resolved to calling my nurse this morning if Aunt Flo still hadn't shown her ugly red face to ask for a blood test.
And I did call her, but not for that reason. I called to tell her today was cycle day one (CD1)...the red witch was waiting to greet me this morning when I got up. Bitch didn't even bring me flowers. Anyway, my nurse asked what I want to do for this cycle, don't do an IUI and see how my lining is naturally or do an IUI, go back to Clomid, etc. I asked her what we could possibly do differently or in addition to make our last attempt successful. I've been told by my infertile buddies to ask for injectibles; I had assumed since they never brought it up they couldn't prescribe them because they're just an OBGYN office and not an actual reproductive endocrinologist. But I was wrong. Today, Jeana (one of two nurses I work with at the clinic) said we can go back to the Clomid since my body responded much better to that in terms of follicles, add estradiol to help my lining, add Follistim to the mix, and do extra ultrasounds to check progress more often and go from there.
Follistim is FSH, follicle stimulating hormone, and it helps to develop and release more mature eggs. It also costs an arm and a leg, but I don't care. I got my money back for the dud sperm, so it'll be fine. I'll actually be taking Gonal-F because it's cheaper (at $520!) than Follistim, but is the same thing. 
So that's the plan for now. I'll start my Clomid on Thursday and take it through Monday evening. I'm also starting something called Estrace to help my lining on CD8-12. Next Tuesday, I have to go for a Follistim "training" session at the office...because, yes, it's another shot. The things we do for our little families.... I will do the shots between CD9-12. Then next Thursday the 7th I'll go in for my first ultrasound to check progress. Here's to hoping that psychic was right.
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