Obligatory Stirrup entry

Ah, the stirrups. They are something every woman dealing with infertility has had to get way more comfortable with then she'd like. My guess is that most of us, including those who used to dislike annual ob exams, now scoff at the yearly lift of the feet and scoot down the table. In the past 5 weeks, I've had my feet up in those stirrups, bum to the air, over 10 times.

I've never been the most modest person. In college I was known for being willing to strip down and jump in the river. I even helped re-start our college's annual May Day bike ride. When a friend heard it had been a college tradition in the 70's they said, "Poppy, you are the person to get this going again." And I got 6 volunteers and we stripped down and rode through campus, au naturel. I did it 2 more times before I moved away.

Anyway, due to this kind of nudity comfort, I am OK with being naked, with just a paper 'sheet' between me and anyone in the room. And, I am mostly OK with the dildo-cam.

Today I was lead to the ultrasound room, asked to get ready, and left alone. Usually someone comes within 5 minutes. This time it was 10-15. I got bored. At least the room was warm! I actually leaned back and was reading my magazine, when the knock came. The tech came in and we had our normal small talk. 5 seconds later the door opens. No knock.

I am thinking, "Who is this guy, did he forget something?"
He looks at the monitor and then says, "Hi, I'm Dr. Study" (he actually says his name and I slightly remember seeing it on the study literature)
He proceeds to watch the ultrasound in progress and second guessesthe tech on one follicle. Never explains why he is in there.
Me, internally, "Oh, please, don't worry about me. Why not leave the door open?"

I wonder what other people would do in this situation, we seem taught to be quite mute in medical settings, and even I felt cowed by my half-nude state. I do wish I had said, "Who are you? Why are you in here?"

He tells me everything looks great and I'm progressing like they'd hoped, and I'll probably trigger Thursday, as most people do after 10 days of stims, and he leaves.

We finish up, but my normally chatty tech is clearly flustered and doesn't even give me both follie sheets.

I didn't realized I'd gotten used to my normal u/s routine, but he threw me off too! Also, the idea of 2 more days of stims, with me growing more bloated feeling by the hour, does not appeal.

I called my nurse and she said, "He doesn't get to decide when you trigger, don't worry."

Today's results are in, and they are good, I think. For those who have a clue of what I am talking about, here are my numbers. (I include them b/c I have become a number junkie, checking mine against some others to make sure I am alright). After 7 days on stims(150 iu gonal-f, 75 luveris and 5 lupron)
Estrogen is 1157(was 344 on Sunday)
Right ovary- 7 "measurable" follicles- most between 12-15mm, one at 16.
Left ovary- 8 "measurable" follicles- most at 14-15mm.
Lining 11mm.

My tech said that my left ovary looked like a condo. I go back tomorrow, and hope everyone is back to normal!