Community post

Journal

mrslong2010

Ready to Jump Back on the Bandwagon - at least chase it a little faster

So, my hubby and I have taken a little break in the TTC website/OPK/charting journey. That was a mistake - Miss-I-Never-Have-A-Cycle-More-Than-30-Days had a 34 day cycle and can we say heartbreak!!?? Turns out it was delayed ovulation due to extreme emotional distress (what can I say a bad friend is a former friend). I SOOOO wish I had been charting. Anyway, I finished Taking Charge of Your Fertility (again) and realized that there were a few things that I had been doing wrong in the "easy" charting that so many websites offer. Ummm......embarrassed to admit to them but they were (1) waiting for the "dip" to warn of impending ovulation, and (2) not taking advantage of EWCM days. Ok, so in hindsight probably an issue. But I really do think that there were many. So, here are the things that have changed:

1. (TMI ALERT) DH "love nectar" has become super clear/cloudy but white (instead of yellowish tinge) after he basically gave up all the things he loves :-) (i.e. super processed foods, bike riding, ice cream - he found out he is lactose intolerant.)
2. We purchased and have been using the Clear Blue Fertility Monitor this cycle. It is EXTREMELY smart. I decided to do the totally devoted charting with it and what do you know but this morning I felt "wet" and sure enough Watery 1.5 inch stretchy CM and 5 min later the monitor popped up with two bars!! I have extremely high hopes for this machine.
3. We decided to go for the every other day approach.
4. We are trying a variation of the method that TYOYF recommends for marginal sperm counts (just in case - it has been 15 months) and the SMEP (Sperm Meets Egg Plan) method.
5. I joined in on the "giving up the things you love" to a greater extent and swapped by favorite favorite favorite Victoria Secret Thongs for my less than favorite but still super cute PINK boyshorts.....in the hopes of avoiding another yeast infection.
6. I am finally more hopeful.
7. I have added running as a healthy emotional alternative to staying in bed and sobbing uncontrollably. (and not necessarily about infertility - more about the bad friend - see above)

So, in essence this cycle is a hopeful one. A trial and error one, but a hopeful one. I am very thankful to have my supporting husband by my side and my hobbies to fill the time I yearn to fill with a child of our own. We celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary this last May, and it was then that we decided that come what may - it was going to be what it was going to be. It didn't really matter what happened so long as we didn't let our marriage crumble under the weight of infertility. We were here first and we will be here after. Eventually our child(ren) will grow up, leave home, and start their own families and we want to be able to look at each other and know that the relationship that we have is better for the things we have been through and stronger for the trials we have faced and more rich because of the life we were able to bring into this world together.

Here is to love, joy, peace, endurance, faith, mildness, patience, and success. Success being the achievement of happiness and peace in our lives regardless of what that means.

My Ovulation Chart or ?