Thursday, July 17, 2008
Cleared for Takeoff, Asterisk
I had my visit with Dr. GI today. It was my followup appointment after the digestive difficulties of the last few months. She cleared me to start trying again, and said that she doesn't think that I will have any problems with a pregnancy due to the proctitis. She's a little worried that I've lost a few more pounds since our last visit, and wanted to do some follow-up bloodwork. I'm now four vials of blood lighter, but I should get the results tomorrow. Actually, they plan to mail them to me, but I plan to stalk them for them. I think she thinks they will come back fine, but she just wanted to be sure. So, all in all, good news. . .as long as the bloodwork is fine. Of course, I won't really relax until I know that it is normal.
Dr. GI
Today's the appointment with Dr. GI. Keep your fingers crossed for me that she gives us the green light to start up again.
Oddly enough, I think the B6 supplementation might actually be working. I got a "high" reading on the monitor about a week earlier than normal. If things hold, I may get something like a normal ovulation date this month. Could it be a "normal" cycle???
I'll post more tonight about the results of my doctor's appointment.
Oddly enough, I think the B6 supplementation might actually be working. I got a "high" reading on the monitor about a week earlier than normal. If things hold, I may get something like a normal ovulation date this month. Could it be a "normal" cycle???
I'll post more tonight about the results of my doctor's appointment.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Show & Tell--July 13, 2008: Plan A and Nonplan B
I've been thinking a lot about the things in my life that have made me happy. It's interesting to me that many of the things that have made me happiest have happened as a collateral consequence to what I'd planned. In other words, while pursuing Plan A, Nonplan B popped up, and Nonplan B made me very happy, sometimes even happier than achieving Plan A.
Today, I'm going to cheat a little bit at Show & Tell, and take you to the garden again, to show you some tangible examples of this.
I live in a place that gets bitterly cold and snowy in the winter. So, vegetables and such shouldn't survive the winter, right? They especially shouldn't survive when I rototilled before I planted the new garden. And yet, my garden is full of "volunteers" from last year. And then there is the stuff that's been around for a little longer, but I'm just finding it in our yard. I am thrilled to discover unexpected plants, and now I'm going to share some of them with you:
This is perhaps my most exciting find, and it's not in the garden at all, but rather at the edge of the lawn. I've lived in my house for six years, and just discovered these yesterday. I have currants. . .LOADS of them. I can't believe I never noticed them before. Without the berries, they look kind of like maple leaves, which is probably why I never paid much attention to them before. But you'd think I would've noticed the berries. . .in truth, I only recognized the berries yesterday because one of you bloggers showed off your own patch a few weeks ago during Show & Tell (thanks for sharing!).
This one is back from last year! I believe the yellow flowers in the center are going to be "Magic 8 ball zucchini". The zucchinis are small and round, a little bigger than a baseball. One is a perfect portion size, sliced and grilled with olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper and a little parmesean cheese. And if you plant too many of them and can't eat them all and leave them on the plants, the fruit turns orange and look like mini-pumpkins, which is fun at Halloween.
Borage. Isn't it lovely? It's supposed to have a cucumber-like taste. You can cut the flowers and freeze them inside ice cubes, or throw them in salads. Not so hot for women trying to get pregnant, however, so I haven't tried them. I grew borage last summer as part of a special mix to try to draw beneficial insects into my garden, since I don't use pesticides. It seemed to work out okay.
Now, this one is something of a happy surprise to me. They're tomato plants, and I have about a million of them coming back from last year. I planted something like ten different heirloom varieties of tomatoes last summer, so I'm thrilled to see them coming back. But shocked. Who would've thought tomatoes would survive our harsh winter? And the rototilling this spring?
This is also something of a surprise. Parsley. I don't even remember planting parsley last summer, but there it is.
This one is in the mulch pile. I always plant mint in pots, because I don't like how invasive it is. Two falls ago, my husband dumped the pot full of mint--three kinds--into the mulch pile. And here are all three varieties, going strong despite the fact our lawn clippings have been tossed on top of them for weeks.
And finally, I've got sunflowers growing amidst the corn.
It's such a little thing, but I was thrilled to discover all of these unexpected plants. It was such a nice surprise, and particuarly as things in the garden grow and get big enough for me to be able to identify them, I'm discovering more and more. Nonplan B is spontaneous joy, both in plants and in life. I'm wondering what in my life will next spring up when I least expect it, bringing me happiness. What collateral happiness will I find in Nonplan B, as I pursue my next Plan A both professionally and in terms of my family? I'm excited to find out the answer to this.
And then there are the things that have come into bloom in the last week or are ripening on the vine, aka Plan A:
You're probably sick of my garden by now, but it's one of the things that brings me peace and joy, both when it's Plan A, and when Nonplan B comes along. And right now, I am happily living with and waiting for the next thing to happen in both realms.
Today, I'm going to cheat a little bit at Show & Tell, and take you to the garden again, to show you some tangible examples of this.
I live in a place that gets bitterly cold and snowy in the winter. So, vegetables and such shouldn't survive the winter, right? They especially shouldn't survive when I rototilled before I planted the new garden. And yet, my garden is full of "volunteers" from last year. And then there is the stuff that's been around for a little longer, but I'm just finding it in our yard. I am thrilled to discover unexpected plants, and now I'm going to share some of them with you:
This is perhaps my most exciting find, and it's not in the garden at all, but rather at the edge of the lawn. I've lived in my house for six years, and just discovered these yesterday. I have currants. . .LOADS of them. I can't believe I never noticed them before. Without the berries, they look kind of like maple leaves, which is probably why I never paid much attention to them before. But you'd think I would've noticed the berries. . .in truth, I only recognized the berries yesterday because one of you bloggers showed off your own patch a few weeks ago during Show & Tell (thanks for sharing!).
This one is back from last year! I believe the yellow flowers in the center are going to be "Magic 8 ball zucchini". The zucchinis are small and round, a little bigger than a baseball. One is a perfect portion size, sliced and grilled with olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper and a little parmesean cheese. And if you plant too many of them and can't eat them all and leave them on the plants, the fruit turns orange and look like mini-pumpkins, which is fun at Halloween.
Borage. Isn't it lovely? It's supposed to have a cucumber-like taste. You can cut the flowers and freeze them inside ice cubes, or throw them in salads. Not so hot for women trying to get pregnant, however, so I haven't tried them. I grew borage last summer as part of a special mix to try to draw beneficial insects into my garden, since I don't use pesticides. It seemed to work out okay.
Now, this one is something of a happy surprise to me. They're tomato plants, and I have about a million of them coming back from last year. I planted something like ten different heirloom varieties of tomatoes last summer, so I'm thrilled to see them coming back. But shocked. Who would've thought tomatoes would survive our harsh winter? And the rototilling this spring?
This is also something of a surprise. Parsley. I don't even remember planting parsley last summer, but there it is.
This one is in the mulch pile. I always plant mint in pots, because I don't like how invasive it is. Two falls ago, my husband dumped the pot full of mint--three kinds--into the mulch pile. And here are all three varieties, going strong despite the fact our lawn clippings have been tossed on top of them for weeks.
And finally, I've got sunflowers growing amidst the corn.
It's such a little thing, but I was thrilled to discover all of these unexpected plants. It was such a nice surprise, and particuarly as things in the garden grow and get big enough for me to be able to identify them, I'm discovering more and more. Nonplan B is spontaneous joy, both in plants and in life. I'm wondering what in my life will next spring up when I least expect it, bringing me happiness. What collateral happiness will I find in Nonplan B, as I pursue my next Plan A both professionally and in terms of my family? I'm excited to find out the answer to this.
And then there are the things that have come into bloom in the last week or are ripening on the vine, aka Plan A:
You're probably sick of my garden by now, but it's one of the things that brings me peace and joy, both when it's Plan A, and when Nonplan B comes along. And right now, I am happily living with and waiting for the next thing to happen in both realms.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Saturday Scattegories & Other Things
Stolen from Calliope :
Take the first letter of your ideal travel destination and use it to answer the following:
1) What is your ideal travel destination?
Borneo, of course.
2) Something you would pack in a carry on?
Books.
3) Something you would try to sneak by security?
Bug spray in my carryon.
4) Something you would buy at the airport duty free shop?
Bongos.
5) Something you would take a photo of and e-mail?
Borneans.
6) Something you would swipe from your hotel room?
Blankets.
7) Something you complain to the hotel front desk about?
Bugs.
8)Something that would make you travel sick?
Burgers, undercooked.
9) Something you would only drink while on vacation?
Banana daiquiri.
10) Something you can’t wait to return home to?
Bed, my own.
That was fun. In other news. . .Things are crazy, but going well. I'm working constantly, but mostly enjoying it. I know it's going to sound a little nuts, but I enjoy and thrive off chaos. And things are nothing if not chaotic right now. One night this week I worked until midnight, and then got up at 4am the next morning to keep working. That's just how it's going to be in my little corner of the world, indefinitely.
On the baby front, I see Dr. GI on Thursday. I am feeling great, and hope to be cleared to TTC again. I should ovulate around the beginning of next week, so theoretically, the timing of this appointment on Thursday is perfect. Given the chaos of the Big Project, I haven't exactly decided though if we WILL TTC this month, even if cleared. It seems a little fool-hardy, given the utter chaos of the rest of my life, to be trying to get pregnant right now. Of course, it also seems a little foolish to think that after everything that's happened across the last year, we'd actually get pregnant immediately upon trying. I can't invest much time thinking about it, though, because if I do and Dr. GI says we are still on hold, I don't think I'll be able to bear it. I have to say, though, I am feeling optimistic. The planets are aligning. I can just feel it.
Take the first letter of your ideal travel destination and use it to answer the following:
1) What is your ideal travel destination?
Borneo, of course.
2) Something you would pack in a carry on?
Books.
3) Something you would try to sneak by security?
Bug spray in my carryon.
4) Something you would buy at the airport duty free shop?
Bongos.
5) Something you would take a photo of and e-mail?
Borneans.
6) Something you would swipe from your hotel room?
Blankets.
7) Something you complain to the hotel front desk about?
Bugs.
8)Something that would make you travel sick?
Burgers, undercooked.
9) Something you would only drink while on vacation?
Banana daiquiri.
10) Something you can’t wait to return home to?
Bed, my own.
That was fun. In other news. . .Things are crazy, but going well. I'm working constantly, but mostly enjoying it. I know it's going to sound a little nuts, but I enjoy and thrive off chaos. And things are nothing if not chaotic right now. One night this week I worked until midnight, and then got up at 4am the next morning to keep working. That's just how it's going to be in my little corner of the world, indefinitely.
On the baby front, I see Dr. GI on Thursday. I am feeling great, and hope to be cleared to TTC again. I should ovulate around the beginning of next week, so theoretically, the timing of this appointment on Thursday is perfect. Given the chaos of the Big Project, I haven't exactly decided though if we WILL TTC this month, even if cleared. It seems a little fool-hardy, given the utter chaos of the rest of my life, to be trying to get pregnant right now. Of course, it also seems a little foolish to think that after everything that's happened across the last year, we'd actually get pregnant immediately upon trying. I can't invest much time thinking about it, though, because if I do and Dr. GI says we are still on hold, I don't think I'll be able to bear it. I have to say, though, I am feeling optimistic. The planets are aligning. I can just feel it.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Show & Tell--July 6, 2008
For today's Show & Tell, I'm showing off one of my other obsessions.
I have something of a plant fixation, so the gardens are constantly a work in progress. I am always trying new things, in part because there is always some plant on my wish list, and in part because not everything survives the winter. I have to contend with heavy clay in parts of the yard, so things sometimes don't come back the following year through the tough soil. I also seem to have a powdery mildew problem, even when I buy mildew-resistant varieties, so that has killed off things like bee balm and anise hyssop. I love both of those plants, because even when not heavily in bloom, the plants themselves smell so good when you bring cuttings inside. Alas, they are not meant to be in my yard. Happily, plenty of other things DO survive.
I am constantly mulling over new plans for the garden. Currently, there is a new bush sitting in a bed, still in the pot. I will have to go outside and consider it again today, but I think it's not the right spot for it. I think I need to put a couple of giant echinacea there, instead, because the butterfly bush next door is likely to grow too large, and take up the empty space that I'm trying to fill. If I put the new bush there, it will also grow large, and there won't be enough space for both it and the butterfly bush. Plus, the bush has white flowers that will eventually turn pink, and the butterfly bush is purple. I don't love a purple next to a white--too boring. Although pink and purple are lovely together, especially with an orange or a yellow, like the one planted in front of it. I don't really have another spot for the bush right now, either. Such a dilemma I have.
I have several beds that I completely started over with this year, and I can't wait to see how they'll turn out. I decided I wanted beds that were all red and orange and yellow. So, I bought nine different kids of seeds and scattered them all together. By the end of the summer, with a little luck, they should be magnificent. They're mostly perennials, too, so they should be fabulous next spring, too. I have an all blue bed in the works, too, with a bit of white and chartreuse green. See? Obsessed. It's another form of therapy, though, so I can justify all of the money I spend on it.
However, I am generally very busy, so I've created a few "rules" for myself. First, as I'm sure you can tell, I prefer the messy English cottage garden look, i.e., lots of stuff jumbled together. Second, I don't weed. If you are fanatical about weeds, look away. Mostly, they aren't too much of a problem, due to the clay. Third, I'm all for "volunteers." If a plant goes to seed and sprouts up in some other part of my garden, I let it grow where it is. Fourth, I only plant perennials. I don't really see the point in annuals in the garden, and my yard is bereft of them, except for the pot or two that graces my front stoop and back porch, and a couple of hanging pots. Finally, I'm all organic, all the time. My one big vexation is the lack of an organic nursery selling organic perennials. I try to buy as many as I can at the farmer's market, but the options there are limited.
I love coming home and seeing what has finally bloomed during the day. It will be even more exciting once the tomatoes come into season--my favorite garden food! It is so relaxing to walk around in the evening, and see what progress the plants have made since the day before. It's one of the few aspects of my life where I can see tangible progress in a short amount of time. And hey, it's fertile!
I have something of a plant fixation, so the gardens are constantly a work in progress. I am always trying new things, in part because there is always some plant on my wish list, and in part because not everything survives the winter. I have to contend with heavy clay in parts of the yard, so things sometimes don't come back the following year through the tough soil. I also seem to have a powdery mildew problem, even when I buy mildew-resistant varieties, so that has killed off things like bee balm and anise hyssop. I love both of those plants, because even when not heavily in bloom, the plants themselves smell so good when you bring cuttings inside. Alas, they are not meant to be in my yard. Happily, plenty of other things DO survive.
I am constantly mulling over new plans for the garden. Currently, there is a new bush sitting in a bed, still in the pot. I will have to go outside and consider it again today, but I think it's not the right spot for it. I think I need to put a couple of giant echinacea there, instead, because the butterfly bush next door is likely to grow too large, and take up the empty space that I'm trying to fill. If I put the new bush there, it will also grow large, and there won't be enough space for both it and the butterfly bush. Plus, the bush has white flowers that will eventually turn pink, and the butterfly bush is purple. I don't love a purple next to a white--too boring. Although pink and purple are lovely together, especially with an orange or a yellow, like the one planted in front of it. I don't really have another spot for the bush right now, either. Such a dilemma I have.
I have several beds that I completely started over with this year, and I can't wait to see how they'll turn out. I decided I wanted beds that were all red and orange and yellow. So, I bought nine different kids of seeds and scattered them all together. By the end of the summer, with a little luck, they should be magnificent. They're mostly perennials, too, so they should be fabulous next spring, too. I have an all blue bed in the works, too, with a bit of white and chartreuse green. See? Obsessed. It's another form of therapy, though, so I can justify all of the money I spend on it.
However, I am generally very busy, so I've created a few "rules" for myself. First, as I'm sure you can tell, I prefer the messy English cottage garden look, i.e., lots of stuff jumbled together. Second, I don't weed. If you are fanatical about weeds, look away. Mostly, they aren't too much of a problem, due to the clay. Third, I'm all for "volunteers." If a plant goes to seed and sprouts up in some other part of my garden, I let it grow where it is. Fourth, I only plant perennials. I don't really see the point in annuals in the garden, and my yard is bereft of them, except for the pot or two that graces my front stoop and back porch, and a couple of hanging pots. Finally, I'm all organic, all the time. My one big vexation is the lack of an organic nursery selling organic perennials. I try to buy as many as I can at the farmer's market, but the options there are limited.
I love coming home and seeing what has finally bloomed during the day. It will be even more exciting once the tomatoes come into season--my favorite garden food! It is so relaxing to walk around in the evening, and see what progress the plants have made since the day before. It's one of the few aspects of my life where I can see tangible progress in a short amount of time. And hey, it's fertile!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Happy Thoughts
I am feeling really positive these days. I feel like I am in a really good space. I feel like the planets are finally going to align, and things are going to finally work out for us. I feel like the universe is actually unfolding as it should. (But, I probably jinxed myself by typing that.)
I've made some career decisions that I think are going to be good ones. Adding the B6 really seemed to work last month, and my LP was a day longer, which I'm thrilled about. I've gained a little weight back. And, I have a doctor's appointment in two weeks with Dr. GI, who will hopefully finally give us the green light to TTC again.
There are lots of other things that aren't working well, or aren't working at all, but I've decided to see the glass as half full right now. And that's that.
I've made some career decisions that I think are going to be good ones. Adding the B6 really seemed to work last month, and my LP was a day longer, which I'm thrilled about. I've gained a little weight back. And, I have a doctor's appointment in two weeks with Dr. GI, who will hopefully finally give us the green light to TTC again.
There are lots of other things that aren't working well, or aren't working at all, but I've decided to see the glass as half full right now. And that's that.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
10DPO, and Counting
No, I don't think there is any chance I am pregnant. But my LP has been only 10 days for the last 4 cycles or so. Might I actually get 11 days out of this cycle? I supplemented with a balanced 50 B-complex this month. I wonder if it made a difference? It sure didn't make me O earlier--CD24 this month, which is kind of ridiculous.
I ordered new vitamins, which should be here tomorrow. Something called Optivite. There are some studies out there suggesting that short LP is due to problems earlier in the cycle, and other studies showing that increasing B6 can solve the problems. It all makes sense to me in technical terms, but I'm too tired to explain it better. Anyway, I thought I'd try the supplements for the next month or two, before turning to Clomid. Optivite is really intended to ease PMS, but the vitamins are recommended for women with short LP, too. I'm a little sketched out about them, as I couldn't find them locally anywhere. I suppose I could've simply supplemented B6 further on my own, but it seemed easier to take a single supplement. Has anyone tried Optivite?
I ordered new vitamins, which should be here tomorrow. Something called Optivite. There are some studies out there suggesting that short LP is due to problems earlier in the cycle, and other studies showing that increasing B6 can solve the problems. It all makes sense to me in technical terms, but I'm too tired to explain it better. Anyway, I thought I'd try the supplements for the next month or two, before turning to Clomid. Optivite is really intended to ease PMS, but the vitamins are recommended for women with short LP, too. I'm a little sketched out about them, as I couldn't find them locally anywhere. I suppose I could've simply supplemented B6 further on my own, but it seemed easier to take a single supplement. Has anyone tried Optivite?
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