Two weeks ago I started a big update entry on how things had been going in our in vitro cycle. I never finished it, and I think I'll probably just delete it. The in vitro didn't work. As usual, my doctor is at a complete loss as to why. As he said, we know that my system works (at least to some extent) because we have Alison. The only "good" news to come out of the whole thing is that we have 2 embryos frozen. Today we learned that they are blastocysts, the highest quality you can have. So we have decided to go ahead and try another frozen embryo transfer. The funny thing about it is that it will be almost exactly 3 years since the last one. Will we possibly have the same luck as the last time? Kevin says he feels more optimistic about this cycle than he did the full cycle. I'm not so sure. Of course, I wasn't so sure about the full cycle either, apparently with good reason.

We'll be following almost the exact same protocol as our last FET. I'm starting BCP tonight, to help quiet down my ovaries after having them hyperstimulated. On Dec. 2, I will get an injection of DepoLupron. Then I'll start estrogen and progesterone. We're also going to throw a 5 day course of steroids into the mix and wrap it all up with Lovenox (2x per day, instead of just once) and baby aspirin after the transfer. I think about the only thing that will be different is that we're going to transfer blast embryos and we have to pay for it this time. Last time we got a freebie due to a mix up with our 3rd full cycle. We had paid for assisted hatching of the embryos and, for whatever reason, they did not do it. The only question, aside from will it work or not, is will the embryos survive the thaw. Dr. Shamma feels it's highly unlikely that we won't have at least one to transfer. So here we go.

In other news, we have finally talked to both of Alison's doctors about her foot. Once we get the order from Dr. Craig, the orthopedic surgeon, she will be casted and fit for an AFO. The funny thing about this is that Kevin initially talked to Dr. Hurvitz on Monday to find out what had been decided. He told him he had gone back and forth with Dr. Craig about whether or not she needed it and finally agreed to it. After Kevin and I talked about it, we decided we wanted to know what made him change his mind, since he had been inclined to leave her alone. Kevin called him back and we were waiting to hear back from him. On Friday, we got a call from Dr. Craig saying that Dr. Hurvitz wanted to brace Alison. Ok, whatever. The strange thing about it all is that Dr. Craig said she only needs to wear it for an hour a day. Which leaves me wondering what is the point of having her wear it all. I suppose he might up the amount of time in it after she's worn it for a while, who knows. But, at least he answered some of the other questions we had for Dr. Hurvitz. We were concerned about how putting her in a rigid brace and immobilizing her foot was going to help correct what we've all agreed is a muscle problem. The answer is that it will be an articulating AFO, meaning it will keep her foot straight, but she will still be able to point and flex it. So, in about a month or so, Alison will be in a brace.

I'm trying to get a jump on my holiday preparations, and am not doing a very good job. We need to have all the presents we're sending to our family in Maryland ready by Thanksgiving so we can give them to my brother to take with him when he goes to my aunt and uncle's to go hunting the following weekend (thus saving us some money on shipping). Unfortunately, we have nothing bought/made. I do have ideas, though. I've also managed to get a very small start on my holiday baking. Alison and I made a batch of cookie dough this morning. Unfortunately, I didn't check out how well stocked my baking supplies are before we went to the store yesterday. So instead of whipping up a double batch of dough, we just made a single batch, because I'm just about out of flour. :( Looks like I'm headed to the store tonight.

So that's my life....or something like it, right now.