Another year

Yesterday was my birthday.

All in all, it was sort of underwhelming. 36 is hard, harder than 35 for whatever reason. I just sort of went about my business as usual, and then The Man and I went out to a nice dinner. He did get me a nice gift this year, which was much appreciated :)

I did get a little teary at one point. It's hard not to think about what you wanted to have accomplished by now when your birthday rolls around. I was "supposed" to have a few kids by now. I just console myself with the knowledge that I am working on it, that we're in a much better place to raise children, and that I will be a better parent because of what I have been through.

Thanksgiving is also stressful: due to my dietary restrictions, I suspect that staying with my family is going to be a test of my patience, as usual. Last weekend, The Man and I stayed with Mom and Dad. Dad went out "to pick up something for breakfast" and came back with croissants and bagels. And yes, he knows I have a wheat allergy. There's no kind explanation, really! I keep wondering if they will buy a birthday cake for me, and then eat it in front of me. ;) I may have to make a gluten-free version for myself.

Warm The Mansion seems to be working. The acupuncturist is very pleased with my progress, and has asked me to get an ovulation predictor kit, so we can verify that my charts are accurate.

The other thing that is going on: I have started CrossFit, which is literally kicking my butt. I can't complain too much though, because I LOVE it, and also because HOLY MUSCLE DEFINITION BATMAN! The man patted me on the leg last night and then gave my leg an experimental squeeze and said, "That's impressive." I am also noticing that my jeans are beginning to feel roomy, which is something to be thrilled about.

Charting a course

I haven't had much to say: this feels very different from the last go-round. I did go in for tests on my thyroid, and everything is ok. The acupuncturist and I have been worried, because my morning temps when I am charting can get REALLY low (like down into "95 degrees" low) and they fluctuate a lot: although I am happy to report, it looks like I am now ovulating on Day 14 (one chart's worth of evidence) and it ALSO looks like my short luteal phase is no longer short! That's just a guess at the moment, but I feel pretty confident about it.

As Mr. Acupuncture is not happy with newfangled digital thermometers, I have ordered a glass version from Amazon. I have been keeping my feet warm, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and dairy (chocolate is another story: sigh) I have been obediently taking my "Warm The Mansion" pills, and fish oil, my new Prenatal vitamins should also be arriving soon to replace the crappy Trader Joe's ones that make me barf occasionally....and I am trying not to panic. I am supposed to be going off to Mexico for a week, leaving next Saturday.

My chart went tri-phasic this week. Looking at it, it is pretty easy to see, even with the fluctuations. The "pregnant triphasic chart" example on Fertility friend looks eerily similar. I've told my BFF, and hinted to The Man, although I don't want to say anything definitive, as he will not let me go on the trip. But!!!! The possibility is there. Of course, it's one of those "hindsight is 20-20 signs", but I don't remember seeing anything like it, back when I was charting before. So worst scenario: my body has repaired itself. Best scenario: I don't even have the courage to type it.

Mint Juleps and Needles

I survived my first acupuncture treatment and consult, and am pleased to say that I seem to have alleviated a frightening amount of issues with my dietary change back in March. Going through the paperwork itself was a revelation. My waking temps upon charting are still low, but are higher than they were last time around. We agreed that te bulk of the problems were fixed, and the ones that are left over seem to be pretty straightforward. One of the Chinese herbal concoctions I am taking is called "Warming the Mansion," which I find hysterical.

The acupuncturist has a great reputation, and he told me that he thinks I will be ready to have a baby within 6 months of treatment: and is willing to say on the record that he doesn't think I will need IVF to do it. But if I do, my body will be ready for it. So...pretty good news all told, and we are moving ahead! Obviously something is already happening with me: since my treatment, I have been floating around on a happy little pink cloud. It's a little unnerving. If I didn't know better, I would say I was stoned, just without the paranoia. No complaints here. ;)

In other news, a baby tiger was born in Germany: to a lady tiger who was previously thought to be infertile.

There's hope for all of us, I guess!

Out of the darkness

Wow. Reading back through this and seeing where I was is a little like traveling back in time.

Well, I ran away for awhile. I spent two years getting myself back. We moved: to the Bay Area, which has been more difficult than I had anticipated. We are now looking at houses. I have managed not to gain back all the weight I lost. I also figured out that a lot of my weird issues were caused by gluten intolerance. My weight is now much more stable, my skin is clear, my migraines are controlled, and my memory seems to be much better. I also have a ton more energy that I used to!

I have been putting my new found energy into finishing up old projects. And to that end, a week or so ago, I bought a book for my Kindle, called Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program For Maximum Fertility. It's about getting pregnant as naturally as possible. I liked the approach, which combined Eastern and Western medicine in a way that makes sense to me.

So: we're off! I actually looked up the blog as reference material, so I can fill out my medical info paperwork as accurately as possible, because I am seeing my new acupuncturist next Wednesday. And yes, I will be updating again, now that I have Something To Report.

It's the dawn of a new era, peeps!