Tonight's Dinner

Ginger-Lime Beef Stir-Fry
(courtesy Cooking Light)

1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp grated, peeled fresh ginger
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
12 oz boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
4 lime wedges

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk.
2. heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add steak; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; drizzle evenly with ginger-lime mixture. Garnish with onions and lime wedges, if desired. Serve over cellophane noodles.

3 servings
calories: 197
Fat: 9 grams
Fiber: 0.1 grams

This had a great flavor to it, and a good amount of heat as well! I was new to the cellophane noodles--very odd in appearance until you add the sauce--and then, not unlike tofu, they seemed to take on the flavor and color of the rest of the dish.

Next time, I'll take a picture!

Followup visit

I just got home from my post-op visit. It went well. My incisions are healing well (knew that), I can return to normal activity (does that mean I have to go to the gym?), and he was pleased with the surgery. I have the pictures, but I'm not going to post them. However, I am going to post them on my refrigerator to keep me from eating!--little globules of fat tissue might keep me from eating for awhile!! =)

Anyway, the fibroids were actually good sized---all close to the size of tennis balls. He showed me the endometriosis and the cyst that he removed as well. My RE thinks that we have a pretty good chance with IUI and injectibles--even higher than what he would usually quote, because I have such a glowingly clean reproductive tract now. Woohoo!

I will go in for shot training the beginning of next week and then on to the next phase of this adventure. You know what? I'm excited.

Happy Sunday

It's the weekend, the temperature outside is at least ten degrees cooler, and my husband made pancakes for breakfast.

Seriously, does life get any better?

I just wanted to thank you all for your thoughtful comments, encouragement, and support over the past week. I continue to be completely floored by this awesome community. I look forward to following everyone's stories, and hope that we all get our wishes soon.

Now me and my full belly are off to a nap.

First day back

Today was a rough day.

First day back to work. Surrounded by children and pregnant women. One of my partners comes up to me and says "Well, I'm going to be taking a couple of months off in January!" I completely did not get what she was saying. Total blonde moment. I told her, "What do you mean?" She said, "You know, I'm going to be taking a couple of months off work in January." I said, "I don't get it." She said, "I'm pregnant!" Oh, congratulations. I'm happy for you. I'm trying to be happy for you. Ok, I'm not really happy for you. And I feel bad that I'm not happy for you.

I cried with a coworker who is going through IF and who understands.

I had a client ask about my surgery and pointedly ask why I had it done. I told the truth. And then I cried some more. And she was not embarrassed. And she was very understanding. But still.

I've never lost it at work before. Twice in one day. Not a good first day back. Not at all.

And back to the real world

Well, I'm back to work tomorrow. I'm kicking myself that I just didn't take the whole week off to recover! However, I did a tester day today and spent the day out shopping and survived. In the 100 degree heat.

I can't believe that I just compared shopping to work. Oh my.

So, I'm a little tired, but I'm doing pretty well overall. Sore belly button, but the bloat is just about gone. I'm wishing my post-op appointment was this week!

Ok, I'm going to take advantage of the fact that it is ICLW and ask a question to all of you wonderful women. We're looking at IUI + injectables next. Now, my clinic gives a particular pharmacy to go get the medications, but for those of you who have done them, do you shop around for price? Have any of you found any particularly different prices looking at different pharmacies? You know, since this is all out of pocket, I'm making sure I'm maximizing my dime.

Now, if only I opened up the Sunday paper and there were coupons for infertility. A girl can dream.

ICLW

Whew! I barely made it in under the deadline this month! Since I am recovering from surgery, I figured that this would be a great week to participate in ICLW. Yay!

Our IF journey is approaching 2 years in August. We have gone through 3 cycles of Clomid, 3 Clomid IUI's, a couple of cancelled IUI's, and most recently, a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. On the laparoscopy, 3 fibroids were removed and some mild endometriosis was removed as well. There was also a large cyst on my ovary that was removed. Roto-rooter of the reproductive organs, I say!!

Anyway, we are hoping that in some way, the surgery helped. We will have a followup visit with the RE in about a week to talk about the surgery and the next step. We're planning on doing IUI with injectibles, but will likely move on to IVF rather quickly as we're paying for all of this out of pocket.

So, that's the egg in a (nut)shell!

I made it

Well, I figured I'm now with it enough to post--but please ignore me if I don't make any sense.

The surgery went well. It lasted about 2 hours, and he removed 3 fibroids. I did have some mild endometriosis as well, and he removed it all. I feel really happy about the results.

Recovery so far has been fine. I was in a lot of pain in recovery and spent enough time there that my husband got a little worried. We were finally in the car to go home 3 hours later, and now I actually don't feel that bad. I'm in bed catching up on the DVR--Law and Order SVU and multiple things on the Food Network, and dozing in and out of sleep. I'm keeping down fluids, and have actually eaten too! My darling husband bought me those animal cookies that are covered with frosting and sprinkes (something I would never buy for myself, but will when we have kids, you betcha I will!) and they actually taste good. Hopefully I won't be vomiting all night because of that. Oh well.

So thank you thank you thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, and listening. You all are definitely an anchor for me.

Will post more soon.

T minus 3 days

Ok, so I'm starting to get a little anxious about Friday. I'm measuring my level of anxiety by the number of M&M's I have eaten...see, unfortunately, we have the world's largest bag of M&M's in the pantry, because I bought the aforementioned world's biggest bag at the wholesale club to make the world's largest batch of monster cookies. But I have many many M&M's left. And I think I ate at least 10 servings tonight. Has anyone ever mixed popcorn and M&M's together? Very very good. But I digress....

I called the RE's office today because I hadn't heard a definitive time from the surgery center. Nine AM. His first surgery. THANK GOODNESS. I was really crossing my fingers that I would be in the morning, so I wouldn't have to wait and wait and wait. Bring on the anxiolytics!!!!!!

I'm so ready to put this behind us. Move on and get closer to that baby. That's my motto.

My husband

Today, my husband comes home from work and starts talking about how a co-worker keeps talking about his newly pregnant wife. Supposedly, all the man can do is complain to my husband about how much she gets up to pee at night, and how they got pregnant while on birth control, and on and on. And this man knows how we've been struggling in that department.

Then, my husband went on to say, "Honey, I'll love it when you wake me up at night because you have to pee so much. "

I love that man. Love him.

oh wow

I can not believe that it has been three weeks since I have posted. Does it help to say that I have been on vacation for the last week--that I'm tan and at least 5 lbs heavier? (I'm going to give myself a break from the scale for a week, so hopefully the aftermath is a bit smaller)

We went on vacation with family last week-and got to spend a lot of time with my 2 year old niece. She was darling. And I felt blessed for the time. And, if anything, it renewed my faith that I do very much want to be a mother. In the midst of treatments, I sometimes get in the mind frame of thinking that maybe we should just give up and live child-free. That maybe this isn't meant to be. That me not getting pregnant means that I'm not supposed to be a mother. So, in the midst of a week of relaxation, I see chubby fingers and toes, a laugh that makes your heart melt, and little fingers that hold your face just so...and I realize that this is a portion of my life that I don't want to miss. I see my husband with her, and I can't wait for him to have children of his own. He's going to be such an amazing father.

On a different note, my lap is next friday, and I'm a little scared. There. Got it out on paper (internet). I have never had surgery before. Of any kind. And while I'm no stranger to the medical community, having something done to yourself is an entirely different thing. I feel really vulnerable. And unsure.

So, I'm back. And will be posting. I'm getting through all of the blogs that I read. You all make me cheer. Some of the recent stories are bringing tears to my eyes. Oh, why do we have to go through all of this?