zziiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggggggg

Whoa!
Just got back from my second visit to the accupuncturist. (that is such a long, hard word to type) This time I layed on my back. One in my head, two in each wrist, one in each ankle, one in each foot arch, & in-between the toes - but then she put three in a line down from my belly-button to above my pubic bone. whoa. As soon as she put the first one in I felt something like an electric pulse shoot out of my belly down my left leg. Then the next two the same strong electric pulse, but it felt like I had to pee. TMI - sorry. But it really felt like it was doing something. Weird, warm feeling. Then when she came in to twist the needles "to stimulate them" the same weird pulsing feeling. The one in my left arch still tingles. She said it was good - that was the sensation she was looking to achieve.

She also talked a bit more about an article she just read from Germany. More and more practices, including Pittsburgh, are incorporating Accupuncture with their IVF treatments. It's increasing the success rates about 20%. That's a lot. Especially when you consider how cheap AP (there, that's easier) is compared to IVF. Might as well do anything to make it work. We're not doing IVF, but it can't do anything but help our IUI's.

I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but I am really hungry right now. And I already ate lunch. Oh, and I've got the little dots again. This time in my right ear. A bit harder to deal with as that's my phone ear. Have to remember to switch ears to use the phone.

This whole trip to try and get pregnant just gets stranger and stranger. I've also eliminated dairy products and wheat. And most alcohol except a bit of red wine on the weekends. As much as I love cheese, I miss the alcohol more. But it's really not that hard to give up. When ever I think about wanting something, I just think about all the time & money I've/we've spent trying, then it's easy to turn away from the giant glass of cabernet.

Can't Wait for this Wedding!

I just got an email today from our friends in Devon, UK.
They're getting married about a year from now in Pennsylvania, where she's from. The Deleware Water Gap area. (beautiful there - it's in the Pocono Mts) They set up this really cheesy - she said it not me - wedding website that is actually great! Seeing all the pics in the photo album, just make me realize and remember how much freakin fun it always is to be around these two, and what great friends they have. Their wedding is going to be so much fun. We're all renting cabins at the resort, which should be beautiful in the fall. I'll get to see her this Christmas, and we're planning on going over to visit them this summer.

1st visit to the Accupuncurist

So I went to the accupuncturist for my first appointment this morning. It went really well. (I guess, considering I've never been) Met the Dr. Very nice. She's from China, has an accent, but not strong. We got along very well. She was super sweet. We talked about everything I've been doing. She seemed to focus on the fact that I was on the Pill for over 10 years. That my body's never got back to a healthy norm after that. She said she's had about 10 women come in for Fertility problems - 6 of which got pregnant. Several had already done IUI's and IVF.

She went over all the notes I had to fill out, then looked at my tongue (said it looked good) then asked if I liked cold or hot foods, and took my pulse, several times from both wrists. Then came the needles. For this first time I layed on my stomach. I had 17 - 20 needles I'd say. She started with one on the top of my head. She said to help my stress. (I'm thinking it better be a huge needle.) As she went along she would ask each time if it hurt. I couldn't feel them go in - except for one on my back that really pinched. After a few minutes it went away. Even the ones she put between my toes didn't hurt. I layed there for aboiut 10 minutes with a heating lamp on me. Then she came in and I guess twisted the needles - said she was stimulating them. She did that one more time. It didn't hurt. Then she came in and showed me what she was going to do next. She had what looked like a packet of gum, the sealed kind you pop out, but instead of gum it looked like individual packaged round seeds. Smaller than a bb pellet. She peeled each one off and stuck it in my ear. She said to tell her when it was tender. She put four of them in. They're to keep pressure on certain points constantly. I'll keep them in for 5 days. It's just one ear. Next week it will be the other ear, and they'll stay in for 7 days. You can't really see them, and I can't feel them.

I'll go back once a week. For this month, I'm just going to do this. Next month I'll combine this with another IUI cycle. I don't know why, but doing this makes me feel good. Like I'm taking control of it, even if it's just a bit. Instead of going to the Dr, getting scans, getting a shot, doing a procedure and waiting. With this I can read about it and understand it, and work on my diet, mental state, do exercise and yoga. Hopefully it will all come together.

Oh, Here is the book I've been reading: Fertility Wisdom

The day after

Last night we went out to dinner with some friends, another couple. Jodi and I lived together for 2 years after I got divorced in '98. Her and her husband are always a lot of fun, so dinner was a constant struggle to eat and drink without choking or spitting it out. We ate at the Union Grill in Washington, Pa.

Right when we pulled up, we had just missed a big car crash at street intersection. We got there right as the ambulance, police and firetrucks pulled up. One car was missing it's back end, the other car had driven up and along the sidewalk and hit a tree. Looked pretty bad.

We had potstickers for apps, then D and I had steak salad. The steak was a bit like shoe leather. Not the best I've had. The company made up for the food. Somewhere in the restaurant where I couldn't see her, there was an older lady, singing. She was with a group of girlfriends and it must have been someone's b-day, becuase she kept singing in that hi-pitch, watery, older woman voice. Like six times. I was afraid they were going to get her to come over and sing to me!

Overall it was a nice day. I got a call from Kim in England - yay! Great to hear her voice. (I'm going to have to get Skype hooked up by Feb) I got lots of cards and Jodi got me a pretty necklace. I didn't get the X-Men dvd I so badly wanted, (the dig had to come) but I'll wait and get that online cheaper.

Tonight it's grocery shopping, cook a curry and watch Lost. Tomorrow night is a "Pampered Chef" party at Jodi's. I never buy anything, she knows this - why do I need a $25 garlic press? But it's fun to go. Friday I leave work early for an overnight in Columbus, Ohio with two girlfriends at Easton Town Center. I do a lot of window shopping and carrying their bags. I can't keep up with them with all the buying - it's crazy.

It's also supposed to get down to 50 degrees during the day Friday - with a chance of FLURRIES!! It's still October!! It's 70 today. This is people-get-sick kind of weather.

That's it for today. I may not post again until next Monday - have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday to Moi!

Today I turn 36.
I've been dreading this for a year. 36 is the year all the fertility books, etc list as a turning point. So I thought I'd be really miserable today. But I'm not.

The thing is, I still get excited about birthdays like I was 12. It never gets old. I can't wait to see what I'll get. Even if it's a book or a bar of soap. Birthday to me is BIRTHDAY. It was too ingrained into me as a kid. Like Pavlov's dog. Birthday equals sugar and happiness. I have a feeling I'll be this way about my 67th birthday as well.

I could be down about being 36 and still baby-less. And maybe tomorrow I will be. But today I'm in a really great mood with lots to me happy about. Here, let me list them:

• This month includes; a trip to Louisianna, Oglebayfest, my b-day, Girls wknd in Easton, Lost premiere, X-Men DVD release, bonfires, Halloween, pumpkins, tree colors change, fall walks
• I still don't look my age - more important every year
• My husband is my best friend
• Little man Ned - always makes me laugh
• I have a wonderful family
• diggin my new Yoga class
• feeling upbeat about Accupuncture/T. Chinese Medicine appointment
• I have wonderful friends
• I have a great job
• I have an awesome house
• my beat up Rodeo kicks butt in 4wd
• Fall colors are wonderful this year
• my 7 homegrown pumpkins
• mulled wine
• going out to dinner for my B-day with friends tonight
• Lost Wednesday
• Girl party Thursday