30 January 2013

Weather Rollercoaster

Last week it was so cold schools were cancelled. This week we've experienced highs in the mid-60s. WTF, weather? But fear not tomorrow we could get snow again. Here's a picture of my 13 year old dog hanging out this past Saturday enjoying last Friday's snow. That's right. Last week was Frigid (with a capital F). Then it warmed a bit and snowed all day Friday. And then this week we experienced 60 degree weather and the tomorrow it could snow. Fantastic.

black dog sitting in snow
maggie enjoying some snow

23 January 2013

People Who Can Have Children - Updated 1/24/2012


These people can all have children. I cannot.


Boy, 10, died of THIRST after his parents refused him water for five days 'as punishment for wetting the bed' - Dallas, TX; An emergency room doctor testified that the boy went into cardiac arrest, had multiple organs failure, blood poisoning and muscle breakdown as a result of being deprived of water.



Steubenville: Couple admits putting kids in plastic boxes - Couple used plastic storage containers sealed with duct tape to punish their 3 children (ages 5-8). Don't worry they did cut an air hole for them.

Guernsey County Man Kills 5-Year-Old Son, Self - murder-suicide involving 5 yr old

Cleveland: Police investigate possible abuse of 18-month-old - Unexplained bruises on toddler's face, ear, and leg. Child taken from 21 year old mother and placed in custody of paternal grandparents.

Vermilion: Parents, grandmother of dead infant behind bars - toddler starved to death, other children in home malnourished

Investigators: Lancaster Man Had Meth-Making Materials, Kids At Home - 30 year old man with 2 young kids at home (ages 2 & 4). Police were called by neighbors because of suspected drug activity in the house.

Ohio Woman Facing 5th Drunken Driving Charge - 32 year old mother caught drunken driving with her 8 year old son and a bottle of rum in the car.

Mom Charged after Thrown Baby Dies - 25 year old mother threw her 6 month old baby against a hard surface. He suffered skull fractures and brain damage and died at the hospital.

Parents Indicted In Connection With 2-Year-Old’s Scalding Death - I don't blame them at all for the scalding death. That was a tragic tragic accident. However, no one involved realized he needed major help. I'm not as upset about this family. They're more on the fringes of my anger at the universe.

Saturday's Elliptical Mix

I meant to finish this post sooner, but don't really have much to say. Yesterday I started getting sick. Sore throat, general aches, intense pain in my left side . . . With the side pain I wonder if it's ovulation related? Maybe an egg attempting to travel down a blocked tube? We'll see when my cycle starts and how things look with the HSG.

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Better Off Dead - Bad Religion
Kiss My Lips - Borgore and Dev
Shiny Happy People - R.E.M.
Papa Won't Leave You, Henry - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
No Evidence - SpaceGhostPurrp

18 January 2013

Bring on the Booze

This morning's b-hcg was less than 1, so no more restrictions. Welcome back to my life booze, sex, ibuprofen, multi-vitamins . . . . So now I just wait for my period. Then I wait for another period. Then I'll get my HSG. Huzzah!

14 January 2013

The Plan


  1. Another beta on Friday to make sure I'm below 5.
  2. HSG on my second cycle (still haven't started one--last week was a false alarm).
  3. Continue to lose weight! (This morning I was 157 lbs).
We went for a 4 mile walk at a park on Saturday. Since it was warm it was crowded. Crazy crowded. Since I haven't done anything since then my muscles are tensing up with each day that passes. I'm feeling it most in my glutes.

11 January 2013

Drum-roll Please . . . .

Today's Beta: 9

Are you kidding me? Another weekend of sobriety. : (

The nurse who called is going to check with my doctor (NEXT WEEK) to see if she wants to see another level. Also, to check on the timing of my HSG, and also to check with the other nurse about the status of the reconsideration of our karyotypes. But as it is I will not be drinking or taking ibuprofen or multi-vitamins and so on and so forth.


10 January 2013

People Who Can Have Children - Updated 1/10/2013


These people can all have children. I cannot.

Guernsey County Man Kills 5-Year-Old Son, Self - murder-suicide involving 5 yr old

Cleveland: Police investigate possible abuse of 18-month-old - Unexplained bruises on toddler's face, ear, and leg. Child taken from 21 year old mother and placed in custody of paternal grandparents.

Vermilion: Parents, grandmother of dead infant behind bars - toddler starved to death, other children in home malnourished

Investigators: Lancaster Man Had Meth-Making Materials, Kids At Home - 30 year old man with 2 young kids at home (ages 2 & 4). Police were called by neighbors because of suspected drug activity in the house.

Ohio Woman Facing 5th Drunken Driving Charge - 32 year old mother caught drunken driving with her 8 year old son and a bottle of rum in the car.

Mom Charged after Thrown Baby Dies - 25 year old mother threw her 6 month old baby against a hard surface. He suffered skull fractures and brain damage and died at the hospital.

Parents Indicted In Connection With 2-Year-Old’s Scalding Death - I don't blame them at all for the scalding death. That was a tragic tragic accident. However, no one involved realized he needed major help. I'm not as upset about this family. They're more on the fringes of my anger at the universe.

Cycle Day 1?

This morning as I got ready for work I started feeling sick to my stomach. I noticed some blood when I wiped. And then I started feeling crampy. Eventually, with Josh's influence, I texted my boss to say I wouldn't be in for the morning. Then I went back to bed. I woke up a little before noon and still felt crampy, so I took some hydrocodone. Then I left for work around 12:30 pm. I probably should have taken the hydrocodone earlier, because my first hour at work was sort of hazy and I couldn't remember all my words. But it sure does a number on cramps. Now I'm feeling a little wiped out, but nothing terrible. For one hot moment I was afraid I food poisoned a whole group at work with my crockpot chicken, but the stomach seems to have been related to the cramps I hope.
Also, can we just get this out there . . . I will be sooo glad when I'm not bleeding every few days. Get back on a schedule, uterus!

08 January 2013

People Who Can Have Children - Updated 1/8/2013


These people can all have children. I cannot.

Vermilion: Parents, grandmother of dead infant behind bars - toddler starved to death, other children in home malnourished

Investigators: Lancaster Man Had Meth-Making Materials, Kids At Home - 30 year old man with 2 young kids at home (ages 2 & 4). Police were called by neighbors because of suspected drug activity in the house.

Ohio Woman Facing 5th Drunken Driving Charge - 32 year old mother caught drunken driving with her 8 year old son and a bottle of rum in the car.

Mom Charged after Thrown Baby Dies - 25 year old mother threw her 6 month old baby against a hard surface. He suffered skull fractures and brain damage and died at the hospital.

Parents Indicted In Connection With 2-Year-Old’s Scalding Death - I don't blame them at all for the scalding death. That was a tragic tragic accident. However, no one involved realized he needed major help. I'm not as upset about this family. They're more on the fringes of my anger at the universe.

07 January 2013

This is the Week

This is the week that we get back to tracking our calories. I've already put in my breakfast, lunch, and part of dinner and have a tad over 700 calories left for the day. I think we're off to a good start. The elliptical was killer today. Looking forward to that getting easier. Also, with the warmer weather maybe we'll go running this weekend. Probably the whole city of Columbus will be running this weekend though.

Today's weight: 160.7

Elliptical (30 min program + time to end of song, 514 cal):

Shiny Happy People - R.E.M.
Big Time - David Dallas
Bright Future in Sales - Fountains of Wayne
Miss You - The Concretes
Just a Girl - No Doubt
Carlotta Valdez - Harvey Danger
Days are Forgotten - Kasabian
Same Old Song - The Pietasters
Kiss My Lips - Borgore & Dev

05 January 2013

Back to the Barrier Method

This morning we did something we haven't done for YEARS. We bought condoms. And I must say that even as a 33 year old married woman, I still feel a bit judged/defensive buying them. But we cannot risk me getting pregnant for 3 months after the methotrexate injection due to chance of birth defects and also the increased risk of another ectopic.

Today's Weight: 160.7

Elliptical (30 min program + time to end of song, 485 calories)
Sheep go to Heaven
Flagpole Sitta
Carlotta Valdez
Kennedy - Kill Hannah
Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong but . . . - Arctic Monkeys
Crawling - Lincoln Park
Freak on a Leash - Korn
You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights . . . - Arctic Monkeys
When the Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys
A New Hope - Blink 182

04 January 2013

Health Insurance for Everyone!

We might remember my recent surgical attempt to rid my body of Smeagol the embryo? Yes, good. My Explanation of Benefits (EOB) just came through for that.

The total the hospital and various providers charged to the insurance: $48,961.80
The amount my insurance company paid out to the various providers: $12,295.33
The amount I will have to pay out of pocket: $1,263.94

In a perfect world everyone would have this same (or better!) level of health care. Would an uninsured woman be able to get a D&C for a missed miscarriage? What about laproscopic surgery for a suspected (but not yet confirmed) ectopic pregnancy? I'm thankful to have a job that provides these benefits. Do I wish they covered infertility treatments at the same level as everything else? Absolutely. But I would much rather have this very good medical with infertility at the current level of coverage than sucky medical.

In other news, Smeagol's presence is still evident in my HCG level. Today's beta was 62. I was hoping it might be at zero, but the continued downward trend is good enough. Hopefully next Friday will be the magic day.

02 January 2013

New Year is New

Snow and slippery roads for NYE, so we fled for the suburbs and spent the night with my sister and her crew. Maggie came along with us and an okay time was had by all. One of the highlights was learning a new card game yesterday mid-morning. My nephew and his friend got into it too and I think the friend was super into it. Anywho the game was Phase 10 and everyone should get it.

Today's Weight: 160.7 (Good to maintain since I was not careful with the calories for NYE and NYD).

Today's Elliptical (20 min program + time to end of last song = 285 cal)

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
Not a Virgin - Poe
Slipping Away - Stabbing Westward
It's the Law - Social Distortion
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger

Videos after the jump.