THAT is what I'm talking about!!

Doc appointment today = totally kick-ass awesome.

I didn't actually meet with the doctor--there's a 4-month waiting list for that for new patients. Instead, I met with his NP for a "fertility consult." The only bad part of the visit was the nurse who brought me back to the room and took my vitals kept saying things like "You're here to talk about infertility issues?" and I was like, "No, I'm here to talk about fertility issues." I said it in my head though. But then after a few jokes she said, "You're going to be my favorite infertility patient," and I did say (aloud), "haha, you're favorite fertility patient." She either didn't get it or chose to ignore it.

Anyway, then the NP came in and we talked about our history and TH's SA results. She said they were good, just a little under what they "like" to see. I then hit her with my list of questions and she answered each and every one like it was the most logical question in the world, even my "Ok, sex in the 2ww--ok to have an orgasm?" Seriously. I asked it. And she didn't even bat an eye. (BTW, for those of you secretly wondering the answer to that, yes, orgasms = ok in 2ww. You're welcome.) She made me feel like talking to me was the only thing she had to do that morning. It was amazing.

Then we started talking about next steps. She said it was totally up to us how proactive we wanted to be. Some people just decided that they NEED to be pregnant NOW, for whatever reason--their own mental sanity to a parent that is terminally ill and wants to meet their grandchild. The next test for me would be an HSG to make sure that my tubes aren't blocked by anything. We could have that whenever I wanted. Then she said the second best thing ever (the first best thing is coming a little after this): IUIs are easy to do, very common, and if we wanted to do one as early as this coming Monday (that's right--4 days from now), I could just call up the morning I got a + OPK and schedule it and we could do it. She said if we're going to get TH another SA (which she suggested doing based on his results and the lab he had it done, which apparently is like the Walmart of SA labs), then rather than throw it away we might as well just use it for an IUI. To be clear, I don't want an IUI 4 days from now. I'm not all itching to jump into medical intervention. But just the fact that she said we COULD if we WANTED to made all the difference in the world. These were doctors who are on my side, who will work with me and TH at our own pace without judging or dictating.

Then she said the BEST thing ever: "Let's do a vaginal ultrasound, just to make sure everything looks normal." What!?!? At a consultation!?!? YES!!!! 5 minutes later I had a condom-covered wand up my vj and was looking at my uterus on screen. She took some measurements. Normal. She showed me my ovaries, which were busy making eggs to release in 4 days. I actually saw the egg that is about to be released. It was measuring 14mm. The other side had one that was only 8mm, which she said probably had lost the duke-it-out battle to see which one would release. It was absolutely the coolest thing I've seen all year.

Other info for those it might interest:

--caffeine for TH is A-OK (and for me, too for that matter) (TH was super happy to hear this as I'd made him lay off the Dr Pepper for the last two weeks)
--NO (zip, zero, zilch) exercise from 7 DPO - 10DPO (not even biking/walking/swimming)
--they DO recommend you lay still after sex and put a pillow under your hips
--they do NOT recommend sex every other day. That is more for women who don't know when they ovulate. For me, who is very regular, she said sex whenever up to 4 days before O, then when I get a +OPK, sex for three days straight (TH was super happy about this one as well)

In the end, I left feeling elated, like a weight had been lifted from me. I felt hopeful again. I felt like we can do this at our own pace, that no doctor is going to rule my life perched on their high seat of "I don't really care about you or your fertility journey."

We aren't doing anything for now. Giving it another 2 months. My annual is due in February. She told me to try to schedule it for when I would be about on CD17 (one day before I typically O). If nothing by then, we'll see.

I am excited again.