It is really desperate, don't you think? Anyone that is willing to be injected or willing to inject themselves is in a bad way, regardless of how cool they play it. Diabetics need the insulin to survive. Cancer patients welcome with a more than healthy amount of dread the IV bag full of life-saving and cell-killing chemo. Illegal drug users willingly and excitedly inject any vein they can muster just to feel different, better and to avoid the feelings withdrawal... and then there are people like me who opt to be injected and poked and prodded all with the hopes that this potion and this treatment will work... It sure sounds desperate when I put it that way, doesn't it?
About a week ago we got our large shipment of fertility drugs from the fancy IVF pharmacy located somewhere in New Jersey. Each night Husband mixes three vials of medicine into one CC syringe. I swipe the area with an alcohol swab while pinching up as much stomach area as I can. I've found that holding the area, pinched up as much as possible, makes it hurt less and also causes less bruising. For a long while I'd only let Husband inject me if I was laying down on the couch. Now, after several goes at injections, I stand there and take it. Laying down doesn't take away the unpleasantness of the whole experience. I've read blogs and message boards where other infertiles mentioned using ice to numb the area being shot up... we've never tried it, but I'm sure if you are very pain sensitive, it might help.
Through this all, I've learned that I'm not very pain sensitive. I may look frail, but in all actuality, I'm pretty tough. Heaven help the women with infertility problems if she is pain sensitive or at least needle phobic (having not been through the egg retrevial process, I may find it horribly uncomfortable and painful).
Two weeks ago when we first started down the IVF route we, meaning myself and Husband, had to get a large amount of blood work done. At this point I'm used to the blood letting... and when the nurse told us that we'd get to go ahead and get it over with that day, I was happy. Husband's leg just started shaking.... harder.
I didn't flinch when the nurse pulled out six vials (three big, three little). I didn't get pale when she wrapped the rubber strap around my arm. I didn't get that hot, sweaty feeling when she told me to make a fist. I don't watch the blood drawing from my own arm, just like I don't watch Husband when he sticks the needles into my flesh, but I don't get panicky about the whole process either... not anymore.
My other half, on the other hand, doesn't do so well with the blood drawing. He was pale and shaky and had to get water to drink after the letting was over. The entire time she was drawing my blood she was asking him if he was okay. Did he feel alright? Did he need to lay down? I found it quiet humorous...
We decided that I'm the man... those where his words to me after I had sailed through the whole process without much complaint: "You're the Man, Emily."
In his defense... he wasn't prepared for having to get blood drawn, nor did she use the arm he normally uses for this sort of procedure, and I get blood drawn all the time thanks to all the fertility medication that we've been injecting for the last 6 months or so.
I go back to the doctor tomorrow to see if the medication is making lots of little follicles... if we are on track, behind or ahead. I probably will get more blood drawn tomorrow... and hopefully know more about what is in store!
And before I forget, I hope you are having a good Valentine's Day :)
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