Thursday, July 12, 2012
Meet the Twins
What a Difference a Year Can Make
So I know it's been a while since the last time I sat down to blog, thirteen months to be exact. And boy what a difference a year can make! The last time I blogged my husband and I were going through the ringer with fertility treatments and I was working my butt off trying to renovate our big ol' house. Well if you know me IRL or were friends on Facebook you know that we did get pregnant and stay pregnant! In fact I am now the proud momma of TWIN girls!!!! That's right I got pregnant last September and gave birth to Whitley Jude and Anna Swartz on April 24th.
I am still a stay at home mom but boy has my job description changed. I spend all day changing poopy diapers, cleaning up spit up, doing laundry, and of course pumping. In my free time (eyes rolling) I've decided to start blogging again. I want my blog to serve as an evolving baby book and memory keeper. My days go so quickly that I can't remember what happened yesterday and I think one day I will want to look back and want to remember this time. I am gonna back track a little and write about my pregnancy, warning: it was not an easy one, but I want to remember and some day I want the girls to be able to read about how much we wanted them and what we did to keep them!
So for now I've used all the free time I have but I'm hoping to put some pictures up in the next few days!
CSR
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Where we've been
OK so sorry its been quite a bit since my last post. I have been putting every spare minute toward working on the house. We've lived here for a little under 4 months now and the progress is incredible! I am so pleased with what we've been able to get accomplished. I think we could have probably gotten more done, but we're trying to take breaks and stay relatively sane. Two people with OCD living in a construction zone does not equal harmony! We have not hired out any work, but we are really thankful for our family because they've really come up and helped out a ton! Our main focus right now is the main floor! We've gotten a lot done but none of the rooms are fully complete so these are sort of "in progress photos". And so sorry about the poor quality I was too impatient for my camera to charge so I've taken all of these with my phone.
The flooring was the next challenge. From the store to the sub-floor we did it all ourselves.
Before: The flooring was a mix of linoleum (3 layers), shag carpet, berber, and ceramic tile. Well the linoleum, shag, and berber have been replaced with our new laminate floors. We had quite the decision to make when picking out floors, having 1288 sq ft. of flooring to replace on the main level. A thick hardwood was out of the question for our budget, but we could get an engineered hardwood. So we are standing in the store and we decide to try and scratch the floor model with a key. Well the hardwood scratched instantly and deeply while a high quality laminate was soo durable. We had to decide if we sell the house are people gonna wanna have scratched up thin hardwoods or gleaming high-gloss laminate. We actually spent more per square foot on a high quality laminate than the hardwood, but having a great dane I think its worth it!
Layers of linoleum straight from the 70's-
After: I painted the walls a pink salmon color and salvaged a bank of cabinets from the kitchen. Picked up some green glass knobs from Hobby Lobby for the doors.They work out perfectly over the washer and dryer. I also got some bins from Home Goods, and they fit inside the cabinet so I simply left the door off, and a matching ironing board cover. I love all the storage and the happy color scheme.
Dining room Before: Brown silk curtains, DARK woodwork (were painting throughout the whole house), stucco below the chair rail, and sculpted shag carpet.
After: We scraped the stucco off, finished the walls and added picture frame wainscoting below the chair rail. I painted the walls a green gray color called French Gray Linen. I love it. The chandelier is beautiful so it stays. We are still adding crown and a ceiling medallion.
With furniture! No curtains yet. Cant decide on a material! Help!
Kitchen Before: AHHH nightmare! Dark and heavy!
Kitchen In progress: (I cant believe im sharing these!) Scaling back is the name of the game. We've removed the hood & all the lights, the cooktop and Jenn Air grill from the island, and the built in oven and microwave. We then moved things around saving space with a range, moving a a side by side refrigerator into its place. We painted the cabinet frames white and added an IKEA butcher block. We are still working on the soffit, adding the trim and bead board, painting the cabinet doors, building in the fridge, and then when that is all finished we are having granite put in. I cant pick a color. Dark or Light?? HELP!
Next to the fridge we are adding open shelving with all our glass wear. And over the island we are adding some glass globe pendants. The crown molding on the soffit is still in a pile in the garage, but itll be beautiful! Ohh and we built the microwave into the island! LOVE IT!
After: Just some paint, crown molding and flooring.
We got another white IKEA couch and above I got to do a large grouping of mirrors. I got most of them at thrift store and sprayed them a satin black! Pat hates them but I love them.
We've also been working on the outside, but that's another post! We put up a six foot privacy fence and fully landscaped the back yard. Ill definitely start posting more often and keep everyone updated.
We are going out of town this weekend to see a very good friend get married! I cant wait to see everyone in Kentucky!
Please leave comments and suggestions I need all the help I can get!
Cassie Rice
The first major project was the walls. Most of the walls on the main floor were covered in "stucco". Really it was just joint compound that had been textured out. Some of the spikes were 3 inches deep. I dont know how the family lived here with 4 children, 3 boys. These things were dangerous and painful! It took us a whole month to remove it from the walls. We had to soak the walls, scrape it all by hand, skim coat every inch of drywall, sand the skim coat, seal the drywall, prime the walls, and finally they were ready for paint. We had a company come in for an estimate and the lowest they would have done it for was 3000.00 CRAZY! So of course I spent the first month here learning how to dry wall and I am so proud we did it ourselves!
The flooring was the next challenge. From the store to the sub-floor we did it all ourselves.
Before: The flooring was a mix of linoleum (3 layers), shag carpet, berber, and ceramic tile. Well the linoleum, shag, and berber have been replaced with our new laminate floors. We had quite the decision to make when picking out floors, having 1288 sq ft. of flooring to replace on the main level. A thick hardwood was out of the question for our budget, but we could get an engineered hardwood. So we are standing in the store and we decide to try and scratch the floor model with a key. Well the hardwood scratched instantly and deeply while a high quality laminate was soo durable. We had to decide if we sell the house are people gonna wanna have scratched up thin hardwoods or gleaming high-gloss laminate. We actually spent more per square foot on a high quality laminate than the hardwood, but having a great dane I think its worth it!
Layers of linoleum straight from the 70's-
After: Beautiful laminate floors! We still have to do the foyer and formal living room, but some are done!
Laundry room: Before 70's linoleum and dark wood trim
After: I painted the walls a pink salmon color and salvaged a bank of cabinets from the kitchen. Picked up some green glass knobs from Hobby Lobby for the doors.They work out perfectly over the washer and dryer. I also got some bins from Home Goods, and they fit inside the cabinet so I simply left the door off, and a matching ironing board cover. I love all the storage and the happy color scheme.
Dining room Before: Brown silk curtains, DARK woodwork (were painting throughout the whole house), stucco below the chair rail, and sculpted shag carpet.
After: We scraped the stucco off, finished the walls and added picture frame wainscoting below the chair rail. I painted the walls a green gray color called French Gray Linen. I love it. The chandelier is beautiful so it stays. We are still adding crown and a ceiling medallion.
With furniture! No curtains yet. Cant decide on a material! Help!
Kitchen Before: AHHH nightmare! Dark and heavy!
Kitchen In progress: (I cant believe im sharing these!) Scaling back is the name of the game. We've removed the hood & all the lights, the cooktop and Jenn Air grill from the island, and the built in oven and microwave. We then moved things around saving space with a range, moving a a side by side refrigerator into its place. We painted the cabinet frames white and added an IKEA butcher block. We are still working on the soffit, adding the trim and bead board, painting the cabinet doors, building in the fridge, and then when that is all finished we are having granite put in. I cant pick a color. Dark or Light?? HELP!
Next to the fridge we are adding open shelving with all our glass wear. And over the island we are adding some glass globe pendants. The crown molding on the soffit is still in a pile in the garage, but itll be beautiful! Ohh and we built the microwave into the island! LOVE IT!
TV Room Before: Just dark with bad carpet.
After: Just some paint, crown molding and flooring.
I love the built-ins and all we had to do was re work them. It only cost 12.00 for crown molding and half a gallon of paint. Ohh and four 2.00 knobs from hobby lobby!
We got another white IKEA couch and above I got to do a large grouping of mirrors. I got most of them at thrift store and sprayed them a satin black! Pat hates them but I love them.
We've also been working on the outside, but that's another post! We put up a six foot privacy fence and fully landscaped the back yard. Ill definitely start posting more often and keep everyone updated.We are going out of town this weekend to see a very good friend get married! I cant wait to see everyone in Kentucky!
Please leave comments and suggestions I need all the help I can get!
Cassie Rice
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
That 70's House
So much has gone one since the last blog post... almost a month ago. We've gone through a lot of really personal stuff I hope to be able to share soon, but on a more exciting note we bought a house in Decatur!!
When we started looking at homes in Decatur we noticed several things, TAXES, Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the entire country.We will literally be paying over 5 x's the amount of property taxes with out new house. The second thing we noticed was that there seemed to be a housing boom in the 70's and then one again in the 90's but nothing in between and finding a renovated house is like finding a needle in a haystack, and if you did find one it was sold in days.
Pat and I had a really hard time finding a house. I looked at so many they were all starting to look alike. We were finding homes at the tip-top of our price range, but still I wanted to change lots of stuff, and homes that were comfortably in our price range and I still wanted to change a lot. So in the end we decided that finding a structurally sound fixer upper was the right move for us! Anyone who knows me knows how badly I have always wanted to buy and renovate a house and here I get the chance to do it. I could not be more excited! We found an amazing home built in 1977. When it was built it was like the top of the line home, no expense spared, were talking custom fixtures galore! The only bad part is that it has not been renovated cosmetically since it was built. Hence... That 70's House, our charming nickname for our new purchase!
I have decided to include some pictures for your viewing pleasure...
This is our new guest bath, what you cannot see is the custom gold toilet and shower which match all the tile and the lovely counter top.
The powder room with custom made low black toilet. This toilet is sure to be the new thorn in my side because my husband thinks it is the absolute coolest thing on the planet and swears we are not getting rid of it...
Foyer, complete with lovely wallpaper, yellow and orange stained glass, and dont forget to look at the doorbell above the stairs. It lights up when the doorbell rings.
Our luxurious new master bath... blue toilet included.
The living room complete with stucco walls. They actually hurt if you run into them!
The kitchen. Big plans for this room!
Sink, chandeliers, hood, and appliance are all up for grabs! Any takers?
The paneled family room. This room offends me the least of all. I dont know why. I kinda like it!
The beautiful outside! It may sound like I am ungrateful or dumb for buying this house, but I really do love it. The square footage and floor plan are exactly what we wanted and the neighborhood is awesome! I cannot wait to throw myself into updating. This could not have come at a better time for us! Way more pictures to come...
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Last night in our house
I'm being really sentimental this morning I woke up to what might be our last night in this house. Today Pat and I are moving to Decatur... kind of. We don't have a place to live yet so for the next week while I am frantically searching for a house or an apartment I will be calling a suite at the Country Inn home.
We have to leave the dogs for a week (maybe longer) at my in laws house. God Bless them for taking on the challenge. It's not easy to watch my gang of mutts, but my mother in law seems to be up for it. I am going to miss them terribly.
I feel as though my life has been turned upside down. We have a home here but now it is on the market, which means we cant live in it anymore. Its suppose to look like "anyone's" house so people can see themselves and their families living here. This is really hard for me because as much as I wanted out of Jasper I am going to cherish the memories of the home and the friends we've made here. Pat and I started our marriage here, and our little family. I have made a best friend that I will have for life and now that the time is come to leave I realize how truly sad that I am.
So wish us luck and pray for a speedy sale our our house! This is the first of many moves in our future so I guess I better get used to it now!
Cassie R
We have to leave the dogs for a week (maybe longer) at my in laws house. God Bless them for taking on the challenge. It's not easy to watch my gang of mutts, but my mother in law seems to be up for it. I am going to miss them terribly.
I feel as though my life has been turned upside down. We have a home here but now it is on the market, which means we cant live in it anymore. Its suppose to look like "anyone's" house so people can see themselves and their families living here. This is really hard for me because as much as I wanted out of Jasper I am going to cherish the memories of the home and the friends we've made here. Pat and I started our marriage here, and our little family. I have made a best friend that I will have for life and now that the time is come to leave I realize how truly sad that I am.
So wish us luck and pray for a speedy sale our our house! This is the first of many moves in our future so I guess I better get used to it now!
Cassie R
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A whirl wind!
These past two weeks have bee such a hectic time! Between traveling for Thanksgiving, trips to Decatur, missing my husband, Christmas shopping, and not decorating my house for Christmas I have little time to think about anything else.
We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with Pat's parents in Crawfordsville and were able to squeeze in a trip to Decatur. I was finally able to see where we are going to be living shortly and I must say that the whole town smells like Gold fish crackers. Pat compares it to dog food, take your pick. Because they "cook" grain in the center of town the whole place smells!
We also got all of our Christmas shopping done today! WOOO HOOO
And on side note if anyone would please just invite me to their house to look at their Christmas stuff I would really love that! Because our house is going on the market we cannot decorate... :( I love decorating for Christmas and this year doesn't quite feel like a holiday without it!
Hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
CSR
We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with Pat's parents in Crawfordsville and were able to squeeze in a trip to Decatur. I was finally able to see where we are going to be living shortly and I must say that the whole town smells like Gold fish crackers. Pat compares it to dog food, take your pick. Because they "cook" grain in the center of town the whole place smells!
We also got all of our Christmas shopping done today! WOOO HOOO
And on side note if anyone would please just invite me to their house to look at their Christmas stuff I would really love that! Because our house is going on the market we cannot decorate... :( I love decorating for Christmas and this year doesn't quite feel like a holiday without it!
Hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
CSR
Thursday, November 18, 2010
WE'RE MOVING!!
Thats right, the promotion we knew was coming is finally here! My handsome hubs started his new job in Decatur, Illinois this previous Monday. I am so excited and could not be more proud of him and even though Decatur is the soy bean capital of the world it is also a lot larger than Jasper. Starbucks, Target, and Macys OH MY!
Ill keep everyone updated on our move, but who knows how that will go. I just keep praying that our house will sell quickly and I can be reunited with my husband who will now be splitting his time between here and Decatur.
Today I am doing some shopping down in Evansville... hopefully finding some new goodies for our Decatur house!
CSR
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Quick Quick Quick
I have a few short minutes! I am currently in the middle of like 100 projects and I cant wait to share them all, it involves a lot of work sanding, scraping, painting.... you get the drift! I'm refinishing furniture!
Also there are some MAJOR changes happening in the Rice house! I cant wait to share them soon! Pray for Pat and I, we are super excited!
Cassie R.
Also there are some MAJOR changes happening in the Rice house! I cant wait to share them soon! Pray for Pat and I, we are super excited!
Cassie R.
Friday, November 5, 2010
OCD fun fact of the day
Ten percent of the weight of a one year old pillow is made up of dust mites and their excrement. Clean your pillows often and according to the manufactures tag to cut down this number!
Sweet Dreams!
Cassie
Sweet Dreams!
Cassie
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Better Late than Never!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Day 27
This morning I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. I really bummed out, I feel like every month it gets harder and harder to continue. Please pray for us that we can find the strength we need to move forward.
CSR
CSR
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Day 17
Sorry sorry sorry for not updating as promised! Here's a quick re-cap:
Saturday- We went to the doctor early in the morning for an ultra sound. We had four LARGE follicles and 3 more decent size ones and probably 15-20 small ones. So all in all a good visit. My estradoil blood level was not ready so i still don't know what that was... hmmmm? We did my HCG shot that night and went on with business as usual :)
Monday (Day 14)- We had our IUI done. We got some bad news, although everything with me looked exceptional Patrick's sample was a lot smaller than usual. This was a little heart breaking because just when you think were on the right track BOOM here comes something completely out of left field. Although Patrick does have motility problems his count is always high, really high, doubling or tripling the norm. So we were really bummed out but the nurse told us that it just takes one. Very true! Monday night my mother came to help me with bed rest, I am now doing bed rest after my IUI's to help with the pain and to help my body naturally achieve pregnancy. My mother was a bed rest Nazi and even got snippy with me when I had to tinkle!
Wednesday (Day 16)- Patrick's birthday. We celebrated at home with a Sea Scallop and Steak dinner with roasted asparagus and chocolate dipped strawberries. Yummy! Although I was up moving all day I was still in a great deal of pain and had to lay down a lot. The pain is from my ovaries being stimulated and larger than normal. This pain will go away but if you get pregnant it can be even worse due to the bodies natural production of HCG which will continue to enlarge your ovaries. My right ovary is large than the left so I have been laying on my right side. If I lay on my left I can feel my right ovary hanging down and I am in a tremendous amount of pain.
Today, Day 17, I am doing a lot better! My pain level is going down and I am more awake! We are praying and hoping that this is it! Also today I cannot wait for Thursday night TV. Its my favorite! I think my DVR records something like 8 hours of TV on Thursday nights... crazy I know!
CSR
Saturday- We went to the doctor early in the morning for an ultra sound. We had four LARGE follicles and 3 more decent size ones and probably 15-20 small ones. So all in all a good visit. My estradoil blood level was not ready so i still don't know what that was... hmmmm? We did my HCG shot that night and went on with business as usual :)
Monday (Day 14)- We had our IUI done. We got some bad news, although everything with me looked exceptional Patrick's sample was a lot smaller than usual. This was a little heart breaking because just when you think were on the right track BOOM here comes something completely out of left field. Although Patrick does have motility problems his count is always high, really high, doubling or tripling the norm. So we were really bummed out but the nurse told us that it just takes one. Very true! Monday night my mother came to help me with bed rest, I am now doing bed rest after my IUI's to help with the pain and to help my body naturally achieve pregnancy. My mother was a bed rest Nazi and even got snippy with me when I had to tinkle!
Wednesday (Day 16)- Patrick's birthday. We celebrated at home with a Sea Scallop and Steak dinner with roasted asparagus and chocolate dipped strawberries. Yummy! Although I was up moving all day I was still in a great deal of pain and had to lay down a lot. The pain is from my ovaries being stimulated and larger than normal. This pain will go away but if you get pregnant it can be even worse due to the bodies natural production of HCG which will continue to enlarge your ovaries. My right ovary is large than the left so I have been laying on my right side. If I lay on my left I can feel my right ovary hanging down and I am in a tremendous amount of pain.
Today, Day 17, I am doing a lot better! My pain level is going down and I am more awake! We are praying and hoping that this is it! Also today I cannot wait for Thursday night TV. Its my favorite! I think my DVR records something like 8 hours of TV on Thursday nights... crazy I know!
CSR
Friday, October 15, 2010
Day 11
Today, Day 11 is just an ordinary day of shots. I was really able to give myself the shot in fact I like giving it to myself better than letting Patrick do it. It's kinda gross but it's similar to letting someone else pop a pimple for you, it hurts really really bad, but doing it yourself does not really hurt all that much... The first time was kinda difficult, but I just have to tell myself that this is a means to a terrific end!
Tomorrow is a big day for us. Up bright and early for blood work. When you take Follistim and Femara they test your estradoil level to make sure it is similar to the follicle count. For every follicle that you have that produces an egg you should have 100 estradoil level. The last time it was successful I have an estradoil count of 586 and I had lots of follicles but from that number they could tell that only 6 or so were going to release eggs. Really its just another way of keeping track and responsibly using fertility medication. We are hoping for many large follicles tomorrow! After blood work we go in for an ultrasound and then tomorrow night I get the shot of all shots! Exciting news.
Please keep Patrick and I in your prayers, we could really use them!
Ill let you know tomorrow how it all goes!
CSR
Tomorrow is a big day for us. Up bright and early for blood work. When you take Follistim and Femara they test your estradoil level to make sure it is similar to the follicle count. For every follicle that you have that produces an egg you should have 100 estradoil level. The last time it was successful I have an estradoil count of 586 and I had lots of follicles but from that number they could tell that only 6 or so were going to release eggs. Really its just another way of keeping track and responsibly using fertility medication. We are hoping for many large follicles tomorrow! After blood work we go in for an ultrasound and then tomorrow night I get the shot of all shots! Exciting news.
Please keep Patrick and I in your prayers, we could really use them!
Ill let you know tomorrow how it all goes!
This was the scene around my house last night! I love my little family so much. That's our 150 great dane curled up in the little corner, my 6 foot husband, and our Wheaton all using the same sofa... I think we may need a sectional!
CSR
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day 8
Today is Day 8 of my cycle, I awoke this morning to find that my stomach looks like a beach ball. Its a good thing though because it means all of the medication is working! We have had two nights of shots so far and they have both went well. Unfortunately, Patrick wont be able to be here tonight so that means I have to give myself a shot. Last night we went through all of the instructions and I was able to give my self the shot for practice tonight.
I let you know how it goes!
CSR
I let you know how it goes!
CSR
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Day 6
Today, Day 6, we begin our injections. Our doctor prefers that we do them at night. For the next 6 days at 9:00 p.m. we will be standing in the kitchen with my shirt pulled up and tucked under my bra, my husband will dial back the correct dose on our Follistim pen/cartridge, hold the pen like a dart, he will aim for the roll of stomach fat I will be holding, inject the needle, push in the dose, count to five, and remove.
All and all not to bad. I am continuing for the next several days to take my oral medication as well. And as for my weight loss last month... here come the pounds. Its a viscous cycle, the month off I loose between 10-12 lbs and the next month with the meds I gain it all back. Oh well, I am willing to do ANYTHING!
From the previews it looks as if the Little Couple on TLC are going to be doing Follistim injections as well, so if you wanna see exactly what they are like tune in!
Ill let you know how they go tomorrow!
CSR
All and all not to bad. I am continuing for the next several days to take my oral medication as well. And as for my weight loss last month... here come the pounds. Its a viscous cycle, the month off I loose between 10-12 lbs and the next month with the meds I gain it all back. Oh well, I am willing to do ANYTHING!
From the previews it looks as if the Little Couple on TLC are going to be doing Follistim injections as well, so if you wanna see exactly what they are like tune in!
Ill let you know how they go tomorrow!
CSR
Friday, October 8, 2010
Day 4
Today is not so exciting. This morning started the five days of my oral medication, Femara. Femara was developed as a drug used for breast cancer, but somehow is now used for fertility. I don't mind taking this medication, it is not nearly as bad as the clomid i was taking for a while. This one only has one side effect that i notice and it's kinda neat...
When I first filled my Femara prescription I wondered why the bottle said may cause drowsiness, dizziness, and do not operate a vehicle until you know how this medication effects you. Ok now I know, about 30 min after I take it I feel like I am drunk, not falling down drunk, but slightly buzzed. Oh well at least I have no where to be. I take it every day at 7am and 7pm. Not too stressful!
And my medication finally came this morning at 9:00. So I am free to leave the house and do things now that it is safely in the freezer. I am so excited because this weekend will be full of fun and relaxation! Pat has worked over 100 hours this week and could really use the time off! We get to go to a fancy dinner and maybe do a quick Target run when we go to Louisville!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
CSR
When I first filled my Femara prescription I wondered why the bottle said may cause drowsiness, dizziness, and do not operate a vehicle until you know how this medication effects you. Ok now I know, about 30 min after I take it I feel like I am drunk, not falling down drunk, but slightly buzzed. Oh well at least I have no where to be. I take it every day at 7am and 7pm. Not too stressful!
And my medication finally came this morning at 9:00. So I am free to leave the house and do things now that it is safely in the freezer. I am so excited because this weekend will be full of fun and relaxation! Pat has worked over 100 hours this week and could really use the time off! We get to go to a fancy dinner and maybe do a quick Target run when we go to Louisville!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
CSR
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Day 3
Today is day three of my cycle which means that I got to have a baseline ultrasound. They do this ultrasound to make sure that the ovaries are in working order, no cyst, the proper size, etc (because this medication can cause permanent damage). The ultra sound itself is no big deal and really quick. However, I think every time my husband and I see that X-large ultrasound wand we both flinch! Anyone who has ever had this type of ultrasound knows exactly what I am talking about! haha
My right ovary is slightly enlarged, but we are still clear to go ahead with the medication! I am still waiting on my medication to be delivered. I feel like I am being held hostage by the fed-ex man! I cant leave my house because if I miss this it will sit all night in a truck or a warehouse somewhere and it can go bad. Who knows how long those cold pack and coolers really work??? I don't know what you would do if you had a job, i guess get it delivered to work. Oh well now were just waiting on medication!
CSR
My right ovary is slightly enlarged, but we are still clear to go ahead with the medication! I am still waiting on my medication to be delivered. I feel like I am being held hostage by the fed-ex man! I cant leave my house because if I miss this it will sit all night in a truck or a warehouse somewhere and it can go bad. Who knows how long those cold pack and coolers really work??? I don't know what you would do if you had a job, i guess get it delivered to work. Oh well now were just waiting on medication!
CSR
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Day 1
When you are taking fertility treatments your life becomes all about your cycle. Instead of referring to the day of the month, the 5th, I refer to it as day 1. Today is day 1 because I have started my period this morning. Any given day you could ask me the date and I would have no idea, I could however give you the day of my cycle in a heart beat!
Usually day 1 is filled with sadness and cramps, but for me today is exciting because we get to start another round of fertility medication ( I still have the cramps). This month we are taking Femara and Follistim. Femara is a pill you take for 5 days early in your cycle which help grow the follicles on your ovaries. Follistim is an injection given for 6 days in the second week of your cycle to help grow and mature the follicles even more. I will also be getting an HCG injection to trigger ovulation around day 13. This will be my fourth cycle using these medications, and my 7th IUI (intra-uterine insemination).
We are really excited and hoping that it works this time. It did work last time with this same dose and method, however we were unable to keep the pregnancy. So we know it can work which in the fertility world is huge news! My husband, Patrick, and I have been trying for 23 months now so we are really praying for a miracle!
So our typical day 1 includes making calls to the doctors office, and setting up our intense medicine cycle for the next month. Taking into account our schedule, the doctor's schedule, and the nurse's schedule this can take a while. Then we call Schraft's a specialty mail order pharmacy that deals exclusively with reproductive medication. We the drop a boat load of cash on medication that gets shipped right to our front door in a neat little cooler within about 24 hours. All together that's day 1. Nothing too exciting just slightly time consuming. But, on a funny note Schraft's is located in New Jersey and every time I call there I feel like I'm talking to a cast member from Jersey shore and that makes me laugh.
This is the first of many posts about our day to day, If you have any questions e-mail at cassierice@insightbb.com
CSR
Usually day 1 is filled with sadness and cramps, but for me today is exciting because we get to start another round of fertility medication ( I still have the cramps). This month we are taking Femara and Follistim. Femara is a pill you take for 5 days early in your cycle which help grow the follicles on your ovaries. Follistim is an injection given for 6 days in the second week of your cycle to help grow and mature the follicles even more. I will also be getting an HCG injection to trigger ovulation around day 13. This will be my fourth cycle using these medications, and my 7th IUI (intra-uterine insemination).
We are really excited and hoping that it works this time. It did work last time with this same dose and method, however we were unable to keep the pregnancy. So we know it can work which in the fertility world is huge news! My husband, Patrick, and I have been trying for 23 months now so we are really praying for a miracle!
So our typical day 1 includes making calls to the doctors office, and setting up our intense medicine cycle for the next month. Taking into account our schedule, the doctor's schedule, and the nurse's schedule this can take a while. Then we call Schraft's a specialty mail order pharmacy that deals exclusively with reproductive medication. We the drop a boat load of cash on medication that gets shipped right to our front door in a neat little cooler within about 24 hours. All together that's day 1. Nothing too exciting just slightly time consuming. But, on a funny note Schraft's is located in New Jersey and every time I call there I feel like I'm talking to a cast member from Jersey shore and that makes me laugh.
This is the first of many posts about our day to day, If you have any questions e-mail at cassierice@insightbb.com
CSR
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Quick Update:
This past week was filled with enjoyable, but hard work. I spent four days and three nights packing and moving my dad from his house. It was so much fun because my Aunt came from Nashville and we always have such a good time hanging out!
However, someone needs to call A&E because my dad is a hoarder. He has such a hard time getting rid of things its crazy! We had a ten minute argument about a video camera he and my mother purchased in 1992. It was the large shoulder sitting one that recorded straight onto VHS tapes. The irony of the situation was that he no longer owns a VCR to play the tapes and yet he still would not let it go!! Finally after a long discussion and the realization that Goodwill could sell it for 2.00 he parted ways with his beloved video camera. Some other things he chooses to hold onto:
1.Multiple baking dishes of the same size
2. More pots and pans than one man needs, all remarkably similar in size
3. Kitchen Utensils
4. Any pictures or wall hangings ever given to him
From my dad's new place I went to my mom's house and got to spend some quality time with her parents! It was so much fun to catch up and visit with my grandparents who now split their time between Arizona and Washington. We also got to go to the St. James Art Fair in Louisville... So many beautiful things to look at! And last night my mother and her boyfriend Kevin made a crab boil for dinner! YUMMY! Also my grandma made a blueberry pie special for me!
After a long week I am so happy to be home with my husband and my little monster dogs! We are getting ready to start another cycle of fertility drugs this week and we are very excited, because now we know it can work!
Ill keep everyone posted on the day to day this month what all it entails. I have had several people ask and e-mail what happens day to day with these cycles so I'm going to be very specific this month and keep a detailed diary!
CSR
However, someone needs to call A&E because my dad is a hoarder. He has such a hard time getting rid of things its crazy! We had a ten minute argument about a video camera he and my mother purchased in 1992. It was the large shoulder sitting one that recorded straight onto VHS tapes. The irony of the situation was that he no longer owns a VCR to play the tapes and yet he still would not let it go!! Finally after a long discussion and the realization that Goodwill could sell it for 2.00 he parted ways with his beloved video camera. Some other things he chooses to hold onto:
1.Multiple baking dishes of the same size
2. More pots and pans than one man needs, all remarkably similar in size
3. Kitchen Utensils
4. Any pictures or wall hangings ever given to him
From my dad's new place I went to my mom's house and got to spend some quality time with her parents! It was so much fun to catch up and visit with my grandparents who now split their time between Arizona and Washington. We also got to go to the St. James Art Fair in Louisville... So many beautiful things to look at! And last night my mother and her boyfriend Kevin made a crab boil for dinner! YUMMY! Also my grandma made a blueberry pie special for me!
After a long week I am so happy to be home with my husband and my little monster dogs! We are getting ready to start another cycle of fertility drugs this week and we are very excited, because now we know it can work!
Ill keep everyone posted on the day to day this month what all it entails. I have had several people ask and e-mail what happens day to day with these cycles so I'm going to be very specific this month and keep a detailed diary!
CSR
Friday, September 10, 2010
On a lighter note
We (Patrick & I) want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support. When I started this blog I never thought it would be this kind of a tool, but it has connected me to some amazing people and helped me grow as a wife and a Christian woman. So again, Thank you to everyone we feel truly blessed to have all of your support and prayers.
On a lighter note I have been finding humor these days all through my life. My husband and dogs might be the funniest people/pets I have every met and I am so grateful to have them in my life. I am spending today in reflection and being thankful for all the blessings I have been given. We have a wonderful and loving God!
I thought I'd share a small conversation my husband and I had the other day that I have been laughing about ever since... Pat and I spent the weekend two weekends ago pretty bummed out. We really didn't leave the house (except for and ice cream run) and we didn't really do anything. We weren't really speaking just a whole lot of quiet. On Sunday night we realized that we had to get my car to the dealer. We made an appt. 2 whole weeks before and I was really tired of driving my husbands huge truck all around so we had to go. Well I had spent all day Sunday in my bathrobe, I was comfortable and not really caring about looking good. So when Pat told me I had follow him in the truck to take my car in I was bummed, I didn't want to change. So I asked Pat "Do I have to get out if I drive the truck?"
"No you just have to scoot over so I can drive home"
"Can I wear my bathrobe then?"
Then Patrick looked me right in the eyes and said the most peculiar thing my husband has ever said to me with the most sincere tone "Yeah... I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life."
Who ever is reading this might not think it's funny, but if you know Pat or I you probably might. I have been laughing about it ever since and every time Pat asks me a question of course I respond with "I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life!"
Along with our dog Henry tooting loudly and frequently, Jersey Shore, and Mennonite in a little black dress the book I am reading, a lot of my time lately has been spent laughing and for that I am really thankful!
Cassie R.
On a lighter note I have been finding humor these days all through my life. My husband and dogs might be the funniest people/pets I have every met and I am so grateful to have them in my life. I am spending today in reflection and being thankful for all the blessings I have been given. We have a wonderful and loving God!
I thought I'd share a small conversation my husband and I had the other day that I have been laughing about ever since... Pat and I spent the weekend two weekends ago pretty bummed out. We really didn't leave the house (except for and ice cream run) and we didn't really do anything. We weren't really speaking just a whole lot of quiet. On Sunday night we realized that we had to get my car to the dealer. We made an appt. 2 whole weeks before and I was really tired of driving my husbands huge truck all around so we had to go. Well I had spent all day Sunday in my bathrobe, I was comfortable and not really caring about looking good. So when Pat told me I had follow him in the truck to take my car in I was bummed, I didn't want to change. So I asked Pat "Do I have to get out if I drive the truck?"
"No you just have to scoot over so I can drive home"
"Can I wear my bathrobe then?"
Then Patrick looked me right in the eyes and said the most peculiar thing my husband has ever said to me with the most sincere tone "Yeah... I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life."
Who ever is reading this might not think it's funny, but if you know Pat or I you probably might. I have been laughing about it ever since and every time Pat asks me a question of course I respond with "I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life!"
Along with our dog Henry tooting loudly and frequently, Jersey Shore, and Mennonite in a little black dress the book I am reading, a lot of my time lately has been spent laughing and for that I am really thankful!
Cassie R.
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