Bruises, Baselines, Shingles, and BABY!!!

I got my first bruise of the cycle. I captured it on film for your viewing pleasure. It was the same shade as Katie's bridesmaid's dresses for a few days. I think the color looked good on me.

Yesterday was our baseline ultrasound and blood work. Everything looked good on the scan. My lining is where it should be and my ovaries are nice and "quiet". They measured the number of antral follicles that I have right now. It looks like a potential max of 15 on my right side and 13 on my left. That will be plenty, considering that the doctor is only aiming for 10 to 15 total. I didn't receive a message on my medvoice line, so that means that all my hormone levels are doing what they should be doing right now. We are still on track, which means that I will start my stim drugs on Saturday. Yay!

I had been having some pain in my arm for the last 4 days or so, and a rash soon followed. After scouring all of my medicine paper work for side effect and warnings, I pretty much diagnosed myself with shingles. It made sense- my immunity has been suppressed by the drugs. I had an appointment this morning, and sure enough, I have shingles!
I was absolutely freaking out.
I thought for sure this ivf cycle would be cancelled and that we would have to wait even longer than we already have been.
My fertility clinic called me shortly after I left the message about my diagnosis and reassured me that everything will go on just as scheduled. The rash should be healed by the time we retrieve the eggs so there should be no risk.

Unfortunately, there is a risk to newborns who have not had chickenpox. So when my mom called me this afternoon to tell me that I was going to be an aunt in just a few hours I had a bit of a break down. Of all the times to get shingles right when my sister is having a baby.

Well... I must have a separate entry for her announcement.