We are family too.

Today we went to the Dublin Pride Parade. The theme for the parade [well the week long festival] is 'we are family too'.

Basic rights

It saddens me that the gay community have to fight for, what should be, a given right to marry and be legally recognised as families.

I've tears in my eyes

To think that my wonderful, amazing baby brother doesn't have the same rights that I and my husband have just because of his sexual orientation. I know the world and Ireland have come a great distance in their recognition of gay couples and gay rights and for that I am grateful but..

It's not far enough...

Everyone should share the same basic human rights regardless of colour, creed or coupling. James and I are fighting for our right to have a family against nature; the gay community fight for their right to be recognised as a family against the world - that is just wrong!

Scheduled: Our first appointment with The Sims Clinic!

I love birthdays; magical things happen!

It was getting to the point were I thought that perhaps our application pack for the Sims Clinic had been lost in the post or they thought us a lost cause and weren't going to take us on. I had made up my mind to give them a call on Monday and see what the hold up was.

A quick dash home

To collect an old battered phone so I could get a better upgrade on a new phone forced me to miss a phone call yesterday, a very important IVF phone call!! My hands [and body] shuck with delight when I replayed the voicemail; the Sims Clinic were calling to make an appointment. In the moment I was annoyed I had missed the call...

BUT Fate had intervened!

In the time that lapsed between the Sims Clinic leaving me a voice mail and me calling them back someone had called to cancel their own appointment. I was kindly offered their appointment on the spot [it was my birthday after all]!!

Shocked, Delighted and SUPER Excited!!

We're having our first appointment with the IVF [Sims] Clinic in ONE WEEK, yes ONE WEEK on Friday the 2nd of July 2010!!

Best Birthday present ever!!

It's my birthday!

Only happy, positive thoughts today!!

One day to forget all about being reproductively challenged and the impending surgeon's appointment.

Happy Birthday Me!!

Fertility Books

They say knowledge is power and with power comes some control. Control is something you lack when faced with fertility problems. So in order to give myself a little control back [and plenty of knowledge/ power] I've been doing some reading.

Fertility (60 Tips)

Is a compact little book that I found in the library. It does exactly what it says on the cover and gives you 60 tips for improving your chances of conceiving. It's an easy to read book, nicely laid out and illustrated.

A taster of 60 Tips for Fertility

It includes tips such as;

1. Eat better, Eat well - eating enough, but not too much.
2. Take Vitamin B12 to produce an adequate amount of healthy red blood cells in bone marrow.
3. Try Acupuncture, it can help to increase fertility by restoring the flow of energy it relieves the effects of 'blockages'
4. For men; take care when on a bike, mountain biking can damage the scrotum.
5. Realise the value of yoga, it can help to centre you and your desire for a child.

And many many more...

As well as value and interesting tips the book is littered with case studies of scenarios that have affected reproductively challenged couples which are useful.

The other book

I am also ready is Trying to Conceive [The Irish Couple's Guide] by Fiona McPhilips. This one is a little more intense, technical and slightly harder to dip in and out of. I'll admit that I have only glanced over this one once or twice but I plan on reading it more in depth now.

I need something to take my mind off my other little health scare and I am hoping that 'Trying to Conceive [The Irish Couple's Guide] will fill me with positivity and direction that it wont be to the forefront of my mind.

Shocked: Today I made an appointment with a Plastic Surgeon

It's not what you might think; this is not a vain attempt to improve myself or expedite my weight loss with lipo. This an appointment I thought I might never make.

Really Worried.

I went to the doctor yesterday; my GP, because I've been worried about some growths on my back. I've been going to the doctor for years and there has never really been anything wrong with me. God...

I wasn't going to waste the €55.00

On the Doctor's visit but I thought, at least it will put my mind at rest coming into the summer. My Doctor took it very seriously [I know I should be glad of this] but...

I left as white as a ghost.

I might have skin cancer... I'm seeing a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in a week and a half for 3 Excision Biopsies. Fear doesn't even cover it.

I thought my biggest challenge this summer would be getting pregnant.

Please pray for me.

Still no Appointment for the IVF Clinic

Frustrated!

I still haven't heard from the IVF Clinic! I expect they have our forms well over a week now... should I call? Would that be too persistent?

Could I ruin my chances?

Would pestering them mean we wouldn't get a spot... I'm sure they are used to coupled being anxious... but do we want to one of those?

I'll see what happens

Tomorrow and decide then whether or not to call. Fingers Crossed they call soon, I can't take it any more!!

Update TWO to Weight Loss: My Ugly Truth

Week Two is over

And I am as surprised as the rest of your to report that I have lost MORE weight!I'll admit that this week I was brilliant with the auld exercising at all. I did focus on tummy crunches and thigh crunches [at least that's what I'm calling the thigh ones!]

The results

I've lost a further 2.5 lbs AND a further inch lost total for this week of 4.5 inches of my body.

My even 'newer' body stats

I am 5 foot 6 inches

I weigh 15 stone and 6 1/4 lbs [ 216 1/4 lbs] - Total weight loss = 4.5 lbs

I am 46 inches around my belly - Total inch loss = 1 inches

I am 39.5 inches under my breasts - Total inch loss = 1 inch

I am 46 inches around the hips - Total inch loss = 2 inch

My thighs are 26.5 inches - Total inch loss = 1 inches

My upper arms are 12.5 inches - Total inch loss = 2 inch

I feel fantastic!

And shocked and surprised! In total from March, I have lost 1 stone, as of today! Most of that was due to the wheat free diet was on, but the last 4.5 lbs has been down to my healthy eating and exercise routine of the past two weeks.

Still to go

16.3 lbs, to be achieved by July 31st, 2010 - that's just a little under 3lbs a week - something I haven't achieved as yet but I'm still geared and focused to the goal!

Wish me luck!

Labour Nightmares and Packie Bonner = I'll make an awful mother!

Sex and the City 2

Bet you didn't see this post starting here; an unlikely beginning but its where me and all the girlies got together last night. [Yes I know we're about 2 weeks behind the rest of you but its the only date that suited us all!]

So SATC2 brings us all together, we laugh, we cry, we bawk, we crave and we leave the cinema...

Drink anyone?

We head to our local, pull up on stools and order the obligatory cocktails [mocktail for me - still thinking of the diet!] and of all things start to discuss labour [no not the political party] cause its exactly what you do, drinks in hand when you've just come out of SAT2, isn't it??

Perhaps I should clarify

One of our girlie group has just given birth [5 weeks ago], another is 3 months pregnant and one of the girls announced at the end of the show that she was 8 weeks pregnant ... so the line of conversation isn't to hard to imagine.

Moving to the point

We shock ourselves with weird and cruelly horrible labour stories, drink up and head home. My head hits the pillow and the fun really starts! I start to dream... or perhaps I should say, it starts as a dream and quickly turns to a nightmare...

I'm in labour...

In the dream, now obviously having never been in labour I make it up - one twisted, screwed up labour... the whole time my 'conscious' was bracing itself for the pain, that thankfully never came!

It's a boy!

Unnamed, we take our bundle of joy home. Well not to our home, the 'home' we have in this nightmare. In our 17 bedroomed mansion [I wish!] there isn't room for a Nursery so the baby sleeps downstairs, in the office, in a proper bed, which has been put on top of the desk!

A good nights sleep

I sleep like a baby, pun intended, and totally forget about my brand new off spring downstairs all night, as does my comatose hubby. Morning comes and I hear the baby roars, spring from the bed, head downstairs, roaring baby soaked.

There is not a nappy in sight!

Hand child to husband and go in search of nappies. Husband puts child on garden table. Baby falls off, bounces [yes my baby bounces] queue appearance of my mother.

'You're an awful mother, I can't believe you put your baby on the garden table and haven't changed or fed him!' [Both husband and mother then disappear!]

The ambulance is here
[as occurs from thin air in dreams]

In the form of my friend's little red peugeot, filled with all my friends from the SATC2 outing! We head to the hospital deciding on the way to call into my [dead] granddad's house for a cup of tea and a wee.

We take a wrong turn

And end up in a part of town we do not know and get lost. Urgency for hospital, thirst for tea and need to wee all gone.

Queue Packie Bonner

Who gives us directions and asks us to play football. WHY NOT?? Materialise football field and teams. Fight over cheer leading pom poms

FYI the baby disappeared

Probably just as well considering the mothering skills I displayed! Ps am free for any babysitting jobs! Enquire within.

What are the odds of getting pregnant?

Assuming

Everything is in order and you have no fertility issues or obstacles and you are both a man and a woman [that is, there is one of each of you.]

It's been calculated

That your chances of conceiving within the first 6 months are as follows;

Make Love 1 a week = 16.7%

Make Love 1-2 times a week = 32.1%

Make Love 2-3 times a week = 46.3%

Make Love 3-4 times a week = 51%

Make Love over 4 times a week = 83%

A Common Misconception

Is that abstinence will boost a man's fertility. This is not the case. Yes the number of sperm may increase but they become less mobile and less able to reach the egg.

Funnily enough the flip side

Isn't good either... several sessions a day is also counter-productive too! You need to find a happy medium!

Eating gives you an appetite

You want to have a baby and you realise that making love 4 times a week will seriously boost your chances but you work long hours and are very tired and often have little desire... first I would say; if you can't alter this [energy levels] to conceive a child how will this change once the child is born? [Food for thought, no?] And second as the saying goes: eating gives you an appetite, so making love will ....

Happy TTCing people!!

Update to Weight Loss: My Ugly Truth

Week one is over!

And I am still alive! I've even had a night out [and away], sneakily had 4 alcoholic drinks and still lost weight!!

The results:

I've lost 2 lbs and a total of 2.5 inches of my overall body!

My NEW body stats:

I am 5 foot 6 inches

I weigh 15 stone and 8 3/4 lbs [ 218 3/4 lbs] - Total weight loss = 2 lbs

I am 47 inches around my belly - Total inch loss = 0 inches

I am 40 inches under my breasts - Total inch loss = 0.5 inches

I am 47 inches around the hips - Total inch loss = 1 inch

My thighs are 27.5 inches - Total inch loss = 0 inches

My upper arms are 14.5 inches - Total inch loss = 1 inch

Compare to my starting body stats here

I feel great

As I am sure you would! Its been a struggle at times; especially eating out last night. I really wanted steak but settled for the homemade burger and a hand full of chips and a very small spoon of cheesy potatoes. I'm getting into the knack of eating burgers without the buns and really much prefer it! Much less bloated [well obviously] then before - wheat is such an evil, evil ingredient!

I was worried

About eating out in the restaurant, especially when it came to dessert; there were really NO wheat free options bar the fruit salad [what restaurant doesn't have ice cream?] so fruit salad it was and I felt better for it afterwards! That's not to say that I would have murdered the profiteroles or carrot cake but c'est le vie - and I am skinnier because of it!

Looking forward

To next weeks result already - here's hoping I'll be another 2 lbs lighter!! [If so that would make 1 Stone for me since March, when I first started the Wheat Free diet.]

'Date' with a pregnant woman.

Tonight I have a 'date' with a pregnant woman.

Well, I'm heading out with my hubby and some of his work mates for a final farewell before they all finish up [their being made redundant and he possibly is - a totally other post!] and one of them is pregnant. Since my mini meltdown 2 weeks ago I've protected myself from any pregnant people [I know] by bowing out of social engagements.

Pregnancy in my face

I don't know how I will handle tonight. I'm in a much better place now than I was 2 weeks ago but sometimes I even surprise myself with how I react to these kind of situations. Worse still in this particular instance is, that she is as pregnant as I should have been.

Putting on a brave face

Is what I am doing and thinking about the future and how it will be my turn soon!

Wish me luck!

Thinking about baby's nursery

I am a great believer in visualisations to help make things happen and while many of you might think I am jumping the gun here I've been putting some thought into where baby might sleep and what it might look like.

Here a just the first view ideas that caught my attention

I've always loved murals in kids rooms and this one feature on Modren Urban Baby caught my eye and I thought wow - perfect for a little girls room! You can just imagine the Teddy Bear's Picnics that would take place here.

What a comfortable room? Forget baby nursery I could imagine sleeping here!! Found on Style at Home I love the use of the soft shades of blue and slight accents of green. I think this would work well for either a boy or a girl by just adding a few touches of some feminine colours.


This is just me, could I have decorated my own nursery this is probably what it would have looked like. I am a pink girl, pink, diamonds, fabric and chandeliars! Perhaps a little too grown up for a baby but I still think its fun and girlie! More ideas at Ami Austin Interior Design.


Is it possible to have a nursery as sophisticated as this? The good blogger [and many of their followers] at Simplified Bee think so AND I agree. Its just gorgeous, elegant and beautiful. Probably won't last or be suitable past the first few months of babies life but I think its a strong contender!


There is no denying that baby blue and white is a lovely, simple and elegant combination. It screams [in a good way] everything that is cutsey about babies! This is just one of the many ideas I fell in love with on Design Spark!

There are just so many options and ideas out there for Nurseries that I think I will have to make 'Nursey Interiors' a regular spot!! I'll have loads of fun searching through ideas and imagining what might be!!

Filling out the application form for the IVF Clinic

6 Pages of Personal Information

They want to know everything! Which I suppose shouldn't be surprising. Still its hammered home to us again how 'public' making a baby is going to be for us.

This is the part that's always caused me problems.

Making babies is supposed to be private, personal, intimate. At leasts thats what we're all led to believe. I suppose the 'publicness' of its all is where most of my anger came from and why for 3 years we pretty much did nothing and I spent most of it in therapy trying to come to terms with the fact that I wasn't going to concieve the way I always thought.

I feel better.

Now that I've made the call, received the pack, watched the DVD [yes they sent us a DVD] and filled out the form. I've come to terms with it now; at the end of the day the end result will be the same and we'll have a baby, thats what counts.

What is on the DVD?

This is a question I would be wondering! I was surprised to see it there in the folder when it arrived but it was great. You got to 'meet' and see most of the staff, hear them describe what they do and what to expect. If showed the Clinic itself, which is lovely and comfortable; which to me, was important. The showed practical things like location, what the building looked like and parking - all things I know I would have stressed about on the way there.

Where do we go from here?

Well today we post the application back and wait for them to call with an appointment. We should be there within 6-8 weeks for our first consultation!! We're getting a bit excited!!

Wish us luck!

What I am doing to lose weight before IVF

Today is day 4 of my 'lose the weight before IVF' campagin and I'm still alive :)

Every morning

I am doing a little cardio or yoga or stretch routine every morning and every evening I do a walk. [Apparently its good for you metabolism to spread your exercise out over the day.] I am also trying to 'keep moving' in the evenings - gardening, so that I don't eat after dinner.

Evenings used to be my worst time for 'munching'.

I've discovered that I ate alot when sitting in front of the TV - I suppose who doesn't? So by watching less TV and staying active in the house and garden I don't have the 'need' to snack as much. [So far, so good!].

I'm doing

About an hour or so a day of exercising, some days 45 minutes. I hope to increase this overtime to about an hour and half by introducing a third 'session'. I'm quite unfit so my 'sessions' [at the moment] aren't very intense but I am pushing myself a little further each day.

Today I used

A great 10 minute cardio workout I found on YouTube - I use YouTube alot to find quick, fun routines. I really liked this one; it was short but could be lenghtened. The exercises were doable and had different intensity levels and the instructor was upbeat and motivational.

What do you think?

A sneak peak at Self Fertility Massage

Am a great believer in [trying] to have a rounded approach to treatment. I came across this on YouTube, I think I'll give it a go; if nothing else it looks very relaxing. Anyone else tried it?