8 DPIUI#2

I haven't been blogging much lately because I haven't had much to say. I somehow just don't have very much hope for this cycle. In a few days, however, I will probably be going crazy and looking for any symptoms to give me hope.

Today is day 8 post IUI. If I were pg, perhaps I would be getting a bit of implantation bleeding or cramping around now. (I read that implantation usually occurs between 7DPO and 10DPO). No symptoms yet, though.

I think my blah attitude is also related to stress. [Warning: Stop reading this paragraph NOW if you want to avoid a really boring and whiny list of why I am stressed out]. I'm recovering from a nasty cold earlier in the week and I have a ton of work to do:
1)I'm on "back up call" this weekend, which means that I may be called into the hospital at any time during daytime hours for a hematology or oncology consultation.
2) I need to prepare for my VA clinic on Monday.
3) I'm moonlighting overnight at the hospital Monday night (which often means very little sleep, and what sleep there is comes in a little twin bed in a windowless room in the hospital).
4) I have a protocol review committee meeting on Tuesday evening that I need to prepare for by reading some of the protocols and offering my never-brilliant commentary.
5) I need to read to prepare for hematology clinic on Wednesday with Dr S (the somewhat intimidating division chief who has my career future in his hands)
6) I'm giving an hour long morning conference on Friday morning, in front of all of the other heme/onc fellows and faculty, and oh yeah, I still need to actually prepare the presentation for this conference. It usually takes me about 12 hours to prepare for it.
7) I'm teaching a med school small group (my first time ever doing this!!, topic: breast cancer) on Friday afternoon.
8) Then I am on "backup call" again all next weekend, which is a three day weekend.
9) And I still have to work on that Phase I clinical trial protocol and of course my lab project. Both of these projects also have career implications for me.

I front-loaded my year (which runs July thru June) with weekend responsibilities because I hoped to be either Very Pregnant or on maternity leave by mid to late Spring. How sad! I am glad to be done with all weekend responsibilities after next weekend, though. I promise that I don't usually have quite that much stress in my life! I think that the above list sounds even worse than it really is.

Last night we had dinner with our friends G & Y, who have two delightful daughters (age 2 and 4) conceived thru IVF with ICSI. They had almost the same fertility issues that we have, and they are really supportive and understanding. It is always good to talk to them.

I hope to be back in a day or two to report some symptoms (whether real or imagined)!