Chocolate Chip Cookies

In our house, these are more than just delectable treats...they are apparently what my ovaries look like...more on that to come

Wednesday was our first appointment at Shady Grove Fertility. When we arrived at 8, the place was PACKED! I don't know what I expected, but didn't expect this...women (who looked like me - young, professional, fabulous, etc) were there with their husbands for the same reason we were being shuttled from one room to another for this reason and that reason by extremely plesant and perky medical staff.

We met with our Doctor around 8:45 after he'd had a few minutes to look at my chart and I gave him the short version of our story, which included our appointment with Dr. Frenchbread where she indicated that I did not have PCOS. In all seriousness, he looks at me and says "I don't know why she'd say that, because I think that's exactly what you have." Really?

He proceeds to explain this theory to us for the next 45 minutes using data from my chart and really rough drawings of my anatomy...what a refreshing explanation! Turns out not everyone is on the same page when it comes to the criteria for PCOS, which may be why Dr. Frenchbread thought otherwise. He was able to ascertain from my prior bloodwork that my body makes too much male hormones and the other hormone that turns those hormones into Estrogen (that makes you ovulate) isn't working right.

The three of us then met with our nurse, Stephanie, and discussed our case and next steps. Stephanie is the lucky gal that is going to see us through this next phase...no more calling and getting a different person each time...we get to call Stephanie directly!

Remember how I was wondering why in the world God gave me my period this weekend? Apparently it was so I could have a litany of bloodwork and tests done now, rather than a month from now after another Provera-induced period! While we were there, we were able to have an ultrasound done to scope me out down there - which is when we discovered my chocolate chip ovaries. Each ovary was filled with dark circles, which are apparently the cysts that I don't really have :) Even the doctor was surprised at how dark they were - he coined the chocolate chip cookie phrase (for those of you keeping track, I have a beautiful liver, perfect gall bladder, perfect thyroid and now, chocolate chip ovaries.)

In addition to the sonogram, Demetri and I both had blood drawn for infectious diseases, we're both starting Doxycycline, and I received prescription strength prenatal vitamins. Monday, I'm scheduled for fasting bloodwork to check my glucose levels, bloodwork checking my Testosterone levels and DHEA, as well as an HSG (this is the one I'm sort of not looking forward to). Demetri isn't off the hook either...no details, just know he's not off the hook :)

Once all these are completed, we'll have another appointment with the doctor to determine the treatment options. We're sort of being "over-diagnosed" as that's what our insurance covers...diagnosis, but no treatment, so before we begin a treatment regimen, he wanted to make sure he was absolutely sure what the issues were. Tenatively, it looks as though Clomid will be the treatment of choice, which he believes is all we'll need to get this baby-making machine up and running.

When we finally left the office around 11, I was feeling really positive (which SO isn't like me) and thankful for having taken that step to consult the experts. I'm kicking myself now for waiting so long!!!