offerings

So there I was, happyish on the one hand from my hcg level, but spiraling in neurotic worry on the other at the slower doubling, and onwardsandsideways sent THE BEST LINK for those of us who find ourselves quite suddenly on the other side of the fence.

A beautiful day posted this way back in 2004- debunking some of the myths that hold us captive in a state of panic-- including some gems on symptoms and hcg levels. So, for you folks out there who are suddenly finding all sorts of new things to worry about (I'm talking to you sprogblogger)- this might really help-- it sure talked me down last night and I felt MUCH better after reading it.

Another thing I wanted to talk about is my amazing pharmacy- Ascend up in Portland Maine. They ship everywhere folks, and have the best customer service ever. How good is their service? Well when I called to re-up my progresterone suppository supply (yay, more on this in a minute)- I mentioned that I was now pregnant (gulp) and perhaps that meant that my insurance might now cover it at least a little. They said they'd ask and called back soon after with the news that not only was it covered quite a lot (50$ copay)- but it seems they had been given incorrect information about my coverage when I was getting my IVF meds and that they (Ascend) were going to try to see if anything else I had purchased at full price might also be covered. Yesterday they left a gleeful message for me to call. I did. It seems that through their perseverance, they discovered that I indeed did have some prescription coverage and that it did cover some of the drug costs and that -- get this-- they had not only finally wrangled this information from my insurance company, but due to their dogged investigation, the company already paid the claims and I had $4000 or so waiting to be refunded.

Um. HOLY SHIT?? That certainly takes a meaningful bite out of the monstrous IVFdebt.

I am serious, I cannot say enough about this pharmacy and their amazing customer service.

Ok, on to the progesterone suppositories. As you know, I hate them. They hate me. My skin was pissed off, raw, hurting. I came up with an initial plan that helped. I cannot do usual pantiliners, they make me more raw and more sore. So I got some gladrags cotton panty shields-- they are expensive as all get out but washable, snap around the crotch of your panties, are soft and thick enough to matter, and built to last until the next century. They also don't end up in the landfill. But then, having made this discovery that helped me manage the horribleness a mite better, Sharon, my super nurse, suggested I try an alternative, well, really, the only alternative- yes, folks--rectal insertion. (I hate to think of the web traffic I'll get now)-- but really, I was so desperate that I tried it. One small bit of vasoline, a moment of thinking of england, and voila. No lying down for half an hour, no persistent goop, no leakage or seepage or pissed off skin, no nothing but that one weird (!) moment and some very interesting bowel activity.

So, we will not speak of that again.