I'm sorry that I have probably been the biggest ICLW failures when it comes to making comments to every one and posting back. I'll be responding to some comments soon and since it is the last day trying to comment on some new people's blogs. I've just been keeping myself busy with everything in life currently.
Like I said last time - I'm trying to get into my creative gene and have been using photoshop to design tshirts and the such. Well I haven't done IF or pregnancy loss shirts yet, but those will come soon. Still accepting ideas all the time if any one comes up with some at all! I have been concentrating on breast cancer awareness shirts since those were easier for me to come up with ideas. I have a few already up on zazzle now. You can get an idea here: Tshirts for a Cause to see what I've been doing. However some of them are not showing yet, although supposedly they have been published. I still have about 10 to upload as well. Busy, busy!
As for the biggest question people had - what is microstock? Essentially there is buyers and sellers there - photographers go through a lengthy process of editing their photos, tagging their photos, and trying to upload it to a microstock site to have them sold. If that microstock sites approves it (they're strict with no noise, no blurs, etc) then other buyers can chose to buy it when they're searching for that subject. Well, I was getting only 25 cents every time one of my photos sold and that happened in a blue moon. The buyers then can use it under a certain terms and condition of the website - which is pretty much they can use it on like 100,000 items being reproduced or other stipulations. But still - they can publish the sellers photo on a lot. So I spend all the hard work to have them use my photo, God knows where, and possibly make a profit on it. I hope I explained it well. Say the least it wasn't fulfilling to me. It might work for others, but I beg to differ. Photographers work is worth more.
As for the TTC front currently - there's no news. Seriously. Since I had my miscarriage in May I haven't ovulated and I haven't had a period so I don't even know what to expect with my body any more! I hate being in the unknown area. I'm going to schedule an appointment with the infertility ob/gyn and ask for more blood work for pregnancy loss and talk about what I should do right now - wait it out or induce with provera. I think I should wait it, but we'll see what happens.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My creative gene...
First I have to say I'm oddly surprised from ICLW that no one has seemed to come my way, really. I guess with 180 blogs out there I should expect that, but I'm still a little surprised. Perhaps my life truly is that boring - or maybe it's because IF is a depressing state to be in sometimes. Perhaps if I bring some cheer over here?
Well I'm generally very creative, at least I'd like to think so. I love creating ideas and following through with things - although I'm a little lazy at finishing! Procrastination should be my middle name. Well I started dabbling my hand into micro-stock... come to find out, it's not for me. I don't feel like my work is worth 25¢ every time someone buys it. I especially was frustrated to see one of the other people's pictures that is in micro-stock on a mouse pad making $8 every time someone buys one, when she probably was paid 25¢ to $5 perhaps. So this person is making a good amount off of this picture. I know she's making a lot of money in micro-stock though, she's got a lot of photos up and has a good income coming in. Me? I have probably 12 photos. As you can imagine in competition 12 photos isn't going to get seen in a swarm of billions.
Anyway, so that mouse-pad got me thinking. If I went to zazzle or cafepress and set up a shop there using my photos and sayings I feel like I could make at least a few dollars a month. I'm not looking for a job type of income here (although that wouldn't be shabby), but an extra $100 a month never hurts. So I've been thinking of ideas - and wondered, what IF or RPL shirts would you like to see? I'm going for other ideas as well, but I truly think there should be awareness about IF and RPL out there. I guess I'm more open about what's going on in my reproductive system then some, but I think after all the issues I've been given a "I don't give a damn what you think" attitude. What does every one think?
*Wanted to add: I totally understand ICLW takes a while, there's a ton of blogs! I know I forgot about doing some blog responses the first few days and am making it up. I know there's some blogs where people don't relate, and some that do. I've found a few so far I've instantly followed because they're a lot like me. There's a few too I actually was following in the first place, so it's all understandable :)
Well I'm generally very creative, at least I'd like to think so. I love creating ideas and following through with things - although I'm a little lazy at finishing! Procrastination should be my middle name. Well I started dabbling my hand into micro-stock... come to find out, it's not for me. I don't feel like my work is worth 25¢ every time someone buys it. I especially was frustrated to see one of the other people's pictures that is in micro-stock on a mouse pad making $8 every time someone buys one, when she probably was paid 25¢ to $5 perhaps. So this person is making a good amount off of this picture. I know she's making a lot of money in micro-stock though, she's got a lot of photos up and has a good income coming in. Me? I have probably 12 photos. As you can imagine in competition 12 photos isn't going to get seen in a swarm of billions.
Anyway, so that mouse-pad got me thinking. If I went to zazzle or cafepress and set up a shop there using my photos and sayings I feel like I could make at least a few dollars a month. I'm not looking for a job type of income here (although that wouldn't be shabby), but an extra $100 a month never hurts. So I've been thinking of ideas - and wondered, what IF or RPL shirts would you like to see? I'm going for other ideas as well, but I truly think there should be awareness about IF and RPL out there. I guess I'm more open about what's going on in my reproductive system then some, but I think after all the issues I've been given a "I don't give a damn what you think" attitude. What does every one think?
*Wanted to add: I totally understand ICLW takes a while, there's a ton of blogs! I know I forgot about doing some blog responses the first few days and am making it up. I know there's some blogs where people don't relate, and some that do. I've found a few so far I've instantly followed because they're a lot like me. There's a few too I actually was following in the first place, so it's all understandable :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Welcome ICLW
Welcome to all those participating in ICLW. Not sure how it will work out, but we'll see. I almost forgot it started today!! I'll introduce myself a little bit.
My name is Krystal, I've been married 8 1/2 years to my husband who joined the Navy shortly before we married. I have one son, Andrew, who is almost 4 1/2 years old who was a miracle of primary infertility (and one miscarriage).
Now we're suffering secondary infertility as well. We've been TTC since April 2007 without success carrying to term. I had a 6w2d miscarriage in September 2009 and a 8w3d miscarriage in May 2010. So... the wounds are still fresh. I'm trying to deal. I still haven't found out why I'm suffering RPL, the tests so far are normal - all I know for sure is I have PCOS, Vitamin D deficiency and Insulin Resistance (this diagnosis is old so I need to test again). All those make me higher risk for a miscarriage, which makes it tougher to want to try. But I want more children, always hoped I'd have a sibling for my son. I just never expected it would take this long...
My name is Krystal, I've been married 8 1/2 years to my husband who joined the Navy shortly before we married. I have one son, Andrew, who is almost 4 1/2 years old who was a miracle of primary infertility (and one miscarriage).
Now we're suffering secondary infertility as well. We've been TTC since April 2007 without success carrying to term. I had a 6w2d miscarriage in September 2009 and a 8w3d miscarriage in May 2010. So... the wounds are still fresh. I'm trying to deal. I still haven't found out why I'm suffering RPL, the tests so far are normal - all I know for sure is I have PCOS, Vitamin D deficiency and Insulin Resistance (this diagnosis is old so I need to test again). All those make me higher risk for a miscarriage, which makes it tougher to want to try. But I want more children, always hoped I'd have a sibling for my son. I just never expected it would take this long...
Friday, June 18, 2010
Common TTC abbreviations
This is a list of commonly used TTC and every day life abbreviations you'll see on my site!
2ww - Two Week Wait
AF - Aunt Flo, menstruation
BBT - Basal Body Temperature
BD - Baby Dance, sex
BFP - Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test)
BFN - Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test)
CD - Cycle Day
CM - Cervical Mucus (fluid)
CP - Cervix Position
DH - Dear Husband
DS - Dear Son
DPO - Days Past Ovulation
DTD - Doing The Dance, BD, sex
EDD - Estimated Due Date
EWCM - Egg White Cervical Mucus
HPT - Home Pregnancy Test
HSG - Hysterosalpingogram
IF - Infertility
IR - Insulin Resistance
IUI - Intrauterine Insemination
LH - Luteinizing Hormone, detected in OPKs
LP - Luteal Phase, days in between ov & AF
MC or M/C- Miscarriage
O or OV - Ovulation
OPK - Ovulation Predictor Kit
PCOS - Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome
PG - Pregnancy, pregnant
RE - Reproductive Endocronologist
RPL - Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
SA - Semen Analysis
SAHM - Stay at Home Mom
TCOYF - Taking Charge of your Fertility
TTC - Trying to Conceive
TTCA - Trying to conceive again
2ww - Two Week Wait
AF - Aunt Flo, menstruation
BBT - Basal Body Temperature
BD - Baby Dance, sex
BFP - Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test)
BFN - Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test)
CD - Cycle Day
CM - Cervical Mucus (fluid)
CP - Cervix Position
DH - Dear Husband
DS - Dear Son
DPO - Days Past Ovulation
DTD - Doing The Dance, BD, sex
EDD - Estimated Due Date
EWCM - Egg White Cervical Mucus
HPT - Home Pregnancy Test
HSG - Hysterosalpingogram
IF - Infertility
IR - Insulin Resistance
IUI - Intrauterine Insemination
LH - Luteinizing Hormone, detected in OPKs
LP - Luteal Phase, days in between ov & AF
MC or M/C- Miscarriage
O or OV - Ovulation
OPK - Ovulation Predictor Kit
PCOS - Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome
PG - Pregnancy, pregnant
RE - Reproductive Endocronologist
RPL - Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
SA - Semen Analysis
SAHM - Stay at Home Mom
TCOYF - Taking Charge of your Fertility
TTC - Trying to Conceive
TTCA - Trying to conceive again
Our Infertility History
This is an overview on our infertility history, to make it easier then seeing a long drawn-out story on our history. That way I can also easily tab it on my new blog. Will update it as time goes on, but hopefully it turns into a happier history and better future!
December 2001 - Married the love of my life
Beginning 2003 - Started TTC, stopped all birth control
End of 2003 - Diagnosed with PCOS after 9 months of not having a period, and other signs/symptoms
January/February 2005 - After two years TTC, got pregnant on clomid (four months after starting it) then miscarried at 6w
May 2005 - Found out I was pregnant, naturally
February 2006 - Delivered a healthy/beautiful son, named Andrew
April 2007 - Started TTC #2
Mid-2007 - Diagnosed with Insulin Resistance
May 2009 - Started Charting
April - June 2009 - Took clomid two months, didn't like the side effects so I went off of it.
September 2009 - Found out I was pregnant, miscarried at 6w2d. Husband left on submarine a week later.
December 2009 - Back to TTCA since husband returned home
Beginning 2010 - Diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency
April/May 2010 - Found out I was pregnant, spotted for a week then had a gush of blood and went to the hospital to find the heart beat had stopped. 8w3d along, baby measured 7w4d. All my feelings and worries came true.
Back to the drawing board
Mid-August 2010 - Inducing period with provera, hasn't came since our loss.
August - November 2010 - Took clomid for three cycles
November 21 2010 - BFP @ 10 dpo. Low progesterone, started prometrium 11/22/2010. Hoping for a sticky bean!
11/22/2010 - HCG 38 mIU and progesterone at 20.69
11/24 - HCG 129 miU - Doubling time 26.65
More pregnancy updates: http://krysttc.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-pregnancy.html
December 2001 - Married the love of my life
Beginning 2003 - Started TTC, stopped all birth control
End of 2003 - Diagnosed with PCOS after 9 months of not having a period, and other signs/symptoms
January/February 2005 - After two years TTC, got pregnant on clomid (four months after starting it) then miscarried at 6w
May 2005 - Found out I was pregnant, naturally
February 2006 - Delivered a healthy/beautiful son, named Andrew
April 2007 - Started TTC #2
Mid-2007 - Diagnosed with Insulin Resistance
May 2009 - Started Charting
April - June 2009 - Took clomid two months, didn't like the side effects so I went off of it.
September 2009 - Found out I was pregnant, miscarried at 6w2d. Husband left on submarine a week later.
December 2009 - Back to TTCA since husband returned home
Beginning 2010 - Diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency
April/May 2010 - Found out I was pregnant, spotted for a week then had a gush of blood and went to the hospital to find the heart beat had stopped. 8w3d along, baby measured 7w4d. All my feelings and worries came true.
Back to the drawing board
Mid-August 2010 - Inducing period with provera, hasn't came since our loss.
August - November 2010 - Took clomid for three cycles
November 21 2010 - BFP @ 10 dpo. Low progesterone, started prometrium 11/22/2010. Hoping for a sticky bean!
11/22/2010 - HCG 38 mIU and progesterone at 20.69
11/24 - HCG 129 miU - Doubling time 26.65
More pregnancy updates: http://krysttc.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-pregnancy.html
Monday, June 14, 2010
Not much to report
I got some blood work from my primary care managers office done last week and finally got the results today. They did progesterone (why at this stage I don't know), testosterone, metabolic panel, CBC w/ differential (white blood counts), monocyte absolute, and something else called a hemogram? Well majority of it came back normal - but my monocyte absolute was a little high. Their office didn't seem concerned.. perhaps since when I got the test done I had a cold going on which I'm assuming can elevate it? What sucks is I'm still not over the cold either, it's been 9 days since I got it. The other thing that was low was my Vitamin D still. A good range is 30-150 and mine is 23 so I'll be back on 5000 miU of Vitamin D.
I should be ovulating soon. My OPK's are starting to show a second line so it'll be within the week I'm guessing. I don't know whether to be excited or depressed. I'm just not feeling it at all lately - I'm so mixed with emotions. Do I try? Do I stop? Will I miscarry again? All these overwhelming questions and I cannot stop thinking about them. I've lost two babies within 9 months and I really don't want to risk another... but does that stop me from trying? I guess all you do is put one foot forward and pray. Guess I'll be taking that leap. Next month it won't be happening - I won't be starting clomid because I don't feel comfortable being on it amidst going on a vacation to a family reunion, so it will have to wait.
I've mostly been hanging around my other blog - The Good Stuff where the better life is. Life away from IF, RPL and everything else that bums me out. I like it there better, it involves more smiling. I refuse to even really venture on the TCOYF boards now because the only groups I fit in are pregnancy loss and infertility, two horrible spots to be in.
I should be ovulating soon. My OPK's are starting to show a second line so it'll be within the week I'm guessing. I don't know whether to be excited or depressed. I'm just not feeling it at all lately - I'm so mixed with emotions. Do I try? Do I stop? Will I miscarry again? All these overwhelming questions and I cannot stop thinking about them. I've lost two babies within 9 months and I really don't want to risk another... but does that stop me from trying? I guess all you do is put one foot forward and pray. Guess I'll be taking that leap. Next month it won't be happening - I won't be starting clomid because I don't feel comfortable being on it amidst going on a vacation to a family reunion, so it will have to wait.
I've mostly been hanging around my other blog - The Good Stuff where the better life is. Life away from IF, RPL and everything else that bums me out. I like it there better, it involves more smiling. I refuse to even really venture on the TCOYF boards now because the only groups I fit in are pregnancy loss and infertility, two horrible spots to be in.
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