Post Operation - I woke up!

It had been 3 days since I went under the knife. Here's the recap of what I remembered on the day of the operation up till today.

2nd June - Day of operation
At 1.30 pm, a nurse came in with a hospital gown in hand and told me that I had to change into that gown. So I changed. Then I laid down unto a wheeler bed and was wheeled towards the operating prepping room with my hubby walking alongside of me. Precisely at the door of the prepping room, my husband was no longer allowed to accompany me. By that time I was a nervous wreck and tears started flowing down my cheeks looking at my husband as I was wheeled into the prepping room.

I was stationed near a table full of shiny things I didn't want to look at. A doctor came and asked me how I was doing. I told him that I wasn't feelling sleepy even though I was given the sleeping pills. He just patted my hand and said that it was ok.

After some time waiting, it was finally time. As I was wheeled into the operating theater, I saw the big operation lamps (it's the same like what we see on TV!) and said to myself how big the light is. The anaesthetician told me to spread my arms (as if I was going to fly) and then he connected the anaesthetic tube into my drip tube. Then he gave me a breathing mask and told me to breathe in and out deeply. I even told myself that I wasn't feeling sleepy at all. After that, I don't remember anything.. Guess I was knocked out after all.. hehe..

3rd and onwards - Afterwards..
I woke up at 11 am the next day. My hubby told me the nurses wheeled me back into my room after the operation at 6.00 pm. I did opened my eyes and he said I looked like I was conscious but he knew I was not really awake. I guess it was just the drugs making me look like that but I really didn't have any notion of what's happening around me at that time. I was given a clicker for morphine to make the pain lesser and my hubby told me I was clicking that thing quite a lot during my state of faint.

When I woke up, I felt the pain and nausea. I did hurl and I hurt like nobody's business! I couldn't move very much. Even the slightest movement will send jabs of pain signal to my brain. So I just stayed put on the hospital bed and try to watch reruns of Disney Channel on the TV, trying not to sneeze or cough. My husband was by my side but he did mention that he had to go to work the day after.. That made me feel quite sad..

My father came at lunch time two days in a row. My sister came with her family the next day. My brother came with my grandmama at the same time. A close friend came on the 3rd and again the next day with his family. A couple of close friends came too. The visitors that came to see me did make me feel a little bit better.

By the that evening I was awake but feeling very weak and helpless. I had to depend on people around me even just to go to the loo. I guess this is how it feels to be an invalid. So all those healthy people out there should really thank Allah SWT for their good health!

I am scheduled to be discharged on Saturday and I got 2 month's worth of Medical Leave! I'm really looking forward to just staying at home and recuperate in peace. Till then.. stay healthy guys! ( ^_^ )

Pre Operation - Here Goes..

Today is THE DAY! 2nd of June 2009! And I am definitely turning into a nervous wreck. I guess the problem is that I like to read up oodles of information form the internet and then freak myself out. My sisters always nagged me not to do it but I couldn't help myself. This happened the last time I had to go for a HSG scan and the information I found on Google about the procedure freaked me out. But mind you I DID had a bad HSG scan session which hurt like nobody's business.

Since morning nurses and doctors had come and gone. I had started fasting from last night. Even if I was supposed to fast I don't think I'd have any appetite to eat anyway. Lots of things were done and everything is making me feel more depressed and kinda scared. Before going under the knife, I'd like to apologize to everyone I know of any wrongdoing that I had done in the past whether it was intentionally or unintentionally. I a merely human and I am far from perfect.

It is now 12.35 pm, so I'd better stop writing and prepare myself and try to work up my courage. My dear husband is sitting next to me and looking calm as usual. Wonder what is going through his mind right now. I had been given the sleeping pill.. so please pray for me.. I hope I will wake up soon.. Here goes nothing!

Pre Operation - The First Day at Tawakal

1st of June 2009 finally came. As instructed by Dr. S, I was supposed to come in at the hospital to be admitted for my operation. I was scheduled for my laparotomy in the next 24 hours. My husband loaded up our car with the bags that we've packed the night before and we drove to the hospital in the early morning traffic. At the hospital, there were quite a number of forms I had to sign to be admitted. At that moment I did felt quite nervous as I signed the consent form for the deed to be done (it felt like I am signing my own death form). I never would have guessed that one day I'd be one of those people that goes under the knife. When my husband and I signed up for an insurance policy a few years back, little did we know that we'd end up using it later on in life. I guess life is a little bit funny that way.

After the registration hoopla was over and done with, my husband and I wheeled our week-long bag through the hospital, into the lift and finally into my ward. The number of my room was 210, at level 1. We were given time to adjust and familiarize ourselves with the room. It was a single occupancy room with a long couch (for my hubby to sleep on) and an attached bathroom. There was a small television hanging at the ceiling at the foot of the sickbed. There was a medicine trolley beside the bed and a cupboard at the end of the room for us to stash our clothes and food too.

After a while, a nurse came in and told me that I was needed for routine checkup at Dr. S' clinic. I went there to get a final ultrasound to check the size of my cyst (which had grown up to 12cm already!) and did some blood tests, x-rays and breathing tests (because of my asthma) at various levels all over the hospital. By the time all the tests were done, it was already noon.

For my last lunch before the operation, we walked to a nearby McD outlet. I know, it's not much but I suddenly had a craving for apple pie a la mode. I do have a sweet tooth and that cannot be cured, I think. The nurses reminded us that I was only allowed to be out of the hospital for one hour. So, a one hour lunch date with my dear hubby it is. ( ^_^ ) After lunch, we trotted back dutifully to the hospital with me suddenly feeling like there was a heavy cloud hanging over me.

Later that evening, doctors came and saw me to explain about the whole procedure for tomorrow. There were three doctors involved, my gynecologist, my lung doctor and the anaesthetic expert. Dr. S was going to do the operation herself, Dr. C (my lung doctor) was going to oversee and standby in case I hyperventilate and have an asthma attack during operation and Dr. A was going to anesthetize me (in other words, knock me out cold). He initially wanted to just numb me waist down by injecting the meds into my spine but I opted to be fully unconscious since I know I won't be able to look at all the blood.

And now I am sitting in this chair typing whatever comes to mind so that I could have my few last words before I go down under.. Good night guys.. Sweet dreams.. ( ^_^ )

Packing Our Bags.. Time To Go..

It was the 1st of June 2009. The date for my scheduled operation was coming very near (the next day! Yikes!). I had only told my whole family and several close friends about the operation that I am about to go through. Since it was the last day before I go under the knife and be knocked out, my dear husband took me out to buy some supplies we would need for our brief stay at the hospital. We went to Jusco Taman Equine to get some lunch and buy some groceries and disposables. Then we stopped by at Alamanda to stock up on things we didn't get at Jusco and then just hang out together.

Later that evening, my family came and did a small kenduri doa selamat for me. Even though my mother didn't show it I think she was a bit worried about the whole thing since none of her children had undergone a huge surgery before. My siblings were joking with me and making fun at each other as always but I sensed there was a solemness behind all that. I guess they were also worried about the operation thingie.

After everyone had left, we packed our bags for a week with basic essentials. It seems like we were packing for a holiday but in truth we were not. I packed a week's supply of day and night wear (mostly t-shirts and comfy trousers), kain sarong, thick socks, disposables and non disposable undies, my toiletries, a soft jacket in case I get cold and also lots of books. My dear friend gave me a round soft beanbag yellow ball with a smiley on it for luck. I brought that too. My dear husband packed his t-shirts, work clothes (in case he needed to go for a meeting from the hospital), night clothes, extra blankets, his kain pelikat, prayer mat and his essential toiletries. We even packed some candies (ok, it was me! hehe..) and all the supplies that we bought that day. My husband had arranged for our insurance officer to meet us there the next day and he had also packed all the necessary documents alongside our own personal file of my medical documents.

As it was time for bed, I laid down with all sorts of thoughts going through my head non stop. My husband held my hand and told me not to worry and we went to sleep. I think I didn't dream anything that night. It was a peaceful slumber. I hope everything goes well with the operation tomorrow. Please pray for us ya! ( ^_^ )

Waiting For My Referral Letter.. In Pain!!

I had undergone my first try for IUI fertility treatment in early 2009 but had to abort that holy mission because my doctor found a large endometriosis cyst on my left ovary during my first ultrasound scan session. After the first ultrasound session I had in February 2009, my doctor had instructed me to come in again during my period because he wanted to reconfirm the existence of the cyst he found earlier. The procedure of getting an appointment for the ultrasound is the same i.e you wait till the first day of your menstrual flow comes, call after 2.30 pm and get a date from the clinic. As always, it is very hard to get a date on your first call and I had to wait out two months to finally land an appointment date with my doctor in April. 

So, on a fine day in the month of April, my husband took me to the LPPKN clinic to get our second ultrasound, not to see eggs, but to reconfirm the cyst I had in my ovary. The doctor did the procedure and confirmed the existence of the Chocolate Cyst and that it actually grew a little bit larger than the last time he scanned me. I would have to get that removed but had to wait for Dr.G's referral letter to a surgeon to make things more smoothly for my operation.

I had several discussions with my dear husband on which hospital we are aiming to do our surgery at and decided to go with my cousin's suggestion to go to Damansara Specialist Hospital. All we had to do was pick a doctor's name and give it to Dr. G so that he could write the referral letter. My sister suggested to me to go to Tawakal Hospital where she delivered her baby because her doctor was also a specialist in gynaecology. Her name was Dr. S. I agreed and she made a call to her doctor's office to set an appointment date for me. My husband later discussed the choice and we finally agreed that we go to Dr. S for my operation. A few days later, I called up LPPKN and told Dr. G about my choice of hospital and Dr. S' name for the referral letter. Dr. G told me that the clinic will call me as soon as the letter is ready. Then it was waiting time! Waiting.. and waiting.. and waiting.. but still no call from LPPKN. The waiting caused me another 3-4 months of waiting (hence, the waiting game!) and finally we received a call to stop by the clinic and collect my letter. That was already in the end of May!

I have always had painful period pains before but I never did suspected anything of it. But I did notice that ever since Dr. G told me that I had endometriosis, my period pain had become even worse. It became too painful for me to bear until I was gripping my steering wheel while I was driving back to my home from work one evening. I took painkillers to ease the pain. Unfortunately, the following month's monthly flow, that the pain doubled and I had to call my sister for help (my dear hubby was away for a course that week).

My sister came by and took me to a local clinic to get some medicine. Then she suggested to me to go to see Dr. S. I agreed and she made a call to her doctor's office to set an appointment date for me. Since I had not send the referral letter yet, I brought it along with me when my sister took me to the hospital for my first appointment with Dr. S. 

Dr. S is a very kind and warm doctor. I immediately like her. ( ^_^ ) She did an ultrasound on my tummy and confirmed that I had endometriois and the measurement had increased a little bit. It definitely needed to be removed because she told me that if the cyst were to burst, my health would be in danger and I could be in severe pain. She scheduled me to come in again on the 2nd of June 2009 to be admitted for my operation. That was fast!! If it were up to her, she would've admitted me then and there but I had to ask to postpone for a week because I had a course coming up the following week. She wrote a letter for me to bring along my week long course to inform the secretariat about my upcoming surgery and how I should not exert myself too much in the course.

Well, that was that. Now all I had to do is admit myself into Tawakal Hospital on the 2nd of June. Boy, I am feeling really scared and unsure of everything now that things are moving along. I pray to God that everything will turn out all right in the end. 

Please pray for us guys! ( ^_^ )

Endometriosis and Chocolate Cysts..

During my first ever ultrasound session, Dr. G had discovered that I had endometriosis, so in this post I will explain in brief what endometriosis is all about. Since I am not an expert, I had taken the information from Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Malaysia's website to help you guys understand better.

What is endometriosis?

The dictionary will tell you that endometriosis is "the presence of functioning endometrial tissue where it does not belong". Endometrium is the name of the tissue that lines the uterus. Every few weeks the endometrium thickens to form a comfortable nestling place for the foetus. Normally this is shed during your period and recreates itself again in the next cycle. Sometimes, endometrial cells grow on the outside of the uterus. The body responds by covering these rogue cells with scar tissue. These cells still react to hormones released during the menstrual cycle, so when menstrual bleeding begins, the scar tissue surrounding the cells becomes red and swollen, resulting in intense pain.

Where does it grow?

Common sites for endometrial growth - called implants or lesions - include the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the bladder as well. In fact, endometrial lesions can be found anywhere in the pelvic cavity, and sometimes in the bowel, intestines, colon, appendix, rectum and on Caesarean and laparoscopy scars as well. In rare cases, endometriosis has been found inside the vagina, on the skin, even in the lung, spine and brain.

Who gets it?

Endometriosis used to be called "the career woman’s disease" because it was most often found in professional women who delayed childbearing but further research has shown that endometriosis can affect any woman during the menstruating years. Symptoms can start with or after the first menstruation, but the disease is rarely found after menopause. Overall, as many as 5-15% of reproductive-age women have endometriosis. Overall, as many as 5-15% of reproductive-age women have endometriosis.

How Common Is Endometriosis?

The actual number of women who have endometriosis is unknown because many women do not display symptoms.However, endometriosis is seen in more than half of teenagers who have menstrual periods that are painful enough to be evaluated further. By and large, endometriosis is very rare before puberty and symptoms of endometriosis usually disappear after menopause.

What causes it? 

The cause of endometriosis remains unknown although several different hypotheses have been put forward. Endometrial cells may be carried up through the uterus into the pelvis during menstruation, or they could have travelled to other parts of the body through the circulatory system. No theory has ever been entirely proven but most experts agree that endometriosis is exacerbated by the hormone oestrogen

Is there a cure for endometriosis?  

No, but the symptoms can be managed through a combination of treatments. Basically you can have either surgical treatment or hormone therapy or both. Hormone therapy works by manipulating the hormones that control menstruation and the swelling of your endometrium and endometrial lesions. The medication can be taken orally or through an injection. Treatment varies depending on whether you are treating pain or infertility. Treatment may include medication to shrink the implants, laparoscopy to destroy implants, or surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom of endometriosis is recent worsening of period and pelvic pains which often - but not always - correlate to the menstrual cycle. Pain may be felt before, during or after menstruation, during ovulation, in the bowel during menstruation, when passing urine, during or after sexual intercourse and in the lower back region. Other symptoms, usually during period, may include diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal bloating, heavy or irregular bleeding and fatigue.

Symptoms may remain stable, decrease without treatment or suddenly increase. Symptoms may resolve with treatment and then return later. Often symptoms decrease during pregnancy.

The other well known symptom associated with endometriosis is infertility. It is estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis may have difficulties in becoming pregnant. Endometriosis is thought to be responsible for up to 10% of infertility problems.

How is it diagnosed?

An experienced gynaecologist should be able to recognise symptoms suggestive of endometriosis if you are honest about the history and pattern of your symptoms. Ultrasounds, MRI scans, and gynaecological examinations may be performed but the only reliable way to definitively diagnose endometriosis is by performing a laparoscopy and to take a biopsy of the tissue.

Is endometriosis cancer?

Although endometrial lesions are sometimes referred to as "benign tumours" because they "behave" similarly to cancer, endometriosis is not cancer.

Is endometriosis sexually transmitted or infectious?

Endometriosis cannot be transferred from one human being to another. The cause of endometriosis is not yet known but it is not an infectious disease.

Is endometriosis inherited?

The cause for endometriosis is not yet known but research does show that first-degree relatives of women with this disease are more likely to develop endometriosis.

What are some natural ways to manage the pain?

Try a hot bath or heating pad to relieve the pain. Relaxation and breathing techniques often help. Your partner can also play a role in making you feel better, whether it is a lower back massage, leaving you alone for a while or experimenting with different and more comfortable positions for intercourse.

What should I do if I suspect I have endometriosis?

Although there is no cure, health care providers can teach you how to manage endometriosis and live a comfortable and active life. The earlier you detect the disease, the less risk there is to your fertility and reproductive organs as well. The most important thing you can do if you suffer from the symptoms of endometriosis is to consult and seek professional advice from your gynaecologist.

Since my doctor had diagnosed me with Chocolate Cyst, so here's some information on the subject from Women-health-info.com's website for your information.

Chocolate cysts are a particular type of ovarian cyst linked to endometriosis. So called “Chocolate cysts” are well known also as Endometriomas - these are cysts in the ovaries formed by endometrial tissue (tissue similar to the lining of the uterus). Actually the chocolate cyst is the cyst of the ovary with intracavitary hemorrhage and formation of a hematoma containing old brown blood.  The term chocolate cysts come from the physical appearance as these growths are usually comprised of dried blood making them brown in appearance. Chocolate cysts are formed when endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) grows in the ovaries. Chocolate cysts are usually filled with old, dark, reddish-brown, sludgy-brown blood, hence their moniker. Chocolate cysts can vary between 0.5 and 8 inches (1.5-20cm) in diameter, and are not necessarily a cause for concern. However, if they rupture, their contents can spill into the ovaries and the pelvic cavity. This can be very painful and can also cause some of the organs in the pelvis to bind together. If this happens with the fallopian tubes and ovaries, it can result in infertility.

Chocolate Cysts
Chocolate cysts are affecting women during their reproductive period and may cause chronic pelvic pain associated with menstrual periods (menstrual cramps, endometriosis).

Chocolate cysts (Ovarian endometriosis) probably start as a surface lesion. This process becomes invasive and the endometriotic lesion internalizes into the ovarian tissue. Once the menstrual flow and debris collect at the site of endometriosis in the ovaries, chocolate cysts form that are filled with chocolate-colored liquid. Actually it is a cyst which represent debris from prolonged cyclic menstruation in an enclosed area (inside of ovary). Chocolate cysts could sometimes attain impressive size, with some documented as large as a baseball or grapefruit that completely obliterate the normal ovary. However, usually there is a well-demarcated separation between the cyst wall and the normal adjacent ovarian tissue.

On a monthly basis, endometrial tissue is produced when a hormonal signal is released preparing the uterus to receive a fertilized egg. When pregnancy does not occur the tissue is shed in the form of a menstrual cycle. Another hormonal release signals this shed of tissue which is effectively released from the body through muscular contractions.

When tissue has grown outside of the uterus this shed is not possible and causes an accumulation of tissue and thus cyst endometriosis occurs.

In general chocolate cysts are not life threatening, they can become such if no action is taken. Chocolate cysts’ rupture could be life threatening and is not something to ignore. In these cases emergency medical service is required.

When a rupture occurs, the contents of the chocolate cyst are released into the body and pelvic cavity. Besides being quite painful (it cannot be unnoticed - could be very strong not-bearable pain) it can lead to further health complications, as the cysts have blood in them and are in the pelvic region.

Chocolate Cysts' Symptoms
Most typical symptoms of chocolate cysts are:

• Painful periods- often starting a few days before, and then lasting for the whole of the period;
• Painful sex (Dispareunia)- typically the pain is felt deep inside and lasts for a few hours after sex.
• Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area;
• Infertility - as the passage of the egg from the ovary to the fallopian tube may be blocked.

Chocolate Cysts' Diagnosis
Chocolate cysts can be diagnosed with x-rays or trans-vaginal ultrasounds. Positive results on a blood test called CA125 can also indicate the presence of a chocolate cyst, although ovarian cancer will also give a positive result, so this could be cause for concern. In these cases, exploratory surgery may be necessary to determine the nature of the problem.

Chocolate Cysts' Treatment
When chocolate cysts become a problem, causing pain or infertility, the cyst may be surgically removed. In most cases the chocolate cysts can be removed during laparoscopy - with a small incision and a wand shaped tool minimizing the incision size.  In cases where the cyst is very large occasionally the entire ovary can be removed. Sometimes the cystectomy, or removal of only the cyst could be enough. In other cases, if the cyst is very large, poorly located, or if there are multiple cysts involved, a procedure called an oopherectomy, or removal of the ovary, could be required.

Surgery is not generally considered risky however infection is always a factor and therefore doctors may prescribe antibiotics after the procedure. The point here is that while endometriosis is usually treated by preventing the menstrual, there should also be treatment that restores balance to the hormones, as this can be the root cause.

Some specialists suggest that the permanent cure for chocolate ovarian cysts can be done by natural holistic approach. This works on the assumption that all ovarian cysts are an indication of underlying problems within the body. The solution therefore is not to attack the cysts, but to address these underlying problems and restore the body's natural balance.

Well, I hope the information above was beneficial to you guys especially for those couple out there facing the same problem as I am. I do hope that this wall we stumbled upon will be resolved and we will be on our way again on our journey of trying to conceive.

Ist Ultrasound~~ It's a Dildocam!! Endometriosis Discovered..

My dear hubby and I had went to LPPKN two days after our last hormonal injection to get my first ever ultrasound scan. We had been going to a local GP to get my hormonal injections once in every two days as instructed by Dr. G. When we arrived at LPPKN, the waiting area was already full of couples as usual and we had to wait a while until my name was called in to see the doctor. He had some IUI procedures scheduled that morning so the waiting is a bit longer than usual.

When my name was called, a nurse asked me to empty my bladder before undergoing the scan. After that was done, she ushered me into a small examining room attached to Dr. G's office. There was an examination bed with stirrups and an ultrasound machine at the right foot of the bed behind a curtain. I was instructed to undress from the waist down and lie down on the examining table, with both my legs up in the stirrups. I am not used to being exposed so I felt a little bit uncomfortable and a lot shy. While I was lying down waiting for my doctor to come, the kind nurse talked to me and soothed my anxiety a little bit by telling me how all of this is necessary and how the whole procedure works.

Dr. G came in about 10 minutes later apologizing for running a bit late. He then sat at the foot of the bed and asked me about my injections and was I taking my medications on time as instructed and I confirmed. Then he proceeded to explain about the ultrasound he's about to carry out. It is actually a transvaginal ultrasound which is a type of pelvic ultrasound used to look at the reproductive organs. He will then place a probe which is covered with a condom and gel called a transducer (I am going to call it a dildocam from now on!) into the vagina and the picture of my insides will be seen on the TV monitor attached to the machine. In my case, he's using the probe to check on how many eggs I have produced after being injected with Menonys and measuring each egg's size to foresee the possibility of IUI. After making sure that I understand the procedure, he told me to take a deep breath and went on with it.

The placing of the dildocam was not as painful as the speculum used during my HSG scan (seriously, that one really hurt!!). There was a little bit of discomfort while the doctor was moving the probe left and right. He started on my right side which he said was clear. There were 4 eggs with ideal sizes and the rest were too small. Then he proceeded to my left ovary. He told me that he couldn't see clearly the eggs on the left side. It was as if they were squished behind some large unidentified growth which looked like some cystic growth to him. He probed in a little bit harder and was able to detect the presence of some eggs and got the measurement of those. Then he went back to the unidentified growth and did some more probing. Finally he confirmed to me that it was endometriosis and most probably a chocolate cyst and it was quite a large one too. He took the measurement and announced that the size of my endometriosis was 8cm long.

I was panicking thinking that it might be cancerous but he told me that it was not. Dr. G finished his ultrasound and told me to get dressed and get my husband. My husband came in and Dr. G explained about how he discovered that I had a large endometriosis growing on the left side my uterus. He told us that the scheduled IUI for us was to be aborted because the endometriosis must be removed since it was large. He told us that any endometriosis larger than 5cm must be surgically removed. It the size were smaller than that, usually the cyst will shrink because a growing baby inside the womb will take up space and push the cyst and finally flatten it. Well, in my case, it would not happen. He told us to call and set up an appointment on the first day of my next period cycle because he needed to rescan my cyst to reconfirm his diagnosis.

Dr. G told us not to worry and asked us to start thinking about which hospital we would like to get my operation done since LPPKN does not have the facility to do operations. Since it is a big operation, he advised us to choose carefully and whether we a going to go with Government hospitals (free for Government staffs but need to wait a long time to be scheduled for operation) or private ones (lots of cash needed but can get operated immediately).

I felt quite heartbroken about the abandoned IUI procedure and quite scared and shocked about the cyst. An operation! Oh my, I have to go for an operation to get the cyst removed! At this stage, I didn't have any inkling on what to think and how to react. All I could do was lean on my dear husband for emotional support and words of encouragement. It seems that our path in trying to conceive had stumbled upon a thick wall and becoming more difficult. All we could do was pray to Allah SWT and try our hardest.

Will explain about endometriosis more on my next post. In the mean time, please pray for us.. ( T T )

1st Appointment With Our Doctor..

After waiting out for three months to get an appointment, my husband and I were finally scheduled to see our assigned doctor at LPPKN in February 2009. Our doctor is the head of the clinic and he's a senior specialist in the field of infertility. Let's call him Dr. G. Dr. G is a very warm and friendly doctor but he is also quite frank with facts. I think his characteristics are somewhere between being comforting & nurturing and a no-nonsense-I-will-give-you-the-ugly-truth kind of doctor.

He opened our case file and explained the results of the tests that we did the first time we came to LPPKN. He told me that my hormonal levels were okay but a little bit on the low side. As women age, the level of hormone produced to help in conceiving gets lower and lower. This means that I am currently racing with my body clock. Since I was 31 that year, Dr. G told me that my hormone levels were still considered acceptable. Then he proceeded to explain to us on my dear husband's sperm count and mobility test. He told us that my husband's sperm count and mobility is also a little bit on the low side but still acceptable. Since my hubby has asthma, Dr. G said it is normal for asthmatic people to get such results since some of them have to take medication everyday.

Dr. G then showed us the X-ray film of my HSG scan. He explained about the result in detail relating them with the image. He told me that my tubes are not blocked (thank God!) since the dye flowed through and spilled at both ends, but there seem to be something blocking the dye to spill out entirely all over my uterus. Sort of like when we spill a bucket of water on the floor, if the floor is level, the water should be spreading out and not pool in the middle or any certain spot. Looking at my X-ray film, he told us that it seems that the dye that flowed out of my tubes seem to pool at a spot indicating that something is blocking it to spread and spill all over. But then he told us not to worry so much about it. It might just be my organs or some tissues blocking the dye.

Then he explained about the options of treatment given out by LPPKN which were hormonal treatment for the wife of the husband or both if needed, IUI and IVF. He said that since our hormonal levels and sperm count is acceptable, he would start off our treatment with IUI which has a 5%-20% chances of success in infertility cases. Since we have been married for a long time but wasn't able to conceive all this while, he told us that we would try the IUI procedure a few times, and if those does not succeed, we will then be moving up to IVF. He then prescribed me clomid to stimulate my ovaries and a set of Folliova hormone injectables. I was told to start taking folic acid as well.

The injection set consists of 3 boxes of vials. Each box contains a vial of solution and a vial of powdered Folliova. I was instructed to start the injection the next night, skip a day then another injection, skip a day and the final injection. Every injections must be done at the exact same time. For example, if I injected at 9.00 pm the first night, then the next two injections must be done at 9.00 pm. The doctor told me to see a GP to get my injections since my husband nor I didn't feel that confident yet to do them ourselves. Dr. G then scheduled me to get my first ever ultrasound a week from that appointment day. If everything goes well, I would be scheduled for my Ist IUI two days after that.

After the consultation session ended, we got my medicine and injectables, paid the bill and went home. We followed through the instructions and I got my injections as scheduled at a local clinic and boy, did it burn! Ouch!! With the last pill of clomid and the last injection taken, I was praying and hoping that I would be one of those miracle cases of one-time-IUI-success. Thus, that was the start of the first ever IUI cycle of ours on our journey trying to get a baby. 

The Waiting Game Has Begun..

After successfully completing the HSG scan mission and getting our tests done in November 2008, I had to wait for the first day of my next monthly flow in order to call LPPKN to get an appointment with our doctor. At that time, I really had no idea who our doctor is going to be, whether it's a man-doctor or a woman-doctor. I was hoping to get a woman-doctor. 

The day finally came on a fine December day and I called LPPKN after 2.30 pm like instructed (patients will not get an appointment if they call before 2.30 pm). A nurse picked up my call and asked for my file number (which was written on my appointment card) and told me to hold the line. I think she went to get my file as the line went silent for a few minutes and then when she was back on the phone, she told me the name of our doctor. Gasp! It's a man-doctor! Huhu.. I asked her whether it was possible to get a female doctor but she told me that patients cannot choose since the waiting list is very long and, furthermore, my assigned doctor is one of the best in this field. Hearing that, I accepted and then asked for an appointment date. She went silent again as she checked the doctor's schedule and then announced that my doctor's schedule was already full for that month, so I needed to wait out this cycle and then call the clinic again on the first day of my next monthly flow. 

I was a bit disappointed to hear the news and about having to wait but I had no choice. So I thanked her and hung up the phone. So December went by with nothing happened and then came January 2009. My monthly flow came and I called up LPPKN again after 2.30 pm. The nurse checked my doctor's schedule and told me that my doctor's schedule was full so I had to wait out this cycle too. AGAIN! Uh! Oh! I think the waiting game has begun. So just like December, the month of February went by without any exciting events. 

Then came February. Like a programmed machine, on the first day of my monthly flow, I called up LPPKN again after 2.30 pm to get an appointment. The nurse who picked up my call and checked my doctor's schedule. Then she told me to come in next morning since there was still a slot left for the next day. I immediately agreed and wrote down the date on my appointment card. FINALLY! 

I guess this is what we will be going through in our journey of trying to conceive. I was already feeling a bit frustrated because I had to wait out on two months' cycle just to get a seating with my doctor. But whatever happens, we would just have to be patient with the whole system and pray hard that this does not happen too often.