menses watch, day 2.

Went sanitary-protection free last night just to see what would happen. When I woke up this morning: nothing. Not even when I wiped. Then, a little later, the watery pink stuff came back. It got a little heavier at one point, enough to use a tampon. But when I took the tampon out several hours later, there was barely anything on it.

I have had some cramping today, though, and a distinct lack of any symptoms that would lead me to believe this is anything other than a super-early, super-light period. Joy!

I called the IVF monitoring team at my clinic, because I'm supposed to do that on Day 1 of my next period. Which I'm thinking was yesterday, but am still not 100% sure. They were trying to schedule an appointment to confirm ovulation, because that's when I'll start the estrogen priming for our next IVF, but the last two cycles have been so wonky that they decided to have me do blood work when I'm in the office next Tuesday to discuss the rest of my protocol with Dr. Smiles and get started on the donor embryo process.

Speaking of: Finally got a hold of the third-party reproduction coordinator today and she sent us all of the paperwork to get on "the list." There is, apparently, a waiting list to receive donor embryos at my clinic, though I have no idea how long it is. When matches come up, the recipient who's been on "the list" the longest gets preference. To get on "the list" officially, you have to turn in a fuck ton of paperwork and a $100 nonrefundable application fee. 

So even though we're heading into another IVF with our own genetic material, I'm turning in the paperwork and check on Tuesday because I want need to get on "the list."

Lots has been written about the difference between donor embyros and embryo adoption, but if you're unfamiliar, read this. Mr. Hope and I are undecided which route we'll take, but we're leaning toward donor embryos because it's just so much more economical. Also, you don't have to go through any kind of home study, or wait for a couple to pick you to receive their embryos, or go through lawyers. (Downside: it's completely anonymous, so there's no chance of having an open situation where resulting kiddos can get to know their bio siblings/genetic helpers).  

You do get an awful lot of information about the donors, though: height, weight, hair/eye color, education, occupation, and interests in addition to a medical history (although some is self-reported and therefore could be incomplete and/or inaccurate). What I forgot to ask today (but will on Tuesday) is if there are any photographs of the donating couple or siblings. I'm guessing no, because of the anonymity. But I have read at some clinics the nurses try to match you with couples where there is a physical resemblance. 

Oh, and I haven't mentioned this yet but I totally have to get a colonoscopy on Friday. Which you can't do when you're pregnant (there's anesthesia involved), so I think I'm going to ask them to check my hCG level on Tuesday just to be certain I'm in the clear.

Why am I getting a colonoscopy, you wonder? Because I've been having some digestive issues and there's a family history of polyps. Since Mr. Hope and I are trying to get preggers, the gastroenterologist thinks I should go ahead and get checked out now instead of waiting 10 months or longer to find out there's a problem.

I never ever thought I'd feel so old while still being relatively young.