August 3, 2009

Today, I'm making myself a promise.

Today I promise to stop peeing on sticks, b/c in this economy and in a single-income household, I simply cannot afford to buy anymore.

I've had persistent nausea and migraines for the last week. I thought *maybe* - maybe baby.

$13 later, maybe not.

When you haven't had a period in 7.5 months (227 days to be exact, but who's counting?) it kind of makes any odd early pg symptom jump out at you, even when you know you have a busted ovary.

Today at lunch, I P'd OAS. I didn't even set a timer. 20 minutes later my husband reminded me- Hey, did I check it? Oh yeah, duh. The single line of doom. Toss it out like every other one. And every POAS I've ever done in my life- including the handful in college- has always been for the same reason: Oh crap. Am I? Did we?

Previous to my diagnosis, one line meant relief. Now, it's an annoying reminder. A minus sign. Me minus a baby. Me, incomplete in some way. Two lines are an equal sign. Two lines equal completion.

Today, I promise to stop peeing on sticks until we're actively trying, which at this point, is so up in the air right now it makes me want to scream. I need to stop overanalyzing myself and my body. I need to stop thinking that my POF will reverse itself, magically, on a whim. And every time it comes up negative, I just get into one helluva foul mood.

Today, I'm giving up believing in chances, in maybes, in what ifs. It's not a matter of giving up hope; it's a matter of fiscal responsibility. It's a matter of survival.

3 comments:

FET Accompli said...

You are totally not alone - a lot of us have done this. Despite the diagnosis, in the back of our minds there is always a little voice of "could it be? maybe?" It's the voice of hope. If Sarah got preggo at like, 99 was it? Then why can't we :-)

That being said, I understand how the whole POAS can be a process steeped in aggravation and can add insult to injury.

One day, you will have your baby! You have to believe this, and if you can't sometimes, we will for you!

Also, I am not sure if this is of any help, but you are soooooo young. To be sure, when the urge to have a baby strikes, the pain is great no matter what the age. But -- think about women in their 30's and 40's -- you really are young and starting this process early. You are ahead of the game in the IF world.

Gil said...

I was never a huge fan of POAS; I even avoided it during our IVF cycle. It was far too much torment and anguish each time and I finally just quit, cold turkey. It's a tough habit to break, but one day, when you KNOW it will be the result that you want, do the POAS thing just because you get to see the double lines... seeing those erases all the grief. But for now, don't torture yourself with it. You're only human after all hon. *hugs*

Anonymous said...

Just FYI, when you do decide to POAS again, they can be obtained very inexpensively (and in bulk!) online from places like babyhopes.com. Same for ovulation predictors. And for ultracheap, instead of P'ing OAS, you can Dunk A P Strip In A Cup Of P, or DAPSIACOP as I guess I've never called it. -From one who has POAS'd and Dunked her fair share