To: PC

Dear P.rince C.harming,
In our quest to bring a little Mac or PC into the world, we decided not to buy gifts this Valentine’s Day as we are in this season of saving & paying!  Instead, we are content with giving each other a card and having a nice meal together at home this evening.  (I can’t wait!)  However, this blog post doesn’t cost a dime so please accept it as an additional gift because I won’t ever get tired of telling the world how much I love you.  My idea of romance is not all about flowers or chocolates.  It’s about how you crank my car every morning so that it’s warm for me, how you still reach for my hand on our dates, how you have taken on the laundry and so many other major things that keep our household afloat, the way you help people and (this may be #1) how you bring me warm socks when I complain about my feet being cold!  Even though I try to play it off sarcastically, I love that you know the answers to so many facts about random topics.  I hope our future child gets your PC-ipedia  memory!!!  I love that you are still showing your nieces that a getting-closer-to-40-year-old (sorry, it's a backhanded compliment) can easily turn upside down flips on the trampoline!

I am so truly blessed that you are my partner in this life.  You make me very happy!  Since this blog was created about us trying to bring a child into this world, let me say shout that I hope it happens because the world is missing out without a mini PC:]  Happy Valentine’s Day.  I love you!  Miss Mac

IVF Meds=!@%#!

Yesterday afternoon I called the IVF nurse/coordinator to let her know I'm still eager to get things going with IVF but that I've been playing phone tag with the financial clearance person. She said we could go ahead & get the meds ordered. She told me the specifics of what I would need and that I could call pharmacies for prices. And then things started unraveling from there.

I made a stupid mistake when planning & budgeting for everything. I interpreted the information about discounts from the Ferring Heart Program wrong. I thought the FHP discount would put our total for meds around $2500. Imagine my disappointment and disgust when I called the pharmacy & they gave me the total of $4860+$10 program enrollment fee to get the discount (!@%#!). This price is for Bravelle & Menopur, 10 days worth, WITH the discount. In addition to being disappointed & disgusted, I came home feeling defeated because it makes us $2300 short.

I realize one reason these meds are expensive is because pharmaceutical companies have to make a profit and price goes up with less volume. But why does it feel like such a trap? Think of all the unused vials out there that go to waste or are used for injection training purposes because of FDA guidelines. Add that to the "IF sucks because... list!"

Things looked a little brighter when PC reminded me that was just one pharmacy and he would see what he could find out online. By the time he was finished, he had made a spreadsheet of different pharmacies and price comparisons. See exhibit A below.

How sweet is he? How lucky am I? He lifts me up when I need it most and sees the glass half full when I think it's beyond empty! If we are able to use some of the pharmacies he found online, we can get the cost closer to $3000. These meds better stimulate the economy ovaries in a major way!

To PC

Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for being by my side. I love you. Mac

Mac and PC anniversary

This week, PC and I will celebrate 3 years of marriage. One of the songs in our wedding said "When God made you, He must have been thinking about me." So true. Especially today... I really lost it and PC was on the receiving end of a royal hormonal hissy fit. Which he never deserved. And he was forgiving & I'm very lucky. So- this post is an extension of "I'm sorry" and a reminder of why I'm so thankful for a wonderful husband & the past 3 years.
He cranks my car every morning so that I have a warm ride to work...sends a mid-day I love you email... and always has a hug for me at the end of the day. I'm very scattered in the morning & often have to call PC to ask if he can bring something that I forgot from home to my job... he always comes through. He never complains about my lack of culinary or cleaning efforts. He often brings home flowers "just because." When I'm working a longer hours than usual, he'll offer to come hang out with me. He keeps me updated on politics, weather, astronomy, sports, bicycles, food facts (relates to his job), 80's music (no joke, he can name every artist & the year of the album!) to name a few. And lastly, through all of the IF ups & downs, he holds my hand & stays strong & tells me that "life's not so bad- we have each other." Thanks, God, for sending your very best my way! Happy Anniversary Week, Prince Charming! Can't wait to start the next chapter...