Surprise! Day 1 - July 10th

Background Info...

We are going to Greece for our IVF cycle!  Pretty much everything is set up and ready to go.  Our only hiccup was medications that were ordered from the UK and being delivered to the US.  They had been stuck in customs since June 26th and we have been in constant communication to get them cleared and delivered to us ASAP.  IVF cycle starts on the first day of your period - day 1.  Then you do an ultrasound on day 2 and start the injections day 2.  For me, I was predicted to start on Tuesday July 14th.

Day 1

Surprise!  Day 1 came four days early and I started yesterday.   Woke up at 4am and my first thought of the day was FUCK.

So I start sending emails.  I email Ruth (our nurse contact in Greece) to let her know, I email Brandi (our nurse contact in the US) to let her know.  I try to go back to sleep...

Yeah right.  Sleep has been evading me the last few weeks, there is no way I was getting sleep when I was so anxious now.

So as I'm laying there (not sleeping), I think we have two major hurdles.

1.  I still don't have meds, and I'm supposed to start them tomorrow.
2.  Its Friday.  Well shit.  My day 2 scan would have to be on a Saturday.  The clinic here in the US doesn't do scans on the weekends.

Ruth is out of the house (remember they are 8 hours ahead of us) and will write me an order to get the scan done today instead of on day 2 tomorrow.

Then we have to figure out medications - which will turn out to be my demise today.

The first major problem (there's a lot today so fair warning) is that our clinic in the US is really busy today.  Apparently every one needed to see Brandi today.  The second nurse is out on vacation.  Well great.

After many calls and emails, I have an appointment for 1pm (keep in mind that's 9pm in Greece and the doc needs to review my scan before he can tell me how much meds I need to be on).

We are trying to figure out the medication situation at the same time I'm trying to figure out when to get a scan.  I finally hear back from customs and we have been cleared from customs but now our meds have to go to the FDA to get inspected...and that can take 7-10 business days.

I'm sorry???

What?????

7-10 BUSINESS DAYS?????  I'LL ALREADY BE IN GREECE WHEN THEY SHOW UP!!!!!!!!!!! (keep in mind we ordered them on June 22nd).

So it's final - the meds that are in customs are worthless to us.  We won't get them until its way past when we need them.  So the $1200 we send on the meds is gone.  *we might be able to give them to another couple who needs them and get some money back instead of them just sitting in my house useless*

Now we have to get a new prescription for meds that I can get here.

At this point, I go in for my scan at the doc office.  Scan goes fine, I have 20 antral follicles in each ovary.

Time to talk meds with Brandi.  Doc in Greece wants me on Menopur first and then I'll take Centrotide next week based on the scan results in the next few days.

Menopur -

• Option 1 - I can go to a pharmacy in Overland Park and pay $145 a vial.  I need 6 vials to get me through the weekend until I can have some delivered next week.  
• Option 2 - Use Walgreen's specialty pharmacy and get Menopur for $79 a vial and they will FedEx it and I will get it on Saturday (today).  

We decide on option 2.  Since I don't need the Centrotide yet, I'm not so worried about it.  So I'm on the phone with Walgreens.  The total comes to about $1900.  They advise me that I should add Centrotide to the order (since I'll be buying it next week anyways) so that it puts my total over $2000 and qualify for a $200 discount.  

• Brandi puts in the prescription
• I sign up for the discount program
• I leave the doc office with Follitism as a back up...just in case something happens so that I have meds to last me over the weekend.  
• I wait
• I call and see if it's processed so that we can finalize it (pay for it and set up delivery)
• 3 pm - not ready yet
• 4 pm - not ready yet
• Find out that they only have the order for Menopur and not Centrotide 
• Call Brandi
• Oops - forgot the second medication, she sends it in 
• 5 pm - not ready yet 
• 6 pm - Its ready!  
• Just kidding, they only processed the Menopur and didn't see the second prescription for Centrotide.  Have to start the processing over again to be able to get them both tomorrow and still qualify for the discount.  They close at 7pm.  If its not processed by the time they close, I don't get the meds on saturday when I need them to start using. 
• 6:15....I'm freaking out
• 6:30....freaking out more
• 6:45....even more freaking out 
• 6:54....they call!!!  It's ready to go!!!!!!!!!!!!  I give them payment information and delivery will be saturday!  Its all set up.  

I'm all smiles and thankful the day ended on a positive note.  

So at this point, Alex (our house/dog sitter) is hanging out at our place and we are having a dandy ole time.  Brian cooked dinner and all was good.  We had already decided we were going to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.   

So we go downstairs to watch it and relax...

and we cant' find it.  

anywhere!  The movie has disappeared.  

We decided to go to family video and rent it.  

Nope - they only have Part II. 

Walmart?  

Nope - only the whole blue ray set for $70 

Target? 

Nope - only have Part II 

Best Buy?  

Nope - only have the full set like walmart.  

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 

So we do what all logical people do, buy an apple TV and buy the movies off iTunes to watch at home. 

We finally get home and are ready to watch it!  

I check my phone because I had left it at home to charge (all the phone calls today had killed it)....and I have missed calls and voicemails from Walgreens.

• Payment didn't go through.  
• Will not get meds delivered on saturday.  
• There is no way around it. 

FUCK. ME.  

Realize that I gave them the wrong expiration date for the card.  

I cry.  I mean seriously.  What else could go wrong?  

Once I calm down and see the bigger picture, I'm fine.  Brandi gave me the Follitism as a back up.  THANK GOODNESS!!!!  I have meds to take over the weekend to start my cycle!

We all take a deep breath...and watch Harry Potter until 2am.  

What. a. day.  If day 1 was was that crazy, it can only go up from here right????