If you're a guy and you're reading this, and if you value your masculinity even a little, please don't ever buy the movie Hairspray for your wife. If you ignore this advice you will forever have songs like "Good Morning Baltimore" and "You Can't Stop The Beat" stuck in your head alongside images of Travolta in a fat-suit dancing around with Queen Latifah. And after enough viewings (which there will be WAY MORE than you could ever care to imagine after your wife establishes absolute, tyrannical control of the DVD player, remote and TV) you will even start to like it a little. Emphasis on LITTLE.
I tried to nip this situation in the bud by giving my wife's copy to my sister-in-law, convincing my wife it would be okay because she bought the fullscreen version and should really get the widescreen version for better viewing on our TV at home. This only resulted in my wife purchasing the widescreen version on our very next trip to Target as well as the soundtrack, which we had to listen to on the way home and immediately watch the DVD once we got there!
How does this relate to infertility? Come on ... there's no way such an environment can be even remotely beneficial to sperm development. I would guess my morphology issues have been compounded by the fact that my sperm are wearing skirts and singing showtunes - they're dancing to the songs stuck in my head when they should be swimming.
Monday, January 14, 2008
4 Happy Young Couples
Our open house was a success - no bid yet, but we had 4 "nice young couples" stop in to see the place. In this market (Michigan) that seems pretty good to me. They all have homes of their own that need to sell first, of course, but they liked our house and will hopefully keep it on their radar until they find good fortune in the sale of their own homes. I'm hoping they left our house with that feeling of anxiety, i.e. "I love this house - we need to sell our house ASAP so we don't miss this opportunity! Maybe we should lower our price!?!?" If you've ever bought a home before, you know the feeling. Anyway, fingers crossed on this one ... more than anything we just want a house with a fenced backyard for Cooper to run around in, acting like an idiot, thinking he is a deer or vicious predator. Is it pathetic to want such amenities for a dog?!?
My wife's cycle is starting right now, so we're off to the store to get some Easy Blue Ovulation Predictor Kits. I might try one out just for kicks - or wait, maybe I'll just go "eliminate" on the wood pile in the back yard like I always do ... it's good to be a guy.
Mondays are long - my wife has two grad classes after work and I usually don't get home until after 8 p.m., so Cooper has a long day of being locked in the bathroom before him. We were watching TV last night feeling sorry for ourselves since the weekend was over (correction: feeling sorry for my wife due to the impending Monday) We tuned in to that show where the Asian dude and his wife had twins, then sextuplets for a grand total of 8 kids (something like "John and Kate Plus Six Equals Eight" ... er, wait, the math doesn't work out on that ... nevermind, you get the point) That girls stomach when she was pregnant (from infertility treatments) looks like a freaking atom bomb, or some type of warhead-equipped explosive device - HUGE! Anyhow, if we thought we had it rough with a little puppy at home and two grad classes on a Monday, we had nothing to complain about. These people drive around in a Dodge Sprinter as their daily driver. Their kids are adorable, but there's so many of them! I can't imagine how they begin to afford the daily expenses of rearing that many children. Anyhow, it was good to have a reality check. Thank God it's Monday!
My wife's cycle is starting right now, so we're off to the store to get some Easy Blue Ovulation Predictor Kits. I might try one out just for kicks - or wait, maybe I'll just go "eliminate" on the wood pile in the back yard like I always do ... it's good to be a guy.
Mondays are long - my wife has two grad classes after work and I usually don't get home until after 8 p.m., so Cooper has a long day of being locked in the bathroom before him. We were watching TV last night feeling sorry for ourselves since the weekend was over (correction: feeling sorry for my wife due to the impending Monday) We tuned in to that show where the Asian dude and his wife had twins, then sextuplets for a grand total of 8 kids (something like "John and Kate Plus Six Equals Eight" ... er, wait, the math doesn't work out on that ... nevermind, you get the point) That girls stomach when she was pregnant (from infertility treatments) looks like a freaking atom bomb, or some type of warhead-equipped explosive device - HUGE! Anyhow, if we thought we had it rough with a little puppy at home and two grad classes on a Monday, we had nothing to complain about. These people drive around in a Dodge Sprinter as their daily driver. Their kids are adorable, but there's so many of them! I can't imagine how they begin to afford the daily expenses of rearing that many children. Anyhow, it was good to have a reality check. Thank God it's Monday!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Explody House
So the house didn't blow up, and Cooper lived to see another day so that he could pee on our bed in the middle of the night.
This will be a busy weekend - we're going to see Juno tonight (about a girl who gets pregnant and gives the baby up for adoption, or something like that) Our Realtor is doing an open house at our home on Sunday which means we'll spend all day Saturday cleaning and preparing. Our house looks sweet when it's cleaned - we did a lot of work since purchasing it in 2005 including granite countertops, stainless appliances, hardwood floors throughout, refinished master bath, new carpet, paint, etc. We're listed about 10% below what we paid in 2005 - perhaps a bit high still, but we have a lot of value in our home that much of the competition lacks. I'm hoping for a strong open house and (fingers crossed) a bid.
I like to cook, so I'm going to make dinner for my wife on Saturday night- recipe below:
Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Vegetables
8 ounces Angel Hair Pasta
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and julienned
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
I'll spare the cooking directions as they are pretty straight forward. I intend to modify by adding lemon, and maybe some Cajun spice in place of white pepper.
So long as I get my home gym assembled, I'll start working out this weekend and will thus be unable to type due to debilitating muscle soreness early next week. One time in high school I worked out and was so sore I couldn't even put a dip of tobacco in my mouth. I could hardly bend my elbows and was required to lean my head back while holding a pinch of snuff a few inches above my mouth while sprinkling the tobacco onto my tongue, pushing it all tweenst cheek and gum.
It's a good thing I don't chew tobacco anymore.
Have a good weekend.
This will be a busy weekend - we're going to see Juno tonight (about a girl who gets pregnant and gives the baby up for adoption, or something like that) Our Realtor is doing an open house at our home on Sunday which means we'll spend all day Saturday cleaning and preparing. Our house looks sweet when it's cleaned - we did a lot of work since purchasing it in 2005 including granite countertops, stainless appliances, hardwood floors throughout, refinished master bath, new carpet, paint, etc. We're listed about 10% below what we paid in 2005 - perhaps a bit high still, but we have a lot of value in our home that much of the competition lacks. I'm hoping for a strong open house and (fingers crossed) a bid.
I like to cook, so I'm going to make dinner for my wife on Saturday night- recipe below:
Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Vegetables
8 ounces Angel Hair Pasta
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and julienned
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
I'll spare the cooking directions as they are pretty straight forward. I intend to modify by adding lemon, and maybe some Cajun spice in place of white pepper.
So long as I get my home gym assembled, I'll start working out this weekend and will thus be unable to type due to debilitating muscle soreness early next week. One time in high school I worked out and was so sore I couldn't even put a dip of tobacco in my mouth. I could hardly bend my elbows and was required to lean my head back while holding a pinch of snuff a few inches above my mouth while sprinkling the tobacco onto my tongue, pushing it all tweenst cheek and gum.
It's a good thing I don't chew tobacco anymore.
Have a good weekend.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Light
So I left work at about 8:00 p.m. last night, raced to the fitness store to buy my home gym (and a very nice set it is - was very impressed with the build quality in person) got home at 9:30 p.m., unloaded three very large, heavy boxes containing the weight set into the garage, went upstairs to say hi to my wife (who was in bed, half asleep), went downstairs to fix the furnace (faulty ignition control unit), took the dog outside, went to bed, woke up to a freezing cold house (my furnace repairs didn't work), removed the faulty ignition control unit, installed and wired a new one, turned furnace back on and crossed fingers so house wouldn't explode, saw flame jets, felt heat, got in car, called boss to say I'd be late and went to work ... phew ... long day with hardly a glimpse of my wife. I don't like that very much ... I left the house at 8 a.m. - it was light outside. This was the first time I've seen my yard or house in daylight in ages (usually when I leave and get home it is pitch black)
Now I'm worried that my furnace repairs may not have been done incorrectly, and that the house is filling with gas, or that the furnace didn't shut off / turn on and Cooper is sweating / freezing his little balls off (which he won't have for long - the vet intends to remove them in two months - this is the tie-in to infertility in this post ... we're dragging Cooper down with us! At least he'll know why he can't reproduce.)
I can't wait until my wife gets home to make sure the house is still there, then, I can't wait to get home to see my wife.
That is all.
Now I'm worried that my furnace repairs may not have been done incorrectly, and that the house is filling with gas, or that the furnace didn't shut off / turn on and Cooper is sweating / freezing his little balls off (which he won't have for long - the vet intends to remove them in two months - this is the tie-in to infertility in this post ... we're dragging Cooper down with us! At least he'll know why he can't reproduce.)
I can't wait until my wife gets home to make sure the house is still there, then, I can't wait to get home to see my wife.
That is all.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Working Out
Today I'm drawing a line - I've gained 10 lbs. since I started my job as a consultant. 60+ hours of work per week leaves little time for fitness ... but, that is just an excuse, and from here on such excuses will be on the other side of the line that I've drawn, along with McDonald's breakfast sandwiches, California rolls, fried rice, chocolate and not working out (some beer will still be on my side of the line, but not as much as their used to be)
On my way home from work tonight I'll stop by Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up a Powertec Workbench Leverage system (which they have on sale for ~$600) You can do over 20 exercises with this particular piece of home gymnasium equipment and if my research serves me, these are the most effective types of exercises available because they involve weight training. Eventually we'll acquire a treadmill too, but for now it shall be weights for me!
Last year this time my exercise habits were perfect. My job was so slow I had time to go to the gym almost every day for a 5k jog or 30 minute weight routine. I sustained those efforts through August, when I switched jobs, at which point I was in pretty good shape. Now, I should state that I'm not really all that out of shape ... I'm 5'11" and currently weigh 188 lbs. - the problem is that I normally weigh 178, and should probably be 170 ... the bigger problem is that I have formed some bad habits and need to break them before they become too deeply instilled. I'm very motivated to maintain healthy habits when I regularly workout - the investment of time, sweat and effort is not something I like to squander with junk food ... but when I'm not working out, I too easily partake in candy, chewing tobacco and excessive amounts of beer. So, if you've made it this far you're probably wondering how this all relates to infertility?
I've read that a moderate amount of exercise is essential to maintaining healthy sperm (too much can be a bad thing). I have no concern that I will over-do it ... if I can do 2 workouts per week, I will be happy. 3 would be optimal. That, in my opinion, is not enough to result in degraded sperm health, but hopefully it is enough to cut some fat.
An even bigger benefit of exercise is the energy, clear head, good sleep and confidence it brings - these benefits will be incredibly helpful as we progress down our road of infertility. My wife intends to use this home gym as well, which will hopefully bring her some of the same benefits it will bring me.
Anyhow, this is something to be a little excited about - I've wanted a home gym for a long time. It will be nice to have one, and it will be even nicer when the scale reads 170 lbs.
On my way home from work tonight I'll stop by Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up a Powertec Workbench Leverage system (which they have on sale for ~$600) You can do over 20 exercises with this particular piece of home gymnasium equipment and if my research serves me, these are the most effective types of exercises available because they involve weight training. Eventually we'll acquire a treadmill too, but for now it shall be weights for me!
Last year this time my exercise habits were perfect. My job was so slow I had time to go to the gym almost every day for a 5k jog or 30 minute weight routine. I sustained those efforts through August, when I switched jobs, at which point I was in pretty good shape. Now, I should state that I'm not really all that out of shape ... I'm 5'11" and currently weigh 188 lbs. - the problem is that I normally weigh 178, and should probably be 170 ... the bigger problem is that I have formed some bad habits and need to break them before they become too deeply instilled. I'm very motivated to maintain healthy habits when I regularly workout - the investment of time, sweat and effort is not something I like to squander with junk food ... but when I'm not working out, I too easily partake in candy, chewing tobacco and excessive amounts of beer. So, if you've made it this far you're probably wondering how this all relates to infertility?
I've read that a moderate amount of exercise is essential to maintaining healthy sperm (too much can be a bad thing). I have no concern that I will over-do it ... if I can do 2 workouts per week, I will be happy. 3 would be optimal. That, in my opinion, is not enough to result in degraded sperm health, but hopefully it is enough to cut some fat.
An even bigger benefit of exercise is the energy, clear head, good sleep and confidence it brings - these benefits will be incredibly helpful as we progress down our road of infertility. My wife intends to use this home gym as well, which will hopefully bring her some of the same benefits it will bring me.
Anyhow, this is something to be a little excited about - I've wanted a home gym for a long time. It will be nice to have one, and it will be even nicer when the scale reads 170 lbs.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Still here
Just wanted to make a post so I don't extend this stretch of absenteeism for too long. I don't really have anything to update on ... we're still waiting until my wife's next cycle starts so we can schedule our post coital test. That should occur sometime in the next 2 weeks. Until then, we don't expect much to change. Just getting on with the crappy months of January and February. Such a bleak time of year ...
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Post-Holiday Update
Some highlights from the holidays:
-My wife's least favorite person is pregnant. She found out by looking at this particular person's MySpace page which said something about being "nauseous", and comments from friends saying "I'm so happy for you! You've waited so long!" Just for reference, this girl has been trying for 4 months. My wife melted down into a puddle of tears and a mantra of "It's not fair!"
-No comments from family/friends about our infertility issues. Very nice.
-Attended a party with friends who are all in the process of starting a family, or are well along the path of parenthood. My wife got stuck with the other women while the guys and I went out to the garage to look at dead animals (my friend is a taxidermist) The women discussed children and babies - my wife sat on the sidelines, clearly pained by the topic. Our puppy found his way into the kid's baby seats, diaper bags, and other baby accessories whose owners were none too happy about his discoveries ... my wife and I were secretly cheering our little puppy on while he climbed in, over and around all of the baby stuff. Good boy Cooper!
-Picked up a copy of "The Infertility Cure" ... a book I'm sure many of you are familiar with. So far we like what we're reading and are willing to try the author's recommendations, so I've started taking as many of the vitamins recommended in the book as I could get my hands on (Vitamins C, E, B12, Zinc, Ginseng, Fish Oil and a multivitamin) My wife intends to begin following the recommendations for women contained in the book. There are a few other vitamins and supplements I have to track down on the internet, but I intend to find, and take them ASAP. The author proposes that infertility can be overcome with traditional Chinese medicine, which to date, I have considered to be a member of the same ranks as "Voodoo" and "Witchcraft" (right next to homeopathy and chiropractic) Being backed into this infertility corner, however, I am reconsidering my classification scheme of alternative medicines. If nothing else, the concepts in this book seem to support an overall healthy lifestyle, so even if we end up at another round of ART, it can't hurt ... and there seems to be a lot on the topic of positive thinking - an area in which my wife admits to needing improvement.
-Cooper (our puppy) is now sleeping in our bed every night - something I said would never happen upon getting him - and is almost completely reliable in "eliminating" outdoors.
-I have gained 10 pounds since starting my consulting job! Time to buy a weight set, and to find time to start using it. Leaning towards a Powertec Workbench.
-We are in a holding pattern with Dr. M. until my wife ovulates in her next cycle. Her current cycle was screwed up because of Dr. S's recommendation to take the pill, and Dr. M.'s ensuing recommendation to stop taking the pill ... she took only one of the pills, but it caused her to have a half a period, or something involving bleeding / spotting. So, we're going to wait until she gets a positive ovulation test in her next cycle (which will be normal, hopefully) and schedule our post coital consultation with Dr. M. immediately thereafter.
That's all for now. Happy new year. Time to get in shape, eat salads, cut back on alcohol and tobacco (I partook of some Kodiak over the break ... that's chewing tobacco in case you don't know)
-My wife's least favorite person is pregnant. She found out by looking at this particular person's MySpace page which said something about being "nauseous", and comments from friends saying "I'm so happy for you! You've waited so long!" Just for reference, this girl has been trying for 4 months. My wife melted down into a puddle of tears and a mantra of "It's not fair!"
-No comments from family/friends about our infertility issues. Very nice.
-Attended a party with friends who are all in the process of starting a family, or are well along the path of parenthood. My wife got stuck with the other women while the guys and I went out to the garage to look at dead animals (my friend is a taxidermist) The women discussed children and babies - my wife sat on the sidelines, clearly pained by the topic. Our puppy found his way into the kid's baby seats, diaper bags, and other baby accessories whose owners were none too happy about his discoveries ... my wife and I were secretly cheering our little puppy on while he climbed in, over and around all of the baby stuff. Good boy Cooper!
-Picked up a copy of "The Infertility Cure" ... a book I'm sure many of you are familiar with. So far we like what we're reading and are willing to try the author's recommendations, so I've started taking as many of the vitamins recommended in the book as I could get my hands on (Vitamins C, E, B12, Zinc, Ginseng, Fish Oil and a multivitamin) My wife intends to begin following the recommendations for women contained in the book. There are a few other vitamins and supplements I have to track down on the internet, but I intend to find, and take them ASAP. The author proposes that infertility can be overcome with traditional Chinese medicine, which to date, I have considered to be a member of the same ranks as "Voodoo" and "Witchcraft" (right next to homeopathy and chiropractic) Being backed into this infertility corner, however, I am reconsidering my classification scheme of alternative medicines. If nothing else, the concepts in this book seem to support an overall healthy lifestyle, so even if we end up at another round of ART, it can't hurt ... and there seems to be a lot on the topic of positive thinking - an area in which my wife admits to needing improvement.
-Cooper (our puppy) is now sleeping in our bed every night - something I said would never happen upon getting him - and is almost completely reliable in "eliminating" outdoors.
-I have gained 10 pounds since starting my consulting job! Time to buy a weight set, and to find time to start using it. Leaning towards a Powertec Workbench.
-We are in a holding pattern with Dr. M. until my wife ovulates in her next cycle. Her current cycle was screwed up because of Dr. S's recommendation to take the pill, and Dr. M.'s ensuing recommendation to stop taking the pill ... she took only one of the pills, but it caused her to have a half a period, or something involving bleeding / spotting. So, we're going to wait until she gets a positive ovulation test in her next cycle (which will be normal, hopefully) and schedule our post coital consultation with Dr. M. immediately thereafter.
That's all for now. Happy new year. Time to get in shape, eat salads, cut back on alcohol and tobacco (I partook of some Kodiak over the break ... that's chewing tobacco in case you don't know)
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