Fertility Part 12

Today, Wednesday, we are again in Week 1 of The IVF Diet. I weighed in at 196.5 lbs today. Not as much weight loss as I wanted, but at least I have not gained it all back.

I had a great time with my sister when she visited during the second half of May. I had hoped to do a lot more hiking with her, but we only had one epic day on Santa Cruz Island.

Then my dad came into town and we did a lot of sightseeing. Here is a list of what we did: 

Saturday, May 25th Old house / Glendale / Neon Museum ($10) / Brand Library & Park Sunday, May 26th

Pierce College Flea Market ($4) / Encino Farmer's Market / Convoy Movie Monday, May 27th

La Brea Tar Pits (FREE) / LACMA (FREE) / The Counter / Canters Deli / Original Farmer's Market / The Grove / Mullholland Water Movie Tuesday, May 28th

10 am acupuncture / Skateland ($8, skates included) / BM e-bikes / CSUN campus tour / Japanese Garden ($5) / Water Reclamation Plant / India's frontier trains movie Wednesday, May 29th

Griffith Observatory ($7 for planetarium show) / Autry Museum (FREE) / LA Zoo ($11 with 50% zoo reciprocity discount) / Griffith Park via LADOT DASH bus ($1) / picnic Thursday, May 30th

Metrolink ($32) / Mission San Juan Capistrano ($10)/ Trevor's at the Tracks / OCTA bus (FREE) / Pedego e-bikes ($25 per hour) / Dana Point to San Clemente bike ride Friday, May 31st

Metro Expo Line ($7) / Rose Garden (FREE) / CA Science Center (FREE + $3 to see space shuttle) / Santa Monica Pier / Bubba Gump Saturday, June 1st

Salute to Recreation, Northridge Park / Metro Red Line ($7) Broad museum, MOCA, Disney Concert Hall, Music Center, Grand Park, Grand Central Market, Last Bookstore, LA Cafe, LACBC HQ, Angel's Flight ($1), Riordan Central Library (FREE) Sunday, June 2nd

Citrus Sunday @ Dearborn Park (~1320 pounds of citrus collected)

The Discover & Go passes from the LA County Public Library saved us $42 at the La Bra Tar Pits and $24 at the Autry. I recommend checking that out if you are expecting out-of-town guests and want to do some sightseeing on a budget. Even though the e-bikes were expensive to rent, that was one of my favorite things we did. I also loved the gardens (Japanese and Rose).

It was hard to keep to the diet while playing tour guide, but it was equally awesome to spend time with family. Keeping busy and doing lots of light walking kept my mind from stressing out.

We've ordered the next round of medications: estradiol, delestrogen, methylprednisolone, endometrin, and progesterone. I'm doing my best to stop from googling all those names to read up on the side effects. I'm just waiting for my period to start. This cycle has been long: today is day 33 and it has not started yet.

I have been going to acupuncture. I finally found a practitioner who took my insurance with no issues. I've had 3 visits now. The first visit, he told me that his goal was to increase circulation. I had a wonderful explosive diarrhea when I got home, so I'm guessing that worked. The second visit, he told me his goal was to make me feel safe. He said, "unless the mother feels safe, there can be no baby." The third visit, I found myself meditating on that feeling of safety and love. I was chanting a mantra of: I am ready and I am willing. Also: I am safe and I am loved.

At the Last Bookstore, I found a book called Sacred Woman which has some ideas for altars. I was thinking of putting together an altar anyhow and I have some time now to do some sculpting and painting so I will incorporate her suggestions for altars in those craft projects. I don't know if I can follow the author, Queen Afua, in all of her herbal recommendations and suggestions towards veganism, but I can definitely consider some of her yoga poses and dance moves for tapping into the divine feminine energy.