Show & Tell - My Fertility giveaway

It's that time again - Show & Tell a la Mel over at Stirrup Queens.
The time of the week where you get to show off all your great stuff and then hop on over to check out what everyone else is showing!!!

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My Show & Tell for this week is actually going to be a giveaway that is the result of being cooped up in the house for too long! While on my healing hiatus, I have had to become creative in finding things to keep myself busy. For instance, I have become a champion speed napper - You would be totally in awe if ya saw me nod off!!! I have also crocheted enough items to really start annoying family & friend recipients as well. Finally today, I think I went over the edge....I went to grab something out of the medicine cabinet and just started to clean things out.

This is where the giveaway comes in.

I realized I still had a large amount of my "fertility supplies" in there that had not been touched in about 9 months. I think part of me held on to this stuff because I was just not in a place to truly "let go" of the idea of having a biological child. With all the time that has passed as well as all the circumstances, I am now ready to move on.

Having said that....I am passing this lot of goodies on to one of you wonderful ladies out there in hopes that brings you one step closer to your BFP!!!

Unfortunately, I am only able to open this giveaway to my bloggy friends in the U.S. as I am paying for the shipping (sorry my overseas pals)

The lot contains:
34 Internet cheapie Ovulation predictor dip sticks (two different brands)
OPK INSTRUCTIONS
5 Internet cheapie pregnancy test dip sticks
PREG INSTRUCTIONS
*Both of the above groups of tests do not expire until 2010 or later*

1 Clearblue easy digital pregnancy test which has expired but I am throwing in anyway
I am also throwing in a freebie blessing and lots of positive thoughts as well!!!

Since this IS Show & Tell after all....Here is a pic of the items

Show & Tell was the best way I could think of to reach as many IF'ers out there as possible - my following is not a large one so I had to be creative.

If you are interested in this lot....or know someone who could really use it, please just let me know. I really IS that simple!!!
Leave me your name and email in my comments sections and I promise to get in touch with you.
This giveaway is first come - first serve.

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MOOD REPORT:

Happy 1st Blogoversary to me!!!

Can you believe it folks? One year ago today, I started publishing my rants!

It seems much longer than a year but I think that's because I had all this stuff bouncing around in my head before I actually started to write.

My very first post does a pretty good job of giving a run-down of my IF history.

At the time of that first post - We were waiting on results from a pelvic MRI to give us an idea of where we were headed on our infertility journey. After those results came back and the IF doc sat us down to discuss options, it became clear that IVF was really going to be our best shot at a biological child. Just about the time that we were going through all this, I had some serious medical problems which put everything on hold. I had to take an honest look at my health and make the decision to honor my body & health first. This meant giving up the dream of having a biological child and grieving that as well. It took some time, but I worked to find a place of acceptance in that process. In all honesty, I still grieve this fact to this day - but as each day passes it gets a bit easier.

In the midst of all this, Jim and I started seriously re-visiting adoption as a family-building option for us. The more we talked about it, the more it seemed like a good fit. In the late spring of 2009, Jim and I attended the mandatory adoption classes through our county and started on our adoption paperwork as well.

Then my body had another minor break-down. BOO HISS!!!!!
It has taken a few surgeries, lots of recovery time and some incredible support from family & friends to get where I am today. Today I am feeling good - better than I have in months.
I pray that my body continues to heal and that come November, Jim and I will be able to once again actively pursue our adoption plan.
That's my hope anyway....but as I have learned.....you just never know what tomorrow brings!

So there you have it - my life for the last year wrapped up neatly on this blog.
Some of it good and some of it bad - some of it hilarious and some of it heart-breaking.
But definitely, ALL of it MINE!
Life, love and laughter at the heart of it all.

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UPDATE: As it is with my life: My follow-up appt. with the surgeon today did not go as I had planned. The drain I was hoping to have removed, has to stay in until the drainage decreases significantly- probably another week or so. I also have to continue on antibiotics for a month.
The good news is that everything else looks good and I am feeling great. It's a question of patience at this time....but we all know...I DON'T DO patience ya'll!!!

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MOOD REPORT:

Antibiotics, drains and all things spooky

Yep, I made it back...and don't you just LOVE this pumpkin guy?

The long and short of the ongoing saga with my body is as follows:
1. Sept. 24th had corrective abdominal surgery which was successful
2. Spent the next three weeks healing great without difficulty from above surgery
3. Beginning of third week I developed symptoms that I thought was the flu (I was wrong!)
4. Spent a few miserable days with high fevers and severe body aches
5. Then developed swelling, redness and pain over healing incision additionally
6. Finally went back to E.R. to get re-checked
7. Large fluid abscess found in abdomen - A ha.....there's the problem!
8. Started on heavy duty antibiotics and abdominal drain placed.
9. Spent one night in hospital then insisted I go home where there are less germies
10. At home, taking antibiotics, drain still in place - Feeling MUCH better!

So there you have it - nothing too exciting.
Just me, a handful of pills and this darned drain (which is a total pain in my ass)

For those of you who are nosy or like seeing this kind of stuff (and I know you are out there)
Here is a current pic of my poor belly - it has seen better days!

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Not too much else going on - hoping doc takes the drain out this week!
It has been a handful to deal with - however please allow me to share a great tip I learned while having this drain - my home-going instructions said I could shower but I was to try and keep the spray off the drain site as much as possible. I decided to try and use some of that Glad Press and Seal wrap to cover the drain site area. I took off a fairly large piece and lo and behold it stuck beautifully to my belly without ANY tape or anything. It kept the entire area completely dry while I showered and it never came off. I would recommend it to anyone to cover casts, incision sites or anything else that is not supposed to get wet. It worked for me!!! Gotta love a free shout out for a product too....Thanks GLAD company!

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I am hoping to back to full speed here in the next two weeks - crossing my fingers!
Although I have not been blogging much, please know I am doing my best to keep tabs on everyone - family, in-real-life friends and bloggy friends too!
Missing you all very much!

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Just cuz' this pic is too cute!

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