It's all happening so quickly!

I have not blogged (or socialised, or read a good book, etc) for ages!  It has been a manic few months with essays and portfolios coming out of my ears.  So I hibernated a little!  I feel the worst is over and I can start doing fun stuff again and I have news.

I will be donating my eggs any day now!!

After a long wait and a couple of postponed attempts I am now giving myself daily injections (for a girl who has never been able to have injections done or blood taken at the doctors without taking a husband/parent/sister along this is MASSIVE and I am so proud of myself for not passing out!
SO ... here is the process so far - it may get a bit squeamish and you may learn far too much about my hormones but here goes:-
I came off the pill on the Wednesday (a day earlier than would probably be normal as my bleed takes a few days to start) and then I booked my first scan for the Monday.
Monday morning arrived ... but my bleed didn't ... cue panicked text to  my lovely Altrui lady! (What do I do - I know it's coming cos of the pain but it's not here - aaarrrgghh!) to which I got a lovely reply telling me not to panic and just to move the scan on a couple of days (There is a time limit - the first scan needs to be between days 1 - 3 of your bleed to get a baseline assessment)
So two days later I went for my scan.  This is an internal scan (think smear test with ultra sound - while on your period - very strange but everyone is so nice and matter of fact that it is far less squeamish than it sounds).

So that night I started the first of the injections to make my ovaries grow more eggs (Gonal F).  I tried to be brave and do it on my own - I really did.  I sat down on my desk chair (next to the bed so I would have a soft landing if I passed out!) and got everything ready.  Then I looked at the needle, put it to my tummy and tried to inject myself, chickened out, looked at the needle and tried again.  This went on for quite a while!  Finally I called my lovely husand who came and sat next to me and then I finally did it!  Of course it was fine - it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would (- but I still won't do one without him next to me).

This I started the second injection which stops the eggs from releasing (or something similar).  That one is a bit more complicated as I have to inject liquid in to a tiny bottle with powder and then dissolve it and fill the needle with it again before injecting it.  I did wait til the kids had gone out with their grandparents to ensure quiet though.  This injection made my tummy a bit itchy around the injection site - a bit like a nettle sting but this died down fairly quickly.  To be honest the scariest thing is that I might forget or do something wrong - but i'm sure it will be fine.

The other advice I was given was to keep well hydrated - sensible advice on any day but ultra important now.

My next scan is on Monday and I should be going in for the actual procedure in a week or so!

Happy Days

Fairy Princess Mummy
xx

Lent

Although I have never really fasted at Lent, I am a fan of it.  I think it is a great opportunity to take stock and think about the world.  Although I have converted to Buddhism I still have a great respect for Christianity (especially as it is the religion I was brought up in). 

So often Lent is thought of in a negative way, of giving up something or fasting.  In more recent years I have much preferred the idea of doing something more positive to help others or the world around us.  So here are some ideas of things to do this Lent:-
- Giving up chocolate/wine/chips
- Look at where you spend your money - clothes you don't need/ computer games/ magazines - could you resist this for Lent?
- Could you give this money to charity?
- Take up volunteering or charity work (www.do-it.org.uk)
- Be nice to EVERYONE (especially if they are rude!)
- Try to do a good turn for someone everyday - it doesn't have to be big - it could just be taking some time to listen or giving your colleague who is having a rough time a bunch of wild flowers.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle - how low can you get your household waste?
- Aim not to waste any food in your house (www.lovefoodhatewaste.com)

I am going to do three things this Lent:
1. Reduce the amount of rubbish I eat.
2. Increase my activity levels during the day (e.g. taking a walk at lunch time).
3. Try really hard to be nice to everyone and about everyone.

Happy Lent

Fairy Princess Mummy
xx

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr

Music Monday

This week I (and many others) have mostly been singing Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

(Very loudly - but in the car so no one else has to put up with the noise!!)

Happy singing!

Fairy Princess Mummy
xx

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts."
Charles Dickens

Snow day

This morning I woke up to hear little feet jumping out of bed, padding across the floor, a little voice say 'Yippee!' then little feet running through to our room.
'Mummy look outside! Look what happened!'  Our eldest Fairy Princess LOVES snow!
... Well actually she loves the idea of snow and looking at it out of the window but when it comes to being outside in it she doesn't love it quite so much. 

For me snow is a bit magical as it makes everything look pretty.  Apparently the sea front looks amazing (but you know how lazy I am - and I have 'man flu'  - , so apologies for not walking down there to get some photos for you to see.)  And luckily it is Sunday so I can snuggle up and watch films with the Fairy Princesses and drink hot chocolate.

Check out the pictures from around britain on the BBC News website.
Snowy Sunday

I did manage to get the princesses in to the garden to make snow angels and deep footprints.

Happy snow day!

Fairy Princess Mummy
xx

Running out of steam

I have decided to start running!!
I love the idea and I have never managed to keep it up succesfully on my own so after a glass of wine I rashly signed up to a local running group ... and have been hugely unsuccesful at joining them ever since!!
Session 1 - got held up at work and missed them so they asked me to a session on a different night - Which I made - yippeee! and really enjoyed. 
Session 2 - I got myself really organised and had a map but didn't check the postcode I'd been given andended up at the Pet Cemetary!  It was dark and scary and like the begining of a cliched horror film so I decided it was safer to go home. (Moral of the story - always check the postcode someone gives you)
Session 3 - Again had my map ready but got lost.  Had had a really pants week so probably wasn't concentrating properly.
So as you can see I am being very succesful at not running.  So I thought I would re-remember the reasons I wanted to run to keep me motivated in trying to find this elusive and mysterious group!

Running will
- help me lose weight.
- help me sleep better.
- improve my overall health.
- aid my concentration meaning I will be able to study more effectively.
- help keep my moods stable and decrease my stress levels.

Al pretty good reasons to get my trainers on - in fact I might go now... or maybe I'll have a cup of tea and a nap first. 

But if you are less lazy than me you could check some of these sites that have really good training plans:
Womens Running UK
Zest
NHS Live well - this one even has a great podcast

Healthy, happy days

Fairy Princess Mummy
xx