IVF- The Time Has Come

Jennifer and I have finally started the medications for our IVF cycle in April. For starters, we had to take a Z-Pack in order to kill any bacteria in our bodies. That was easy- just a bunch of pills to take over a 5 day period. Then it was on to the next step- shots.

As you are aware, Jen is morbidly afraid of shots. The fact that she must go through a series of shots to complete the IVF cycle is appropriate because it is what Jen fears the most- needles. The shots that she is taking is administered through the body using a syringe that matches an insulin needle. It also must be administered in the stomach area. Of course- she is not going to do the shots herself, so I have been enlisted to perform the action on her behalf. That did not make me happy becuase I hate putting her through this discomfort and pain. 

The first time was very tough. I hated doing it because I know how much she dreaded it. She did a great job considering the circumstances. I was proud at the way she handled herself. I did a decent job with the first one, but got much better as the days progressed. Jen is getting better about taking the shots as well. She was not freaking out all that much after the first week.

This week she started the new medicine: Bravelle, which requires a larger needle and more liquid being injected. Jen began to freak out a bit and I finally administered the second shot to her. This one hurt a lot more. So much so, that when she took the first injection she laughed because she had a reference of what was really painful. She has made it through 3 of the Bravelle shots and now must double the dosage. Therefore, she must now take a Bravelle shot in the morning and evening. She is showing great fortitude and I have been encouraging her each step of the way. Keep us in your prayers- we are getting closer to the big day!

Eating Fish-One Step at a Time

Each week Jen and I go to the store, I enjoy looking at the seafood case in our local Publix Grocery Store. The people are very knowledgeable  and I have become more and more curious in trying some of the fish in the case. Over the past several weeks, I finally decided to buy a piece of salmon. I figured that it would only cost a few dollars to try it- what do I have to lose?

With the butcher's help, we found a great piece for me to try for about $3.00. If I learned one thing catching, boiling, and eating crabs, I learned that I cannot cook seafood without having a lot of Old Bay Seasoning. I picked up a bottle of Old Bay and placed it with my fish. I learned that I only had to cook the fish about 8 minutes so as to not dry it out. A day later, I returned home to eat lunch and determined that this was the day that I was going to eat my salmon. I prepared my skillet by using about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I then liberally covered my salmon with Old Bay, pepper, and salt. Placing it in the skillet, it immediately started to cook and blacken nicely. I flipped it over once and after about 8 minutes, pulled it off the stove. Much to my surprise, it was quite wonderful! The seasoning was fantastic which reminded me of my grandfather, which made it so much better. I have cooked it a couple of times since then and it has been great each time. My parents and sister are vegetarians, so I told my dad that a day that I do not eat beef, pork, or chicken should be praised. I really don't think fish should count. It's FISH. I am eating less mammal and bird in order to  adding fish to my normal cooking routine.

I am starting to feel a bit more adventurous from a taste perspective. If I can eat salmon, what else should I try? Well, that question was answered when we went to Fuji Japanese Steakhouse tonight. Still feeling wild in the tastebud department. I told Jen that I was interested in trying sushi tonight. Anyone that knows me understands that I am very particular about what my food in consistancy, and eating food cold is not something that I am not comfortable with, but I felt that it was the right time to try something new. I finally decided on an Alaskan Roll- salmon, avocado, and cucumber wrapped in seaweed and rice. Why not? I now know that I like salmon, but not very sure about avocado...

The waitress finally brings my plate out and I take my first bite into the world of raw fish. It actually did not have a lot of flavor whatsoever. I added some wasabi, which I did not really taste either. After adding a bit of soy sauce, I ate all 6 pieces on the plate. Amazingly, it is a lot heavier on the stomach than I anticipated. I was pretty full after 6 pieces. It was actually decent. I doubt that it is something that I will ever crave, but it was something that I plan on eating again sometime.  I will have to find another type that may be more pleasing, but I would definitely eat more of it in the future. Who knows what I may try next? Talk to you again soon!