Not too much exciting news today other than Stephen is arriving tonight!! Yay! I miss my hubby a lot and I can't wait for him to join me. This trip has been so relaxing and peaceful that I can't imagine not sharing it with the love of my life. We don't get to lay by the pool and soak up the sun very often at home without taking turns watching/playing/swimming with Stevie. I love nothing more than to lay in the warmth of the sun and read a book. And, with all that has been going on in our lives lately, Stephen could use a few days to relax.
Once he gets here though, things will start picking up on the medical side. Monday I have another scan. I can tell the eggs are growing because I am having some discomfort. For those of you who have gone through this, you know what I mean. Also, I have been receiving a second shot to help the eggs develop. That shot is intramuscular, so SI sends a nurse here every day to poke me. I am really sore from that shot. They alternate sides and I am dreading the shot this morning. So, I am up to three shots a day, hopefully for another day or two only. After my scan, I have the fitness test with the anesthesiologist. I believe after that, we will be done for the day.
I'm sure we will visit our friends (who are moving to a different location today) and hang out with them a bit more. They invited me along last night to walk around the local streets and markets. We ventured into a woman's clothing shop and we had a great time try on some dressing and such. Funny thing, I had a hard time getting my "big" head in the small neck openings of the dresses. I finally settled on one and they are tailoring it for me. I will be able to pick it up today. I am very excited to wear it later this week. We also went up to some local street vendors. They have American movies on DVD. They put four on a DVD and sell it for 100 rupees (just over $2). What a bargain. We also bought some books of the street. I bought two books for 250 rupees (about $6). They are photocopied and my friend said hopefully the whole book will be included. She has purchased books that have not ended at the ending, but before that. Haha! Such is life in Mumbai. Overall, I had an excellent time with them. I am going to miss their company when they leave today.
Saying that, it is time for breakfast. I have been loading up on breakfast. It is just fabulous here. Most days I skip lunch because I'm still full from breakfast. Then pizza for dinner or one of my meals in the microwave from home. I've still got a lot of snacks and I'm sure Stephen and I will take care of them this upcoming week.
Thanks for reading and to the new followers/commenters: enjoy our story!!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Relaxing Again
Today was a great day, very enjoyable and very relaxing. I had to go to the Lilavati Hospital for a scan around noon. I was supposed to see the anesthesiologist but that was postponed until Monday. It seems that my EPU will be on Wednesday. Good news though, they found more eggs!! Yay!! I am hoping this will be my highest count EPU yet. So they still have some growing to do, but otherwise things are progressing well. The rest of my day was spent by the pool. I stayed in the sun a bit more. It wasn't as hot as yesterday. I found out that yesterday was 97 degrees. Today was much more enjoyable. Tonight I will be hanging with my two friends to watch a movie. Good thing I packed popcorn! ;)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Sun Day, Fun Day
As I predicted yesterday, I sat by the pool today and read a book. I arrived at the pool shortly after 1 pm and stayed there until about 5 pm. It was so hot in the sun, so I ducked under cover and sat in the shade. I will slowly work on my tan over the next few days. The pool area is very relaxing. I was able to read an entire book today. I am running out of books, I have read two since I've been here (thanks, Tiff!). I may have to venture out to a book store tomorrow to buy some more. This is almost starting to feel like a spa vacation: pool, sun, books, etc. The only things missing are my family and some pina coladas.
The room I am staying in is comfortable. It is your standard hotel room, king bed, tv, smaller bathroom. Looking outside the window, directly below is a dirt pit of some sort that some Indians are excavating. They excavate all day, every day. It is loud and bothersome. Not good when I am trying to take an afternoon snooze or think. To the right of the huge dirt pit are some "slums." Makes me really sad to see the people walk in and out of this area all day long. There are adults and kids and random dogs that walk the path from their shack to the road. It is cute to watch the little kids try to climb the huge dirt piles they are making. They have no fear, they will try to climb up the piles as the machines are swinging their huge crane arms around loaded with dirt and rocks. Makes me nervous as a parent, but the kids are often under loose supervision.
For the evening, I will be catching up on the Bachelor, London Calling. That's right, Brad Womack hasn't struck in India yet. I am watching the reruns of Shayne Lamas and Matt, the Limey from London. There sure is some drama on this series!!
On the agenda for tomorrow is a trip to the hospital. I need to be approved by the anesthesiologist for my egg retrieval and have an egg check up/scan. Dr. Yash found 10 eggs hiding out yesterday in my ovaries. I hope that a few more pop out like the did in the summer. I'll keep ya posted.
Thanks for reading!
The room I am staying in is comfortable. It is your standard hotel room, king bed, tv, smaller bathroom. Looking outside the window, directly below is a dirt pit of some sort that some Indians are excavating. They excavate all day, every day. It is loud and bothersome. Not good when I am trying to take an afternoon snooze or think. To the right of the huge dirt pit are some "slums." Makes me really sad to see the people walk in and out of this area all day long. There are adults and kids and random dogs that walk the path from their shack to the road. It is cute to watch the little kids try to climb the huge dirt piles they are making. They have no fear, they will try to climb up the piles as the machines are swinging their huge crane arms around loaded with dirt and rocks. Makes me nervous as a parent, but the kids are often under loose supervision.
For the evening, I will be catching up on the Bachelor, London Calling. That's right, Brad Womack hasn't struck in India yet. I am watching the reruns of Shayne Lamas and Matt, the Limey from London. There sure is some drama on this series!!
On the agenda for tomorrow is a trip to the hospital. I need to be approved by the anesthesiologist for my egg retrieval and have an egg check up/scan. Dr. Yash found 10 eggs hiding out yesterday in my ovaries. I hope that a few more pop out like the did in the summer. I'll keep ya posted.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Right Time, Right Place
This morning, I was walking to the elevator to head downstairs to begin my day. I was going to have breakfast in the hotel dining area. There were so many thoughts going through my head about what my day was going to be like and what I would get done. I was thinking how I had gotten more sleep in the last 24 hours than I had in a very, very long time. I was refreshed and ready to go.
As I stepped off the elevator, there was a couple a few feet ahead of me. I instantly recognized them as friends from our last trip here in the summer. They stayed at the same hotel (Novotel) as us in June. Talk about right time, right place. I called over to them and they turned around to greet me. She had sent me an email a few days ago asking when I would be back in Mumbai and where I was staying. Due to the craziness of Monday, I did not get a chance to see her response. She knew we were staying at the same hotel. It was such a lovely surprise to see them both today. They are here on baby pick up. Their SM is in the last stretch of the pregnancy and I wish them nothing but the best of luck for the upcoming weeks. I secretly hope that I am still here when their SM gives birth. I just love seeing babies here, it really brings the trip full circle while here.
So, we sat for breakfast and we caught up. We talked about last time, this time, the in between time, moving, India, work, and then being first time parents. They will be great parents. They are so kind-hearted and patient. They seem nervous, as any first parent would be. It is funny how your instincts kick in when a little baby is in your arms.
They really understand the culture here and I feel like you almost have to embrace some of it eventually. This is my third time to Mumbai and I feel like I understand it more and more each trip. I am familiar with the customs, the head bobble, and I'm really good at converting the money from Rupees into USD. Haha.
Later, in the afternoon, I had a meeting with the doctors. I have been to their clinic/office now three times and each time it has been decorated differently. It is very evident that their business is expanding. They have many people on staff and many clients to keep happy. It was a pleasure to see them today. We had some small talk and then then a quick exam. My blood was drawn very quickly and my ultrasound results look very promising. My largest egg was 11 mm, so it has a while to go. I go back to meet them on Friday for a second check.
After returning to the hotel, I walked around a bit. The pool was closed today due to some maintenance, but will be open tomorrow. That is where I may spend a good amount of time on this trip. The temperature is hovering around 90 degrees each day and it feels great. I love to feel the warm sun on my very pale skin. I may just be the whitest person the Indians have seen lately. ;)
Dinner was my usual cuisine here in Mumbai. If you have followed my previous trip(s), you know what we eat. There is a Domino's right next to the hotel, literally. Way to go, Amit!! We also requested a microwave in our room and brought lots of snacks along for the trip.
Overall, I had a great first day. Tomorrow I am going to have breakfast with my friends and lay out by the pool. I miss home terribly and it is twice as hard to be here without my hubby. I can't wait for him to arrive here and finish the trip up with me.
Thanks for reading!
As I stepped off the elevator, there was a couple a few feet ahead of me. I instantly recognized them as friends from our last trip here in the summer. They stayed at the same hotel (Novotel) as us in June. Talk about right time, right place. I called over to them and they turned around to greet me. She had sent me an email a few days ago asking when I would be back in Mumbai and where I was staying. Due to the craziness of Monday, I did not get a chance to see her response. She knew we were staying at the same hotel. It was such a lovely surprise to see them both today. They are here on baby pick up. Their SM is in the last stretch of the pregnancy and I wish them nothing but the best of luck for the upcoming weeks. I secretly hope that I am still here when their SM gives birth. I just love seeing babies here, it really brings the trip full circle while here.
So, we sat for breakfast and we caught up. We talked about last time, this time, the in between time, moving, India, work, and then being first time parents. They will be great parents. They are so kind-hearted and patient. They seem nervous, as any first parent would be. It is funny how your instincts kick in when a little baby is in your arms.
They really understand the culture here and I feel like you almost have to embrace some of it eventually. This is my third time to Mumbai and I feel like I understand it more and more each trip. I am familiar with the customs, the head bobble, and I'm really good at converting the money from Rupees into USD. Haha.
Later, in the afternoon, I had a meeting with the doctors. I have been to their clinic/office now three times and each time it has been decorated differently. It is very evident that their business is expanding. They have many people on staff and many clients to keep happy. It was a pleasure to see them today. We had some small talk and then then a quick exam. My blood was drawn very quickly and my ultrasound results look very promising. My largest egg was 11 mm, so it has a while to go. I go back to meet them on Friday for a second check.
After returning to the hotel, I walked around a bit. The pool was closed today due to some maintenance, but will be open tomorrow. That is where I may spend a good amount of time on this trip. The temperature is hovering around 90 degrees each day and it feels great. I love to feel the warm sun on my very pale skin. I may just be the whitest person the Indians have seen lately. ;)
Dinner was my usual cuisine here in Mumbai. If you have followed my previous trip(s), you know what we eat. There is a Domino's right next to the hotel, literally. Way to go, Amit!! We also requested a microwave in our room and brought lots of snacks along for the trip.
Overall, I had a great first day. Tomorrow I am going to have breakfast with my friends and lay out by the pool. I miss home terribly and it is twice as hard to be here without my hubby. I can't wait for him to arrive here and finish the trip up with me.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Last Minute Switcheroo
Well... I am already in Mumbai. It all happened so fast, I can't believe it myself. I was checking my flight Monday afternoon and it said it had been canceled for Tuesday night. Stephen helped me and immediately got on the phone with Continental. They said due to the storm, the flight had been canceled. They were not able to rebook me until later in the week. Or, I could fly another airline Tuesday night, but she couldn't guarantee that it would still go. So, we did the next best thing and booked me for the Monday night flight. Talk about craziness!! I had about a half hour to get my stuff together, and get on my way to the airport. It was such a whirlwind of events, I can barely remember it. I do remember being upset because most likely, I will be away from my little man another day. It is so tough on him at this age. If he only knew what we are going to accomplish here!
So, here I am at the beautiful Courtyard Marriott. Much thanks to Amit and his colleague, Gangadharan. They were able to arrange a room for me a day early and provide a personalized pick up at the airport. Once I was settled, I was able to speak to Stephen (back at home) with the help of Amit, to let him know I had arrived safely. I will never be able to speak enough about Amit and his colleagues and how easy they make this travel for us. He is truly a fantastic person to work with!
Anyway, back to the hotel. The lobby is gorgeous! I feel like I am back at the Intercontinental. I believe that they are on the same road near the airport. My room is just lovely and I can't wait to see the view tomorrow when the sun is out. I will take some pics and post them for all to see in case other IP's are considering staying here.
I received a beautiful floral arrangement from the docs. I am assuming that I will be contacted by them tomorrow in the morning to set up some schedules and such. It feels nice to be back in Mumbai and I am looking forward to a very, very successful trip this time!!
Thanks for reading and talk soon!
So, here I am at the beautiful Courtyard Marriott. Much thanks to Amit and his colleague, Gangadharan. They were able to arrange a room for me a day early and provide a personalized pick up at the airport. Once I was settled, I was able to speak to Stephen (back at home) with the help of Amit, to let him know I had arrived safely. I will never be able to speak enough about Amit and his colleagues and how easy they make this travel for us. He is truly a fantastic person to work with!
Anyway, back to the hotel. The lobby is gorgeous! I feel like I am back at the Intercontinental. I believe that they are on the same road near the airport. My room is just lovely and I can't wait to see the view tomorrow when the sun is out. I will take some pics and post them for all to see in case other IP's are considering staying here.
I received a beautiful floral arrangement from the docs. I am assuming that I will be contacted by them tomorrow in the morning to set up some schedules and such. It feels nice to be back in Mumbai and I am looking forward to a very, very successful trip this time!!
Thanks for reading and talk soon!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Busy bees
I don't know why our life is so often like this, but it seems that we like to do major things in a short amount of time. In the next four weeks, we will: leave a job (me), start a new territory (Stephen), fly to India, get a ton of eggs that will fertilize, fly home from India, move all of our stuff out of storage, drive to NC, close on a new house, get "the call", unpack, paint, and enroll Stephen in a new school. Plus hold back the tears when I leave work, leave my son to go to India, and when I say goodbye to my family and friends. Not really sure why life is like this for us. Maybe we could've tried to spread things out a little more, but we are used to life like this!
Our trip to Mumbai is creeping up on us. I start meds on Friday and fly out next Tuesday. Stephen will join me later that weekend. So many have asked if I am ok to fly to India by myself and I think I definitely am. I feel very comfortable with our doctors, their drivers, and our travel coordinator, Amit. He makes traveling to Mumbai a breeze. I will admit, it will be so weird to be half a world away from my hubby and son for a few days. I will be communicating with them through Skype and email, but it will still be tough.
I have fallen asleep a few nights watching The Secret on youtube.com. I can't find my dvd (it is probably in storage), so I watch it any way I can. I also just purchased The Law of Happiness. It is a book about spiritual wisdom and modern science. It looked great when I flipped through and I am excited to read it. I'll keep you all posted on how it is.
Check back for posts next weekend once the meds begin. Oh, how my hubby loves those meds ;)
Our trip to Mumbai is creeping up on us. I start meds on Friday and fly out next Tuesday. Stephen will join me later that weekend. So many have asked if I am ok to fly to India by myself and I think I definitely am. I feel very comfortable with our doctors, their drivers, and our travel coordinator, Amit. He makes traveling to Mumbai a breeze. I will admit, it will be so weird to be half a world away from my hubby and son for a few days. I will be communicating with them through Skype and email, but it will still be tough.
I have fallen asleep a few nights watching The Secret on youtube.com. I can't find my dvd (it is probably in storage), so I watch it any way I can. I also just purchased The Law of Happiness. It is a book about spiritual wisdom and modern science. It looked great when I flipped through and I am excited to read it. I'll keep you all posted on how it is.
Check back for posts next weekend once the meds begin. Oh, how my hubby loves those meds ;)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thoughts in My Head
Within the past two weeks, the topic of visualization has been circling around in my life. A few weeks ago, Stephen and I were talking to a pastor about our situation and how we should continue to stay positive and wish for the best. He told us some advice that we have taken to heart. He told us to tell God that we are ready. Meaning, ask him for what we want... another child or two. We have prayed and prayed for years for this to happen, but we have never asked for it to happen. The pastor said it is like putting the ball in God's court. So, here we are, asking and putting it in God's court.
Then, the other night, while watching Oprah (thanks to DVR), Bob Greene was talking about having the life you want. That you need to know what you want (a baby or two) and then visualize this. I have been doing this with more concentration every day since then. This really focuses on a book that was brought to my attention when we began this journey and one of my most supportive friend quoted to me every day while we were together while we were in Mumbai. She was there on baby pick up and we were there on baby making. The book I am talking about is The Secret. I have read this book so many times it is worn through. I have watched the movie when I didn't have time to read the book. I have really made changes in my life to be more positive and visualize our dreams and make them realities.
I am just putting it out there, for everyone to see and read and visualize with me. I am making it super clear to the powers that be of the universe and God that we are asking for another baby (or two). We want a sibling(s) for little Stephen to grow with and have a great bond with. Please, whoever is out there listening, let this be in our future this year. Even little Stephen is asking when he can have a brother or sister.
Then, the other night, while watching Oprah (thanks to DVR), Bob Greene was talking about having the life you want. That you need to know what you want (a baby or two) and then visualize this. I have been doing this with more concentration every day since then. This really focuses on a book that was brought to my attention when we began this journey and one of my most supportive friend quoted to me every day while we were together while we were in Mumbai. She was there on baby pick up and we were there on baby making. The book I am talking about is The Secret. I have read this book so many times it is worn through. I have watched the movie when I didn't have time to read the book. I have really made changes in my life to be more positive and visualize our dreams and make them realities.
I am just putting it out there, for everyone to see and read and visualize with me. I am making it super clear to the powers that be of the universe and God that we are asking for another baby (or two). We want a sibling(s) for little Stephen to grow with and have a great bond with. Please, whoever is out there listening, let this be in our future this year. Even little Stephen is asking when he can have a brother or sister.
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