Injection Day 6

We told our families about doing IVF a few weeks ago. Mostly, we hadn't discussed it before because they live in another city and it is just one of those things that is hard to do on the phone. We weren't worried at all about what their reaction would be. Our families don't have any particular bent that would cause them to disagree with what we are doing. On the other hand, it is just one of those things that I couldn't seem to bring up with them. It is like telling your parents that you have sex. Or worse, them telling you that they have sex. It's weird.

My husband told his family, and they told him that they wished us the best and hope that all goes well. They are very private people who remain distant, and despite knowing them for 17 years, I sense that I will never enter into the inner circle of their family. I've come to terms with it, and I don't generally worry any more that my relationship with them lacks those warm fuzzy Kodak moments.

When I told my mom, of course I burst into tears and she gave me a big hug without saying a word, which is a good thing (occasionally she says the most insensitive things, although I don't believe that she does it with malice.) So in this case, she felt it was best not to say anything at all which was fine with me. She listened to me drone on about the process and also wished us luck and told me that she would be thinking of us.

Back at home, the injections and medications have begun, and while the few close friends that we have told continually leave thoughtful messages to see how I am doing, I haven't had one call from my family. My husband came home yesterday and said, "My mom called me at work to see how you are doing." So what is wrong with that? Well, is there something wrong with our home phone line that would prevent her call to ME from coming through?

Now, that family is not known for their stellar communication skills (my husband's words), so I don't know why it should bother me. It does.

Even worse than that, my mother and sister haven't called me since I started. I consider myself to be close with both of them, so this feels very strange. For the past 15 years, I have talked to my mom every Sunday on the phone, but at the time when I need her the most, she avoids me. Wow, that hurt.

Well, she finally called yesterday. It had been a bad day. Twice I blew up over ridiculously inconsequential incidents, and actually ended up fleeing in tears to the bedroom where I proceeded to fall asleep for 2 hours. I guess I should be happy that my husband hasn't left me yet; I would have left me by now.

After I awoke, feeling much less like the hormonal terror that I did earlier, my mom called to see how I was doing. She didn't explain why she hadn't called before, but I got the sense that she just didn't know what to say. Surprisingly, she has actually done some research online and has become familiar with some of what we are going through. So I guess that she read somewhere that it is better to call just to say something! She asked me some questions and was sincerely interested and worried. I made a point of letting her know how comforting it has been that my friends are calling me regularly.

I'm very appreciative of this whole blogging community and admire the support that abounds through the comments, but I have to say that it was a relief to talk to my mom.

One final note...I'm so glad that we are doing this before swimsuit season. Otherwise I would have the stress of finding a cute two-piece bikini that matches the mottled bruises on my increasingly bloating midsection. Ugh.