The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

A very good friend of mine is celebrating her birthday today, so for starters I would like to say happy birthday and best wishes to you! I don’t know what I would do without you sometimes! Thank you for the yummy dinner last night! And, because this friend is very special to me, I wanted to do something extra special for her and I found the perfect gift that I would like to share with all of you as well.

A few weeks ago I was watching an episode of Oprah called “Amazing Animals”. Kristin Davis (from Sex and the City of course) was on the show talking about a program for adopting elephants in Kenya. These elephants have been orphaned usually due to poaching and drought. Kristin’s story can be found here. As soon as I heard the story I went on-line and began to research The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. I knew in a heartbeat that this was something I wanted to do and knew exactly who to do it for.

“Sities” is the little baby elephant that I adopted and is now being fostered by her new “mommy”. You can read all about her on her profile page. There is also a documentary entitled “For the Love of Elephants” about The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust on The Nature of Things with David Suzuki which has already aired on TV but you can also watch it online. Ironically, the little elephant that I adopted before even seeing this show is the starlet of the documentary!

If you can, I encourage you all to show your support. There are so many to choose from, both young and old, and they all have their unique stories posted online. These elephants will capture your heart!

Kevin the Fish

Yesterday I lost one of my betta fish after nearly 1.5 years. He was usually quite active but all of a sudden he wasn't moving at all yesterday morning and that was when I noticed that he had some sort of fungus or growth going on but I wasn't sure what it was. It looked like a small cotton ball was stuck to his side. I put some basic drops in his tank, lowered the water so that he could get air more easily and crossed my fingers. I went to the pet store at lunch to buy him some medication and raced home to give it to him after work but he was already gone. I guess the good news is that Brent, my other betta, is responding well to the aquarium salts I bought as well. He is usually lazy and not doing so well but this morning he was doing acrobatics in his tank!

Kevin has been buried in the garden along with Stewie, the first Betta I got a couple of years ago for Christmas. This isn't the greatest picture of Kevin but it is all I have. I will miss you Kevin!

Metabolic Clinic

Way back in June I was given an appointment to meet with the Metabolic (Diabetes) Clinic today. All that I can truly say about the appointment is that it was utterly redundant!

When I went to the clinic a year ago, I was only there for about an hour. This time, they told me that I would need to be there from 8:30am - 3:00pm so I had planned to take the day off and figured that this appointment would be nothing like the last one. WRONG!

First, they had no idea why I was there and no one seemed to know where my file was. Once that was found they had me wait for the doctor and thankfully I didn't have to wait that long. I explained to her that I had been seeing another doctor in the clinc and that I couldn't stand him any longer and that was why my fertility doctor had referred me to her. She was very nice, thorough, and understanding. She is planning to send a note to my fertility doctor supporting my IVF treatments as well which is nice to hear after all of the problems I had with the last doctor there.

After this, I waited for awhile to see a dietician. Again, very nice, very detailed, took a lot of time with me... but nothing I don't already know! She confirmed that my glucose levels are not that bad and she isn't concerned with them at this time either. Good! But I already knew this.

Then they had me wait to meet with a nurse. And I waited... and waited... and waited. Finally, she came to get me and set me up in her office and then she was called away for something or other. So I waited again. When she finally arrived to see me, she began to ask about my whole family history, my history, who I had met with that morning, where do I work, etc... Half of this is already in my file but anyhow. Then, and this makes me laugh, she started to ask me if I knew how to use my glucometer. Um... I have had it for HOW LONG now? Over a year! And I had just told her that as well! I told her that I have 2 meters, they are both running fine, I know how to use them, and I don't need her to show me. Then she starts asking if I know where my sugar levels should be. Duh! The best part is that when I went last year for the first time they didn't go over any of this with me and now a year later they did. That's useful!

Anyhow, I was done by lunch time so I just decided to head into work... what a wasted morning!

Ranting...

“Sometimes someone says something really small

and it just fits into this empty place in your heart.”

Angela Chase – My So-Called Life

Not once have I ever been upset over another person's joy (especially where pregnancy and babies are concerned ironically), but it has happened repeatedly that I have shared my good news with someone else and then proceed to feel guilty for doing so even though they asked in the first place.

If you are so self-absorbed that you are unable to look outside your own bubble and just be happy for me, despite your own unhappiness, then don’t question me about how things are going.

If you are genuinely interested and you want to be supportive then be so, but if you only want to know so that you can bring me down then do me a favor and refrain from asking in the first place.

And last but not least... if my happiness brings you pain, tell me and I will try to shelter you from my news to the best of my ability in the future.

I do not push people to talk to me about this journey and I do not force anyone to read my blog. If you are subscribed and no longer wish to be, either unsubscribe or tell me and I will do it for you; no hard feelings and no questions asked!

Sorry for ranting so early in the 4-day week but it was a long time coming.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered!

Just as the title says... all of our forms and waivers have been signed and were delivered to the hospital this morning. In addition, I signed the government paperwork for the free IVF/IVM treatments and received my "calendar" (projected schedule of treatment) as well as all of my prescriptions and the one for DH to take.

Also, in the event that DH's travel schedule changes, we froze some of his "boys" this morning (or maybe I should be hopeful and say "girls").

And last but not least, we attended the mandatory information session this morning which, while late as usual, was actually more helpful than I had expected!

So, things are all set and good to go now! Come on November!!!

I will post more details about the schedule and the medications later on!