Just Charming

We are knocking on the door of our 3rd IVF cycle. Our retrieval is just around the corner and then we’ll do a Day 3 transfer. I’d divulge the exact dates, but I get a little superstitious. Speaking of superstitious, I have some lucky charms that I’ll be bringing with me.

When Kevin and I got married I had an old English penny with me from the 1800’s. I stuck it in my shoe for “and a sixpence penny in your shoe.” My grandfather gave it to me when I was about 11 years old and a few months before he died, and I have always cherished it. I brought this penny when we did our last cycle of IVF that got us pregnant. Kevin held it when I was sedated, or when they were transferring the embryos. My grandfather’s name was Albert, so that’s why we named the baby Nicholas Albert when we sent him to heaven. So this old English penny will be with me for this cycle as well.

After we lost Nicholas, the nurses and doctors were able to get his hand and foot prints that day in the hospital. I can barely look at them without crying, so I don’t. But I sent a copy to a woman who makes jewelry out of these impressions. I had her make me a necklace. It’s not something I wear because I really don’t want to get asked about it everytime I have it on, but I know it will be something I cherish forever.

Since I didn’t want to wear this necklace because it was so obvious, I wanted something that I could wear every day. I found a little wings charm while shopping at Nordstroms one day. I saw it and immediately thought “those are my wings!” So I bought it and wear the necklace quite often. I thought the necklace needed another little charm, so I found a little Mary medallion. My grandmother, who was very religious, passed away about a year and half ago and had a bunch of these little medallions. I took a few and thought one of them went nicely with the wings.

I might end up looking a little like Mr. T with all my necklaces on, but perhaps Mr. T meets Cindy Lauper. My good cyber friend Alicia, had been given some fertility socks for her IUI cycle she just completed. Well apparently these socks work very well since she is now pregnant, so she sent me a pair (thanks Alicia, I got them today!). I will be getting a picture with my feet in the socks in the stirrups (probably wait until the transfer though, doubt the doctors would appreciate it if I wore them into the surgical room, doped up, trying to take a picture of my feet).

So there you have it. Prayers and positive thoughts couldn’t hurt either so we’ll be accepting those as well.