I had a writing professor in college who had a rule called the Conservation of Bodily Fluids. The idea was that college students, unable to stretch creatively, depended on the excretion of body fluids in order to make their point. Stories from new writers are filled with vomit, blood, and tears. In his class, you were not allowed to use any body fluids in a story unless it was integral to the plot. Luckily, as I write my new little Golden Book of Secondary Infertility, I can use all the body fluids I want since IF is all about the body fluids. Three pages of gushing cervical mucous. Ten loooooooong paragraphs about my uterine lining. And, of course, my new focus: blood blood blood.

I went to the GP today and was pleasantly surprised by her reaction. I didn't have to pull out my get-some-confidence post-it note that I had tucked into my pocket in case my lip started quivering as I asked her about thrombophilia (while I stared at her enormous pregnant belly. HER ENORMOUS PREGNANT BELLY). I told her about the children being IUGR, my implantation issues, and the family history of thyroid problems. And she said, "you're right. You should have this checked out before you try to conceive again. If there is something wrong, there are things you can do. If it were me, I'd want to know what we're playing with."

What? No arguing? No laughing at me? And you're sure you're a doctor? With a real medical degree? I did not look this gift horse in the mouth. She wrote me a referral, which isn't totally necessary with my insurance, but certainly looks good for insurance purposes and getting in with a top specialist. I called said specialist, a hematologist that my friend used, and was able to get an appointment in late October. So... stay tuned for blood, blood, and more blood stories.

And...as a side note...if there is nothing wrong, great. But if there is something wrong, I owe it to all of the stirrup queens who shared their stories and advice for getting it diagnosed. Without sharing information, I wouldn't have even known the questions to ask. And that's why I'm proud to be part of the sisterhood. Thank you.