cd4 but all is well

Last week I felt that sneaky, creeping suspicion that we might have a bfp this cycle (sans any type of intervention). I have lost almost 10 pounds, I am on a somewhat regular schedule (read: I'm sleeping at night and working during the day), and I am exercising. Silly me did expect the miraculous bfp because of some lifestyle changes and "relaxing". Alas AF decided to rear her ugly head anyway. But there is some good news in all of the this. Some very good news.

I have been in experienced nurse orientation for the last two weeks and yesterday was my first day on the new birthing unit. I was nervous at first, there was not a real warm reception in the morning. The first person I talked to was a traveling nurse and she was quite bitter because her contract was not being renewed and it seemed that she was mad at me for taking her job. I learned last week that there has been high turn over this department and that the feedback the unit manager has gotten from new employees is that the staff is aloof and unwelcoming. By the end of the day I would say that is very far from what I experienced. I really enjoyed my preceptor and the whole staff was hysterical and included me in all their little inside jokes. The Superbowl party in the middle of the nurses' station (complete with chips, dip and an ice cream sundae station) probably helped lighten the atmosphere quite a bit. The job itself is going to be challenging professionally and personally. There are not always "good outcomes" as this is a very high risk obstetric unit. I don't dare write about any of that here. I will have at least 6-8 weeks of orientation and more if I need it. More and more I feel like this was the right decision....although the 1.5 hours I have to allow to get to work SUCKS!

Okay, so here is the best news....I saved the best for last. I stopped by the OB/GYN financial advisor after I received my packet of benefits the other day. I wanted to make sure that I chose the right plan that would cover IVF and what I could expect for out of pocket expenses. I had been told in previous appointments that the IVF benefit was limited to $35,000 - no matter what procedure was being done. We have guesstimated that to be about 2 fresh cycles and maybe one FET. Apparently that has changed and as of January 1st, the benefit is for 6 fresh cycles....no cap on price. That means that with my co-pays and deductible, one year's worth of IVF will cost me $450. Yes, I cried tears of joy for once in the financial advisor's office. I don't know if we would ever use the full 6 cycles....mostly because I feel like I am getting too old to drag it out that long. I truly felt a physical relief of stress/pressure knowing that we could have more that 2 chances if needed.