Today, I had the day off because my company gave us a Wellness Day today. And even better news is that I have the day off on Monday, as well, for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, so all in all, this weekend will be a four-day weekend, with tomorrow’s procedure and my birthday on Sunday. And on my day off, what did I do? I went down to Chinatown to stock up on ingredients, produce, and baked goods, and also get the apartment ready for my bedrest day tomorrow post procedure. I cleaned the bathroom (because honestly, Chris’s bathroom cleaning methods are just never up to par) even though I’ve read that most women don’t do any housework before the procedure and instead rest until the day of for their entire period of stimulations. I even made Instant Pot chicken pho because I read that some women cannot eat solids after the procedure, so they subsist on soup and light foods for up to a week after the procedure. I even prepped a bunch of vegetables to make sure we had greens to eat for at least 4-5 days after. I think we’re all ready.

I’ve been relatively calm during this period of “stims” as they call it. I’ve been fairly positive and optimistic. All my appointments seemed to go well. I’ve been consistent with my daily meditations and exercise, although the exercise, as advised, as gotten lighter as we’ve gotten closer to retrieval day. I’m lucky in that I have not had any bad side effects from the medications. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, headaches, migraines, stomach protrusion/swelling, and especially mood swings. Many women have reported crying frequently or having excessive arguments or tantrums with family/friends/their partners, including friends who have gone through this. I’ve encountered none of these symptoms. The worst symptoms I’ve had, which I cannot complain about at all, are slight soreness at the site of injection immediately afterwards, plus some slight bruising. I feel decent. I think I will be okay. I can do this. I’m going to do this.

I’m ready for tomorrow morning.