cycle one

I'm mid-cycle in my first attempt at IUI.  I got my period on April 3rd, took Clomid from April 5th-9th, and started testing for ovulation on April 13th.  I'm on day 13 of my cycle, and I'm extremely nervous about the whole process.  What if the Clomid doesn't work, and I don't ovulate?  What happens if my LH surge is of short duration, and I miss it because I tested at the wrong time of day?  What if the ovulation test is just broken?

I know (or expect) that my worries are baseless.  I ovulated each time that I took Clomid in the past.  I'm nervous, though, because the protocol changed slightly from my past experience.  Last year, I took the Clomid on days 5-9; this time I took it on days 3-7.

This first cycle fell during a particularly bad time of year.  I'm working on several large projects at work, one of which doesn't actually belong to me.  My boss asked me to play a lead role in this project because I'm "the path of least resistance".  I agreed to help before I knew for sure that I was going through IUI.  I've since told him that I won't be able to complete the project quickly because a) I have my own work to do and b) I need to keep my stress levels down, so I can get pregnant.  He understood, and told me to finish the project as time permits.

I'm also in the middle of a bathroom renovation project at home.  Fortunately the bathroom work is being done by contractors, but it is having an impact on my life.  Right now, I can't put anything in my closet because the workers need to access the pipes through the closet walls.  Everything that was in my closet is now in a pile on my floor, blocking access to my bureau.  It's altogether too much disarray, given that I'm dealing with heightened hormones.

I suppose there's no good time to start something like IUI, but I hoped my first cycle would be during a relatively low-stress period.

On a positive note, I'm having some success at my attempts to cut back on caffeine.  Right now, I'm down to one cup of coffee per day.  I've been replacing my work coffee with "mother-to-be" herbal tea made from raspberry leaves for uterine health and peppermint for nausea.  If the gimmicky tea works, then great.  Really, though, I just like the ritual of drinking a hot beverage in the morning at work.