Thursday, November 13, 2008

Generic? Or Name Brand? That is the question!

Upon arriving at the Ruidoso Wal-Mart, I headed to the aisle I have visited many a time...the pregnancy test aisle. I don't know if the grocery costs in Frisco are just ridiculously overpriced or what, but I was elated to see that I could get THREE pregnancy tests for under $10.00! Of course, these were the "Equate" brand, but I had tried so many different kinds and the average price I had paid in the past was twelve bucks a pop...so I quickly snatched up the generic box! Amber met me at the check out counter and said, "Are you sure you want to get that kind? Is it going to be accurate?" I assured her they were all the same and I walked away a very satisfied customer. I thought about going back to buy 4 or 5 more boxes before we left town, at that cheap rate, I knew I needed to stock up!
So, the next morning, I skipped the instructions in the little pink and purple box and took the test. I place the cap on and set the test strip on the counter and began to freak out! The window, that was supposed to be a plus or minus sign was a complete purple circle! I quickly opened a second test, dipped it in my little sample...(I know, there is just NO lady-like way to say that I peed in a cup and took the test that way!) AGAIN, the entire circle began to turn purple. It was only then that I picked up the instructions and read that what I was seeing was "normal." I just had to wait for the results. At first a minus sign appeared and I opened the bathroom door to tell Bonnie, who had her video camera in hand, that it "was another no." I kept one eye on it and the other on the clock, waiting for three minutes, and sure enough, a faint little vertical line appeared over the minus sign! Not just on one, but on both! I stood looking at the barely plus sign and waved to the others to come take a look. I needed a second opinion. We all stood, staring at this little plastic strip and debated about the accuracy of it's results. Then the teasing really began. I believe Kris' exact words were, "I know you are cheap Jen, but I can not believe you bought the generic brand for something like a pregnancy test. You would think that for something that is going to determine the REST OF YOUR LIFE, you could leave it to the First Response People!" Then the girls broke into a forum on what generic buys are excusable and which ones you should only trust to the name brands. We all laughed but then headed to Wal-Mart to buy a "Clear Blue Easy" test. I honestly, didn't think it had happened, I wasn't convinced, yet! The next morning, same song, second verse, but this time Bonnie was actually filming the little digital hour glass as it turned over, (showing that it was working.) I said, "Bonnie, it's going to be three minutes, so you may want to..." She interrupted me with a big gasp...she was the first to see the word! I shot over to the counter and looked...there it was, the word, "Pregnant." Kris ran in followed by Amber and while I did a little spartan move cheerleader jump Amber blurted out, "YOU'RE PREGNANT!" It was loud enough for the neighbors to hear I'm sure!

Monday, November 10, 2008

It took a girls trip...

It all started with a little Girls trip to New Mexico...well technically, it really started July 26th, but I didn't know it at the time!
The hubby and I had been trying for the last year and four months or so, to "start a family" with NO SUCCESS! We finally went to an infertility doctor in March who ended up being a total jerk and basically misdiagnosed both of us while charging us out the wazoo! I couldn't stand to go any longer so I marched in to get my medical records (they wouldn't hand them over, but I DID give them a nasty little letter telling them just how horrible they had been!)
We called another doctor, a friend's recommendation, and were able to get in right away. He was fabulous and told Garrett and I that nothing was "wrong" with either of us...it just hadn't happened yet. We booked our next appointment for August 11th and went on our happy way.

The next time I thought about it I was on my way to Ruidoso, New Mexico with my three closest college buds, Bonnie, Amber and Kris. I finally spilled the beans about trying to get pregnant and we stopped at Wal-mart to pick up a pregnancy test, (just for fun!) I didn't really think I was pregnant, I just knew that my nose had been extra sensitive...like the time I walked into Frisco Resale and swore that it smelled like a dash of garlic mixed with a dirty diaper!