moving the goalposts

I like my RE, although I've only consulted with her in her office. I've never experienced her doing anything "medical." I like her patient coordinator, who has been a veritable font of knowledge and guidance as I deciphered the insurance options available and compared out of pocket with covered costs.

But maybe I should find a new RE. Every other day, someone tells me some other thing I need to do before we can have an IUI this cycle. It's already CD3. I ovulate between CD14 and CD17. I have to place the order by CD12, which means that my RE needs to send a signed authorization to the bank no later than CD12 or it won't be covered by my wonderful new insurance. That means I have NINE DAYS to get everything done and the results submitted to the RE's office. NINE DAYS!

And today, out of the blue, I get a call on my cell (I've told several people in the RE's office that I can be reached at my work number during normal business hours- cell reception at my office is horrible, but they keep calling my cell and my house.) from a nurse in the RE's office. I am now told that I not only need to schedule the mammogram before we can proceed with an IUI, I need to actually have the damn thing done and results sent to the RE before the authorization will go to the bank. Two days ago, a different nurse said it just needed to be scheduled. I am frantic here- I am trying to get everything done that they told me needed to be done, but they keep changing the rules on me!!

I hung up on the nurse. I know that was rude, but I didn't want to start yelling at her or crying out of frustration. Before I hung up, I asked her if she knew any place that would schedule a mammogram within the next 10 days. She said one just a town over from my home might. She didn't know the name or their phone number, but suggested I Google it. That's when I hung up. I did successfully Google the place, and managed to get an appointment for tomorrow. I called the nurses' line at the RE's office and left a terse message that I had rescheduled my mammogram for tomorrow, and if they need to reach me during business hours to call my work number. Then I had to find the phone number I just called yesterday to schedule the original mammo, for 2/17, and cancel it. Everything was on scraps of paper all over my desk- not very organized, but that was long-ago yesterday when I though this was still relatively simple.

So, today I am frustrated and tense and woried that I won't even know all that needs to be done to have an IUI this cycle until it's too late. It really seems like the rules have changed every other day since my first insured RE visit just two weeks ago.

Oh and another great kicker... for a donor insem, my husband needs to drop off the sperm or else I can't have the IUI done. "Luckily" C is still out of work (I never thought that could be a good thing), so he can drive 45 miles to the RE's office in rush-hour traffic two mornings in a row to drop off the sample, but if this were the peak of construction season, he'd be jeopardizing his job. And apparently, they don't make exceptions.

C keeps telling me that he likes this doctor's office. They seem very professional there and appear to really know what they're doing. I feel like a number- they have all these rules, many of which make no sense, and they don't make exceptions for anyone. [And they don't like to tell you all the rules ahead of time... like it's more fun to spring them on you little by little to keep you on your toes.] I've talked to a different nurse each time, and each of them has contradicted her predecessor. But I will do what they say because I want an IUI this cycle. I am NOT wasting the clomid-spiked eggs. I am not going through this cycle just to be tested when I have the chance to do another IUI.

Still frustrated. I need to focus on work now and try not to think about TTC for a few hours.