We're Taking the Plunge!

After a long period of mostly quiet deliberations, we've decided to go ahead with IVF in Mexico.  I would have updated sooner but we've been scrambling to get everything pulled together.  To set the stage, my first appointment was last week on Wednesday, the 22nd, and I drove down to Brownsville on my own.

                                                                                       ~

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi, five Mississippi... as the car began drifting out of the lane I grabbed the steering wheel again.  After several attempts, my best record was seventeen Mississipis, and it only happened once. Seeing how long I could let go of the steering wheel was one of the ways I kept myself engaged as I traveled down south. 

As I left the Austin area, my radio tuned into elevator music which was interspersed with religious quotes. As time passed the gentle sounds coming from the radio changed to harsh static. Now I had to guess what language was being spoken and, at one point, I was certain Bollywood dance music was being aired. I was wrong. Other than messing with my radio, I watched and listened as bugs splatted against my car, got frustrated with slow moving vehicles in front of me, and gained a little experience in overtaking a car on a single lane road.  I have a pretty good awareness of how far and quickly I'll travel when I'm going 70 miles an hour - but not such a good understanding of my speed combined with that of on coming traffic.  

My departure for Brownsville was somewhat unexpected so I ended up working a few hours before heading home, packing, and then getting on the road.  I left home at around 5:00 p.m.  J looked at the maps and suggested I travel via Highway 123 so that I could avoid navigating San Antonio's highways.  It added a few extra miles but the estimated time on the road was roughly the same.  Aside from being stuck behind slow drivers on a one lane stretch now and then, I really enjoyed the route.  I can't say that the views were incredibly beautiful but I liked driving through the small towns and wondering about the people living in them.  A highlight was when I drove through Kenedy and saw the tiniest HEB ever.  I didn't realize it at first but it was an HEB convenience store/gas station attached to a typical sized HEB.   It was so cute that I had to

stop and have a look.  They sell HEB milk at the HEB Fuel stop and the bathrooms were really nice. 

Other than a few simple joys, such as clean bathrooms, the trip was pretty uneventful.  I only got tired in the last fifteen minutes and then J called and we talked until I got to the hotel so all was fine.

I ended up arriving at the hotel around 10:30 pm and went straight to bed.  The next morning I was anticipating a large group of patients waiting out front for the doctor's driver, Mario, and I wanted to be one of the first ones out there to ensure that I had a seat.

And so it was that I set my alarm, woke up early, had a little breakfast that I had brought with me, bathed, packed my bag, loaded up my car and waited outside for Mario.  As the minutes ticked by no other patients appeared and certainly no Mario.  After a time it became apparent that Mario wasn't coming.  I had assumed that there would be other patients and so had not specifically requested him - naturally it turned out that I was the only one needing Mario that day and so there I was, once again, without transportation!  If I wanted to keep my appointment, my only option was to walk across the border and either walk to Dr Garza's office or take a taxi. I drove to the border crossing and was able to park at the local college for free. The bridge was a stone's throw away.

I was still uncertain as to whether I should walk to the office or take a taxi and so decided to consult with a group of US border crossing agents who were grouped together near the gate. They seemed to think that walking was preferable to taking a taxi so, with a wave and a thank you, I approached the bridge. 

As you leave the States, you have to go through a turnstile that costs 1.00 dollar (quarters). If you don't have coins there is a way to make change there. On the other side, I walked past the Mexican border agents and they didn't ask anything of me.

The streets were quiet as I made my way towards Dr Garza's office. Here and there a neighbor worked in their yard, a couple stood on the street talking and drinking cokes, and a few people were washing their cars. I also passed a man selling breakfast tacos off a cart. There was no question of getting lost as I first walked down a main Street and then only had to take two turns.  It was so very peaceful meandering through this quiet neighborhood.  I felt free and happy.

Once at the office I only had to wait for a little while; there were fewer patients than last time.  My appointment went well although Dr Garza noted again that I still have some small fibroids.  So far no one has told me that they need to be removed and I'm  hopeful they won't be a problem. Dr Garza gave me five days worth of shots and told me to come back on Monday for my next ultrasound and new meds.  Because there was a longer interval between appointments I was able to come back home for a few days.  From tonight onward, however, I'll have to stay in Brownsville until treatment is over.  Dr Garza will need to monitor me every other day or so to ensure I'm responding to the treatment correctly. My best guess is that I'll be home a couple of days after Labor Day.

After my appointment, and because of the heat/sun factor, I asked Dr Garza if his office staff could call the medical van to take me back to the border crossing. I wasn't able to explain myself properly though and he ended up sending me with one of the women who works in his clinic. It was very kind of them both but I wouldn't want her to have to do that for me again. In any case, after a very short drive with the windows down and no seat belt, with friendly conversation where we both said we wanted to learn the other's language, I arrived back at the bridge.  

As you leave Mexico there is another turnstile - this one costs 25 cents. I was able to walk right on over - no wait at all. They just looked at my passport and waved me through.  

I  need to stop writing here as there is so much to be done before I leave this evening.  Thank you all for your continued encouragement and support!  It means more to us than you can know.