The ongoing search for BFPs now leads the BESH to the barren polar wastes, in the footsteps of Scott, Shackleton and Franklin.

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Pack those reindeer sleeping bags, huskies and skis - we're off to the Antarctic to look for our BFPs. Unlike Scott, we'll eat the poniez if necessary (topical joke). Let's huddle together through the Antarctic night and we'll try not to kidnap one of the emperor penguin toddlers for our very own. Bring on blizzards, pack ice, shipwreck, attacking leopard seals, voyages across the Southern Ocean in rowing boats and hazardous traverses of South Georgia in search of rescue - just like the Shackleton expedition, NO BESH WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

(do I win the prize for most random fred ever?)

Good night, was it, rie?

bugs you filthy wench, still it might encourage him to get some good ones brewing! Sex for fun indeed, what a ludicrous sentiment.

I knew about decreasing fertility however when I was 27 I was with an older previously married man who wanted no more and I didn't meet my husband until 34. I always assumed " oh ill just adopt" oh youthful naievity. I also thought that it happened to "other" people, you know overweight chain-smoking, hard-drinking drug users. Oh.

I have two friends who are both 39 and are "good catches" but for whatever reasons they find themselves still single. No knowledge in the world will fertilise their eggs without a man on the scene. It's rarely I think a delay due to passionate and blinding love of career.

Droid has arrived in full flow this morning . We need to decide if we're going to push on with the third, and final, round of treatment straight away or put it on hold for one cycle. Problem is if we go ahead I'm on a course the week after next and will need to get special permission to miss parts to attend scans n stuff. If we put it on hold we are in limbo as we don't know how long my cycle will take. Last time we took a break, due to HWHNN bring abroad, my body put in a 74 day-er.

I'm suspecting we'll go ahead and I'll just have to ask for the earliest appointment possible, I think that's 8am. Thankfully my course (staff management, yawn!) is in my local town but the rush hour traffic around the clinic means it'll take me about an hour to get back, and the course starts at 9am each day.

Fecking droid, frank :(

I think I would push straight on with the next cycle as well.

Agree. Fecking droid.

Would you consider a "normal length" cycle break? Do you feel up to it all again? My clinic sent me off to ring back at 5weeks post period if no droid turned up (I'm on week appox 9, but shhush. Don't tell)

For my own intrest (entirely vested) How often do you get scanned frank?

Fucking droid :( I'd push straight on, seeing as you might be in limbo for weeks otherwise. Assuming you feel up to it, that is. Work is always second, though - don't let work affect your decision.

Dolly - I felt very guilty over Christmas pouring out TTC woes to my lovely single friend. She is completely lovely, I can't understand why Prince Charming hasn't swept her off her feet yet.

Ooo, fairy tale feem one day?

Sinks, last cycle I was scanned 3 times. A baseline scan on CD4, one to check folly growth a week later then another one 48 hours later. My follys were big enough to take the trigger after that scan, but I guess they just keep checking you until they are happy with size/number.

I'm leaning towards cracking on, looking at what you said about the possible CP Euro, my body might actually be more inclined to cooperate. Both cycles so far have resulted in ovulation from my right ovary. Lefty had a huge (25mm) cyst last cycle so I just hope that that won't interfere with growth as its probably a lefty cycle this time.

Did that post make any sense??

You up yet Rie?!

Morning hags explorers!

Someone replaced my brain with cotton wool and my lungs with snot while I was in bed. Nothing is going to happen today. Working from home will mean snoozing on the couch interspersed with chatting to you lot.

Fecking droid. I am ready to give him a good kicking (and then fall over coughing, where is the expedition surgeon when you need him?)

Well done of pishedness aries. I have been drinking with this round of IUI because I have no side effects well none over and above the cold from hell, but hey it means my immune system is not overactive, right?

:( about wonderful single friends. I have at least one too. Sometimes though they get finally bagged by undeserving men, which I find a little difficult too.

It made sense to me frank. But will the clinic let you start with a huge cyst? That is what I thought the baseline scan is for, checking there are no interfering cysts and no residual wall paper from the previous cycle.

If they let you, I would crack on (and sort the early appointments at the baseline scan).

They'll take blood at the baseline scan to see if the cyst is producing any nasties. I've never had any additional bloods taken, but they can/will if they need to check hormone levels.

I'm waiting on HWHNN to check his diary to make sure he's going to be about. He's also suggested taking a few days off work mid-cycle to make sure we don't miss anything.

Sorry about droid, Frank. We will chuck all oncoming droids into icy crevasses. Crevassi? Crevase? Those big frozen holes.

@ droid frank

Loving the name dropping and the drunken penguin trippage. You will be glad to know that I have added Sherlock to my Amazon basket. Will pick it up when I next make a purchase.

I'm hugely envious of the drunkeness. My first craving seems to be... red wine. (Although I crave that when not diffed - I just absolutely love the stuff.) I went out for steak last night and really missed a glass of red with it. Still, as a friend pointed out, all being well, I will be a massively cheap date next Xmas!

Frank I think i would be inclined to push on. This is more important than the course, right? And being a few mins late once or twice is not going to be the end of the world I would think.

Sinky get that head out of the snow sand!

I have a couple of wonderful single friends. One I have never known have a boyfriend. I thought for a while she might bat for the other team but she often talks about men she fancies, etc. I have another who is a year or two younger than me who wants to settle down I think but keeps dating unsuitable men (the latest was an Italian male model). She is absolutely stunning - she literally turns heads. I'm less worried about her as I think her mum had her first child at 39 without problems or something, so hopefully even if she leaves it pretty late, she will be fine.

Thanks for the encouragement fellow explorers, I've spoken to the clinic and am in for my base line scan first thing on Monday.

Has anyone checked on Rie to make sure she's ok?

I think I would press ahead with this cycle, Frank.

I am running a fever so am officially ill. So I'll be drining tea and napping. Might entreat an aunty to bring me supplies.

bugs get snoozing. You've been through a lot over the past couple of weeks and your body is telling you to rest.

drizz that's it, get other people to pamper you!

frank you are officially brave calling the clinic, well done. Have an extra portion of klipfisk as a reward.

I have called the doctor and made a long overdue appointment on Tuesday to talk about my barrenness. I will also have to mention my permanent knackeredness and papery-dry skin. I thought kicking booze and caffeine would help with the knackeredness, but no such luck.

What is klipfisk?

It's a Norwegian "delicacy", dried salted (and I think fermented) cod. Keeps very well on Polar expeditions tastes like puke