CD5: Follistim Day 3 Response (1st Estradiol Monitor)

Written by Arpee on June 8, 2008 – 9:11 pm -

It’s a Saturday and the only lab open is St Davids Main at 32nd St, downtown Austin. That’s about 25 miles from home and we almost did not make it to the 8:00 am cut-off for the Estradiol blood draw. I was trying not to be affected despite the note that “failure to go to the correct lab could result in the cancellation of your cycle due to the delay in obtaining your results”. I pushed away thoughts such as - what if we were really late for the lab? that’s another month to wait again…that’s more than a $1000 wasted.

It’s our fault anyway, we started late from home.

We got to the hospital campus at about 7:55 am and since I did not know where the lab was, I had to ask for directions from the custodian. (There was a man and a child wanting the same directions as well). Then I had to run from 1 building to the other just to make it on time.

The good thing is that when I arrived at the lab, there was a lady before me. (And yes, I was able to see her lab form and she was sent there from the same clinic, Texas Fertility Center. Maybe we are on a similar protocol?)

So there I was, waiting for my turn to get my arm pierced again. I could not help myself from asking the smiling lady who was going to perform the phlebotomy (phlebotomist???) why there is an 8:00 am deadline and she confirmed what I thought. It has nothing to do with the optimum levels of estradiol during that time. It was about the courier schedule. I can accept that.

So I offered her my abundant and faithful left arm for the estradiol blood draw. Within a few seconds, 1 test tube is now filled with the blood needed for the estradiol test.

Before I walked out, I noticed 2 other ladies in the waiting room. I wondered - were they sent by the Texas Fertility Center as well? Now, my interest is really piqued! How many cases do they have? Perhaps this will give me an idea how many cases the Texas Fertility Center does per day.

COST: $90