Things I do that I didn't used to do

Since I started the fertility treatment roller coaster about 10 - 11 months ago, I have taken up all sorts of new hobbies (and I am not including giving myself shots, giving blood, or getting wanded). Mostly these hobbies are to help me sleep on sleepless nights or keep me occupied during the day when my mind starts obsessing on the latest cycle.

Here's is what I have taken up and added back into my life:
1. Swimming - nothing like the tired from a good swim. I found a place near my office where I can swim on my lunch hour. If I swim hard, I will sleep through the night.

2. Listening to the news on my Ipod. I got an Ipod right around the time I started treatments. I thought I would use it for music or books on tape but I have found the free npr podcasts on I.tun.es. Each night, I download the news and listen to it. Nothing puts me to sleep faster. If I wake up in the middle of the night and start stressing out, I listen again and it puts me back to sleep. It's a crutch but I need my sleep!

3. Crossword puzzles. I was never into crosswords but now I do the one in the paper every day. I start it in the morning and if I can't finish it quickly, I leave it for after work. It takes full concentration. With tv, my mind wanders and I don't find that an enjoyable way to spend the evening.

4. Sewing. Lately, I have taken out the old sewing machine and have been sewing little purses with remnants of upholstery fabric that I buy at the fabric store for $1 or $2. Like crossword puzzles, this takes my full concentration and I have a cute bag at the end.

5. Blogging. I never had a blog before and actually never read one. I wish I had read all the infertility blogs 2 or 3 years ago. I might have gotten myself into treatment sooner. I didn't know anything about the world of infertility treatments and when we couldn't get pregnant, we went to our normal doctors and they weren't much help except finally, one day, dh's doctor gave him a slip of paper that said "Intrauterine Insemination". I called my doctor to see if she could do such a thing and she laughed and said "no, you have to go to an RE". Oh, I had no idea. That's what led me to my RE. And that is when I started googling IUI, etc. and I found all the blogs - which have helped me so much. And obviously, eventually, I started one of my own.

Tomorrow, I will take up acupuncture.