Back On Track?!

I got an email this morning from the IVF study coordinator's administrative assistant.

Hi Shrike and Whozat,

I wanted to share some wonderful news! We just found out our study sponsor is giving us a few more spots, but want us to bring in patients ASAP for screening. Shrike, when are you expecting you next menses to begin? If possible, we can bring you both in for consenting as early as Monday, and then do a separate screening visit when your day 2-4 of menses. Please keep in mind they can fill the study any day and therefore we will not be able to enroll, but if you sign the consents, you are considered part of the study. Please let me know if you have availability next week to come in to the Hour-And-A-Half-Away office, if you are still interested in the Pursue Study.

Thanks!

To which I replied:

Absolutely, we'll be there on Monday. What time?

(If we have an option, late morning is probably best for us. We have a night-owl toddler and live 1.5 hours away!)

If Shrike goes back to her clock-work ways, we'll see day one on Tuesday, but even if it means two trips to Hour-And-A-Half-Away-Town in the same week, let's go ahead and do the consents on Monday, because I don't trust that she won't be a few days late and miss it by a matter of hours again!

And if she starts a couple of days early, all the better, we can go ahead and do the prescreening on Monday.

How long would we expect to be there on Monday (assuming we're just signing consents) and if I've already done that, will you need me to go with her for the prescreening later in the week?

Am I understanding correctly that once we sign consents, our spot is reserved (assuming all goes well with prescreening)?

We won't sign and then find out it was filled before she screens?

Thanks!

And she said:

Anytime between noon and 3:30PM on Monday will work best. Just let me know the time that is best for you both. If you only sign consents, and she does not have her menses (day 2-4), expect about a 30 min appointment. Once the consents are signed, you are included in the final numbers for the study, regardless of how soon she receives her menses and goes through the "screening" appointment. She will need to screen with her next upcoming menses (which is about an hour long appointment), and then begin her IVF cycle with the following menses. You are not requried to be at any of the appointments after consenting, such as screening, monitoring, etc., but are more than welcome to attend any appointment with Shrike.

And I said:

Wonderful! Let's say noon.

We'll see you then!

So, we're all set up with Shrike's parents to plan on watching Peeper from, say, 10:30ish - 2:00ish on Monday, while we do that.

On the one hand, I hope it will be Day 2/3/4 by then, so we can go ahead and get the prescreening over with, but on the other hand if we can make a 4ish hour trip on Monday and then Shrike can go by herself for 6 - 7 hour trip for prescreening, that would work a lot better for Peeper, in terms of time away from us.

Also, I'm planning (but have not yet bought plane tickets for) a trip to Texas at the end of the month, and if this cycle starts a few days early, I'll be cutting it close on getting home in time for the day 2 appointment to start the IVF cycle. I don't have to be there, but probably should be, since I'll be doing her shots, and should, therefore, probably learn all about the protocol.

Assuming, of course, that all goes well with the prescreening. Fingers crossed for that!

(Also: "I'm giggling at the phrase "receives her menses." Like it's being delivered by FedEx or something.)