September 6, 2012

  Yesterday I had my first appointment with Dr. Arici.  It was just like the other exams where they do an ultrasound and see your progress. This time around they look at the thickness of the endometrium.  He said they want at least a 7.5mm(or cm I can't remember).  The Estrace (estradiol) helps to thicken the lining and so I will have to keep taking that for awhile.  He also had me start the Crinone (progesterone) last night as well.  

  On the ultrasound he found the same polyp that I had last time.  The thought last time was that it might shed during a normal cycle, but unfortunately it didn't.  It is small and we will still do the transfer, but he said that if I don't get pregnant this time around he wants me to have it removed back home.   

  The good news is that I don't have to go into the clinic every 3 days and that I don't need any injections this time around.  I will have time to go do a few things and also be able to get extra rest after my transfer next week, which is nice. 

  On the hotel room front we were finally moved to an apartment which means we have to truck back to the grocery store to get food for dinners.  No complaints there actually because we are sick of sandwiches.  

  Today we went to the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar on the European side.  We didn't leave until about 11 am since we had to switch rooms but it was still a long day.  The Grand Bazaar is so huge and many of the booths are the same stuff over and over.  It is worth it to see and if you are a big shopper you can definitely get your fill.  Expect to walk a lot while you are on the European side.  It takes about 15 minutes to get from the Spice Market to the Grand Bazaar but the streets are a little uneven and a lot is uphill.  It was also very crowded this time around as there were several cruise ships in the harbor and overall a lot more tourists than in April. Overall, it was a good day.

Eminonu Port

  The photo above is of the New Mosque at Eminonu port.  This is the port that we take the ferry to from the Asian side of Istanbul after riding the train from Pendik to Haydarpasa.  The Spice Bazaar is the building to the right of the mosque and you have to go under a walkway and back up to get there.  Those beautiful boats in the water sit there all the time as far as I know.  They are fish restaurants that are very popular.  Balik (pronounced Ba-luck) means fish and let me tell you that as soon as you step off the ferry you can smell it.  The boats cook the fish over coals I believe and then put it on bread with lettuce for a sandwich.  Just one of the many commonly eaten street foods.  This area is crazy busy with people especially on the weekends.  It is definitely a hotspot for the young and old.  You will see locals and tourists sitting on the nearby steps eating their Balik sandwiches, fresh corn on the cob, or roasted chestnuts and hanging out. 

   
Well more on my journey to come...

Kelly