It started snowing as I got off the T at Kenmore. Big wet white flakes. I sure hope it wasn't an omen, this April snow, just Boston's usual stupid weather tricks. I suppose if I want of sign of some sort, the fact that psychohist arrived before me is a much more positive one. He's not always the most punctual guy, when he arrives more than five minutes early its because whatever the thing he's there for is really important to him.

The occasion, of course, was the debriefing for IVF #2. What happened, what it means, what we might do differently. What Grace said several times was "we change what we can change". ART is an apt acronym for what we are doing. Assisted Reproductive Technology... sure its based in science, but there are so many complex variables and unknowns that it really is more of an art than a hard science. Its a pity, that. Hard science would be easier for me to cope with.

Grace agreed that given this last cycle we did not need to do ICSI. She had been pushing it, but our fertilization rate this time around (5 of 9) made it clear that we were OK on the fertilization front. She suggested that perhaps we might try adding LH in with the Follistim. It might help and it can't hurt. Then psychohist brought up assisted hatching. She thought it was a great idea. I asked her what the trade-off was in using it. She said the only risk was an increased chance of identical twins. Sold! So, assisted hatching it is.

Grace was also pretty enthusiastic about our plan to take an extra month before starting again. So enthusiastic that it sounded like she would have suggested it herself if she had dared.

The snow was sticking when we got out, covering the ground in a slick waterlogged slush. I suppose that trying to walk home through it in my tractionless high heels is a fair metaphor for how difficult this business of trying to reproduce has been.