Hysteroscopy

We had to get up at 4:15 this morning and get the first train into London to get the XXXX clinic in time for my appointment.

The whole experience was very different from the old clinic, where we had our own room with private bathroom in a private hospital when I went for egg collection. Here, we stayed in the waiting room for over an hour after I'd signed the consent forms, then I was led down into the basement and left in a little changing room with 23 pairs of shoes (I counted) and several other people's clothes already in the shelves in neat little piles.

The gown I had to put on was a disposable paper one, and I got a mob cap and a pair of plastic bootees to go with it. Shame DH never got to see me looking so sexy - he stayed in the waiting room, snoozing in one of the overstuffed armchairs, all the time I was downstairs.

I was told Mr Miracle Worker himself was doing the procedure, but if he was, I don't think I saw him - I'm sure I've seen a picture of him in a magazine, and there was nobody looking like that in the theatre when I went to sleep.

After the procedure was over, I was wheeled into the recovery room, along with four other people in beds, some of whom had just had hysteroscopies while others had had egg collection. I was the third on the list, so two of those four beds were added after I came in. There were also two people on recliners who were getting IVIg at the same time.

The nurses were lovely and very attentive, and although I only got a drink and a couple of digestive biscuits rather than the omelette and ice cream I had at the old clinic, this place isn't about the frills, but about what I hope they'll achieve for me.

I did ask yesterday whether it was right that I was having it done before, rather than after, my period, and was told that as I was on the short protocol and the main purpose of this was exploratory, this was correct. So they did all the measurements, had a good look round and removed a couple of polyps that happened to be in there - which makes me feel that I made the right decision to have this done.

As I was leaving, they confirmed once again that it wouldn't be possible for me to have treatment this next cycle if I have to go away for this work thing in a couple of weeks. There's a faint possibility I won't have to, but more about that tomorrow...