Conflicted

Kathy had surgery today to remove her eggs, so my sperm can fertilize them in the lab, and then 2-3 of the resulting embryos can be implanted in a few days. The surgery was minor, and Kathy quickly bounced back. Given that general anaethesia was involved, however, I took the day off to look after her. She's fine, so she's watching movies on her computer and I'm drinking beer.

Let me repeat that last part -- I'm drinking beer. You see, this morning I made my contribution to the process, and either it will work or it won't, but my "work" is done, and I have nothing else to offer in terms of genetics. And after hardly drinking for the past 3 1/2 months, I'm ready to resume with a vengeance -- I love beer, and want to dive back into my hoppy hobby with at least as much vigor as I had previously. Over the past couple of months I've bought a number of beers to try, so my fridge is full of new beers to experience. But I didn't stop there -- this morning, after surgery, I took Kathy out for breakfast (she wasn't allowed to eat before the surgery) at a diner next to one of the beer stores I frequent, which I hit after breakfast.

And after today?

If Kathy is pregnant, I might sneak off to Montreal on my birthday weekend to hang with fellow members of RateBeer at our annual gathering. I've been the past three years (Toronto, Chicago, Portland (OR)), and have thoroughly enjoyed it each time. I've got a lot of friends in the group, and it'd be great to see them.

If Kathy isn't pregnant, I toy with the idea of going to Europe for 11 days, the first weekend being spent in London for the Great British Beer Festival (and taking in the city), and the second being in Copenhagen for the European version of the RateBeer summer gathering. It'd be expensive, but damn that would be a blast -- I've never been to London, and my stay in Copenhagen was too brief. And right now, between the stress of work and of the whole infertility thing, it would be a great escape. Still, I'm hesitant to go ahead with it -- a vacation of that length (and to Europe!) without Kathy doesn't feel right. I really would want her to come with me. With luck, Kathy will be pregnant, so I won't even get to consider this option (because I wouldn't leave a pregnant Kathy for such a long time).

Regardless, I've already booked a ticket for Denver at the end of September for the Great American Beer Festival.