it begins again

We are going to have another cycle of IUI. I have a shiny new box of Clomid and the date for my first ovulation scan and away we go.

I've spent quite a number of hours hanging out in that waiting area (the term "waiting room" being altogether too grand for the partitioned-off section of corridor that it is) and have observed that there seem to be 4 quite distinct groups:
1) the wealthy overseas patients who seem faintly disappointed at first (the waiting area really is uncomfortable) but always come back out from seeing the medical staff smiling and reassured
2) the same-sex couples
3) the young Asian wife and the somewhat older husband
4) the middle-class 40-somethings who used to be called DINKIEs (double income, no kids)

Significant Other and I fall into a sub-group of the last one - the mixed race DINKIEs. We are never the only mixed race couple in the waiting area and on one occasion we were one of 3 matching sets (all Caucasian males and ethnic minority females at that).

Everyone at the clinic is really nice, all the patients are there for the same reason so there is no sense of curiosity or shame. In fact often you see some of the same women each time you go, as these things are quite carefully timed. Invasive and undignified procedures aside, it's not a bad place as clinics go.

But I still really, really, really wish that I wasn't back there again.