About Us

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After an 8 year battle with infertility and countless struggles, our family is finally complete. This blog chronicles the journey it took for us to start and build the family we always wanted. Background on the blog (started in 2012, just days before I found out the embryo transfer for our son worked).... I decided to start a blog after realizing I have only been able to make it through my TWW's (two week waits) with the help of Google and with the openness of other women suffering from infertility sharing their own stories and giving others hope. I have time and time again found my exact symptoms on other women's blogs and felt an overwhelming sense of calmness they provided me. I thought it was time to pay it forward and hopefully provide this same thing to other women on their own journeys.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Egg Quality Supplements

So I gathered a ton of information and will be taking the following supplements to prepare my eggs for a July IVF.   To clarify, we will still be doing a frozen embryo transfer (FET) in April with our only two frosties.  They were frozen at day 3 and the doctor said they are pretty fragmented.  I honestly don't have much hope for them.  So in order to be proactive (since I only have time against me) I am taking the following supplements to prepare my eggs for a July retrieval.

  • Baby aspirin
  • Co Q10 Enzyme 200 mg three times per day
  • DHEA 25 mg three times per day
  • FertileCM three times a day (only when naturally trying)
  • Folic Acid 800 mcg (pill) / 400 mcg in 2 packets of Pregnatude
  • L- arginine 1000 mg twice a day
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acid 1000 mg every day
  • Maca 750 mg twice a day
  • Melatonin 3 mg at bedtime
  • Myo Inostol 2 gm twice a day (Pregnatude packet)
  • Prenatal Vitamin once a day
  • Queen's Delight (Royal Jelly 1000mg, Propolis 600mg, Beepollen 1500mg) three pills to get the dose
  • Vitamin C 500 mg in the morning (1/2 of 1000 mg pill)
  • Vitamin D 2000 iu
  • Vitamin E 200 IU every day

Here's how I divied them up throughout the day.... no rhyme or reason, just tried to balance it all out:

Breakfast

  • Baby aspirin
  • Co Q10 Enzyme 200 mg
  • DHEA 25 mg
  • FertileCM
  • L- arginine 1000 mg
  • Maca 750 mg
  • Myo Inostol 2 gm, folic 200mcg - Pregnatude packet
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acid 1000
  • Queen's Delight
  • Vitamin C 500 mg  (1/2 of 1000)

Lunch

  • Co Q10 Enzyme 200 mg
  • FertileCM
  • Folic Acid 800 mcg
  • Maca 750 mg
  • Queen's Delight
  • Vitamin D 2000 iu

Dinner

  • Co Q10 Enzyme 200 mg
  • DHEA 50 mg
  • FertileCM
  • L- arginine 1000 mg
  • Myo Inostol 2 gm, folic 200mcg - Pregnatude packet
  • Queen's Delight
  • Vitamin E 200 IU

Bedtime 

  • Melatonin 3 mg
  • Prenatal

Foods for Egg Quality


Good

  • lean protein (chicken)
  • fruits and vegetables
  • fish or fish oil supplements
  • walnuts
  • whole grains (brown rice)
  • spices
  • pineapple (bromelain)
  • berries

Bad

  • saturate fats
  • refined carbohydrates (pasta and white rice)
  • red meat
  • full-fat dairy 
  • refined / processed
  • salt


Saturday, February 22, 2014

FET Planning

We are already planning the upcoming FET (frozen embryo transfer).   We will wait 1 cycle and then hop to it!  My meds are already on order for it as well!

Just to recap, we have a 9 cell and a 12 cell day three embryos frozen and waiting for us.  We'll probably transfer them mid April.  The blog will most likely be a little slow until things start picking up with that in about a month.  :)



Friday, February 21, 2014

13dp3dt - Beta

It's official.    Beta was 0.   :(

The doctor's response to my questions:

1.  Did the BCP and Lupron combo over-suppress my ovaries?
Stimulation was very acceptable.  The only negative was that we did not have as many mature  eggs as we would have  liked.  The lower number of mature eggs would not be influenced by the birth control pills or the Lupron.

2.  Did not getting my period prior to baseline throw off dates and start me stimming too early?
No,, not at all.  Your baseline blood test and ultrasound was perfect despite the early period

3.  When my e2 levels weren't rising fast enough my follistim dose was raised.  Was that dose too much too quick?  After that raise my lead follicles took off.  Should we have stimmed me at less of a dose for longer instead of such high a dose in a shorter amount of time?
In general, the optimum  number of days of stimulation with this type of protocol is 8-12 days thus the length of your stimulation was quite typical.

4.  Did the scenario from #3 impact my egg quality?
We do not generally know why some patients have a lower percentage of mature eggs.  When we see this we typically do change the protocol the next time but very frankly there is no real scientific basis for these changes.

5.  Was my lining too thick?  At one of my monitoring sessions days before the egg retrieval my lining was already 13+mm.  I can only imagine how thick it was at transfer.
Your lining was a little thicker than average but this is not a negative issue.

6.  Was my c-section scar an issue?  During the transfer the doctor had to "push" past it.  I am not sure if that was the cause but I had cramps for days after transfer. 
The C-section scar often does cause some resistance as the catheters is passed.  However looking at the pictures of the transfer the placement of the embryos were just where we like them.

7.  What is the reasoning behind a day 3 transfer?  
As with most programs, we tend to transfer on day 3 unless we have about 8 8 cell embryos on day 3.

8.  Was assisted hatching used on my embryos (or is that not something done on day 3 embryos?)?
Yes, assisted hatching was done as is our routine

9.  Realistically, do you think my two frozen 9 and 12 cell embryos have any chance of success?   Were they fragmented?
The 2 embryos that are frozen have  less than 25% fragmentation which is certainly an acceptable amount.

10. Will they be transferred on day 3 or cultured to day 5?
.day 3

11. Will assisted hatching be performed on them?
Yes

12. When can I do the FET? 
We generally have you. skip one cycle and then do the frozen transferred the following cycle

13. What would you change in a future fresh cycle?   
    - New protocol?   Add menopur?  Add ganirelix?
    - No BCPs?   
    - Culture to day 5?   
    - Skip fresh transfer (my only success ever was on a FET)? 
We can discuss the above if the frozen embryo transfer does not work.  At this point I would probably not change the protocol much.  I would probably use a combination of Follistim and Menopur but otherwise pretty much the same protocol

14.  Are there any supplements I can start taking now to improve future egg quality?
    - melatonin
    - HGH
    - DHEA
I have not been impressed with any of those. However certainly with DHEA there are no negatives to taking it.


Thursday, February 20, 2014

12dp3dt

Sorry to scare you guys yesterday.  I haven't had any more of that pain I mentioned yesterday.  Anyways, my beta is tomorrow morning.  I have an email already typed to my RE with 15 questions.  If anyone can think of anything else to add, please let me know!

WTF Appointment Questions

1.  Did the BCP and Lupron combo over-suppress my ovaries?

2.  Did not getting my period prior to baseline throw off dates and start me stimming too early?

3.  When my e2 levels weren't rising fast enough my follistim dose was raised.  Was that dose too much too quick?  After that raise my lead follicles took off.  Should we have stimmed me at less of a dose for longer instead of such high a dose in a shorter amount of time?

4.  Did the scenario from #3 impact my egg quality?

5.  Was my lining too thick?  At one of my monitoring sessions days before the egg retrieval my lining was already 13+mm.  I can only imagine how thick it was at transfer. 

6. Was my c-section scar an issue?  During the transfer the doctor had to "push" past it.  I am not sure if that was the cause but I had cramps for days after transfer.

7.  What is the reasoning behind a day 3 transfer?  

8. as assisted hatching used on my embryos (or is that not something done on day 3 embryos?)?

9.  Realistically, do you think my frozen 9 and 12 cell have any chance of success?   Were they fragmented?

10. Will they be transferred on day 3 or cultured to day 5?

11. Will assisted hatching be performed on them?

12. When can I do the FET? 

13. What would you change in a future fresh cycle?   
    - New protocol?   Add menopur?  Add ganirelix?
    - No BCPs?   
    - Culture to day 5?   
    - Skip fresh transfer (my only success ever was on a FET)? 

14.  Are there any supplements I can start taking now to improve future egg quality?
    - melatonin
    - HGH
    - DHEA

15.  Are the supplements Michael can take to improve the quality of his sperm?



Wednesday, February 19, 2014

11dp3dt - BFN

Title says it all.  Took my vowed last FRER this morning.  BFN.  Stark white.

Starting this afternoon I've been having twinges of pain in my front right side only when I move.  PLEASE don't let this be an ectopic and ruin my only remaining tube.  :(



Tuesday, February 18, 2014

10dp3dt

Look!  I have willpower!  

(unused FRER)

I was so sick and tired of seeing so many BFNs that I decided not to waste a test today. I even tested last night before I went to bed....BFN.   I am so desperate I was shining a flashlight behind the test to see any sort of shadow of a line.  Wouldn't you know it, but the back side of a FRER test has vertical lines spaced exactly how far apart the test lines are spaced on the front.  So when you shine a light through the damn thing it makes it look like a second line on the front.   Thanks creators.  Score -1 on usability and fracking with people's minds!

Anyways....  I also plan on photoshopping my beta test requisition form from Saturday's date to Friday's date.   I'll already be downtown for work Friday so it will save me from having to drive all the way downtown for what I already know is inevitable on a Saturday.   I won't have to apply Saturday morning's estrogen patches then.  And I will have one less jab in the ass of progesterone Friday night.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE more than anything to turn this story into a miracle one.  The kind that I scoured the internet to find and out of 10 google result pages of pure blogs, I only read ONE blog of getting a BFN this late in the game and coming out with a baby.   I would love to add a second blog to that TEN PAGES of google results.  I really really really would.   So, if you're the praying type, and you're reading this...pray!


Monday, February 17, 2014

9dp3dt - BFN

So, based on my PhD in Googling, I am 95% sure I would have saw a line by now.  Sure, there is a sliver of a chance that I could have had a "late implanter" but it's not lookin' good people.

Of course my clinic is cruel and unusual and my official test date isn't until 2/22.  Which means, even though I know it failed, I have to keep getting jabbed with 22 guage 1.5" needles in my ass for the next 5 nights.  I have to keep wearing estrogen patches that make me fat and up my chance of breast cancer.

Mostly, I just want to move on now.  I want to get my AF and move on with getting my only 2 frosties out of stasis.  Hopefully the 9 and 12 cell fair better than the 7 and 9 cell they transferred during the fresh cycle.  I will email my nurse and ask her if I have to wait an entire month before going ahead with this or can we move right into doing that this cycle.  I'm 99% sure I can just start the cycle right away based on my PhD in Googling.

So, here's a private look at the psychosis that was my weekend and seeing "squinters" since Friday.  Today's FMU FRER was stark white BFN.




Sunday, February 16, 2014

8dp3dt - BFN

Title says it all.   FRER this morning at 5am with 8 hours of stored up dark yellow pee.......BFN.   Not even a hint of a squinter.   :(   I'm not doing a POAS marathon again today.  I just don't have the energy.  :(

I googled "8dp3dt BFN site:blogspot.com" to find other women who wrote blogs about this exact same thing.  Out of SEVEN pages of google results, I only found ONE happy ending where the woman went on to be pregnant and gave birth.   A loooooot of sad tales.  It's not looking good guys.....

Might as well keep track of my "symptoms" just in case....

Symptoms:  Acne on chest.  Maybe like 1 cramp in the AM.   A tiny bit of yellow CM in the PM.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

7dp3dt - More Squinters

POASed SIX times and it's only 1:25 in the afternoon....

03:00AM
FRER BFN
07:00AM FRER BFN
11:00AM Collected super dark pee so I figured why not dip things in it?   And yes I collected my pee just in case....
11:00AM Expired internet dip stick I had laying around in the cupboard....squinter but BFP?
11:00AM Wondfo inernet cheapie....squinter but BFP?
11:05AM Dumped the super dark pee
11:06AM Whhhhhhyyyyy didn't I use a FRER on this super dark pee?!??!
11:45AM Have a pee again so I decide to collect it
11:45AM FRER super duper squinter after 5 minutes....BFP?   Such a squinter that an hour later the test reads BFN
11:45AM Wondfo internet cheapie....BFN

Anyways.....if you know me in real life, let's not talk about this.  I don't want to jinx it.  And please no cryptic Facebook posts on my wall just yet!   We'll see what the FRER shows in the next two days as 9 more arrived courtesy of Amazon after my POAS marathon.

Symptoms:  Finally had some cramps this morning...they felt like they were in my ovary.  Then I had more dull cramps all over my uterus.  Yellow CM (mom, call me and I'll tell you this acronym.... I don't want to gross out the internet readers).  Acne on chest.

Pic of the "11:00AM Expired internet dip stick SQUINTER"....PA-LEASE don't let this still be the trigger from 12 days ago!!!!

Update....for my records.....the BFPs were 99% chance still the trigger.....12 DAYS LATER.  Cruel and unusual.

Friday, February 14, 2014

6dp3dt - Squinter

Happy Valentine's Day!! I was super hoping for a nice positive test. Instead, it was 99% negative. I say 99% because if you blow up the inverted pic below you can see a shadow of where the pregnant line is. So maybe I still have like 3 or 4 HCG still in my system from that damn trigger. I know 6dp3dt is super early to get a BFP. I'm still holding onto a shred of hope for tomorrow or Sunday's test. In the meantime I refused to wear any fat pants to work (I've been neurotic about not having tight things on my uterus), but I said 'screw it' today and wore some skinny jeans to work. I pray all of my negativity is proven wrong over the next 3 days. But if not, at least I'm prepared.

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger/POAS update:  Okay, yesterday I lied. I got home from work and the trigger line WAS there from yesterday's test. Today's is 99% negative (as I said above, I say 99% because if you blow up the inverted pic below you can see a shadow of where the pregnant line is). So the trigger is ESSENTIALLY out.

Symptoms: ABSOLUTELY NONE. Not only do I feel nothing I feel soooooo NORMAL. By now with my pregnancy with Victor I was already having several symptoms. :(

PM update...heart palpitations.  Flutters near the uterus...could it be gas?  Maybe a tiny bit of acne on chest.   Flutters in the uterus (or gas).  Also testing with a FRER at 5pm.....Still the TRIGGER?????   Please let it be a real BFP!!!!!   





Thursday, February 13, 2014

5dp3dt

Okay so first off, I sincerely apologize for these posts being so anti-climactic and boring. Still nothing to report. I haven't had a cramp in days so I'm still losing hope by the hour. I have read almost everything there is to read courtesy of google and I have come to realize that my severe negativity is just a coping mechanism. Everyone has different mechanisms but mine is negativity. I prepared for the absolute worst so I can be surprised if something better happens but not blindsided if it doesn't.

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger update:  The trigger is finally negative 10 days post trigger (bottom stick)!! Now, if I get a positive pregnancy test from here on out I know it will be all from the baby!!! ****UPDATE....came home from work and there is definitely a line on 10 days past trigger. Will test again tomorrow.

Close up:

Symptoms: I was awake from 11:30pm to 1:30pm just wide awake and super hot. I would bet it is a side effect of the steroid they have me on. Luckily last night's pill was the last one!! So I pray I still soundly tonight. This morning when I stretched in bed I had a TINY feeling of tugging on my uterus but that could have been a left over ovary pain from the retrieval. I am grasping at straws for any symptoms. Today is 5dp3dt...which is equivalent to 8dpo (8 days past ovulation). With Victor's successful cycle on 3dp5dt (which would also be 8dpo) I had my first symptoms today...constant cramps. So please God, let the cramps begin!!!!!!!






Wednesday, February 12, 2014

4dp3dt

Nothing much to report today.  I swear I had ONE small pinch in my uterus last night in the middle of the night.  It happened and then it was gone.  I have been praying it comes back all night/day long.  Implant my babies, implant!!!    I already gave them names (for Mom's ears only) and I talk to them.  I cheer them on tell them that I know they can do this!  I pray to God more now than ever.

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger update:  The trigger is finally barely registering in my system 9 days post trigger (bottom stick).  I am hoping tomorrow it will be GONE gone.

Symptoms: Nothing today.  Maybe a small pinch in my uterus last night?






Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Feeling Loved

I love my friends.  Especially Jonali.  She knew I was having a "down" day and left a little bit of love at my front door.    Of course seeing/reading it just made me cry again but a good cry this time.  I love you Jonali!!!!!!!

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers."




3dp3dt - Lost embies

So I started estrogen patches today. I don't know if it was that or the news that only 2 of my remaining 7 embryos made it to freeze - and they were frozen as a day-3 9-cell and a day-3 12-cell as opposed to robust day 5 blasts...... but I just had a good silent cry at my desk. I just feel so hopeless. I know I should stay positive.... and I still am for the 2 in me but it's hard not to cry knowing 5 of my embabies died. :(

So our Final Fert Report for this cycle is:
14 eggs
11 mature (7, then 4 the next day)
9 fertilized (6, then 3 the next day)
5 arrested along the way
2 transferred on day 3 (a 7 cell and a 9 cell)
2 frozen on day 3 (a 9 cell and a 12 cell)

Anyways...today is the yellow row...

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger update:  The trigger is still registering in my system 8 days post trigger (bottom stick).  Maybe another 2 or 3 days until it's GONE gone?

Symptoms: None so far.






Monday, February 10, 2014

2dp3dt

Today is the yellow row...

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger update:  The trigger is still registering in my system 7 days post trigger (bottom stick).  Maybe another 3 or 4 days until it's GONE gone?

Symptoms: None

Sunday, February 9, 2014

1dp3dt

Nothing too exciting.  The waiting game is no upon us.   The earliest I would expect to see a positive on a test would be next Saturday or Sunday based off of this chart (today is the yellow row).

Days Past
Transfer (DPT)
Embryo Development
OneThe embryo continues to grow and develop, turning from a 6-8 cell embryo into a morula
TwoThe cells of the morula continue to divide, developing into a blastocyst
ThreeThe blastocyst begins to hatch out of its shell
FourThe blastocyst continues to hatch out of its shell and begins to attach itself to the uterus
FiveThe blastocyst attaches deeper into the uterine lining, beginning implantation
SixImplantation continues
SevenImplantation is complete, cells that will eventually become the placenta and fetus have begun to develop
EightHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) starts to enter the blood stream
NineFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
TenFetal development continues and hCG continues to be secreted
ElevenLevels of hCG are now high enough to detect a pregnancy

Trigger update:  The trigger is still registering in my system 6 days post trigger (bottom stick).  Maybe another 4 or 5 days until it's gone.

Symptoms:  cramps pretty much all day



Saturday, February 8, 2014

Embryo Transfer

So last night we made the pineapple core smoothie trying to follow the same "tips" I did to get my BFP with our son Victor.   Went to bed around 9 and listened to my Zita West visualization for IVF CD.

I tossed and turned a few times over the night with nerves.  I woke around 5:30 and showered and got ready.  I donned my lucky shirt.   This is the same shirt I wore for all of my other embryo transfers.  Today's made #4!!!

So we left for Cleveland around 7:30 and arrived at 9:00am.   As soon as we got there I popped a 5mg Valium (another tip I did with my successful cycle).  They checked us in and got us into a room by 9:10am upon which I started drinking my 20oz orange gatorade.   The doctor came in to go over our embryos.  Of the original 6.... we were transferring 2 (a 7 cell and a 9 cell), they already froze 2 (a 9 cell and a 12 cell), and 2 didn't make it.   Of the extra 3, 1 is a 3 cell, 1 is a 4 cell, and the other didn't make it. They said they'll most likely freeze those 2 tomorrow as well.   So fingers crossed we will have 4 frosties from this cycle.  I am a little unfamiliar with them being frozen on day 3.  I thought they only froze on day 5.  I will have to google the crap out of this later.   I should have asked him for the report he was reading my embryo stats off of.  It was super detailed and the embryos were graded on there.

Here are Mike and I just before the transfer:

So here are the embryos we transferred today (top is a 9 cell, bottom is an 7 cell):


Since they didn't give us grades of the embryos, here is a grading chart I found online:

Trigger update:  The trigger is still registering in my system 5 days post trigger (bottom stick).


Friday, February 7, 2014

Day 2 Fert Report

I am in THE BEST MOOD EVER!  My fert report for the day was heaven sent.  To recap, on Wednesday they got 14 eggs.  Of which only 7 were mature.  Of those 7, 6 fertilized.  So I was bummed about only having 6 to work with.  Well, today, those 6 are still going strong and dividing!!   But get this!!  Of the other 7 eggs that I thought were goners, 4 of them matured overnight.  Of which 3 fertilized!!!!  So now we have 9 embryos!!!  I am just beside myself with joy!  My clinic mostly only does 3 day fresh transfers so our transfer is TOMORROW morning at 10am!  We are going to transfer 2 embryos.  Hopefully the other 7 will make it to freeze!!!!!!!!!

Trigger update:  The trigger is still registering in my system 4 days post trigger (bottom stick).


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Fert Report

14 eggs
7 mature
6 fertilized

I'm slightly bummed.  At least 85% of our mature fertilized this time.    We had 12 mature last time of which only 7 fertilized (58%).  So Mike and I's bits are combining nicer this time but I am still kinda bummed we have 1 less fertilized at this point than we did last time.

Update.... see the day 2 fert report but we got exciting news.  Our fert report now looks like this as 4 more matured in the lab over night...

14 eggs
11 mature
9 fertilized

Trigger update:  The trigger is registering pretty strongly in my system 3 days post trigger (bottom stick).


Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Egg Retrieval

We got to Cleveland last night just as the snow storm was rolling in.  The last 20 miles were slow going and we were just so relieved once we were snuggled in our hotel room.  We ordered room service and order a movie (Thor 2 which was pretty good).

I tossed and turned all night.  I wasn't nervous for the actual procedure but more so for the number of eggs they'd retrieve.  To recap again, our first IVF the numbers were:
17 retrieved
12 mature
7 fertilized
5 transferred (over 3 transfers)
1 baby

So with a 1/17 rate I was just nervous since they were only predicting 8 good eggs this go around.   It only takes 1, right?

So I woke up before my alarm went off around 5:40.  We had to be at the hospital at 7.  The hospital was literally across the street so I wasn't worried we wouldn't be on time.   I rinsed off, got dressed, and was ready to go.  I had to fast so I didn't get to eat or drink anything.

One thing about the Cleveland Clinic I liked was they had a wishing well in their lobby.  Mike and I would make a wish with each retrieval/transfer.  The UH Hospital doesn't have one of those so I was so happy to see this in our lobby....  (we each made wishes / said prayers before we left for the hospital)....


We got to the hospital by 6:55.  I proceeded to wait to talk to my nurse Dawn about my upcoming medications but she never made it in, most likely do to the snow, so I talked to a different nurse instead.  After that we were taken back to the surgical prep area and given a little room.  I undressed, climbed on the bed, and got to know the nurse back there pretty well.  She was soooooo nice.  Diana.  Loved her!   She put the IV in my hand and then we waited until 8:25 to start.



I was taken into the OR and used a stool to get up onto the table.  My lady bits were pretty much on display for everyone once I put my legs in the leg holder thingies.  They didn't ask me to count backwards this time and I was mid-sentence when the next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room.   I look down at my hand and this is what I see!!


14 eggs retrieved!  Woo hoo!  Granted they take the eggs from even the smallest follicles to burst them but I'm hoping at least 8 to 10 are mature.  Fingers crossed.  I will hear when they call with the fert report.   By the way, they wrote it on my hand because as you're coming out of the anesthesia you have no short term memory.  

Trigger update:  The trigger is registering pretty strongly in my system 2 days post trigger.



Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Trigger

So we triggered last night (Monday) at 8:30pm.   Our retrieval is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8:30am.  They want us there at 7:00am to go over the next course of drugs and to sign papers.   There is a big snow storm coming this way so we are actually driving down this evening after work and checking into a hotel across the street from the hospital.   So the trigger consisted of 10,000 units of HCG in powder form.  I had to mix 1 mL of sterile water with it and create the cocktail.  I then injected it subcutaneously per my instructions from the clinic.  

To check to see if my body was metabolising the HCG well, I was instructed to POAS on a HPT in the morning.   If it was positive…good.  If it was negative…call Dawn the nurse.   Come morning, I pee in a cup (since I’m not dexterous enough to POAS – pee on a stick) and dip my internet cheapie stick in the pee.  I am saddenly when it wasn’t immediately positive.  I figured with 10,000 units of HCG it would be.  Anyways, after 5 minutes there is a faint line.  It’s positive which is good, but it’s so faint so of course I’m worried I didn’t do the trigger correctly the night before.  I rush downstairs to look at the box the HCG powder came in.  It says in large letters on the front “For IM use only.”  Great, was I supposed to inject this in a muscle and not the fat on my stomach?   I check my instructions from the clinic and the instructions say subcutanesouly and to ignore the instructions on the box.  So I am littler calmer  now but still riled up.  I email nurse dawn a photo of the pee stick. 

Nurse Dawn calls me back within the hour on our way to work and says it is a little light and to get an HCG level check via bloodwork.  So we make a pit stop at work so I can print the blood draw requisition.  I then race to the ACL Lab and sign in.  I write STAT by my name and I’m called next in front of about 15 people waiting in the waiting room.   Score!   The lady draws my blood and I head back to work.   I email Dawn to tell her that I had the draw done and ask what level they are looking for.  She said anything over 50 is good. 

A few hours later I get the call…….109!   Praise sweet baby Jesus!    We are ok.  We are good to go still.  My little eggies are completing the final stages of eggdom and getting ready to be harvested tomorrow morning!

Here are pics of the trigger shot as well as the HPT….






Trigger update:  The trigger isn't registering too well in my system.  (109 beta)




Monday, February 3, 2014

Monitoring Appointment #4

I had my sono this morning and my follicles exploded again!   My lead follicle is now 24mm.  I have a 23.5mm and a 22mm and I lost count after she kept telling me numbers that all seemed too large to me.  My clinic likes to trigger when they are mostly 18mm to 20mm.  So to hear all of these numbers flying at me that were greater than 20mm just kept making me want to cry.  I fear they will all be post mature come retrieval day and be thrown away.  My lining was also 13.5mm.  Hopefully not too thick.  I can't imagine what it will be at a 5DT (5 day transfer) which will be NEXT Monday.   Anyways, as usual, I'll update this post once I hear from my clinic with the official results.  But I would bet my life that I will be triggering tonight.  Hopefully it won't be too late.  :(

Update:  My e2 was 1483.  The nurse also said that my lead follicle was only 21mm.  So I am 99% sure the local sonographer just measured the widest part of the follicle instead of both diameters and then average the two.  So that's a relief that they're not as big as 24mm!!   Anyways, we trigger tonight (Monday) at 8:30pm and the retrieval is Wednesday morning at 8:30am!  Of course there is a winter storm hitting Erie and Cleveland Tuesday night through Wednesday morning!  So Mike and I are most likely driving down Tuesday after work and checking into a hotel.  Egg retrievals cannot be even 10 minutes late.  They are timed with my body and if started late we run the risk of my eggs ovulating into my body instead of being retrieved!!!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Monitoring Appointment #3

Had a monitoring appointment this morning! My e2 went from 248 on Thursday to 960 today!! Holy camoly. From my anal charts I posted I thought it would only be roughly 500 today. I had 10 "measurable" follicles. This means I had 10 that were at least 10mm. I had several that were smaller but they didn't even bother measuring them. Anyways, I had one 18mm, a 16mm, a 15mm and several 14mms. They thought they might want me to come back tomorrow but they ended up deciding this afternoon that I can just get checked next on Monday morning (day after tomorrow). They think I will most likely trigger MONDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope all of my follicles catch up and we can get at least 10 mature. I got 17 eggs and 12 mature back in 2011. Of which only 7 fertilized which isn't a great ratio. I'm hoping to get 10 mature this time and have all 10 fertilize! Saying my prayers.