Transfer Day… Overwhelming Love and Support

Yesterday was a BIG DAY.  

The perfect day.  

Much like our wedding day.  

Overcast in the morning, rain in the afternoon, and the sun came out in the evening for a wonderful celebration!! 

I took the day off from work, because I knew that I would be worthless.  There was no way I’d be able to concentrate on work.  So I spent much of my day mentally prepping for the transfer.  I spent a good portion of my morning reading positive text messages, emails, and Facebook posts on my behalf from my IF sisters, friends and family. 

TMI warning- I was in much need for a wax, so I rescheduled my apt at the end of the month and took care of my legs and unmentionables.  Went to the grocery store and bought several different nail polishes and created my first masterpiece. LOL

W got ready.  He look so good. Suit Jacket, with new Levi’s and his Kango hat, me the nicest yoga pants I own and a niceish blouse, wearing all my lucky charms, and lucky Water cup in hand! Then it was time.  Our 35 minute drive to the clinic.  Once we got there I had my pre-transfer acupuncture treatment. And then our transfer.

Dr. G came into the room, and she gave us our embryo report, asked if we would like to transfer one or two embryos.  She is a HUGE Proponent for elective single embryo transfers (eSet).  She discussed the risks of transferring two.  I looked up at W and said “are you still okay if we transfer two?” He said yes! 

This is a very personal decision!!  There are pros and cons to both transferring one vs two embryos.  In the future I will write about the pros and cons and why we made the decision that we did.  But that is a different conversation. 

We transferred two beautiful embryos high quality embryos (graded AA and AB). 

After the transfer, then comes the hard part.  Laying in place for 20 minutes with a FULL BLADDER.  It is the worst.  I just lay there and hope that I do not pee myself before the 20 minutes are up. 

For those curious, I did not have an accident.  For me, it’s the worst part of the embryo transfer!!

After all was said and done I had my post-transfer acupuncture.  It was amazing.  I had W pull up the song we played as I walked down the aisle at our Wedding (Cannon in D).  I absolutely love that song.  We talked and spent this time enjoying each other’s company.  It was such an amazing day.  

My acupuncturist asked us how long we have been married, because she through we acted like newlyweds.  That is such a compliment considering we were married in 2003. 

The staff at my clinic is amazing.  They are all rooting for us.  My RE and donor coordinator both said that it’s our turn and we have a really good shot at this working.   

W made me a cup of caffeine-free mint tea when the acupuncture treatment was over, for the ride home.  I had my discharge teaching.

We left the clinic drove home in evening traffic.  

What did we return home to?? 

My parents and my Uncle M were here.  My house was cleaned, lawn mowed and dinner ready.  With a beautiful bouquet my sister had sent to my house.  They wanted to make sure that I lay on the couch all weekend worry free, allowing your embryos the prefect chance to snuggle in for the next 9 months!!

This was the perfect ending to the perfect day!! 

Back in the Stirrups Again

Is it this a possible to be excitingly nervous?  

This is how I have felt since the middle of last month when I learned things were being pushed forward.  After an amazing extended weekend/free vacation with Whis in Las Vegas that I earned at work, we returned home Monday evening.  Tuesday morning, wearing a pair of my "lucky socks" I had a date with the vaj-cam (transvaginal ultrasound).  

My RE walked into the room and she complemented me on the socks  :)  I mentioned they were my lucky socks.  She asked if that meant I that I will not taking them off until my BFP.  Haha.  Something I never considered.  I assure everyone, I do and will continue to change the socks Every.Single.Day.  I have several pairs of lucky socks and will wear a different pair at each of my u/s appointments.  

The baseline ultrasound went well and I was given the green light to start delestrogen.  

I still cannot believe I'm cycling again.  All the consents have been signed, acupuncture scheduled, and financing has been worked out, at least for the most part.  

Monday, April 6th is a BIG DAY. 

Our Egg Donor's baseline.  

I too will go into the clinic.  I have to have my estrogen level checked.  I will give the clinic our consent forms and pay for the cycle.

I am hopefully optimistic.  At least for now.  

"The Fire"

A lot has gone on since last Wednesday.  No I'm not pregnant.  My follicle continued to progress, I triggered with HCG just after Midnight on Sunday Morning and I went in for retrieval today.  My clinic has you pee on a stick (POAS) to test out the trigger before going in for retrieval.  Since it's rare for me to see two lines I had to take a picture of it, because who knows when I will see two lines again.    

On the way to my retrieval DH and I were listening to the radio and a song came on by my most loved Hip Hop band, The Roots!!  The song was perfect!  “The Fire.”  I have listened to this song a million times in my life, but today it was different.  DH pointed out that the song describes me, “You don't say good luck, you say don't give up, It's the fire, inside you.” It definitely set a good mood for the day.

I went in for the retrieval of my lone follie. I ordered our sperm, and it arrived Saturday.  Everything was falling into place.  The retrieval went well! They talked me into doing it without anesthesia, it wasn't bad at all.  I was still kind of out of it from the two pain pills they gave me and the Valium.  I found it no more painful than a pap smear. I received a call from my RE late this afternoon.  The egg was mature, they preformed ICSI on my egg (Injected the sperm into my egg).  They will call tomorrow with a fertilization report! We are doing embryo banking, so I have two more cycles before transfer. I have an appointment scheduled on Monday to discuss my next steps.  I feel very calm about everything that has happened over the last several days.  

I have had my ups and downs, but today I feel good.  I think DH feels good.  He has been in a very good mood today.  I know that we both still want this to work so badly, and we finally feel that we are a step closer to our goal today than we have been in a long time!! 

The planets and stars may not be perfectly aligned, but I'm feeling lucky :)

I caught a bug and I was super sick Wed. with a fever and achy body. I felt like shit balls. I went to the local urgent care, they suspect I have the flu, but did not test me for it since I was immunized early in the season he didn't feel tamaflu would be helpful. The MD felt it wasn't necessary to do any testing because he did not feel it was safe treating me with meds since I am stimming for IVF.

I was very annoyed! I spent all that money when I could have told myself the same info. The least they could have administered me a liter of IV fluid since I was dehydrated. I called my RE; they gave me the ok to take Tylenol cold and flu which was my life saver. I'm so happy that I’m a nurse with hook-up's. I was able to have a friend administer a liter of IV fluids. I'm so happy to report I’m on the mend now, and feeling much better.

All in time for my upcoming u/s this Monday. I have realized during myself imposed break that things will never be perfect. I may not be in perfect health. DH is getting laid off. My FIL has moved in because he is out of work. Yet I am very optimistic. I feel that even though the planets and stars are not aligned. Things in our life are not perfect; I'm in a good place mentally. DH and I are in an amazing place as a couple. Things just seem to be right. Which is the reason I know I'm going to be knocked the eff up with this IVF :)

Today "I got my nails did" to help celebrate. It doesn't hurt to have a little extra luck on my side either.