Day 4: Law of Attraction

I've been forcing myself to finally read The Secret.  I bought it over a year ago (even kept the receipt inside the book because I wasn't 100% about the purchase).  Sometimes I think you have to be in the right mental frame of mind to begin a book like this.  I lovingly describe my current mental state as determined (or desperate, depending on your disposition).  

I'm determined to dabble in anything that will even remotely help the IVF process turn into a successful pregnancy and happy healthy birth!

To date I have done the following:

• studied the feng shui bagua chart to locate the children area of my home.  It's in the kitchen (which prompted David to say 'What's it doing in there?').  

• wearing a make-a-wish bracelet which supposedly you wear until it breaks then your wish comes true (my dear, sweet Shannon is feeding the addiction).  

• carrying a japanese fertility medallion in my purse (since 2006).

Today, Dave and I went to the bookstore.  In preparation for my pending two days of bed rest I wanted to stock up on some books.  Channeling my inner positive thinking I purchased two pregnancy-related books!  I got The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg and Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy.  

The Baby Name Wizard is a really cool book that maps the popularity of names over the last 100 years.  It uses data from the Social Securities Administration then crosses that data with cultural statistics to show the trendiness of a name.  For example, Mary is a widely popular girl's name ranking in the middle consistently for the past 100 years.  However, it's usage frequency has dropped 95% over the past century.  

It also gives you alternate suggestions to names that you like, but don't want to use and the background of the name.  There's even a website version called www.babynamewizard.com. 

Belly Laughs was recommended by a complete stranger in the bookstore.  I was sitting in the pregnancy section and this stranger asked me if I was pregnant.  I said 'Yes'.  It seemed the least time consuming response and technically I do have 7 embryos growing. . . just not inside me at the moment (hopefully God will see the greater good in my little white technicality).   The book looked like a lot of fun, so I mentally said 'why not?'

This bookstore stranger further introduced herself and told me about a really neat group here in Charlotte for mothers, mothers-to-be and wanna-be-mothers.  The group is called Charlotte Mommies.  They have a website you join (www.charlottemommies.com) which gives you access to a regional community of babysitters, support groups, tips and recommendations, etc.  Best benefit, this group will deliver meals every other night for the first two weeks after you give birth!

See what the Law of Attraction has done for me already!  I'm ready for transfer, bed rest, implantation, positive pregnancy tests and beautiful, healthy babies!!

Day 3: Embryo Update

We got a call from the embryologist this morning with a report on the developmental progress of our embryos.  On Day 3 they typically like to see 6 - 8 cells in an embryo.  Here's what our flock is up to:

1 embryo has 2 cells

1 embryo has 3 cells

1 embryo has 4 cells

2 embryos have 5 cells

2 embryos have 7 cells

3 embryos have 8 cells

2 embryos have 9 cells

These are good numbers, we've got 7 embryos growing on target.  Later today the clinic will call back to give us a time on Monday for transfer.  Dr. Skywalker will pick the strongest 2 embryos from the group.  

As for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, I'm doing alright.  I show some symptoms in the evening like severe abdominal bloating, weight gain and shortness of breath.  However, I am still able to pee and by morning my weight is back to normal (the nurse did say evenings would be the worst).

Last night we started the daily progesterone injections (the one's Dave gives with the bigger needle into my backside).  It wasn't so bad, we were told to put some ice on the area to numb it (worked like a charm) and then use a heating pad to relieve the soreness (sitting on one right now).

This weekend we plan on carving pumpkins and drinking apple cider.  The goal is to get me out of the house (assuming my energy level cooperates) before I'm stuck on two full days of bed rest.

Day 1: Overachievement

Aw shucks, isn't my honey sweet?  I'm so proud of him for posting.  Oh, and in response to your comments of how many sperm he donated, his reply is 26 million to my 26 eggs.

The fertility clinic called today.  They were able to fertilize 17 eggs and of those 17 eggs 14 became embryos.  You read correct folks, we've got 14 little embryos happily dividing and the best two will be used for transfer on Monday.  

On the flip side, because I produced so many eggs I'm probably suffering from Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).  Basically, with this syndrome the ovaries keep producing fluid even after all the eggs were retrieved.  This fluid has no where to go, so it builds up in the abdominal cavity.  About 1% of women who have this syndrome have to be hospitalized (for more medically accurate information check out www.dukehealth.org). 

Dr. Skywalker prescribed some additional medication to help combat this syndrome.  I'm suppose to drink a lot of fluids; however (ironically) not water.  I was told to drink milkshakes (yea!!!), V-8 (uhmm) and Gatorade (ok), as well as eat a lot of soup.  The goal is to stay hydrated and make sure I pee a lot.  

Transfer is tentatively set for Monday.  We expect a call tomorrow from the clinic to confirm the transfer date and time.  Thank you all for your good wishes and happy thoughts!!  

Retrieval Day

Hey, this is Dave. It was a busy, busy morning.  We arrived at the IVF clinic at 8AM sharp, filled out some paper work, showed our Photo IDs and went in to begin the procedure prep.  Emily put on her cute little gown (that shows her butt), got an IV and some drugs to put her out (low dose though, not enough to influence the eggs).  I was then escorted to a special room to do my part.

When I got back Emily was on the gurney ready to go in.  I gave her a kiss and sent her on her way.  I was in the waiting room for barely 30 minutes when they came and got me.  Emily was back in the prep area.  She was very groggy.   I tried to keep her talking so she would wake up faster (nurse's suggestion).  A few minutes later the nurse came over and told us they had retrieved 26 eggs (8-12 eggs is normal).  That was great news. 

Now they will pick the best eggs and fertilize them.  We will know tomorrow how many were fertilized.  The ones we don't use will be frozen.  It took Emily about another 30 min to feel ok enough to travel.  Then we went home.  

She is resting nicely at home in bed.  Charlie was nice enough to come over and keep her company for the afternoon. We are scheduled for embryo transfer on Monday, Oct, 27th.

Everything has been going great and we are very confident that babies are in our future.  To everyone who has been keeping up with this blog - Thanks for your support.

Oh! My Aching Ovaries!

Well folks, tomorrow's the big egg retrieval day (otherwise known as Day 0 in fertility speak).  Today, however, I feel like crap.  I'm so exhausted, my ovaries hurt, I have the attention span of Lavender and general attitude of Bailey (i.e. spacey and b*tchy).  

I'll probably be out of it most of tomorrow, so you won't hear from me.  As an alternative, I'll ask Dave to write a post (40% likelihood of that happening).  If you really want him to post tomorrow, I suggest leaving a TON of comments or emails for his encouragement.  I can't promise he will actually post about IVF.  You may end up reading a post about golf, cars or some engineering techno-babble (great bits of information when used as a sleep aid).

This morning I had my pre-op appointment for egg retrieval.  Here's what will happen:

Dave and I report to the clinic first thing tomorrow morning.  

I will take a light anesthesia and Dr. Skywalker will remove my flock of eggs; meanwhile, Dave will produce a fresh supply of 'man seed' (his words, not mine).

The embryologist will begin uniting my eggs with Dave's sperm to create embryos.

Thursday our IVF nurse will call us with the number of fertilized eggs.

Embryo transfer will occur on either Day 3 (10/25) or Day 5 (10/27).  Dr. Skywalker will watch the dividing embryos and judge which day is best for transfer (typically Day 5 is preferred).

After transfer, I will spend 2 days on bed rest.

On Day 16 (11/7) I go to the clinic for my first pregnancy test.

There you have it!  The remainder of our IVF protocol.  Your good wishes are so appreciated.  Keep them coming!!