Finally an update....

Yes yes I know I've been slacking. I'd like to say I have a good reason but in reality its been pretty in eventful in the frozen embryo transfer (FET) limbo I'm currently in.

I got rid of my ohss symptoms last Tuesday/Wednesday. On Thursday I got my blast report and I currently have 8 embryos frozen waiting for me. That gives me 4 double embryo transfers. I hope I will not need that many.

I finally started my FET cycle. I have an ultrasound and blood work tomorrow. This part of the journey is a lot of waiting around. We are waiting for my body to ovulate then 5 days after they will do the transfer and thats when the fun begins with weekly quantitative beta HCG tests and after a few weeks weekly ultrasounds.

Because I've been slacking here are some photos that have nothing to do with this process at all!!!

Found this one on my phone from the day of the retrieval... I'm so attractive dont be jealous



I build a grill this weekend



I also got a hair cut



And I tried to put a video of the fur playing fetch... I guess I'll have to learn that next

OHSS thou art a heartless bitch

Because I am such an over achiever (27 eggs) I have been diagnosed with OHSS. I don't remember much in the blur of the first few days after M was born but I know I was moving around easier then I am now.

The following info was taken from the mayo clinic website

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) usually occurs as a result of taking hormonal medications that stimulate the development of eggs in a woman's ovaries. These injectable fertility drugs may be prescribed to treat infertility. In ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, your ovaries become swollen and painful.

Symptoms (I've starred the ones I have)

Moderate OHSS

Mild to moderate abdominal pain that may come and go *
Abdominal bloating or increased girth *
Nausea *
Vomiting *
Diarrhea
Tenderness in the area of your ovaries *

Severe OHSS

Rapid weight gain, such as an increase of 5 to 10 pounds in one to two days, or weight gain of more than 10 pounds in three or more days
Severe abdominal pain *
Severe, persistent nausea and vomiting
Decreased urinary frequency
Dark urine
Shortness of breath
Tight or enlarged abdomen *

So pretty much I'm a worthless pile today which is why you got 3 posts!!!

The picture was taken yesterday. No I'm not even pregnant yet that is all fluid!!!

UPDATE #2

Just got another call while watching how I met your mother and singing to "let's go to the mall"

We have

8 -4 cell embryos that are rated B/C

10 -2 cell embryos that are also B/C rated

4 are still pending fertilization

The are giving them one more day to catch up before they are discarded...

The ratings are based in the cells. They should be all the same size for an A. I need to research this a bit more to give more info

We are still a way to the blastocyst stage but she says we should have plenty frozen and waiting in case the first attempt isn't successful

Fertilization report!!!

Got a call yesterday from the lab where my eggs are. They were updating me on fertilization.

I was informed that my 24 eggs was actually 27 eggs retrieved!! Woah!

Below is the breakdown of how they are doing after 24 hours.

24 eggs were mature

3 eggs were immature -discarded

18 fertilized

16 fertilized normally

2 fertilized abnormally -discarded

6 pending fertilization - not fertilized not failed

For a grand TOTAL of 22 eggs left in the lab counting the 6 that are pending.

5 total dicarded


I will get another call today on the status of the pending eggs. They will also tell me if the others are splitting yet.

They still have to make it to the blastocyst stage and they will be cryopreserved for transfer next cycle. I should get photos and updates as they reach this stage!!

They were fertilized using icsi- photo below

Bad news

My estrogen went way up so they will not be doing a fresh transfer this cycle. I have to wait till I ovulate next cycle and come back for the transfer. It's ok cause they will still do 2 embryos and my chances are the same if not better cause this clinic has amazing frozen embryo success rates. So not horrible news but I kinda wanted to be done

Good news

I had 24 eggs retrieved and will have a fertilization report tomorrow after 3. I will receive a blast report on 4/25 after 3 to tell me how many made it to certain cell stages. Everything went smoothly and I feel great!!!

Questions from M

"Mama can we make sure the baby is a boy?"
"Can we name him jack so I don't get confused?"
"Can you still talk after they take all your eggs?"
"Why can't you just poop an egg like a chicken?"
"Is your tummy going to get smaller when they take your eggs?"
"Daddy is your belly going to get even bigger when mommy has a baby in her belly?"


Yikes

Tomorrow is the day

After 10 days in my we are finally having egg retrieval tomorrow. Day 11. This took so long cause at first my body wasn't responding to meds but my estrogen levels were. Then my body joined the game which caused my estrogen to go even higher. For example the clinic wants estrogen to be between 2,000 and 4,000 and mine capped at 7,500.

Sunday I had one follicle (part of ovary that can hold an egg) that was just under 17mm (they want it at 18-20 for retrieval) on Monday I had 8 follicles all over 20mm. Tuesday had 19 follicles over 20mm and half over 24mm. They are hoping to get 15-20 eggs. We have to be at the clinic tomorrow at 7am procedure is at 7:45. The plane home leaves at 9pm

Tuesday night I took what was called a trigger shot. It is a shot of hcg that will force my body to ovulate. (Technically if I were to take a pregnancy test right now it would be positive) Unfortunately that one has to go in your butt so technically I didn't do it Nate had to give it to me. He apparently had issues getting the needle to pierce the skin so he ended up laughing and I ended up in tears. I have a bruise and I'm still so sore. Luckily he gets more practice cause that is where my progesterone goes starting Friday until either I'm 10weeks pregnant or this cycle is found to be a failure. The progesterone is necessary cause the meds up to this point make the uterus lining less then ideal.

If my estrogen goes down i should have my embryo transfer on Tuesday.

So there ya have it. Tomorrow is the big day. Well one of two big days.

I really hope this works the first time. I'm ready to not see New York for quite a few years.

Think big follicles

I had yet another monitoring visit this morning and now my lead follicle is just under 17mm dr think s another 4-5 days before retrieval. I have to back again tomorrow. I read on dr google that protein, keeping your legs elevated and a heating pad on your belly can all help follicles grow. I've been drinking nothing but muscle milk and water. M has been keeping her legs elevated with me. Since I don't have a heating pad Nate has been keeping one hand on my belly at all times since he is a human furnace. I'm also keeping a big blanket on it. Not much else to report. If the rain stays away we are going to try to go to the 9/11 memorial tomorrow after my appointment.

I was pretty peeved this morning when I left the clinic but I've since calmed down. The chocolate might have helped!

Staying a bit longer

I had my second scan yesterday and my lead follicle was only 15mm. I dropped my bravelle dose from 225ui to 150ui last night and then down to 75ui tonight. I have another scan tomorrow and my egg retrieval was pushed back to Tuesday/Wednesday. I will find out tomorrow if it will be Tuesday or Wednesday which pushes my transfer to next Saturday or Sunday. I am so ready to go home.

We have been staying in the hotel the past few days cause its raining and cause we moved to New Jersey and there isn't anything to do within walking distance. It's been nice to just lounge, watch TV and play games. We are moving back to manhattan tomorrow. I've been trying my hardest to hide all my needles, syringes and meds when we leave but this morning We went for breakfast and the housekeepers came into take old towels and leave new ones and I had not cleaned up my mess from last night. Pretty sure it looks like a clean freak OCD Junky has been staying here. Oops!

I had my HCG (trigger) shot sent to me yesterday and it showed up empty... I was so confused and even though for a minute that maybe the sterile liquid mixes with the air inside and that creates the compound!?!? NOPE!!! WRONG!!! It was just empty. Luckily they sent me a new one over night and I got it this morning.

I have so many syringes, needles, alcohol pads and gauze left. I only have 3 more shots using this size of needle and I have about 50 left! Good thing my dr likes me. I'll have him get rid of them for me.

That's all I have to update on. I'm ready for a nap!

Thank You!!

This post is late coming and will be have to be done again later when all is said and done but there is a list of people who I owe HUGE thanks to for helping us make it through this.

*My parents- they have been very supportive through everything this past year and watching M when we took our first trip our as well as all the other times you have watched her for us.

*Again my mom for letting us use her hotel points for the 3 trips out here

* My dad for coming with to "visit 1" even though I was cranky most of the time I think he still had fun.

*Margie and dad For watching jack (dog) while we are in ny this time.

*both Nate and my work/managers for giving us the time off with little to no notice and messing with schedules to make it work

* Chris and Jeff for giving us a place to stay while waiting for flights and for picking up/dropping us off at the airport

* Ann for stopping in to check on the cat, get our mail and for always being someone to talk to regardless what it is

*Elizabeth for all but forcing me to contact the clinic after I didnt hear back about my application and for being someone I can bounce ideas off and vent to at work.

* Dr. A for going completely outside of his normal duties to run tests and doing monitoring locally so I can spend more time at home less time in ny.

* the readers and those keeping us in their thoughts- we are in the homestretch

This is a partial list there are so many people who have helped through this process weather they know it or not

Millers in the city

Got back to New York last night. After walking around looking for a place to eat we don't have in MN we settled for Wendy's.... At least we don't have it in our town!

This morning I went to my visit and they measured 11 follicles that I counted. The biggest was 12.5mm the smallest was 8.5mm. They like them to be at least 16mm before retrieval. I continue with my meds at the same dose and go back on Friday for another scan. With any luck they are big enough Friday to let me trigger and do the retrieval on Sunday.

After my appointment we took M to Central Park zoo. She started complaining about half way through that she wanted to go to the hotel cause she was sweaty... After spending about half hour watching the penguins in an overly air conditioned room she felt better. After the zoo we went to FAO Schwarz. M looked and looked and out of everything they had she decided she wanted a boomerang airplane. Nate just wanted rock candy. I have a feeling we will be going back there again before we leave. After lunch we went back to the hotel to let M take a nap. Mommy napped. Daddy napped. Kiddo did not nap! Even without a nap she made the walk to the subway, got on the Staten Island Ferry, went for another walk, back on the ferry, back on the subway, ate dinner, bath and is now watching a movie. She is fighting sleep but she eventually has to give in.

Not sure what tomorrow holds but Nate really wants to try cream cheese pizza that was advertised near our hotel. Sounds almost disgusting enough to be a great breakfast!!

Hello bravelle

First shot if bravelle was tonight. It was quite intimidating! Did a little chemistry to get it ready It was a lot of liquid. Nate looked at it and just said "wow... thats not the one i have to give you is it?" Ummm nope that one is bigger. It burned a little at first but it got much better.

It's getting real!!!

Today was visit 2 blood work and ultrasound here what was found

E.C. 2.9mm Tripple
Right ovary 12 follies largest is 7.4mm
Left ovary 11 follies largest is 5.9mm
Beta- <0 data-blogger-escaped-.1="" data-blogger-escaped-br=""> Estradiol- 28
FSH- 3.3
LH- 5.8
Progesterone .8

I got a call that I will start bravelle Tonight  reread the email and I will be starting Wednesday night. I also found out its not 3 doses a day its 3 vials of powder to 1 vial of liquid. Wow concentrated! I have to mix it myself!!!

We are on schedule to go to New York next Monday! I thought I was going to have to have local monitoring done two times before we leave but they are holding off until 4/9 for my next appt! We hope to have egg retrieval done either the 13th or the monring of the 14th so we can fly home on the 14th.

April Fools 6 years ago I told my mom I was pregnant with DD and her reaction was "I need to make a chicken." It seems only fitting to start the next stage of the process today!