Things I Miss

Because I have to do IVF to get pregnant I am pretty strict with what I eat and do.  Just to be on the safe side.  But there are a few things that I really miss. 

Sushi- Oh how I miss eating my favorite food.  Nothing can replace sushi! I am craving it big time!

Diet Coke- I think I miss you most of all.  No more caffeine for me.  No more McDonald's coke runs!

Eggs Benedict- I read in my baby book that runny eggs could possibly have bacteria in them so I now eat my egg scrambled.  Today at breakfast when I was eyeing my honey's eggs benedict he said we are just taking every possible precaution.  Yep!

Chocolate- I don't really eat a lot of chocolate but try to find an ice cream that is good without chocolate in it! Super hard! I don't eat chocolate because of caffeine!  I am hard core anything that could cause a miscarriage it out! 

Cleaning- OK I miss this most of all.  I am not allowed to do anything too active and I miss cleaning, dusting, scrubbing, mopping, all things that I wish I could do! 

Hot baths-I love to take long hot as I can stand baths. Now I just take luke warm baths.  Let me tell you I don't stay in that long.  

Even though there is a list of things that I miss. Believe me it is all going to be worth to have a baby! 

Good News

Well I had my pregnancy test on Monday! I went to clinic early and had my blood drawn.  Then I just had to wait and wait.  Finally the call came.  I was so nervous I got all hot and sweaty when I answered the phone.  But good news came. the nurse told me that I am pregnant!  My HCG level was over 1000. They told me that because it was so high there is a possibility of multiples! Can you believe it?? I won't know for sure until my ultra sound  on June 5th.  But I am keeping my fingers crossed! 

Bed Rest

I saw the Dr. on Monday because I have been having major cramps ever since I had my transfer. They took my blood pressure, my temperate, and weighed me. Then they did 2 ultrasounds, one vaginal and one on my tummy.  The verdict....my ovaries are filled with fluid. That is why I haven't slept through the night and I am doubled over in pain all the time.  The Dr. said that typically this happens to pregnant women.  So it could be a good sign.  However, if I am pregnant it is only going to get worse at least for the first 2 months.  Ugh.

So here is what I have to do to help with the pain:

Bed rest for another week in a reclining position

I have to measure my input meaning how much I drink. They told me I have to drink 64oz of powerade/gatorade a day! 

I have to measure my output meaning how much a pee! I have this little white thing I have to put on the seat of my toilet to pee in.  Let me tell you how much I hate this.  

I have to weigh myself every morning. 

And I have to measure my tummy...or as they call it abdominal girth.  How ugly is that???

I have to call the clinic everyday with the previous days results! 

I haven't been feeling well at all. My cramps come and go through out the day and night and worsen as the day goes on. I am so tired from the lack of sleeping through the night. I find myself taking 2 mini naps a day.  I will be watching TV and then next thing I know I am out cold.  I am however, not freaking out at all. I am super surprised by this.  I am just calm and hopeful.  This cycle has been nothing like the previous two. So we will just have to see what happens next! 

10 Reasons Why I Love my Mom

My mom has been so sick for the past week. She was even admitted into the hospital and just got out today. So since I have been on bed rest and my mom has been sick we haven't seen each other in forever! I miss you mom and wish I could be with you!

10 reasons why I love you:

1- Even though I have caller id when I answer my phone she says, Junnie banunie its yours mama. 

2- She made my little sisters visit me first before seeing her in the hospital just in case they could pass it on to me. 

3-Even though I have a husband that can take care of me, whenever I have a migraine I have to call my mom and cry to her. She can always make me feel better. 

4- One day when I was particularly sad about not having a baby.  She came down to my office and said what would you say if I could get you twin baby girls in a month.  She had so much determination in her eyes I knew she could do it if I wanted. There is nothing she won't do for her children in pain.

5-She purrs on us when she gives us hugs.  When she is gone too long I miss those purrs. 

6- She says you make fun of me but just wait you will be just like me.  I know mom I will.  If I end up having babies they won't cross the street and I might look into plastic bubbles for them to live in. 

7- We share the same birthday and we always celebrate by buying new lipsticks together.  It's the best! There is nothing better than a new lipstick. 

8-When I had my first miscarriage  she came rushing over to my house and held me while I cried and cried. I didn't think I would ever be happy again but she told me I could get through it.  She was right. 

9-I love that when she has to make business decisions or major life decisions. She goes with her gut and never looks back.  It's something I aspire to do. 

10-My mom has worked hard her whole life so her children would never go with out.  She has sacrificed herself for her kids. Mom don't think that I haven't noticed. I truly appreciate it!

Mom I love you so much and thank God every night that he sent me to you! I wish I could be with you while you are sick.  You always make it better when I am. Happy Mother's Day! 

Transfer Update

I had my transfer today! I woke up this morning so happy and excited.  I got all ready, I curled my hair and wore a cute outfit. I just wanted to look nice on the day my embryos would be transferred into me.  I has so happy on the drive up. I just keep looking at my honey and smiling.  We got breakfast on the way up so I could take my last antibiotic. 

When we got there I had to wait a little. When they brought me back the nurse told me it had been a crazy day.  First we went into a private room so our Dr. could give us the picture of the 2 embryos we would transfer. We went over the consent forms and signed them. Now we were ready for the transfer. A nurse took me back to the transfer room and had to undress from the waist down. The usually drill at the clinic.  I got into the all to familiar giant chair. 

I must say that I wasn't nervous at all. I was just so happy to be finally here.  The transfer.  The Dr. came in and gave me 2 Valium.  They give this not because the procedure will hurt or is scary they just want you to stay down and rest.  

Finally we were ready for the transfer. I had to get my feet back into those lovely stirrups again. The nurse made the chair go back and my legs were once again wide open for the world to see.  However, this time I didn't feel so weird. I was to just too excited for my little embryos to be inside me.  

The embryologist came into the room and had me verify my name and date of birth.  The Dr. then prepared me and put the catheter in. This catheter is a long softish tube that the use to help guide the thing that the embryos are in for the transfer.  The embryologist then put the embryos with my name and of birthdate up on the screen and zoomed in so we could see them. They looked exactly like the picture. He then sucked them up and brought them in to the room in this long shot needle looking thing.  I just held Bs hand as the Dr. transferred my little ones inside me.  I was happy.  The embryologist then checked to make sure they were all out of the tube and then we were done.  The moved the chair back in to a reclining position and I had to wait 30 mins before I could leave. 

From that moment on I thought I would be at peace.  But I must say all that I felt from there was terror. I was now scared of what if they fall out.  Completely impossible but you know. Scared that I they might not attach.  Just plain terrified that it won't work out.  

When I got home I took a long nap.  When I woke up I was still scared that any movement would keep them from implanting.  Hopefully the fear will go away soon! 

Transfer

I got another call from the clinic today! I have my transfer tomorrow at 10am. When we arrive they will give me pictures of the two best embryos that they will transfer.   I am having a 5 day transfer.  My embryos have reached the blastocysts stage. The have the best change of getting me pregnant.  All 7 of my embryos are still growing great. I hope I get to freeze a few!   I am so excited. I feel so good about things. I am hoping and pray this time will stick! 

This is what happens during the Transfer:

Once the eggs are fertilized, the resultant embryos are transferred to the incubator and allowed to develop until ready for transfer, which is usually from 3 to 5 days. In younger women 5-day embryos (blastocysts) are used because they have a greater probability of survival and fewer need be transferred so as to decrease the risk of multiple pregnancies.

The couple returns to the clinic on the day of transfer and the embryos are transferred to the uterus using a small catheter in a painless procedure which only takes a few minutes and an hour of rest after the transfer in the clinic.  

The transfer is no worse than a pap! Now all I have to do is deal with the bed rest! 

I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. 

Call From the Clinic

Today I got the call from the embryologist he told me that I have 7 eggs that fertilized and are growing great! He also told me that my transfer would be on Wednesday. I can't wait I am so excited. They are going to call me on Tuesday with an update on my eggs and also with the time of my transfer. I can't believe we are almost there. I have felt like this day would never come! 

I have also started my antibiotic and progesterone shots! The antibiotic is to make sure that I don't get an infection from the surgery. The progesterone is in oil and a big needle in my bum! Ouch!  I stared them on Friday and the when B gave it to me he hit a vain and I bleed forever! But he has gotten much better the past few days! I am so lucky to have him help through this whole deal. He is a trooper and just does what has to be done to help us get a baby. 

Egg Retrival

I had my Egg Retrieval on Friday.  I didn't sleep very well the night before. I keep waking up every hour I was afraid that I would be late.  Well we ended up getting there on time and they took me right back. Even though I had done this twice before I was so nervous. I don't know why!  

I had to undress and put on one of those lovely gowns with and open back! They started my IV and of course after 10 plus hours of no food it they couldn't find a vain. I think that ended up being the worse part getting my IV. After I had my IV I just had to wait. My Dr. had a procedure before me and it was running late.  That might have been the worst part. Waiting.  It just made me more nervous.  

Finally they took me back to the retrieval room.  Now the fun part begins!! The Dr. came in and gave me the run down of what was to happen. B and I signed the consent forms and we were ready to start.   The nurse starts to tilt my chair back and made me put my legs in the stirrups! Now let me tell you this is not like going to the gyno! My legs were up there!  My whole business there for the world to see! Okay I think that is actually the worst part.  I keep my knees closed and nurse keep telling me to spread them.  I keep cracking joke about how much fun I was having. She then said she would give me the drugs to make me not care about my legs being spread for the world to see. The last thing I really remember was holding my honey's hand and him asking me if I could feel it yet. I said No and she injected me with something else. All I can remember from there was the Dr. preparing me for the surgery. I also vaguely remember tell the nurse that if would feel good to go sleep. I think that was probably when they helped me back to my room.  Which I can't remember at all! 

Then next thing I remember is hearing my other Dr. in the hall. He is super loud and a little crazy. But an amazing Dr.  His loud voice is what woke me up. I looked around a bit. I was all snuggled up in a recliner and before I knew my honey was back in  my room. He told me I did a good job. I always ask if I said anything crazy cause that is what I do. He told me I didn't.  Next the nurse came in next to check my vitals and give me some juice and crackers.  Grape juice! It tasted to delicious after 12 plus hours of no liquid. I drank two! I finally remembered to ask about my eggs! Now for the best part! I had 18 eggs!! The nurse told me that is double the normal average! I was so happy I couldn't believe it!  It was all worth it!  They checked me out after I was able to keep down my juice and crackers for at least a half and hour.  I got wheel chair service to my car.  

On the way home I was starving.  So B took me to my favorite hamburger joint. Hires Big H! So yummy!  After lunch I went home and slept for 3 hours.  I now just have to wait to hear how my eggs fertilized.