Embie Update

Got the call from the scientist.. a lot earlier than expected.

She said out of the 5 eggs that were injected, 1 fertilised abnormally, 1 hasn't fertilised YET, and the other 3 fertilised. She said it's fairly common for abnormal fertilisation, that everyone will get that at some point, so not to worry. They'll watch the one that hasn't fertilised overnight to see if it's just a bit sluggish.

So, I'm feeling a bit deflated but trying to stay positive about the 3 hopefuls. "It only takes one" keeps echoing around my head. Ideally I'd like some to freeze but I shouldn't be too greedy.

C'mon embabies! Mummy can't wait to take you home.. hang in there, PLEASE!!! xxx

Eggies Collected!

Well hello! Yesterday was a big day! In short - 11 eggs collected - 5 mature & fertilised using ICSI.

Sorry if this account is very detailed but I didn't want to leave any details out in case any of it is of interest to others about to undergo the procedure.

We arrived at the clinic about 7.35am, tired & hungry, & went to reception. We had more forms to fill in *yawn* & forgot DP would also have to complete admission forms as he was on "standby" for another testicular biopsy. After all that, DP drove home to drop the car off & walk back as neither of us would be allowed to drive home if we both had surgeries. I waited about 2mins when a nurse collected me & took me downstairs to the day surgery ward.

The ward is quite small & luckily I'd been there before to pick up DP after his first biopsy so it felt familiar. I was told to go to the toilet first, then taken into a cubicle to undress, put on the sexy backless hospital gown, & thankfully a warm fluffy towelling robe over the top! Oh, & don't forget the fetching blue shower cap! I sat down where the lovely nurse placed a warm blanket over me. She then wheeled over a heater with a big ducting tube coming out of it & popped the tube under my blanket to keep me even warmer! I had to keep my left arm under there too as this is the hand they'll put the cannular (tube for medicine) in later, and if your hand's warm the veins will pop up to make it easier to put in.

I then answered a bunch of questions & confirmed things I'd already written on my admission form, given a pile of old magazines to keep me amused, and left to my own devices for about 10 minutes. Then the anaesthetist came & asked me MORE questions. I expressed my concern over feeling sick & dizzy after previous operations.. but he assured me this was a much less invasive surgery with lighter anaesthetic used so he was quite confident I'd be fine. He said he'd take note of that anyway. I started to feel a bit better.

After this the anesthetist's assistant came &, you guessed it, asked me MORE questions again! Then my FS popped in to see if I had any question FOR HIM! I couldn't think of anything (my mind was blank) so he said "just make it work, huh?" I nodded enthusiastically so he said OK & ducked out again. Next minute he ducked back in to double check what was happening with the sperm? I was a bit disconcerted by this question & thought HE must know surely? But I figured he has so many patients I cut him some slack. I told him DP was on standby just in case his frozen spermies don't thaw well.

I waited some more (no idea how long as I didn't have a watch with me) before I was led along the corridor to the theatre. I was pretty bloomin' nervous by this stage! I'd had a few surgeries before in my life but I don't think it makes the lead-up any easier.

I walked in, took my robe off & hopped up to lay on the table. The anaesthetist took my left hand to put the cannular in & my FS asked me to say my name & date of birth "as a diversionary tactic only". Haha. Funny. Next minute the anesthetist put an oxygen mask over my nose & mouth and.... I was out to it! Don't remember a thing!

I was lying there on the table still when I started coming to. I noticed another lady on a table to my left, talking to the nurse in a groggy voice. She was asking how many eggs she had. Oh my god! That's right! I quickly pulled my hand out from under the blanket to see what number was taped to my palm - 11. I was just happy at this stage that it wasn't 0! I heard the nurse say to the other lady that she had 8. This made me happier. Sorry, just being honest.

The nurse noticed I was awake & asked how I was. I felt fantastic! No pain! So after a short time she got me to hop off the table & walk slowly to a cubicle. I was a bit unsteady on my feet but she supported me. I sat on a recliner chair with a blanket over me & snacked on some sweet biscuits, cheese & crackers, water and a cup of tea. It was bliss. I was marvelling at how great I felt, a little slow & groggy, but no pain!

The lovely nurse kept checking on me so I asked if she knew about DP's op yet? She double checked with admissions upstairs & said they were still waiting to find out. I was worried about poor DP sitting up there for ages, bored stiff! And I was sitting down here, bored stiff too! I was tempted to ask if he could come & wait with me, seeing as he would have to come down to the same place to get ready for op anyway. But I didn't.

Ages later the ward doorbell rang & DP came in! He said he was told upstairs that he didn't need another biopsy, they were going to use his frozen sperm. It was fantastic news! Not only because I didn't want him to go through another surgery, but it was going to cost us another $1008 plus Drs fees!! Say no more.

So DP walked back home, picked up the car, came back & took me home. I laid on the couch for the rest of the day, bored stiff, but trying to relax. As the day went on I started getting pain. I guess the anaesthetic was wearing off dammit. The longer I laid down the harder it was to get back up. When I walked I was doubled over like a hunchback. It wasn't terrible, but it was like really bad cramps. I was also a little constipated but I'm not sure if I couldn't go just because it hurt to push (sorry if TMI!). I've also got sore sensitive nipples (again TMI) but they've been this way for a few days, before EPU, so I'm guessing it's just the drugs.

Late afternoon one of the scientists called me to tell me the news. I had 11 eggs collected, of which 6 were immature & useless. The remaining 5 were mature & therefore injected with a sperm each. She said someone would ring me again tomorrow (today) and let me know their progress.

So, here I am today, still a little sore but not as bad as yesterday. I've had some success in the bathroom so things are "moving" along well ;-) I'm trying to stay occupied by watching numerous baby programs on Discovery Home & Health, and surfing baby/conception forums on the net. God help me, I'm obsessed!!

Fingers crossed those embies have been developing well overnight. I'm trying not to think about them 'cos it makes me extremely anxious. Not much I can do for them now, except drink my pineapple juice & rest up!

I'll check back later with the news.

Going Nutty

On a side note.. having some weird lower abdominal pain over the last couple of days. Feels like it's my bladder. I need to "go" all the time & even 1 min afterwards I feel like I need to go again. I feel like I'm about to burst! I hope it's just lots of happy follicles waiting for the doc to suck them all out. Also feeling quite tired. I'm sleeping quite long hours, despite waking a few times to go to the loo.. which is VERY unusual for me. I normally have a cast iron bladder & used to be able to wait for hours!

I went to the shops yesterday & bought some more potions. I succumbed & bought some prenatal vitamins - "Elevit with Iodine". I know my doc didn't think I needed to bother but I'm worried I might be missing out on an important mineral in my diet, so I may as well take them all as a kind of insurance.

I also bought some Metamucil as one of the nurses suggested, to ward off the inevitable constipation. But after I got it home I noticed one of the ingredients is aspartame. I've read a lot on the net about this nasty substance & how it can cause miscarriages & birth defects just to mention a few side effects! So needless to say DP & I decided I shan't be taking it. I'll be investing in bags of prunes from now on I think!

I also bought some new tea - Rooibos (pron. Roy-boss), which is naturally caffeine free. I've heard other caffeine free teas use nasty chemicals to remove the caffeine & they often have a small percentage still left anyway. So I started on the new tea yesterday & today. Shocking headache yesterday! I think I was going through withdrawal!!! But today all good. I bought the one with "a hint of vanilla" and it's lurrrrrvley!! I don't even need sugar so it's like a two-for-one!

On top of all that I also bought some sunflower seeds & pepitas. They apparently contain some awesome vitamins that are useful during conception. I've mixed them into my breakfast cereal. Unfortunately I've run out goji berries & blueberries at the moment so will have to go back to the shops tomorrow. Who knows what I'll come home with next! No wonder they say IVF is so expensive - it's not just the clinical stuff, it's all the other rubbish you convince yourself you absolutely NEED as well!! Gawd, I'm such a nutter! ;-)

Pulling the Trigger

Getting excited now!!

A nurse called from the clinic this afternoon.. one I haven't spoken to before. She had a very odd way of speaking. "So we've got you booked for the egg collection, nehhhhh.. and we need you to fast for six hours before, nehhhhhhh". Very strange. Almost like she was drawing a loud breath in at the end of every sentence. Highly distracting. Anyway. I digress.

So I'm booked in for EPU this Friday! I have to be at the clinic by 7.40am for my 8.40am surgery. Therefore she told me to do my trigger injection (Ovidrel) at 8.40pm tonight (it has to be 36hrs prior to collection so the eggs are mature but haven't been released yet). DP did the injection for me but I prepped the syringe. Luckily it's pre-filled & pre-mixed.. no muss no fuss! But one of the nurses told me the other day to get rid of the air bubble by slowly squeezing the syringe.. unfortunately I did it a tad too quick & a little bit squirted out the top! Now I'm stressing I've wasted some. Hopefully I didn't lose too much! Anyway, the injection was fine despite what I'd read. Not painful & not much different to the gonal-f injections. So.. no more nasal spray & no more nightly injections (for now)! Woohoo! Unfortunately I will have to start the Crinone gel from Saturday night... I'm definitely NOT looking forward to that! I'm also due to go in for the embryo transfer next Wednesday - reaaaaalllly hope we have one awesome embie to put back!! Eek!

The nurse also told us DP was booked in for HIS biopsy operation at 10am. I had to interrupt her & confirm that he wasn't definitely having an op, it's only if his previous sperm sample doesn't thaw well, right?? She dismissively said yes, yes, but he needs to fast as well, and be ready for his op at that time. If they have to cancel him at the last minute they will. Now I'm stressing that she sounded too sure he was going to have to be opened up again. I'm not really keen on that. I already feel bad for what I've put him through already.. plus we will have to organise someone else to pick us up from the clinic on the day as we may both have to have anaesthetic, therefore no-one will be able to drive home. Huge bugger. DP reckons he'll be fine to drive anyway, and is full of bravado. There's no way I'm getting in a car with him with anaesthetic still in his bloodstream! He's scary enough on a normal day!! So I'm making him call our only friends in the state tomorrow to ask if they'd mind being on standby. Doh.

Very eventful day. Also caught up with my interstate brother & his wife briefly this morning. They just arrived back from their honeymoon cruise & were about to drive a few hours away to spent some time with her sister. My SIL was very excitedly showing off her sis's ultrasound pic she got sent to her phone, and saying how ecstatic she was to finally be a "real aunty". I tried really hard to look happy for her, and I am, but worried people can see through my face to my aching heart.

When will it be MY turn finally?? It's hard to be patient when you've wanted something for 10 years & others can get it after thinking about it for 5 minutes.

Feeling optimistic

Oddly, I'm feeling blah today but newly optimistic at the same time!

Went for my blood test & first ultrasound today. Had to get a colleague in to cover me in the control room so I could dash out for my appointment.. have I mentioned how awkward all these things are for a shiftworker? Anyway, I digress. The nurse did my scan (with the "dildo cam"!) and said I was responding well - lots of follicles (no idea how many) but they're still small, and my endometrial lining was still too thin. But as my oestrogen levels were still rising she thought I might be ok for egg collection this Friday! Stoked! Then she gave me my trigger injection & progesterone gel to take home.

Later today my nurse called again. She said my blood test results were good and my Doc is so happy with them that I don't need another appointment on Wednesday. They'll just call me later that arvo to discuss what time I need my trigger shot and what time my surgery is on Friday.

This all works out well for DP. He's on RDOs Friday & Saturday so he will be available to tend to me. However, he also has to fast on the day in case his frozen spermies don't thaw well & he has to have another biopsy. We'll have to call on the only friends we've told to see if they can be our standby taxi on the day!

My boss has had to organise a colleague to fly from interstate so she can cover for me on Friday. This is not ideal as it will draw attention to my day off & is costing the company money in flights & accommodation. I don't think I'll be very popular. Oh well. I'm also meant to be working a 10hr day on Sunday.. fingers crossed I'll feel well enough by then as there's no-one else available to do the shift for me! This whole situation isn't really helping my stress levels.

Rambling now.. dog tired.. time for a kip on the couch I reckon.