In our 2 week wait!!!!

     The 2 week wait means that we are waiting for the embryos to continue to do there final dividing and then implant into my uterus. Once the embryos have implanted they will give off the hormone HCG. HCG is what makes the pregnancy tests turn positive. It will take about 2 weeks for all this to happen. My blood pregnancy test is scheduled for January 29, 2012. We are almost half way there but it is getting harder to wait. Of course, we are staying positive and hopeful. I don't know if this is a good thing or not but I'm in the mind set that I am already pregnant. I am watching what foods I eat, and what I do and think about. I feel like this is what is keeping my mind from wondering down the other path of a negative result. I will cross that bridge if I have to, the disappointment and heartache is something I can't even think about now.  OK enough of that....
      I am still taking the progesterone shots each night. I had my progesterone level drawn this morning to make sure that I am taking enough medication with each shot. I will be very honest! When the alarm goes off at 9pm every night we know it is " shot time". I cringe at the thought that I have to get another shot and that I have to do this. We are having a harder time finding places to put the shots. I bruise each time and large lumps are developing under the skin. I have bruised both buttocks to the point I can't even sleep on certain sides at night. My thighs are bruised also but that is where we have been abusing lately.They are larger and easier to accept. I bleed after each shot because of the aspirin I'm still on. We determined last night that I have about 64 more shots. I cringe at this thought. This is a very hard thing to do every night but as many of you have told me, " it will all be worth it"!! I hope so:)
      Many of you have asked if " I feel anything yet", and the answer is I don't know or don't think so. I have never been pregnant before so I don't know what it's suppose to feel like. I have gained about 15 lb though.:( YIKES!!!!! My trick  of making my double chin disappear no longer works. That extra chin is just hanging out.:( I'm sure it is the combination of the medications and the amounts of food I have been consuming. I'm like an animal who is starving. I eat like crazy!!!!!!! The girls are sore and tender but they have been since I starting taking all the hormones so I can't determine pregnancy on that either. I have been having some lower stomach cramping for about 2 days and feeling a little more tired than usual. I did just start on a day shift schedule with working 3-12hour shifts in a row, that will make anyone tired.  Moral of this story..... I have no clue what is going on with my body right now!!!!!!! All I can do is pray that at least one of those little embryos burrowed in and is here for the long haul.
      We will update the blog when we have something new, I do want to sit down with Nathan and do a video on his thoughts. I feel like this is his journey also but I have been the center of attention. He has been so involved and there 100% of the time, I want the world to know him also:):):) Please send prayers and baby bust our way:):):)

Progesterone in OIL injections!!!!!

5 eggs Fertilized and on the way to becoming little humans!!!

       I was so excited to get a call from the doctor this morning to tell me that 5 of the 8 eggs that were retrieved yesterday are now fertilized!!!! This is a great number!!! 3 of the eggs that were taken did not survive the aspiration process or the sperm that was injected did not do its job of fertilizing the egg. The 5 surviving embryos have divided at least 2 times each. We are only 24 hours after retrieval so this is to be expected. We still have to wait another day to see how many times each of the 5 embryos have divided and to make sure they are healthy enough to transfer into my uterus. But dont worry we will only put 2-3 embryos back into my uterus, and freeze the rest. As of now, if the embryos continue to divide we will be doing the transfer on Sunday. I will be getting another call on Saturday for the final report and instructions about the transfer.  Wish us and the 5 embryos luck!!!!!!

What to expect next after Retrieval:)

        As many of you know, today was our retrieval day.  The CRNA put an IV in my hand and I was given some medications to make me very sleepy and unaware or what was going on.  Let me tell you it was very effective, I felt like I was in a different world. It only took about 15 min to actually aspirate the eggs out and send them to the lab. I was able to get off the table on my own and walk to my chair, which I don't really remember.  We were happy that 8 eggs were able to be retrieved. During this time, Nathan gave a fresh sperm sample that was also sent to the lab. In the lab they do a "washing " to the sperm. The washing separates the seminal fluid from the raw sperm. After the washing was done they took the raw sperm and injected it into my egg. This is called ICSI. At this point, we are hoping that CONCEPTION has begun..... in a petri dish.... 

      Now we have to wait for the sperm and egg to do their thing, which is cellular divide. A natural process that takes place over 3-5 days. At 48 hours post conception the newly fertilized egg, embryo, should be dividing 2-4 times, at 72 hours about 6-8 times. The embryos are also given a grade. A is the best, B is still good but not as good as A , C is getting into the "bad eggs" and D is the worst. A grade A embryo has divided 8 times with all equal parts at the appropriate times. A grade D embryo most likely will not develop into a baby and the ability for it to implant is rare. . We are going for all Grade A embryos! I will be expecting a call from the doctor on Saturday to let me know if any of our eggs have fertilized, how many times they have divided and what grade they are. If I have at least 1 Grade A or B embryo we will be doing the transferring. The transferring means that they will take the embryo and implant it back into my uterus in hopes that it implants and starts a pregnancy. This all seems confusing and we are learning about this more and more everyday. We are taking each hurtle/step at a time, even though the larger picture is always in the backs of our minds. We will be updating as always, thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. :):) 

Retrieval Day, We have 8 good eggs!!!!!!

Eggs are almost "Well Done"!!!!!

      Just a quick update, I have been having ultrasounds and blood work everyday for the last couple of days. Each time I go my eggs seem to be a little bigger but just not big enough. Today's ultrasound showed that I have eggs the size of 28mm to 13mm, I was thinking that I would do my trigger shot, HCG, tonight. But of course I was wrong, they want to grow the other eggs to at least 17mm-20mm.  My doctor counted 9 eggs total! I was excited about that. Tomorrow, I will be going for hopefully my last ultrasound. Dr. Toma has increased my Follistim to 450 iu every night in hopes to grow my other eggs. I was told by the nurse that possibly Tuesday night take the trigger shot, HCG and then retrieval would be on Thursday. We are excited to have eggs that are responding to the medications that I am taking. Of course I will update with video with our new med, the trigger shot, HCG!! But I might be giving myself the injection, Nathan has to work. This should be interesting, I have never given myself a shot let alone in the butt. :) We will keep everyone updated and thanks again for the positive and uplifting comments. It really helps us stay positively motivated to go through this process.

6 eggs!!!!!!!!

      Today, I went for more blood work and ultrasound of my ovaries. I am taking the medication, Follistim. This medication helps to mature multiple eggs at once.  My ultrasound showed that I have 6 good eggs that are growing! They range from 6mm to 13mm. I still have about five more days of injections to take.  When the eggs have reached at least 20mm that is when I will do the HCG, trigger shot. I will admit that I am kind of disappointed in only 6 eggs. I am praying that at least two of those eggs are able to grow to 20mm, become fertilized and mature enough to grow into a baby. I would have liked to start out with more than six eggs, but I must remain positive and think it is better than just one egg at this point. The blood work showed that my Estradiol level is 58, which is good. I wanted to take some pictures but this new doctor that I'm going to for the monitoring was not to happy with the idea. But don't you worry, I will sneak a picture at the next ultrasound. 
      For today, we will continue to do the Follistim and Menapure injections.  I'm scheduled for blood work and ultrasound again on Friday at 11AM. We will be checking the same thing as today, we want to see those eggs getting bigger with each ultrasound check. As always keep us in your prayers and thoughts and send tons of baby dust our way!!!!!!!! 

IVF injections have officially begun!!

     I'm glad to say that Aunt Flow, for once brought us some goodness. We can now start our process of ultrasounds and meds. New Years day we made our first trip to NCCRM at 7AM to start the ultrasounds and blood work. The ultrasound was checking to make sure the lining of uterus was "thin" and that there were no large eggs in my ovaries. I passed that test with flying colors, my lining was a 3mm. Larger than 8mm would be bad. Now onto the blood work, they checked my Estradiol levels. Again, I passed with flying colors, my level was 38.5. More than 250 would be bad. We were in the clear to start the injections.                    
      We were given a schedule for the meds to start. Last night was our first night of injections. We started off with Menopure, 75mg, SC. And yes, I was right it was subcutaneous the whole time. Thank goodness I almost had a larger needle stuck into my muscle rather than the fat part of my arm. I didn't work on getting chubby for nothing, hehe! That shot sucked, it hurt!!!!!!! But thank goodness I only have to do 9 more. The other injections was the Follistim, 300 iu, that one was not bad. Follistim,  that is the med dosage that might change due to the number of eggs I am producing. We will know with the next ultrasound that I have scheduled for Wednesday. I have to give my hubby props, after watching the video, he did give me the shot "straight". He did good and was very supportive and gentle. I'm very happy to be in this journey with him!
      What's next???? Ultrasound on Wednesday with blood work and more injections. I will take a picture of the ultrasound and the eggs. I am expecting to have a few that are starting to grow, but we will see. Fingers and toes crossed!!!!!