Well, we ended up without a fertilized egg. I feel devastated. I really didn't move around too much on Saturday, except for the crying and staring off into space. Sunday morning at 3 am, I developed the worst abdominal cramps I have ever had. I went downstairs and tried to sleep but to no avail. It was like getting hit in the gut with a baseball bat. I put up with it, tried to drink fluids and eat small meals, but everything hurt. I went to bed around 7 and was able to get to sleep, only to have hubby roll into me in bed and that brought me to tears. He didn't hit my back too hard, but everything from my ribs to my hips hurt.
When I got up on Monday, I called the Super RE's office. They wanted me to be seen to rule out overstimulation. I thought that it was strange because I only had 4 follicles but they are the experts. My symptoms did look like it was OHSS.
So hubby and I drive to NJ to be seen. Every bump on the road was torture. We finally arrive at the office and spend the next 3 1/2 hours being evaluated only to be told that we need to go the ER to rule out a bowel perforation or obstruction. I am not a doctor, but have seen enough obstructions in animals to know that I was NOT obstructed. Dr. A called the ER at Cooper University Hospital to let them know I was on my way. She told me that I don't have s surgical belly right now, but it warranted further investigation. So, I explain this to hubby. He is not driving into Camden at night. No question in his mind. It was just not going to happen.
I tried to explain this fact to Dr. A, but I don't think she understood. We live in PA, an hour and a half from the office. The only reason we cross the river is to come to their office. I am good at navigating roads and maps, but when one cannot sit up, one cannot try to explain to hubby (from Northern Midwest State and years of military stubbornness) how to get to point B. I told Dr. A that we would go to our hospital in PA. She replied with her displeasure, since sh did not have privileges at that hospital and she would not be able to visit me. Well, I was not planning on being admitted. I am not, nor have I ever been, a "good" patient. I simply know too much about what is happening vs. what is supposed to happen.
So, we arrive at out hospital at 7:30 pm. I am immediately rushed to the back.. I felt bad for hubby since he only got 4 pages into the Reader's Digest from September 2004 that was in the waiting room. He seemed disappointed.
I was but into sub-acute room 511 (my new name). I love the HIPPA regulations. I have always hated the objectification of the illness over the patient, but have now been reduced to a room number. And the medical profession wonders how mistakes happen.
Everyone was nice to me and seemed to really be on the ball. That all stopped shortly after the shift change. I had blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure tilt test, ultrasounds, x-rays, and a cat scan. I also had dilaudid. That was the highlight of the visit. I couldn't look out in the hall because the ceiling tiles kept on moving, but it did take the edge off the severe cramping.
Everything seemed normal when the finally let me go home at 5:30 am. I do have some ovarian cysts, but they think that the cramping is due to a viral infection. Several female patients all presented at the same time with the same symptoms, the only difference is that the others were all pregnant. they all had been seen in the past few days at the ob/gyn office. So, I go home and pass out, with no answers and minimal relief. They offered to admit me, but at that point, I just wanted my bed and the IV out of my arm. I have to go back the Super RE's office tomorrow for a follow up and to find out when I am allowed to return to work.
No appetite, still swollen belly, sick of anti-biotics, ready to curl up and sleep for a month. The whole time we were in the ER, all I could think is that we were supposed to have the embryo retrieval and be on our way to babyville.
sigh.
