Embryology Update day #2, 1 day before transfer

Spoke to our lovely embryologist just a few minutes ago. I am starting to love phone calls from super RE's office.

They froze 5 of our 11 embryos.

Of the 6 they have left out we have the following:
2 that have divided into a 2 celled
1 that has divided into a 3 celled
and
3 that have divided into a 4 celled
(see picture above)

We will have our transfer at 12:30 pm tomorrow.

I apologized to the embryologist for the scream yesterday and she totally understood. I remembered to ask her what the deal was with the ones that did not make it. She explained that:
1 of them only had one nucleus
1 of them had 3 nucleus

these were considered abnormal and therefore discarded.

2 of them were atritic (which means they died)
1 of them never matured.

It is some kind of closure anyway.

We are overjoyed and praying that everything goes smoothly tomorrow.

So here we go..........

11 FERLTILZED EGGS

The embryologist just called!

WE HAVE 11 FERTILIZED EGGS!!!!!!!!!

They will freeze 5 of them today.

We will wait on the 6 best and tomorrow they will call and update us on how they are doing.

On Saturday, we will implat the 3 best.

ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

This is really happening.

I hope I didn't rupture the embryologist ear drums when I screamed.

Here goes something ?

Well, they just called with final blood values from this morning.

Did I mention how sore my arms are?

Did I mention how sore my tummy is from all the needles?

Estriadol is 602

Progesterone is 1.1

LH is 3

FSH is 10

the HCG beta was 97.

All the numbers look good and we are confirmed for tomorrow at 8:30 AM for egg retrieval. Thank God I will be asleep for the procedure because I'm not sure that I would have the nerve to do this with out some kind of pharmaceutical assistance.

Not sure if I will be up to posting tomorrow, but we'll see.

Day #9

Okay...

Bloods:

Estriadol 242 ( a little lower than yesterday)

Progesterone 1.2

LH 2

FSH 7

Ultrasound:

2 Mature follicles : a 21(L) and 24 (R)

Also, 2 smaller on the left (12 and 10) but they should continue to grow even though we are triggering ovulation tonight with HCG.

We have to do the injection at 11:45 tonight. I hope I can stay awake that late. I still do my 3 bravelle tonight.

I have to have more blood drawn in the morning and we are scheduled for Friday morning at 8:30 am for the egg retrieval. I'm supposed to drink alot of water tomorrow, which is not a big deal. I am a big water drinker anyway. Nothing to eat or drink after midnight (normal) and we are to bring $500 cash or money order for the anesthesia (not covered by insurance).

Getting excited. Hoping for 4 good eggs!!!!

Day 8

Well, a pretty routine trip for blood work and ultrasound this morning. Some mean phlebotomist, didn't say a word to me. Had the nice ultrasonographer.

The right side is up to a 20 and one the left, we have

2 17's, 1 16, 1 13 and 2 12's!!!!!!!!!! HOLY CRAP!!!!

Yes, that is 6. Now, we just need the 12's and 13's to get a little bit bigger to be viable.

She said something about Thursday for retrieval but we have to wait and see what the blood work shows. I continue with the 3 vials of Bravelle and 1 vial of Centrotide.

On Centrotide....HOLY CRAP, that stuff stings like crazy. I had a huge welt on my tummy and literally couldn't button my pants for about an hour. I injected just below the navel and WOW..... I consider myself to be pretty tough when it comes to taking the shots, but that one nearly floored me.

I picked up the Rx for Medrol (which the nurses did not specify as to be filled generically, duh!!!) and a generic z-pack (antibiotic) for the retrieval. Not sure when I am supposed to start them but I am sure someone will let me know.

So, I wait for blood work results and instructions.... happy Mardi Gras!!!

Post script: 6:05 PM

Blood work results:

Estriadol: 261

Progesterone: .7

LH : 2

FSH: 7

More blood work and another ultrasound tomorrow, but in New Jersey as Melrose has no appointments available. I am to continue with the Bravelle (just stabbed) and the Centrotide (the Stinger).

They will probably have me do the HCG tomorrow night and then retrieval on Friday. I am sure that they won't take the smaller, underdeveloped ones, so we may get 3 out of this. Hubby and I have decided to try to implant 2. I was really hoping to have more to freeze (just in case).

It is was it is, I guess.

Day # 6

Well, the trip over to NJ was uneventful. I only had to wait about 5 minutes to have my blood drawn. I took my seat in the very busy waiting room after signing in for my ultrasound.

I have one decent sized follicle on the right, which is a 14 (not sure what the actual unit of measure is) and a bunch of smaller ones. One the left, i have a 12 and two 10's, and again a bunch of smaller ones. I feel pretty encouraged. I come home and putter around the house for a while.

I get the call from the nursed to review my blood work. I am told that my blood work doesn't match my follicle sizes and I am to increase the Bravelle to 3 units on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Also, I am to start Centrotide (to inhibit ovulation) on Monday and have more bloods and another ultrasound done Monday morning.

So, 3 cc's of Bravelle kind of hurt last night. I am using a 30 gauge needle, which is much better than using a 22 like the other doctor had me doing. No bruising as of yet, but I am sure it will show up, it always does.

I am trying to remain calm for all of this. During a normal cycle, I ovulate on days 14-18. This is only day 6 and everything seems to be happening fast. I know that it is a side effect of stimulation.

So, another day until I get to see what is happening in Ovaryland.

Blood work results from 2/17 are as follows:
Estraidol: 88
Progesterone: 0.6
LH : 2
FSH: 5

Day # 3

Well, Carol from Super RE's office just called with my blood work and ultrasound results.

Estriadol was 58 pg/ml:
Levels on the lower end tend to be better from stimulating
Normal range: 25-75 pg/ml

Progesterone is .8
Normal is <1.5ng/ml

Lutenizing Hormone (LH) is 3mIU/ml
Normal is <7mIU/ml

Follicle Stimulating Cycle (FSH) was 3 mIU/ml
is 3 mIU/ml is normal and Often the gauge for ovarian reserve, in general under 6 is excellent

In addition, I have 12 antral follicles (sleeping follicles).

So, I will be starting my Bravelle this evening. I mix 2 powders with 1 cc of water and inject into my upper leg or my abdomen. I will do this tonight, tomorrow and on Saturday.

I have to get more bloods on Saturday (has to be drawn before 8:45 Saturday morning) in New Jersey. Then, lucky me, I get to sit around and wait until 11:30 for my ultrasound.

Normally, they don't have minimal stimulation cycles start injectables until day 5 of the cycle, but since my bloods look good and I have 12 antral, they are going to start a little early. The sooner the better.

Also, I don't think that it is fair for women to being their babies in to a RE office and flaunt them in front of a bunch of women who are trying like crazy to even become pregnant. Couldn't they hire a babysitter or something?

A New Start

We have changed RE's and are now being seen by SuperRE in New Jersey. Dr. A was actually on the Discovery Health Channel being interviewed about an infertility case. I am not sure that I would ever do that, air my reproductive laundry, but to each her own.

Today is CD # 1. Some cramping, but that is not unusual for me. We have several corporate VP's visiting today, added stress I do not need. Didn't sleep well last night and was up before the hubby this morning.

Have to call super RE's office to schedule bloodwork and ultrasound and to finalize the billing arrangements.

Sent out the first of hopefully several emails to the females in my life. Found this to be a lot let confusing that trying to explain what is happening to the males in my life.

Today is the last day of work for me until this whole deal is complete. That is going to be very weird. SDM said it best, "K doesn't know HOW to stop".