Two little babies floating around

Good Evening,

 

Before the Transfer

Today was the day. After a night of very little sleep and a bumpy morning, we were excited to get some good news at the doctors. We had 5 eggs mature! We had one that was catagorized as very good, or the best and one as average. They were the ones that were transferred today. The embroyologist believed that the one that he marked average was actually higher than average but was actually in the process of splitting. He said that I am probably going to get pregnant so that is good news.



Average egg in the process of splitting

Considered very good, the best quality egg

I have included some images of the transferred eggs. The left one is the average egg that is in the process of splitting. The right is the perfect egg. You can tell by the fragmentation around the egg. The better the egg, the less fragmentation.

I have also included an ultrasound of the little fertilized eggs in the liquid they were injected. If you look at the picture the two bright white lines in the middle are the eggs.

So I am supposed to take it easy and hope for these little fertilized eggs to implant. That is the most important thing now, to get these little babies to stick.

Thanks for checking in!

Love,
Krista

QUIET! Embabies growing in progress. :)

Hey Everyone,

So Rona, the nurse, called me today!! I had:

10 Eggs Retrieved
9 Eggs Mature
7 Eggs Fertilize through ICSI

We have 7 embabies dividing and conquering their petri dishes right now. Rona said that she is hoping that we will get 4-5 to mature so we have some to get in there on Sunday and some to freeze for the next go round, if there is one.

We don't know anything of egg quality yet. The don't like to look in on them while they are growing, in fear that it may harm them, so we will know more on Sunday morning. The doctor is going to give me a spreadsheet with egg quality and pictures, so we know what we are dealing with.

Matt said that this is the fastest he had ever wished a weekend to go by. I said I wouldn't go that far, lol... I am just so ready for this. I really pray for a positive blood test.

My acupuncturist doesn't work on Fridays so I will make one for Monday and Wednesday next week. Then Saturday, my mom is helping me make a week's worth of freezer meals so I won't have to be on my feet much, we really want to help those little eggs as much as we can. My mom bought me a pineapple, I have to go get like 5 more since you are supposed to eat the core. I think I am going to blend it in ice and make it like a healthy smoothie.

That's all for now, I will update you Sunday once those little guys are back with me.

Lots of Love,
Krista

They are out and about now

Good Evening!

I had the procedure this morning, as you all know. It went swimmingly. Matt and I got there about 20 minutes early and waited for them to call us in. I got to put on a very attractive gown/hair net combo as seen here --------------->

They went over the retrieval process and what will be going on with the transfer back on on Sunday. Then into the room I went, I was put under and that is about all I remember.

I woke up in a little dark room and the nurse brought me goldfish, a juice pouch, and Matt. I don't know which one I was happier to see. I was so hungry and thirsty at this point. She came back in and said that they were able to get 10 follicles out of the retrieval. So that is good, we are hoping for 8 to fertilize, then assume 3 will stop growing and really are hoping for 5 fertilized embryos when all is said and done.

We left pretty quick after that and even though the doctor said not to, because we are rebels, we went to Buona Beef. I still wasn't going to eat heavy though, I just has a nice caprese panini and ate half, whilst my dear husband had a combo with cheese fries. This story as just to illustrate how annoyed I was that I couldn't have the same (although lord knows I shouldn't!). ;P

ANYways, I feel asleep on the way home and then slept the whole rest of the afternoon until Matt came home from work. So that was from 11-4, needless to say, I was totally out of it. I have been really super sore all day, but I am just starting to feel normal again.

We just took the progesterone shots at 8 and then I am taking some other oral medications that I couldn't name or explain the need for. There are 5 of them including the shot every night.

 I can't wait for the transfer back in. It is so exciting to get this far!!Matt said that I can actually tell pregnant on Sunday because there will be a fertilized egg (two of them) in my uterus. Semantics. We will wait to spread the good news (hopefully!) until after the beta test.

Love you guys! Take care. :)
Krista

She's ready to POP

I had another ultrasound yesterday to check my follicle size and my estrogen levels. It was a crowded little room looking at my lady parts, there was the nurse, the doctor, and a medical resident in training. When they looked at my ovaries, they were practically cheering at how well I am responding (I am serious too, the resident actually said, "wow"). I had a bunch of nice size follicles that will be ready for tomorrow (I will explain more what tomorrow entails in un momento). I had 11-12 viable follicles that will be transferred out. They ranged in size from 15-22 mm, which are pretty darn big. The doctor actually said, "She is ready to pop!", which was him vocalizing how I feel right now.

So they had us continue last night with my regular dosage of follitism, menopur, and antagon. But they added a new shot to the mix. The HCG shot, which is the one that forces ovulation. So TOMORROW is the transfer out!!!! I know, it was super fast this time. We have to be at the Crest Hill clinic tomorrow at 8:30, the procedure should be around 9:00.

What they will do is put me under, then they are going to insert a ultrasound wand with a special attachment in, it will have a very long needle that actually sucks out the follicle liquid and the eggs into a little vial. Seconds after the procedure, that vial is given to the egg specialist in the window, who in in a room adjacent to the operating room. He will put the eggs into a dish. Then he will check the quality of the eggs, they have grading methods based on color, quality, size, shape, and he will throw out bad eggs. My nurse said we are hoping to get about 8 eggs after this is all said and done.

Then they will add Matt's contribution to the dish and let those little guys fertilize. If they don't fertilize on their own, the nurse will force fertilize them through a procedure called ICSI (intro cytoplasmic sperm injection). Then they let those little embryos grow. They will remove the ones that don't and when is all said and done, Matt and I are hoping for at least 5 fertilized eggs so we can freeze a few.

Then Sunday, we will go back to have the two best and brightest fertilized eggs transferred back in. We start the progesterone shots that are hoped to make a little baby Xanadu. After that, we can just hope and pray that they latch on and grow. We will find out if it worked probably around the 12-13 of October. If it doesn't, then hopefully we can use the leftover frozen eggs to transfer in and try it again.

So as you can see, LOTS going on right now. I am going to schedule an acupuncture appt for Friday and for Monday and eat alot of pineapple after the transfer (it is a anti-inflammatory that is supposed to help). Then next week, I am on light duty, very little cleaning and cooking, I am just going to put my feet up and relax and hopefully it will work.

Thanks for checking in! We appreciate all the love and support. :)


Love,
Krista

A little humor....

Bloated and Bruised

So I got on the scale today and I had gained about 5-6 lbs since last week. I almost cried. I have been so good with my points. So I went to my Dr. Appt and they checked my ovaries, I had 15 follicles on both sides! They all ranged from 14-20mm, so they were big too. So I asked the nurse if me gaining weight was normal, she was like, "it sure is, you are retaining a ton of water with all these follicles". THANK THE LORD!

But I am reacting so well to the drugs, it looks like the potential transfer out will be Thursday and the potential transfer back in will be Sunday or Monday. So this show is on the road for sure.

I am so bruised. My belly looks like a hot mess, I talked to the nurse about it today. The antagon shot, has the dullest needle ever. The first time Matt tried to jab it in it bounced back! I have about 3 little bruises and some big ugly green ones on each side of my belly button. It is super fetching, guess I will have to put away all my belly shirts (HAHAHAHA).

So that is all for now, I am still taking Antagon, Folltism and Menopur and then will be taking the HCG shot tomorrow which stimulates ovulation. So onward we trek.

Thanks for checking in!

Love,
Krista

Can I get a WHAT WHAT

Hey Everyone,

Two posts in one day, UNHEARD OF! Welp, I couldn't not post because......drum roll please.....the nurse called and said that the Doctor is VERY pleased with the way I am reacting to the medication. He said my Estrogen levels were fine and he will have me continue on the same dosage of Follitism and Menopur. I start the Antagon shots on Saturday, so we will slow these little follicles row, and then another check up on Monday to see where we are at.

Some good news. Finally.


Love,
Krista

Follictacular!

Hello all my favorite people,

I am feeling pret-ty good about this morning's Dr Appt. They did the regular ultrasound and blood testing and low and behold, I am a perfect patient. I had 10-12 follicles that were ranging in size from 12-14 mm, which is stellar. A quick reminder for those who aren't full of infertility knowledge like muah, when we were doing the IUI's they wouldn't signal ovulation until your follicles were at like 18-22 mm. Follicles grow 1-1.5 mm at day. So they are pretty large and in charge already.

They also tested my blood to make sure I am not too full of estrogen, if my levels are getting high, they will dial back the follitism a bit and have me start the antagon (the supressing shot) sometime this weekend. She said if I have to do that, it is good news, because I am reacting well.

This is what the follicles look like (this is not mine). But they are the voids in the clouded area. My ovaries have fewer, larger follicles which is awesome.  We want big mature ones for the transfer!

Other than that, not a whole lot to share. Just plugging away at the shots and hoping for a belly full of baby or babies, either would be nice. I would like two though, kinda like a two fer one deal.

Love you all!

Krista

Let the shots commence....

Shots start tonight! Super excited to get this ball rolling, waiting was getting incredibly tedious. I have a Dr. Appt on Friday to see where I am at. Then another Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. If you see me one day, just assume I have been to the doctor or are going to the doctor.

I will try to post a video of the shot giving. I have had trouble with it in the past because it is too long an can't upload but I will try again.

Thanks all! Have a  beautiful evening. :)

Krista

All's Quiet on the Ovarian Front

Hey Ya'll,

Nothing super exciting. My ovaries are good and supressed as per my doctor appt Monday. We start the big show soon. I finish the birth control on Wednesday and start the stimulation medicine on Monday the 17th....so more to come.

Thanks for all your prayers, good thoughts and well wishes. I can't tell you how much it means to us.

Love,
Krista