And then there were 2

The Shady Grove PGD lab called this morning with half of our results. I was not expecting their call so I was a little caught off guard. They biopsied all 4 embies and as of today 2 of them are normal. The other 2 had 3 q arms. So, they would be unbalanced and I would have miscarried. They still have to biopsy the remaining 2 for chromosome 10. We won't know those results until we are waiting for our transfer. Now I'm left wondering if there are more problems with 8 than 10 or vice versa. I'm just looking for answers. This day by day waiting is so hard! I haven't heard yet from IVF on what the embies are doing dividing wise. I hope you're still growing!

Embryo day 3 news

Today's embryo report is 1 is at 8-cell grade 1. And 3 are at a 5-cell stage consisting of grade 1, 2 and 3. I was hoping for better news. But the nurse said that all of them were still able to be biopsied because the 5 cells were still showing growth. Come on embies keep growing for mama! You can do it, I know you can!!!!

"Growing Nicely...."

.....Those were the words from the nurse that called me this morning. Thank you Jesus! She said that 3 of them are at 4-cell grade 1 (which is the HIGHEST grade) and 1 is at a 4-cell grade 2. Tomorrow, whichever are at the 6-8 cell stage, will be biopsied for PGD. Our results will be in late Monday morning. As of right now we are scheduled for our transfer on Monday. We are keeping the faith and praying for the best!

Post retrieval news

The office called today with news we thought would have been better. Out of the 13 eggs only 5 of them were mature. They injected all 5 with sperm and as of today only 4 of them fertilized. Now it is a day to day wait for more news. The next step is to wait and see if they make it to the 6-8 cell stage. Once at that stage, which has to be by Saturday, then they can be sent to DC to be biopsied (PGD). The odds are not in our favor anymore. It is really hard staying optimistic but I'm trying. The dr. called later this afternoon and said he was hoping for 6 fertilized but we are going to continue to watch and hope for the best. The hardest parts are not being in control and not knowing the results.
The transfer could be Saturday or Monday. If we do it Saturday that means they didn't reach the 6-8 cell stage and can't be PGD'd. Then we have a decision to make. Do we implant all 4? Do I want to go through all the emotional stuff and it not work because they were all unbalanced? Do I want to play the waiting game when the odds aren't good? Do I want to continue with progesterone shots? Speaking of progesterone I had my first IM in the buttocks today at noon. I was nervous but I was proud of myself as was David because this was the first time I didn't pitch a fit. The emla cream works wonders. We were told that the shot would hurt because it's oily. I felt a little pinch and I felt the oil being injected somewhat but it didn't hurt. It started hurting about 40 min. later when the cream wore off. It also started to hurt the more you rubbed it. But is has to be rubbed in so it doesn't ball up in one area. And it is sore to sit down now. Hopefully they will continue to be this easy. Anyhow, back to Monday transfer. If we can go all the way to Monday than that means we made it through PGD and will have the results of the balanced or unbalanced embryos. I am still keeping the faith for 2!

Retrieval

Our retrieval was scheduled on Wed. June 7. We arrived about 20 min. early and we're the first patients. We wanted to get in and get out. I had to go to the 2nd floor to check in and get my vitals done. David went on up to the 3rd floor to produce his sample. I changed into the attractive hospital gown, socks and cap. More paperwork had to be initialed and signed. David met me and we had to chill for an hour and a half before they started. I got myself all ready with the numbing cream on both hands not knowing which had they would use for the IV. Wouldn't you know it, she did the IV in my arm. Ouch! Due to the fact that we waited so long after the IV before we went into the OR a clot had formed in the IV. I walk into the OR and proceed to get on the table with my legs in stirups and my behind half off the table. Really comfortable and attractive! I get prepped for the procedure. The embryologist came in to verify I was the right patient with the paperwork he had. Then the sonographer came in and got my legs and abdomen draped. The anesthesiologist came in to begin the drugs. That's when I started to lose it. First he put a syringe in the hub of the IV to check the line and totally blew the line right out of my arm. OK, now I'm freaking out. I start crying and everyone is trying to calm me down. Then he tries to fix it and it doesn't work, so he has to do another line. He starts to look at the veins in my wrist. David told him no way, he has to do it on my hand. That the wrist hurts worse. Thank you honey! I get through that fiasco and then they hook me up to the EKG moniter and the one cord was wrapped around another piece of equipment and totally broke off. While he's putting the IV in my right hand which is now going numb because the blood pressure cuff is too tight and I'm holding it across my chest because he is sitting to the left of me, the nurse is trying to clean off my left arm which has blood all over it and all over everywhere. They finally get the vein and he puts the drugs in right away. The doc comes in and apologizes and says I should have been asleep by now, that patients normally don't go through all this. Well thanks so much for putting me through it! So my eyes are starting to dart all over the room and before I know it I'm out. Totally did not feel a thing. David said it only took about 15 minutes. Just as I was starting to come to, I realize we're back in recovery and the nurse tells us we have 13 follicles. I'm a little upset and disappointed and start to cry again. I was hoping for much more since we were seeing 20-22 through all the ultrasounds. Well the retrieval is done and over so now we have to wait and see how many will fertilize.

We made it!

Well instead of 4 follies at 20 mm they found 9 follies at 20 mm. So, we're finally ready to proceed. I had my first IM injection last night. Yes, I cried and pitched a fit. Said I didn't want to do it.....I can't do it. But, I did it! Thank goodness for EMLA cream. That stuff really works. I was skeptical at first. Not thinking it would penetrate all the way to the muscle but it did and I didn't feel a THING! How cool is that? If that is how the stuff works for the 10 weeks of daily progesterone shots than bring it on, I can do it! My estrogen was 3114 yesterday and I had to go down for one more estrogen check this morning. No shots today or tomorrow. But tomorrow we are scheduled for our retrieval. I'm really nervous about the IV and the going under part. The procedure only takes about 15 minutes but it's still scary. Mom thinks we will have get 4 "normal" or "balanced" eggs, David thinks 8 and I think only 2. We're almost there and I can almost say I did it all without backing out!

Not progressing

We're kind of at a stand still. My follies have been progressing at a snail's pace the past few days. We should have had the retrieval today so I'm a little frustrated that nothing's happening. Yesterday my estrogen was 2498 and today it's up to 2622. I'm down to just 75 repronex and still 5 of lupron. I have 6 follies at 18 but I don't feel that they are magically going to jump to 20 by tomorrow. As much as I don't want the IM injection I'm ready for this all be done so let's bring it on! We're looking for 4 follies at 20 tomorrow. Can I have a 20 chant?..........20.......20..........20............20..........TWENTY!!!!

Day to day....

I guess we're getting closer to the big day! We are now going everyday. Tomorrow is another long drive down South because the Margate office is the only office open on the weekends. I hate setting an alarm. I forgot what it's like to be on a schedule that you have to set an alarm. I mean Miranda and I have our daily schedule but not an alarm. I get up when she gets up.

Anyhow, my estrogen is 2100 and still had 5 lupron and 150 repronex. My right side is really tender. It feels like my ovary is going to burst. We are close to 18 mm now. She saw 3 follies at almost 18 and they need to see 4 at 20 mm. Hopefully tomorrow, we will know a date. I'm shooting for Monday now, since my Sunday went out the door. That means no more subq injections.....now we'll be breaking out the big bad boys! The question of the day is: Will I be able to handle them?

What day is it now?

I totally lost count of the days. I'm so tired, so bloated, so much pressure on my right side, so just spacey and no energy. I'm tired of getting up so early in the morning for dr. appt. and I'm not sleeping good at all! I'm so worried that my alarm is not going to go off and I'm going to sleep through an appointment. We have so much riding on this......no pressure at all! Anyhow, my estrogen is up to 1,323 and I continue with 5 lupron and 150 repronex. We had to order 2 more doses of repronex today to be overnighted for tomorrow.
I'm so bummed we're not going to be able to make it up to Disney to see my cousin. I've been looking sooooo forward to seeing them and having the boys and Miranda together. What are chances that all this fall during my retrieval? Go figure! Another early morning tomorrow off to the dr. again!