A little March Madness

I am absolutely sure it is bad luck to post this picture. But it is March Madness and Kentucky is in the final four and well I am super excited about this pregnancy so here goes nothing:

It is the very first present and the very first thing bought for our baby! I swear I haven't even purchased a pair of socks or bib!

Drumroll please....

I AM PREGNANT!

Thank you ladies for your support during this IVF process. Ladies still going through the process you must always have hope and faith. You all are stronger than what you realize.

Turkeys

Today, we will hopefully find out if we are pregnant or not.  I am hoping the beta number has gone up significantly.  Last time I had Ben call and get the results and I found out when I got home from work.  Today, I am still having Ben call but I do not know if I can wait until I leave work.  Ben is working tonight so no matter what I am going to hear about it over the telephone.   I think I will end up calling him once he knows the results.  I checked in a noon to see if he knew the results… here is our message:

Me: So do you know? I don’t know if I can wait all day.

Ben: They are out until 12:30; however, you are going to be the proud momma of 16 baby turkeys Tuesday or Wednesday.

Yes folks, my husband said turkeys.  Why we need 16 baby turkeys is beyond me but raising birds is a hobby that turned into a business for my husband.   He raises quail and sells them.  At any given time we have more than 1,000 quail eggs in an incubator.  He seems to enjoy it.   Did I mention I am scared of birds?!?!?!

What we do for love! J 

Need a little motivation!

I have absolutely no motivation to study for this next exam! After spending the last year devoted to studying for my CPA, I am just over it.

I keep telling myself "Kelly, this is your last exam! Get through this next month of studying and you will be done." I get a little pumped after that and open the book and start reviewing contracts and then I lose all interest!

Ok, done whining... must get back to studying now.

Slightly?!?!

I am slightly pregnant. My beta said I am pregnant but it was low. I am going back on Monday morning to retest.

I am happy, I think. A positive is a positive. I am very hopeful but still have not let my guard down.

Kick Ass!!

On the eve of my beta test, I am looking back at the last month and realizing I am we are, us IF girls, are strong, courageous woman.  Not every woman has the strength to stick themselves with needles, have surgery on their girly parts, and go through the emotional/financial pain we have gone through.  Plus, voluntarily do it.  We have goals and we are doing everything we can to achieve those goals, look rejection/disappointment in the face and say “No, you will not beat me.”  We kick ass!

We are empowered and take action.  As much as it sucks, I am so glad that there is a strong community of woman available to share with.  I know I do not utilize the blog world enough but to those I read and to those that comment of my posts.  Thank you.  You have made my journey not so lonely.

I will try to update tomorrow evening with our results.  Hopefully, Ben and I will be celebrating!

T-3 days for Results

Thursday, we will find out if the IVF was a success or not.  I have done my best not to speculate one way or another.  I have corrected people, my mom, that already think I am pregnant that I may not be pregnant.  I just knew the first IUI would work and was very disappointed when it did not.  I am preparing for the worse yet hoping for the best.  Isn’t that what we all do during the 2WW? 

I haven’t really had the ‘pregnant until proven otherwise’ attitude.  I have considered myself not pregnant until proven otherwise.   However, I do have a daydream/feeling that I will be delivering a healthy boy in the future.  I haven’t told anyone about this feeling.  I am staying quiet and just hoping my ‘psychic powers’ are accurate.   

I am faced with a little dilemma on Thursday though.  My blood work is schedule for Thursday morning.  Then anytime after 4 hours, I am able to call the clinic and get my results.  I don’t want to be at work when I call because I wont be able to control my emotions either way and I do not want to share the news.  I also want Ben with me and I do not think I will be able to make it home before the office closes to call together.  Here are my options:

1.       Work through lunch and leave a little early from work to make it home in time to call the doctor’s office together.

2.       Make Ben take me out to lunch and call when we are alone and then go back to work (but then again, I wont be able to control emotions.)

3.       Have Ben call and wait until I get home to find out.  

Right now I think I am leaning towards option one with three as the backup plan in case anything crazy happens Thursday at work.   

Spring has sprung!

Transfer Link

http://www.nyufertilitycenter.org/ivf/embryo_transfer

Um, I do not think he did anything?

Decisions
Before the transfer Dr. A met with Ben and I and said that we had 8 great embabies and 6 ok embabies.  We decided to transfer the best 2 embabies.  Per Dr. A, at my age (29) 2 is the recommended amount to transfer.  I am fine with this number and had planned on putting 2 in all along.  Ben agreed. 

Challenge Accepted
Dr. A proceeded to say that out of his last cycle, 5 patients that were 29 were pregnant with twins now.  I do not know out of how many.  However, I say challenge accepted.  My brother has twins (clomid) and he can do it, so can't I.   Granted my brother has mom/MIL that live within 5 minutes whereas our parents both live 11 hours away.  I still have faith in us!

Transfer
The transfer went so well I told Ben afterwards that I do not think the doctor did anything.  It was so simple, painless, and quick that I really did not do anything.  It was awesome!  Best part yet!

I wasn't prescribed valium like others have been and I really did not need it.  I was anxious but completely fine.  I expected it to be a little difficult.  The doctor that did my IUI would have trouble opening my cervix but not Dr. A (A for Awesome!) 

Freezing
The lab should be calling daily to let us know how the remaining embabies are growing and when they will be able to freeze.  I am expecting around 6 or 7!

Other News
I checked my recent CPA grade.  I PASSED!!!   I am now 75% done with my CPA!  I have one more test on regulations/taxation and then I am done.  The end is near!  I hope to take the exam some time early May.  I am just not sure when yet. 

In regards to my last post, I am still bloated beyond belief and uncomfortable.  But I have decided it is more related to constipation than OHSS.  Dr. A stated it was normal with the meds I am on and the anaesthesia and to add fiber to my diet.  Done!


Update
Lab just called.  We were only able to freeze 3 embabies.  So much for my 6 or 7... but 3 frozen embabies is still great and I am still happy!

I want to feel 'Normal' again!

I know I signed up for all of this and I am very grateful to have 9 good, great embabies and 5 ok embabies. It just I want to feel like myself again.

It's 3 days post retreival and I am still in pain. Mostly when I walk or one of the dogs accidently touches my belly. I am bloated to no end. I am emotionally and tired. I can lay on the couch all day sleeping on and off and still sleep all night.

Today, I went with a friend to see a movie and then out for lunch. I left lunch early, not eating anything, and barely made it home before vomiting. And sorry next sentence is a little TMI but I was vomiting with such force that it was coming out of my nose too.

I called Dr. A and he said it was ok an prescribed some meds for the vomiting. So far so good.

I just want to feel 'normal' again. Or at lease not be sore anymore. My transfer is on Tuesday. Hopefully, tye next time I am sick is because someone has implanted and is growig strong.

Fertilization Report

Of the 28 eggs, 16 were injected and 14 have fertilized!!!

Hope they keep growing!

The Retreival

Ok, I apologize if this makes me sound like a baby but please realize I have never ever been in surgery.

I was nervous yesterday since I never been in surgery. Ben has been in a couple of surgeries since we have been married (nothing serious). I am ab excellent care giver and I know what Ben needs as a patient. However, I was concerned about the two of us switching positions.

The nervousness made me quiet. I think they expected me to ask more question but I was blank. Basically, they are the professionals, they know what they are doing. I trust them.

Once back into the room, I was given a gown and then the nurse came in and put in my IV. She did a great job but it still hurt some. Next, I kissed Ben goodbye and I went into surgery.

I have a 'piercing' so they checked to make sure it was ok to leave in. It was ok. But I did not care and kind of wished they would have removed it. It was an act of rebellion. It does not do anything, just decoration.

Anyways, I remember the medicine going in and burning and then the mext thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room cold and in pain. They covered me up with another blanket and gave me morphine! I did not think I was in morphine pain but the pain sure did alleviate!

I am sure what you really care about: we got 28 eggs! Thats right, 28 eggs! Which is great but at the same time we are keeping watch of OHSS. Hopefully, nothing crazy happens the next couple of days and we will be able to transfer on Sunday/Tuesday!

Once home, the medicines made me sick a couple of times. So recovery was not fast.

Ben was awesome! He took such good care of me. I love him!

Fingers crossed that we have a good fertilization report today!!

This is really happening?!?!

Besides having ridiculously swollen ovaries, everything is going well. I had an appointment today for my last bloodwork and u/s before the retreival.

I am now off of follistim completely. We are 'coasting' until retreival. They gave me Dostinex to help prevent OHSS. Retreival is set for Thursday afternoon. I start Dostinex tomorrow night. I trigger Wednesday morning at 3:15 AM!

This is really happening. I have been so good not worrying about the process, going with the flow, but today after the phone call setting everything up, it hit me right square in the forehead. It is really, truly happening.

I am at a loss for words. I guess I am still processing everything.

Good luck to all the retreivals this week!

Appointment #2

This morning went well. I was in and out without any wait. My right ovary has about 8-10 follies and my left ovary has 5 follies. Lining was really good. They called this afternoon with the results of my bloodwork. It turns out the my estrogen level (EL) was pretty high. They changed my dosage of follistim from 225 units to 75 units. I'm not sure what all this means. I have researched with Dr. Goggle. Apparently, if my EL is too high and does not come down they may cancel my cycle. That would absolutely suck. However, I have faith that it will come down. The thing that does piss me off is the fact I told them that I am sensitive to these meds. I overstimulated on the lowest dosage of clomid for pete's sake! Anyways, I am not that concerned. I may be naive but I have hope that this will all work out.

On a good note, I am now on spring break! My university completely shuts down for spring break! I don't have to go to work until March 12th!!! I needed this break... Work has been crazy busy with investgations!

Now, I am charging my nook in preparation of this horrible storm coming thru this evening. I have our tornado shelter all prepped! For those in the path of the storm stay safe! Ben is working tonight so hopefully nothing goes through the city!