Weird math

Went back to the doc for blood test #2 today. Everything looks great they say...and my levels are high. Levels of what, I don't know. There's a lot of things I don't know. I did ask the nurse how far along I was. She said....FOUR WEEKS!. I asked how that was possible because the babies have only been in there for two. She said that they count starting with the first day of your last cycle. I guess the embryos were living in a dish for 5 days without me. It's just weird math to me, but hey, I love the fact that I'm 2 weeks further along than I thought I was. That means I've got only two more months of highly treacherous times left. I'm dreaming of reaching my 2nd trimester so that I'll feel more stable.

My 4 a.m. wake-up call

Last night, for kicks, I took a home pregnancy test. I was really sure that it was too soon to show up on one of those, but I figured it wouldn't hurt since I knew the real results. There on the strip were those two pink stripes...TWO. For the first time in 3 years, it was actually positive. You'll never know how many times I've taken that same test, just to see the lone single line. We went to bed soon after that, relishing in our day and our discoveries. It was around 4 a.m. that I woke up. Wide awake. And it was at that moment that the realization hit me about what had taken place the previous day. I tried to stifle my sniffles, but the sobbing shook the bed and woke Michael up. The only way to explain it was a tremendous release. It's as if I'd been running a really long, grueling race with obstacle after obstacle and finally, I made it to the first mile marker. I've never made it to any mile marker before. I never went back to sleep. But it wasn't so bad. I spent the rest of the night in thought about the milestones ahead.

Guess what?!

After taking the blood test at 8 a.m....it wasn't until 2p.m. that the doc called me back. He said with his little french accent, "Congratulations!" I was a bit stunned. I stammered for a bit before asking, "really?". My next question was based on the fact that all through this I've had something to do, somewhere to be, some drug to take....something. So I asked what seemed to be a logical question. "So, what do I do next?" He kinda chuckled and said, "Well I guess you grow a baby!"
Ha! Is that all? So, I'm officially pregnant...according to the doc. I'm excited yet fearful. It's so early, yet I have to tell everyone.
Now I must wait for 2 more weeks to see exactly how many buns are in the oven. At that point, I'll still only be 4 weeks along. Please keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well and continues to stick.

Compliments of my Aunt Mary Ann

This very amusing, yet totally appropriate story was sent to me by my Aunt. I had to share with everyone so enjoy.

"Well while you are on the subject of eggs, I set 32 chicken eggs and only one hatched in the incubator. First time that I have tried it that way. So, after 21 days of burning electricity and having to listen to the fan blow in that thing in my washroom, I am finished. The roosters must have taken the winter off because how else did I get a bunch of bum eggs. And as luck would have it I go out there and now have 3 chickens wanting to set, so I obliged them and gave them back so many eggs that they will have a time moving them around.
The Moral of the story is don't blame it on the incubator. It is the lazy roosters or the quick running hens."

Here's a picture of her lone, but very handsome chick.

For those who'd like to inquire...

I've been asked many times in the last week if I am indeed pregnant. I'll tell you what I am. I'm nauseated every day, I'm very sore in the abdominal area and other sundry spots. Who knows the cause of these symptoms. So, we wait for 8 a.m. on Monday the 25th. I finally was instructed to come in for my blood test that day. I suppose the truth will be revealed at that point. Although, my sister has a co-worker who did in vitro and for 4 months, no blood or pregnancy tests registered her as being pregnant. Now that would be a surprise for sure. She now has a little boy named Alex. So, if all could wait impatiently with me until Monday....then we will all see.

The waiting

This waiting is very frustrating. Part of me will be surprised if anything stuck....a big part of me. It all has to do with the unfathomable outcome that this could all work. I wonder as I'm walking around or climbing the stairs...are we sure they didn't just fall out already? People ask me...do you feel pregnant? Umm, no. What does that feel like again? Seeing as how I've got nothing to go on. I fight the urge to go get one of those early detection pregnancy tests for fear I'll have a false response. I'm saving all of my responses for the actual blood test I think. And I wonder how they decide who gets to tell the lady she's pregnant...or not at the doc's office. I can just see them in the back room, "No, I did it last time, it's your turn, I'm all out of kleenex anyways." In the meantime, I'm going to work on taxes. There's a good subject to take my mind off of absolutely anything else. I hate taxes by the way. It's like an olympic event in my life that takes a year of preparation. I'll let ya know how it goes. I've supposedly streamlined the process over the past 5 years...so, it's nearly 9 a.m. on Saturday now...we'll see.

Finally some relief

Hello world!!! I feel as if I've been gone for a very long time. I am feeling 1000% better today. My swellling has gone down considerably, I'm no longer nauseated and more importantly...not in pain. I even ate my first meal out in weeks tonight at Chilis. For those who know me...that is indeed a record. Thank you, thank you to all of the wonderful people who called, cared, visited, wrote and loved me through all of this. I don't have any new progress to report as far as the embryos go. I did receive a call from the embryologist yesterday to inform me that all 9 of my other embryos reached their blatocyst state and were frozen. In her broken english, she told me, "You can have baseball team!" I'll settle for one spectator at this point. But the thought is fun.
I think we should know more by the 23rd...ish. Who knows. I'm feeling good now which makes my outlook on life improve dramatically. So we're back on a positive track here in Thurman Manor.

On a side note. Michael got a call from the detective tonight telling him that he would not be charged for shooting the burglar...and he get's his gun back tomorrow. Whoohoo!

Too Sick

I have literally been too sick to write the past 4 days. My pain and nausea escalated on Thursday night to levels I could not tolerate anymore. My doctor admitted me to Trinity early Friday morning. I was dehydrated and in need of relief so I could rest for the first time in 3 days. What caused all the pain? Doc thinks that fluid produced from the retrieval process got up under my diaphram and somehow adversly affected all my scar tissue from previous surgeries. The cause is still not very clear, but I just know that I have not been in this much pain and this sick in a very long time. Even though my pain was not all the way under control, I was released Saturday night. Sunday morning, we went ahead with the implantation as scheduled. My babies were 5 days old. They took two of the prettiest looking cells and implanted them. They won't actually implant for 5 more days, day 10...if they do at all. At this point I've been so sick, I cannot blame them if they move on because of harsh living conditions. I hope they don't, of course. I just can't believe I've been this sick through the whole process. I haven't eaten anything of substance since last Wednesday. I'm so miserable. Here's the pic I'm hanging on to right now..the two embryos that were implanted.

10 Embryos

I had good news today, 10 of the 19 eggs were fertilized yesterday... and naturally. No help was needed. So we have 10 embryos growing as we speak. On a personal note. I still hurt all the time and now I am in much more pain because the pain medicine makes it where I can't go to the bathroom. I feel as if I am going to explode. All I can do is stay in bed. I do know this....I will not do in vitro again. This is a lot to go through, more than I expected or was told. Thankfully we can freeze the unused embryos and use them in the coming years if we want to try for more children. I am so ready to get moving again, but i can't move too far from the bed. I'll write more when I'm not so nauseated.

19 Potentials

First of all...thank you to everyone who called to check on me today. I am very blessed to have so many supportive people who care about me.
Now, on to the day...
The procedure itself was an absolute breeze...because I was asleep. I thought I was doing pretty good until I got in the car to go home. Apparently they time the drugs to wear off exactly when you step out of the office. Since then, I've been literally writhing in pain all day. I cannot find a comfortable position anywhere and there is no relief to this pain that feels as if I have ice picks stuck in my ovaries. All they'll let me have is Tylenol 3...that's just not enough. I did get sick after I got home, but I think that was from the anesthesia. So, I've spent my day lying very still in the bed with my feet propped on pillows, watching everything I can find interesting on cable to keep my mind off the fact that I'm in excruciating pain. It's as if I've had surgery...but there's no incision. On a positive note, they took out 19 mature eggs..apparently the others weren't big enough. I'm very glad...I don't know if I could go through this again. It might be why they keep you in the dark about all the details.

On a side note... I am definitely not voting for Hillary Clinton. Her people called me in person and called me with the autimated service no less than 10 times today...while I was trying to rest...while in immense pain. Just for that alone, I'm not voting for her. lol

The implantation should take place somewhere between Friday and Sunday. Hopefully that won't hurt nearly as much!

I am Green

Today has been a wash as far as being productive. I hate that. I'm not one to lie around all day. However, I am in so much pain and so extremely nauseated that I cannot do anything else. I didn't quite understand the nausea until my Doc called today to check on me. My estrogen level is over 3000. I'm not sure what normal is, but at that level, it makes you sick. At least I'm doing something they predicted (yet failed to warn be about). So I've found this one position in bed that allows me to not feel my ovaries and if I go to sleep, I'm not sick to my stomach. Granted, I wake up and it's all over. Oh well. Me and kitty are hanging out today, running the office by phone and internet and taking some really long naps. I'm really ready for tomorrow...have I mentioned that? Got to come up with another $475 for the shot to help the high estrogen and the anesthesiologist for tomorrow. This is money I'll gladly pay to stop feeling like I am today. Wish me luck!

Ready...Set

Doc said I was ready today. Weird going to the doctor on a Sunday, but timing is everything. Tonight at 8;30 p.m., I took my trigger shot. This shot will trigger ovulation within 48 hours. The retrieval is set for Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., just a few hours shy of the whole 48. I am in severe pain now at times. The only thing I can take for it is Tylenol and that doesn't touch it. I will be glad to hand over my 24 little eggs on Tuesday for the mere fact that I can't bear to host them much longer.

We're getting warmer

Went to the Doc this morning. Things are looking very good. Things aren't feeling very good though. I am in much pain both yesterday and today. Unfortunately hosting 24 mature eggs at once causes a great amount of discomfort. I have to go to the Doc again on Sunday...yes Sunday. They work pretty much whenever they're needed. If all is still moving along as planned, we will be doing the retrieval or "eggstraction" on Tuesday. Yay!! I'm glad for two reasons: I'm ready for less suspense and more results, and I do not think I can take this pain getting much worse. So, with bated breath we wait for 4 days.