If my ultrasound goes as I expect it to later this morning, an IVF nurse should call me this afternoon and tell me to give myself one final shot tonight-the HCG trigger shot to mature my follicles into their final stage-and 32-36 hours later, on Friday morning, I should have my egg retrieval.
As of now, my doctor has measured 13 large follicles. He doesn't measure all of them, so there is the potential for more. And not every follicle contains an egg, although most do, so there is also the potential for less. The eggs will be extracted via a very long needle attached to an ultrasound probe. I will be placed under general anesthesia, so I won't feel a thing. While this is happening, my husband will be in another part of the hospital providing his "sample."
Once extracted, an IVF nurse will rush away my eggs to the lab, where my husband's sperm will be mixed with some of the eggs, and directly injected into others via a process called Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). On Saturday morning (assuming I have the egg retrieval on Friday), an IVF nurse will call me with my fertilization report. She will tell me how many eggs fertilized, and whether I will have a Day 3 (the day of the retrieval is considered day 0) embryo transfer of two or three of my embryos to my uterus, or a Day 5 blastocyst transfer of likely the two best blastocysts. Most women undergoing IVF cycles have a Day 3 embryo transfer. But if the egg quality is very good, and I have a lot of eggs, blastocysts, which are eggs that have divided many times to the point where they are nearly ready to implant on the walls of the uterus, can offer a slightly higher pregnancy success rate with a decreased chance of multiples when compared with an embryo transfer.
Two weeks or so from Friday, I'll have a bloodtest, which will let me know if IVF worked for me. The last few weeks have flown by, yet when I think about it, it's taken almost two long years to get to this point. I've undergone fertility treatments for 14 of these months. I've had three failed Clomid IUI cycles (oral fertility drugs + intrauterine insemination). I've had two failed Gonal-F IUI cycles (injectible fertility drug + IUI). I've been giddy to the point of dwelling on those questions so many couples chatter about when they're trying to have a baby ("What will we name him or her?" and "When will we tell our family and friends we're expecting?" and "What color should we paint the baby's room?"). And I've wallowed in depression, crying each time I hear of another friend's pregnancy, and refusing to even consider the fact that any fertility treatment could possibly ever result in a baby for me.
And then there's my current mindset. If this doesn't work for me, I won't crumble. It will be devastating. And I will be upset. But I'll survive.
A friend of mine recently shared an interesting quote: Those who expect something are often disappointed. But those who expect nothing can be pleasantly surprised.
I'm hoping for a big surprise...or two...in a few weeks' time.
As of now, my doctor has measured 13 large follicles. He doesn't measure all of them, so there is the potential for more. And not every follicle contains an egg, although most do, so there is also the potential for less. The eggs will be extracted via a very long needle attached to an ultrasound probe. I will be placed under general anesthesia, so I won't feel a thing. While this is happening, my husband will be in another part of the hospital providing his "sample."
Once extracted, an IVF nurse will rush away my eggs to the lab, where my husband's sperm will be mixed with some of the eggs, and directly injected into others via a process called Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). On Saturday morning (assuming I have the egg retrieval on Friday), an IVF nurse will call me with my fertilization report. She will tell me how many eggs fertilized, and whether I will have a Day 3 (the day of the retrieval is considered day 0) embryo transfer of two or three of my embryos to my uterus, or a Day 5 blastocyst transfer of likely the two best blastocysts. Most women undergoing IVF cycles have a Day 3 embryo transfer. But if the egg quality is very good, and I have a lot of eggs, blastocysts, which are eggs that have divided many times to the point where they are nearly ready to implant on the walls of the uterus, can offer a slightly higher pregnancy success rate with a decreased chance of multiples when compared with an embryo transfer.
Two weeks or so from Friday, I'll have a bloodtest, which will let me know if IVF worked for me. The last few weeks have flown by, yet when I think about it, it's taken almost two long years to get to this point. I've undergone fertility treatments for 14 of these months. I've had three failed Clomid IUI cycles (oral fertility drugs + intrauterine insemination). I've had two failed Gonal-F IUI cycles (injectible fertility drug + IUI). I've been giddy to the point of dwelling on those questions so many couples chatter about when they're trying to have a baby ("What will we name him or her?" and "When will we tell our family and friends we're expecting?" and "What color should we paint the baby's room?"). And I've wallowed in depression, crying each time I hear of another friend's pregnancy, and refusing to even consider the fact that any fertility treatment could possibly ever result in a baby for me.
And then there's my current mindset. If this doesn't work for me, I won't crumble. It will be devastating. And I will be upset. But I'll survive.
A friend of mine recently shared an interesting quote: Those who expect something are often disappointed. But those who expect nothing can be pleasantly surprised.
I'm hoping for a big surprise...or two...in a few weeks' time.
Shish you capture it well here. It will be hard if it doesn't work, but you will pick yourself up to fight another day. But instead, I do hope it does work. Hoping that you have at least 13 good quality eggs on Friday, and that things continue to go well from here.
I echo these sentiments, of course! We'll be here for you no matter what happens, Kristi.
Maybe I'll call you soon to give those eggs & embryos a talking to.... ;-)
Big hug!!
Best of luck this weekend, I will be thinking of you!! I guess that I will try to "expect nothing" so that I can be pleasantly surprised. My heart goes out to you and your husband, I know this week must be very stressful. Thursday night you should go out for a good dinner, something where you can just dwell on the wonderful food.
I'll be here hoping right along with you for your big surprise.
I am thinking really really good thoughts for you. You are such great person and I know this will only help make you a better person.
XXOOXX
Nah, no need to cry! You'll be great! In fact, to get your mind off of that stop by and see my coffee recipies and movie suggestion of the week!!!
Good luck, good luck, good luck!!!!!
And sleep well tonight...tomorrow you're getting pregnant!
Thalia-Thank you. I'm up to 18 eggs measured as of Thursday. My doctor is happy and I'm hoping for lots of fertilized ones.
Caryl-aww.. you're so sweet I'll take all those prayers and positive energy with me on Saturday.
Marie-lol. Talk away. I'm open to whatever works! I know if they fertilize and they're able to transfer some next week, I'll be begging them constantly to implant and make themselves at home!
Dawn-Thank you. That's a great idea, actually, and one we'll probably try. My egg retrieval is actually going to be Saturday now, so a nice Friday night dinner seems in order.
Geekwif and Clare-Thank you both!
Michael-I took your suggestion. Wow. I'm going to try several of your yummy-sounding coffee drinks.
Ramona-awww... your words brought such a smile to my face. It's sometimes hard to remember during this process what a cool thing could happen at the end.
Alisha-thank you so much. That means the world to me. I hope I really am as strong as I apparently appear to be. IVF has really tested so many things I thought were certain about myself, and my strength is definitly one of them.
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My name is Helen Page and i would like to show you my personal experience with Clomid.
I am 30 years old. I have taken for 3 months. My progesterone level after my first dose of Clomid was 65 so I knew that I had ovulated. Couldn't try the second cycle on it because my husband went out-of-town while I was O'ing, go figure. Hoping it worked this month!!
I have experienced some of these side effects-
Mood swings, increased appetite, hot flashes, increased pain during ovulation, abdominal pain, mild but infrequent headaches. Also, I used to be on a consistent 28 day cycle, but I think Clomid might have lengthened it as I'm now on a 31-32 day cycle.
I hope this information will be useful to others,
Helen Page