Meet the three embryos currently residing in my uterus.The transfer went well. All four ended up surviving. Embryo #1 (the one in the bottom-right portion of this picture) is 7 cells and is compacting, which means the cells are melding together and growing. This is good. Embryo #2 (the one in the top-left) is 6 cells, and Embryo #3 in the center is 4 cells. The embryologist told me that numbers 1 and 2 looked great, and #3 looked okay, but obviously at 4 cells, it wasn't growing as quickly as the other two. That said, all 3 experienced growth since yesterday, so that is a good sign too.
The decision to transfer 3 embryos was not one we made lightly. If we hadn't chosen the maximum number my doctor told us he would transfer, and it ended up not working, we always would have wondered, "what if we had done 3?" The remaining 4th embryo was 10-cells (which means it was dividing well), but it was fragmented and oddly shaped, and therefore the embryologist recommended not transferring that one. It will be discarded. My clinic doesn't refreeze embryos.
For those curious about the process, here's a brief synopsis:
I had to arrive at the clinic with a partially full bladder. A full bladder exerts pressure on the uterus, which enables my doctor to see it better when transferring the embryos. I was a bit too overzealous in my water consumption prior to our departure, and by the time we arrived, my bladder was pretty near explosive levels. I feared projectile peeing once my feet hit the stirrups. I decided to try and relieve a bit of the pressure so I hit the bathroom. We checked in, and I immediately realized I hadn't gone enough. So I went again, came back, and refilled my bladder with some cups of water from my clinic's cooler. I might as well have been injecting fluid directly into my bladder, because within 5 minutes, the need for relief was again urgent. I went yet again, and then a 4th time just minutes before the procedure began. Oh, sweet relief.
I laid back, feet in stirrups, and the nurse practitioner positioned the ultrasound wand on my stomach. My doctor inserted the speculum, then a test catheter up through my cervix and into the uterus to make certain she could reach it without a problem. She then called for the embryologist to bring in the catheter with my embryos floating around inside, and then she transferred them to my uterus. The speculum stayed in while the embryologist took the catheter back into the lab to make sure it was empty, and once she said it was, out came the speculum. I laid on the table for 20 minutes, and then got up, and we left.
I'm now relaxing in bed. I've been here less than an hour, and while I can honestly say I have dreamed of having this much time to do absolutely nothing and have zero childcare responsibilities for the next 5 days (my mom is arriving tomorrow and staying until Sunday to help out and the hubs is off from work today and tomorrow), it is hard. There are 50 million things I should be doing right now. I don't "relax" well. My brain never really shuts down. But I also know I have to.
For the next two days, I'm supposed to move very little. No picking up Isabella. No going up and down the stairs 457 times a day, as I normally do. It's me, the tube, my laptop, and some work I have to finish. I may even have time to read a book, which I haven't done since late last year.
I also need to wrap my mind around positive thoughts for these 3 embryos hopefully developing inside me.
Grow, little cells, grow.
A blood pregnancy test on 3/17 will let me know if the FET was successful.
Thank you for all your encouragement, prayers, candle-lighting, meditation, cheers, what-have-you for me in the last few days. Please keep them up.
In the meantime, I'm going to be very busy counting the cracks in my bedroom ceiling and trying not to go stir-crazy. Checkers, anyone?
Sending good vibes & my love across the miles. Hang in there. All of you!
Me, too! Grow, grow, grow, little cells!
OMG. I don't even know what to say. That photo is amazing. Be strong little ones!!!
I'm seriously choked up. The whole process is absolutely amazing to me, although I can emphathize with you on feelings of projectile pee, as I've been there myself plenty of times.
REST! REST! REST!!! GROW! GROW! GROW!!!
I'm such an ass, I meant to stop by before now to see how things were going, and I forgot. Sorry.
I'm glad to hear they all survived the freeze, and I trust at least one will nestle comfortably in your uterine lining.
Wow! I've been thinking of you all afternoon...
Amazing picture! Kick back and read a book, Momma! So glad your Mom is coming to help!! We have a lot a lot of videos... seriously, a mega library. Let me know if you'd like to borrow some flicks to watch while the embryos do their thing!
Sending you growing vibes!
looks like some good ones there, I will be hoping for you.
Now the bedrest may be good to give you a break from isabella but you don know there is no evidence that it helps success, right? In fact the one study that was done on it showed a higher rate of pregnancy in those who undertook normal levels of activity. I'm just saying...
Sweetie, those are some beautiful embryos. Praying so hard for them to implant and stick around for the long haul.
If you want, you can email me and I'll send you my #, if you want to chat. If not, I understand! Just sending out another outlet for distraction.
mctrickyb@sbcglobal.net
GOOD LUCK.
Wow! So great to read about. (And interesting.) I'm glad things went well yesterday and I'm wishing you and the 'bryos hearty thoughts.
I'd come play checkers and bring you food if I could. I'm thinking of you guys, and hoping the process works as well this time as I did the last time.
Sending you lots of sticky vibes and best wishes!
So...is there a possibility of multiples? :o
Sending happy growing thoughts to the little guys! Grow, grow, grow...
Also, good luck on bedrest...I'm sure you'll pull through.
This is so awe inspiring and amazing!! I will be thinking good thoughts for you and the cells!! Grow babies grow!!
All I can say is Wow!