First Beta, December 31st 2008

I got my first blood beta test this morning, it was positive! We are pregnant!! Thank you God! My beta was 171, Jean seemed very pleased and said this was a good strong number. We have another beta for Friday 01/02/09, and then an ultrasound on Friday 01/16/2009 at 09:45am with Dr Bvulkamez. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Update December 30th 2009

Everything is going well, we are set up for a blood test tomorrow! I have been feeling good just really tired. I started testing on Saturday 12/27/08, so that would be 10dpo, or 5dp5dt. The trigger shot of HCG of 5000 should have been out of my system on 10 days so Thursday 12/25 evening. I got a light line, but BFP, on Saturday morning. I tested again on Sunday morning 6dp5dt, or 11dpo, and darker BFP. I tested Monday monring 12/29, 12dpo, Darker BFP! Then again this morning and even darker, the test line is right there with the control line, and this is 8dp5dt, or 13dpo. I can't wait to meet my baby or babies!! We are so thankful and excited! This is my late Christmas gift!! I have been telling Jason since October the only thing I want for Christmas is a baby! So he did good this year!!

More about Transfer December 22nd 2008

I forgot to say, Jason got to come into the OR this time! He got all dressed up, looked like a Dr:) It was so amazing to see our two little babies. They put them up on a big tv screen, and also printed us out a picture. The procedure was pretty quick, I had to have a super full bladder so that was quite uncomfortable, but so worth it!

Gabriel saw the picture of the embryos, we told him they were babies. He was so cute, he said do you have money in your tummy. Since the pictures do look like little round coins. He is ready for a brother or sister, or maybe even both!!

5 Day Transfer, Monday December 22nd 2008

We got to see our two beautiful babies today. We had two great looking blastocysts transfered today, it went really well. We still have the other 8 embryos, but they aren't quite to the stage where these two were, so embryologist wants to give them until tomorrow to see where they are. They will call me tomorrow and let us know if they made it to freezing. (praying they do!) I am so glad to finally have my babies in me! I am taking it easy for a couple days while they settle in! We will have a blood beta on Wednesday 12/31/08. God is Good!

We also started our progesterone injections (IM injections, 1in 23G needle) on Friday night. Missy, our wonderful friend and neighbor, who is a nurse came over to help us out. Jason did great, he was a little nervous, but is a pro now. It isn't too bad, doesn't really hurt, a little sore for a couple hours after the shot, but that is it! It is all WORTH IT!! I will finish up my tetracycline and some steroid pill tomorrow, then we will only have the baby aspirin and prenatal, and of course the progesterone shot!

5 Day Transfer on Monday!!!

Jean called me this afternoon. She said she didn't have the exact number, but everything looked great! She said she figures there are probably 8 or more. So we are doing a 5 day transfer on Monday December 22nd at 7:00am. Jason gets to go in this time! I can't wait! Grow babies grow!

We have embies!! December 18th 2008

I just got a call from Jean! She said of the 17 eggs they retrieved yesterday 14 of them were mature. They tried to fertilize 14 of them, of the 14, 10 of them fertilized normally!!
We have 10 embies! She will call to let me know how they are doing tomorrow and let me know if we are doing a 3 day transfer or a 5 day transfer! WHOO HOO!!
I am feeling a little better today, still crampy and slow moving, but I will get better! I've got babies on the way!

Our eggies are here! Retrieval Day! December 17th 2008

We got to the hospital parking garage about 06:35am, five minutes late and the arm wouldn't lift to get in. We had like 15 cars behind up beeping. DH was a little stressed as it was so he jumped out a little upset yelling at people, lol. So we went in the exit way, geesh, that was a stressful start! We finally got in, all was well, went up stairs got my cute gown on. I got an IV and was wheeled back. The OR was pretty neat, they had a huge 32 inch tv screen. When they put the drugs in my IV I got pretty giggly, they were good drugs! I was awake through the whole thing. It was really neat, on the big screen it was showing about 250 times magnified the embryologists going through the fluid aspirated from the follicles, and I could see some of the eggs! SO COOL! They looked like white little fried eggs. We got 17 eggs!! RE seemed very pleased, as were we! We should get a fertilization report tomorrow 12/18. Are sweet little babies are probably here now, just concieved of course!!

Tuesday December 16, 2008

I went for another blood draw this morning to check the HCG in my system from the trigger. Everything came back great, just where they wanted it. Jason and I are meeting Jean at Shands (the hospital) at 6:30am. I can't wait.. well to hear about the eggs, hopefully I don't remember the rest! It will be great!

Monday December, 15th 2008

I think we are finally getting there! We had another ultrasound and blood draw this morning. My estrogen is around 3900, wew! I had about 21 follicles on the left (now some were smaller then 10), but still a bunch! And about 10 good ones on the right. Our largest one was 21.5, and quite a few right behind them! Nurse seemed to be pleased with this! Also my lining is 11.6, she was also very please with this! I am to trigger tonight at 8:30pm for a retrieval Wednesday morning. Now they said my estrogen is high and I have a lot of follicles so they don't want me to hyperstimulate, so instead of the 10,000 units of the HCG triger, I am only to take 5,000 units of it, half of the dose. I go in the morning for another blood draw, to make sure the trigger is in my system! I can't believe how close we are!! No more meds other then the prenatal, baby aspirin, and then the trigger tonight at 8:30pm!

Sunday December 14th 2008

Another 8am Dr's visit with ultrasound and blood draw. Jean advised me my estrogen is rising well. We still have around 20 follicles growing together. The largest one is at 17.5 so dr wanted to give it one more night of stims. So I did 75 units follistim, 5 units lupron, but no repronex tonight. I go in for another 8am visit in the morning. If all goes well we should be doing trigger tomorrow night and a Wednesday Dec 17th retrieval! One day closer!

Saturday Appointment, December, 13th 2008

I had another appointment this morning, bloodwork and an ultrasound. My estrogen was around 2200 today up from 1600 yesterday, they seemed to be pleased with the way it is rising. I am doing 75units follistim, 75units repronex with 5 units lupron tonight again. Ultrasound went good. We are still looking at around 21 between left and right ovaries, my biggest one is at about 16 (these 21 are sticking pretty close together) Also there are still about 10<10. I have another ultrasound and blood draw in the morning. Jean is thinking Tuesday or Wednesday for retrieval. I should know more tomorrow! We are so close!

Another ultrasound and blood draw, December 12th 2008

I had another 8am visit for an ultrasound and blood draw. Everything went great! Gabriel got to play with all the toys the nice lady in the lab lets him play with while we are there. My estrogen is up in the 1600's, up from the 500's on Wed. Also between both the right and left ovary we are looking at about 21 follies that are sticking together around the same size. There are still about 6 on either side that are less than 8 too, she said those won't catch up. They handed me a paper on hyperstimulation, nice on the way out. Hopefully they just give that to everyone. She said everything is looking good. Jean said we are looking at a Tuesday or Wednesday retrieval. I go back in the morning for another 8am blood draw and ultrasound, then again on Sunday too. We are getting close!

Ultrasound and bloodwork today, December 10th 2008

We have been on the stim meds for 5 days now. I had my blood drawn on Monday and my estrogen was in the 200's. Today it was in the 500's, nurse said that is what they wanted it to do. I had my ultrasound, my left ovary had 15 follicles close in size and 6 follicles<8, and my right ovary had 5 follicles close in size larger then 8, and then 6 follicles<8. My lining was at 10.5, she said that was good, they wanted it to be at least greater than 6. She said everything is looking good, she talk with my RE and advised to stay on the 75units of follistim, 75units repronex with 5 units lupron. I have an appointment on Friday morning 12/12 at 8am for another ultrasound and bloodwork. We should know more about our retrieval date then. I believe we are still shooting for Tuesday 12/16/08 though. All is well, you would think I would feel more bloated with all those little follicles in there. I am guessing they will get bigger, and I will be eating my words here in a few days! LOL Once again though this is all going to be worth it!

We started new MEDS!!!

Actually we started the new meds on Friday 12/05/08. We started 150 units of Follistim and 75 units of Repronex, and cut the Lupron to 5 units. I was a little stressed about mixing the Repronex, and adding the Lupron, but I finally got it. The Follistim pen is a breeze. The Repronex injection isn't too bad, it takes a little longer since it is 1cc, and burns a little, nothing major though. We took the same dose on Saturday evening 12/06, and then tonight we cut the dose of Follistim to 75 units and Repronex we kept at 75 units with 5 units Lupron. I have an 8am dr's appt for a blood draw, I have to leave work to run over. They should call me back later tomorrow afternoon with Monday nights dosing instructions. Grow eggies grow!!

Appointment went well today, December 3rd 2008

I had an appointment this morning with RE for a mock transfer and suppression check. Just seemed like a normal ultrasound at first, said I had 10 follicles on the right and 6 on the left. After that he checked through my cervix, I suppose measuring my uterus? It was quick whatever he was doing, I guess he got what looking for! My bloodwork came back good, levels were low, so I am guessing that means I was suppressed. So it is a go to start my stimming meds on Friday Dec 5th 150 units Follistim, 75 units Repronex, and just 5 units Lupron and still taking my aspirin, dexamethasone and prenatal.

Oh I was SO SO relieved when we went over all the meds. We had not sat down and looked at everything with Jean (IVF coordinator). So we were thinking those HUGE needles 22G 1.5 in monsters were supposed to be used for the progesterone injections! So needless to say I was a little nervous about receiving those, and Jason was a little nervous about giving them, lol. So we only have to use 23G (still big) but 1 in, so better, hey that is a 1/2in shorter! Anyway she explained everything to me and I feel alot more prepared now to start the stimming meds on Friday.