Down That Forever Road

This morning was our transfer. What an indescribably exciting day!! We transferred two blastocysts (photo below) and have two that were frozen today. We have 5 others that they are going to watch over the next few days, so we could end up with 7 frozen blastocysts. Wow! Now it's a waiting game. Prayers for implantation. PS - We are probably the only people who take photos of ourselves in a surgery center.

We now have six 8 cell embryos that are at or above average. Sounds like good news. Transfer will take place on Monday! I am finally starting to feel a little better after the retrieval. Still bloated, but I can move a little better now. Go figure, just in time to go on bed rest for 72 hours. I am going stir crazy! I miss work and enjoying the pretty fall weather! Just reminding myself it will be worth it in the end :) Positive thoughts!

All 12 fertilized eggs have become embryos. 11 of the 12 have become 4 cell embryos and 1 is 2 cell. Of the 11 that have 4 cells, 7 of them are grade 1 (highest), 4 are grade 2 (still good). Looks like we should be having a day 5 transfer on Monday. Things are looking good!! Feeling quite blessed and happy with how things are going!

The doctor called this morning with an update. Of the 23 eggs they were able to retrieve, 19 were mature. From the 19, we have 12 that fertilized. Tomorrow we will find out how many have divided and will be able to be transferred. I am praying that we have enough to transfer and also freeze. Things seem to be looking good. Let's hope it continues that way.

Retrieval was today. I was so nervous going in, but there are great people working at the surgery center who helped keep me in good spirits. However, I was not prepared for the pain after the retrieval. I am staying off my feet, but can't seem to get comfortable in the bed or on the couch. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. As one of my friends said, it is just preparing me for labor pains. :) They were able to retrieve 23 eggs today. Now we just wait for the embryologist to call and update us on how they are progressing. Prayers going up. Fingers and toes crossed.

I think today will be my last day of stimming. After my bloodwork and ultrasound yesterday, they said they think retrieval will take place on Wednesday (!!!!). I will find out for sure tomorrow. I know my stomach that has become a landscape of bruises would be thankful. So would my ovaries. They are so swollen right now it hurts to do pretty much anything . . . walk, drive (over bumps), clean, sneeze, cook . . . you name it, it hurts. When I went for the ultrasound yesterday, the nurse was having trouble even seeing my uterus because of all the follicles. It's a good problem to have, but I am so ready for them to go back to "normal". I will say though, this whole process has not been nearly as bad as I thought going in. I still have a ways to go, but I have realized I am much stronger than I thought I could ever be. My husband tells me I am doing way better than he imagined. He thought for sure I would be whining every night before my injecions. I can say this has only

On my way home today I was sitting in rush hour traffic, with a killer headache thanks to Lupron, thinking how I am only nine shots in to the IVF process and already so over them. Then a song came on my radio, Randy Houser's "In God's Time". This is a song that has gotten me through this journey. The very first time I heard it, I stopped breathing. The third verse and chorus were word I needed to hear, both the first time I heard it and today. "And in God's time You'll finally get the chance to hold your baby girl And all the sudden everything'll make sense in this crazy world In God's time Oh, but no one knows Not you or me It might be tomorrow or it might never be Oh, but don't lose faith Put it in His hands 'Cause it might be that He might have a bigger plan Than you had in mind Miracles happen In God's time" There is a reason God has me going through IVF, even though I don't know what it is now, in God's time I will

Last night was my first real injection on my own. One down, many more to go! Thankfully my wonderful hubby was there to cheer me on and talk me through it. And also to document it with the camera. If all goes well, I want to be able to have photos of these milestones. The injection itself wasn't bad at all. Much easier this time than in the doctor's office.  Now as long as I can keep smiling and don't turn into a crazy, hormonal woman,  it's going to be ok. You want me to stick myself with this?! This first injection Thumbs up for it being over  - and painless Go Team :)