Egg Update

The embryologist called to tell me about my precious eggs! Out of the 14 that were retrieved 11 were actually mature. The egg has to be mature in order to fertilize. Out of the 11 that were mature, 8 fertilized! She said she would call me tomorrow to update me on the eggs to tell me which ones made it to the pre-embryo stage (meaning starting to divide in cell number). I am praying I have 2 that make it to the blastocyte stage (8 cells) and I can do a 5-day transfer. I am so glad God is in control of this entire situation and not me! They did to ICSI to fertilize my eggs. ICSI is where they actually inject my egg with the sperm instead of just allowing them to fertilize on its own. Please continue to pray!!!

Egg Retrieval

I went in this morning at 8:30 to East Memphis Surgery Center for my egg retrieval. When I arrived I signed a lot of paper work and paid our last payment. Robbie was called back first to go upstairs and do his thing. Then they called me back and asked me a lot of preliminary questions, had me change into the hospital gown, and got my started on my IV. Robbie came back to the room and we talked, prayed, and took a picture pre-retrieval! Dr. Ke came and talked to me about the procedure (I was so glad my doctor was the one to retrieve the eggs!), the anesthesiologist came and talked to me (the nurse anesthetist even prayed with us!) and then I was transferred to the IVF procedure room. They had me lay down on the table which my thighs in stirrups loosely strapped down so my legs wouldn't fall off the stirrups. I was very comfortable. It was cold, but they gave me the awesome warm blankets! After that I don't remember once they started my "knock out" medicine through my IV! The procedure started around 9:40 and I woke up in recovery around 10:35. I stayed there for 30 minutes never really fully waking up! I got really nauseated and was in pain, so the nurse gave me some pain and nausea medicine through my IV. Plus ginger ale and crackers! They had me go to the bathroom, get dressed, the nurse took my IV out, and wheeled me out to the car. My mom, Robbie, Mercer, and I went to eat at Wendy's. Rob went to work and I rode with my mom to get Ryder from school. I came home and took a 2 hour nap! My mom watched the boys at her house til Robbie got off work. Rob stopped and got pizza and Muddys cupcakes for us to eat for dinner! I am still in a little pain, but I am laying down with the heating pad. It is just uncomfortable to cough or go to the bathroom. 

I definitely appreciate all the prayers and they have been answered so far! 14 eggs were retrieved (6 from my left ovary and 8 from my right) and I will hear tomorrow how many were mature and fertilized! In the meantime, they are in an incubator with their first babysitters at a Fertility Associates of Memphis lab! 

I am taking prednisone and doxycycline for the next 4 days and start progesterone injections tomorrow evening. 

  We would still appreciate your prayers because the next few days and weeks we are still continuing our journey. I ask you to pray for our sweet babies and Lord Willing we will be able to make it to a 5 day transfer with one or two embryos! I will keep you all updated. I will leave you all with a verse from Psalms, "The Lord has done great things for us and our hearts are filled with JOY!" This has been one of my favorite verses throughout this entire experience! I can't wait to Lord Willing share some really great news with you all over the next few days and weeks! Thank you so much again for your thoughts and prayers!

Ultrasound #4 and Bloodwork

Today went so well! I am so excited and I definitely am seeing answered prayers!

Retrieval is THURSDAY! I am officially done with all my stim meds! Tonight I take my HCG trigger shot (5000 units) at 9:30pm. I am supposed to take a home pregnancy test in the morning and if it is positive then the trigger shot worked! If not, I am supposed to call them to let them know. I take a valium at bedtime tomorrow night and I have to be at East Memphis Surgery Center Thursday morning at 8:30 for retrieval at 9:30!

Bloodwork results:
E2 2472 (This amazes me that I am not having to do estrogen patches this time!)
Lining 11.2

Ultrasound results:
I have 9 really great big follicles on my LEFT! I know... I can't believe it either!
And I have around 13 on my right that are between 14-16mm so hopefully they will grow bigger before retrieval. I also have several small ones on both ovaries.

Please continue to pray for us and our precious embryos-to-be! And for a smooth retrieval and that ICSI will go well on Thursday!

Ultrasound #3 and Bloodwork

My appointment yesterday went good! I definitely know that prayers are being answered!

Bloodwork results:
E2 1093

Ultrasound results:
Lining 11.2
I had 3 follicles on my left side measuring 16, 18, and 19mm. And I had several on my right side. At least 5 measuring between 12 and 14mm. My right side definitely produces a lot more than my left. It was such a great feeling seeing all those follicles on my right side and how much they had grown! They are growing slowly but they are growing! I had a friend who is going through a FET right now and she encouraged me with these words, "Slow and steady wins the race!" Dr. Ke wants the right ones to get bigger, so he is having me stim a few more days. I am guessing I probably will not get any retrieved from the left side because those are large now that they will probably pass. I only got 1 from my left side last time as well!

I continue the same dose of 225u Follistim or Gonal-f at night and 75u Menopur and Ganirelix in the morning.

I go back Tuesday morning for another ultrasound and bloodwork!

Ultrasound #2 and Bloodwork

I am feeling much more positive today after a meltdown last night! My Gonal-f is a multi-dose vial so I have to mix it myself. Last night was the first night I have used that medication and after spraying a little bit of the sterile water and trying to stick myself 4 times before I realized the needle had to be dull... I lost my whole 225u dose of medicine. SO! Needless to say, I had to order more today to be overnighted because I won't have enough to finish the cycle.

My dad is going to come over in the morning to wait for my meds to be delivered since I have to sign off for them and they have to be refridgerated. We have family pictures that I have had booked for several months now!

My appointment today went pretty well. I took my mom with me so she could learn how to do my progesterone shot for when Robbie is out of town traveling for work.

Bloodwork results:
Progesterone 1.9
E2 753

Ultrasound results:
Lining 13.2
I have 10 follicles measuring between 10 and 16 mm. I am praying and hoping that they continue to grow so we will have a good number of eggs to retrieve. It only takes one, right?! I am going to be stimming for 10 - 12 days and the retrieval will be the middle to end of next week.

I continue the same dose of 225u Follistim or Gonal-f at night and 75u Menopur and Ganirelix in the morning.

I go back Sunday morning at 8am for another ultrasound and bloodwork!

Ultrasound #1 and Bloodwork

So today seems like a big disappointment... Not to mention my 6 year old woke up with the stomach bug and threw up all over his brother, my ultrasound and bloodwork appointment this morning didn't really go that great.

Bloodwork results:
Progesterone 1.6
E2 338

Ultrasound results:
Lining 7.2
2 follicles measuring 13mm
5 follicles measuring 10mm
and 10 follicles measuring <10mm p="">
I continue the same dose of 225u Follistim and 75u Menopur. And I add in Ganirelix Friday morning.

I go back Friday morning for another ultrasound and bloodwork. And depending on what this ultrasound says will depend on if I will be able to even go through with the retrieval. Basically they will only do the egg retrieval if I have at least 4 follicles that are maturing. So the 5 that are around 10mm need to start growing! Say some prayers for us over the next few days especially! We greatly appreciate it!

My husband is doing a much better job staying positive. I am really down about the results. He keeps reminding me that it only takes one egg to make a precious baby!

 

The Difference...

This is my second IVF fresh cycle to go through and while there are many similarities, there is definitely a difference! The difference is that I am definitely more fearful. I hate to write that word. Because I have faith that God will allow the best thing to come from this cycle. Whether it is another baby, babies, or no baby. I have full trust in God and His plan is so much better than ours. We would love to have another child {and make our boys big brothers!} and we know that children are blessings from the Lord. But we also know that God could have another plan in mind and want to bless us in another way that does not involve more children. God has richly blessed us with two precious, healthy boys that we are incredibly thankful for!

Fear does set in way more this time and I think it is because the devastation of having lost our third child is a pain that will never fully escape my mind. The reality of getting pregnant in a few weeks is hard to imagine after having gone through a pregnancy loss. I pray in a few weeks God will bless us with a rainbow baby and that we will be able to experience the joy of raising a healthy baby again to bring God all the glory and to be a son or daughter of Him one day. It is my goal as a parent to raise my children to be warriors in the army of Christ and I would love to make lots of children in His army to fight for Christianity and to live eternal life with Him one day!

Again, we appreciate all of your prayers! Thank you for your continued prayers so far through this journey.