The Beautiful Busy Bee: IVF #2 Update

It has been a busy month (and longer) as we went into our second round of IVF. I wanted to give you all an update. We have two embryos frozen but David and I wanted to do another egg retrieval with the hope of having a few more embryos for our future family! I started the process again with birth control pills, which just makes anyone TTC crazy!! My Doctor changed my protocol slightly this round and I began with Lupron injections every morning, we then added Follistim and Menopur in the evening on Day 9. These medicines stimulate the ovaries to produce a large amount of follicles. I began monitoring on Day 9 and would go for monitoring every other day, which then increased to everyday the closer we got to the retrieval date. LOTS of shots later, we were given the go ahead to do the "Trigger Shot," which completes the maturation stage of the follicles. David gave me this shot in my upper back hip at 3 am on Mother's Day...talk about a sting! It is amazing what I will do and already have done to have a child and I can truly say that love hurts sometimes! The trigger shot has to be given exactly 36 hours prior to the egg retrieval time. By the way, David and I had lovely Mother's Day celebrations with both of our Mother's! My mom and sister each gave me sweet gifts honoring me, as a mom to my embryos and also encouraging me for the road ahead. It meant so much!

My egg retrieval was on May 9th at 3 pm. I couldn't eat or drink after midnight the night before retrieval so needless to say, I was hungry and thirsty! The retrieval went smooth and I wasn't as anxious since I had already done one a month and a half ago. The Doctor was able to retrieve 36 eggs!!!! We were thrilled and feeling very hopeful! Last round, there was an issue with the eggs fertilizing naturally. This time, ICSI was performed immediately and our results were amazingly better. ICSI is when the embryologist uses a micro-needle to put the sperm into the egg. By the next morning we had 29 that were fertilized! They continue growing into blastocysts that are eventually frozen on Day 5 or 6. I went home to recover after the retrieval and took it easy the rest of the day with my heating pad. I also had a nice spaghetti dinner!

The rest of the week was spent at work and getting excited for our fresh embryo transfer on Saturday! I had trouble sleeping on Friday night...it was definitely more exciting than Christmas Day! I cleaned Saturday morning to distract me from the transfer and so everything was pretty when I returned and wanted to relax! David and I drove the 1.5 hours to the transfer center on Saturday afternoon. It was surreal thinking that in a few hours I would be pregnant! Something I have waited and tried for years to accomplish. We prayed before we entered the center...for God's blessing on the Doctor and team performing the transfer, for our embryo to attach and stay with us, for the provisions allowing us to seek infertility treatments and for our hearts to trust God for the outcome. I just have to say, I am SO blessed by my husband...there is nothing better than having a man that seeks God and encourages me in my daily walk! I love him! The transfer was about 15 minutes total...so fast! David was able to be in the room with me, which was so special. It is definitely not the conventional way to make a baby, but we are blessed to have this opportunity and it's pretty amazing to get the "behind the scenes" look (just trying to stay positive)!! We decided to transfer one embryo this cycle. I consulted with my Doctor earlier in the week and we made this decision. My progesterone levels were high at the time of Trigger, which causes the lining to be thicker than desired (even though all you hear is how you want a very thick lining...confusing!) so it isn't the best environment for an embryo to attach to the uterine lining. David and I decided to proceed based on our feelings and the Doctors advice. Again, this process is such a roller coaster!

They transfer the embryo using a catheter. It is not a painful process just slightly uncomfortable for a few minutes. The Doctor and team take such care in making sure the embryo has left the catheter and also with making us feel so special as new parents...even if only for a few weeks! David held my hand the entire time and WE GOT TO WITNESS THE MIRACLE OF LIFE! It was beautiful and incredible! When the Doctor released the embryo into the uterus, you see a "flash" on the screen...it is so fast but just incredible to know what happened. After the transfer, we received a picture of our embryo and of course, I think it's perfect!! It is amazing that at this stage, the sex of the baby, hair color and eye color are already determined. Wow! So, we then left the center, a little dazed and trying to let what just happened absorb! I'M PREGNANT or PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise)! I went home to my couch and watched movies and was pampered by David, had visits from family and so much love, excitement and encouragement from family, friends and my TTC community!

I feel so blessed to have made it this far! Now I'm on Day 4 of the dreaded two week wait...