Dozen

It's done - we got 12 eggs!

And I'm really happy with that, I just wanted double digits. We'll find out tomorrow about the fert rate.

I'll update more about the ER, which was interesting, when we get back to our hometown. We'll be driving the next few days, hopefully home Thursday night.

And thanks again and again for all the positive thoughts. It means so incredibly much to me. Thank you.

It's on!

Yup - it's on, folks!

I triggered last night at 10pm, and ER is on for 9am Tuesday morning. Oh boy, here we go!

Follies are looking good, although I'm getting worried now that they may be too big, over-mature. On Sunday morning monitoring my right have 5 big ones, all 20+, and my left was hiding so we only measured 3 because it hurt too much for her to wand me to death. On the left they were 19-17. E2 was 2850! Highest ever. Please, please, please let that mean there are a few extra mature ones hiding.

I'm getting nervous, just for everything. I've been working so hard, put so much into this up til now, I just want it to work so badly. But I don't get hopeful, I get scared. I prepare for the worst. I figure it's easier to be pleasantly surprised than have my hopes dashed. Mr. P thinks I'm nuts, and I need to stay positive, but it is self-protective to be like this. Yes, everything has gone well, at least as well, if not better, than my last 2 cycles. Yes, I'm at one of the best labs in the country. Yes, we will do microarray, and get my lining issues in order, and remove my fibroid (which, btw, is now huge) before making a perfect lining for the FET.

But....just but.

But everything. That is what I am focused on now. All the buts (and not just my sore left butt from yesterday's trigger shot, har-har-har).

Blah, I just want it done. I want it to be tomorrow already. I want it to be February, after the FET. I want it to be next year, after I have my child in my arms. But that all sounds hopeful.

So I guess it easiest to say I want to be done with all this IF craziness.

The Bloat Baby

No ma'am, I'm not pregnant.

Yes, I'm sure.

Just because I'm waddling like a pregnant lady (or a duck) and I am in a loose t-shirt with a substantial buldge underneath, I'm not pregnant.

It's just my bloat baby.

Going into the final stretch here, and boy, am I bloated. I really "popped" today. I've been feeling uncomfortable for days (IF Optimist...is not the only princess that feels her peas), but today has been...more. More visible bloat, more feeling-your-ovaries-vibrate-with-every-step, more tired. But it's all worth it.

Today's monitoring was good, and Mr. P came to see the bits of dough in the oven. We still have about 9-10 follies, now between 19 and 15-ish, with a few smaller stragglers still loitering. My E2 was 2203, which means this will be my highest E2 going into retrieval. I'm hoping that means more mature eggs. I'm still thinking that retrieval (or harvesting, as I am still farming) will be Tuesday, but we'll see. I go in tomorrow again for another peak at the follies, and more blood work.

Thanks for all the positive vibes and well-wishes, it really means the world to me. This is my first IVF cycle as a blogger, and it has been so nice to have support from you guys that get it. Thanks again!!!

Crusing right along

Things continue to progress. I have about 10 follies now, smallest just at 11 and largest at 16. E2 today was at 1715, so that is good too. I've stayed on the same amount of meds since they reduced me after the first monitoring appointment. It's still looking like a Tuesday retrieval, so not on our anniversary Wednesday, but that's ok. Maybe I can even have some wine or champers on our anniversary then. Yes, I will be able to indulge again soon, because this is a freeze-all cycle. Transfer won't be until the new year, I think.

I was absolutely exhausted all day yesterday, I swear I even woke up tired, even though I slept fine. So I did very little other than watch TV. But today I'm feeling a bit better. Mr. P arrived in town this morning, maybe that woke me up a bit. Its good to have him here, I feel like I'm not alone in this adventure anymore.

So that's it. We just went out for a very nice lunch, and now we're lounging on the couch. Watching the Price is Right. Good way to spend a Friday.

I'm a farmer

My first ultrasound at the far away clinic was this morning. I can already say I like this clinic so much more than my local clinic. The u/s tech actually talks to me, they have the screen on the wall just so the patients can see the screen without craning your neck to see the tech's screen, and then you review everything with the nurse. The old clinic techs would barely look at me, do the fastest scan, and send me home. This is so much better.

Anyway, I feel like a farmer, growing my follies. Watch them grow, give them fertilizer, check on them. So this morning, 5 days into stims I had 5 measurables on one side, and 4 on the other, with several smaller ones hanging around. My E2 is already at 933! So they have reduced my follis.tim, and I have to go back in tomorrow for more checking. This is the quickest, and best response I've ever had, so I guess Dr. Famous was right when he suspected I've been over-suppressed in my past cycles.

I'm feeling tired too. Not sure if its the weather here, which can only be described as dreary, or just the extra energy my body is putting towards farming follies. But, geez, I'm already feeling bloated, tired and all around not much fun. But I'm not here to have fun, I'm here to farm. In loose-waisted sweatpants.

I made it

I arrived! After driving most of yesterday, we had an easier drive today. In total, a long drive, but fun too. I am a bit hoarse from all the singing! But not without injury, I have a nasty knot in my shoulder muscle from gripping the steering wheel for hours on end. So I made the executive decision to have a massage tomorrow. Get all the driving kinks out.

I'm still unpacking, and getting organized. My shots have been going ok, I seem to be bruising more this time. Not sure why, or what the difference is from the last 2 times. And I really dislike Meno.pur. It burns, and it is a pain in the patooka to mix it all up. The Folli.stim pen spoiled me. I'm already starting to feel my ovaries, so I hope that means something is going on in there. I'll find out Wednesday at my ultrasound and blood work monitoring appointment.

That's it. I'm tired, looking forward to a good night's sleep. G'night!

Edited to add - Thanks to Gabby's blog for reminding me it's ICLW! My favorite week of the month! Welcome to all you bloggers and blog readers. If you are just coming across my blog for the first time, click here for a review I did for a previous ICLW, or just check out the sidebar for a summary of my IF history. Have a great week!

One down...

...and about 60 more to go. Shots, that is. I had my first shot of MDL this morning, my first shot since the beginning of May. It was fine, but I forgot it is a shot, and it hurts a bit. Not bad, but I actually thought to myself, "Huh, it hurts." Not sure what I expected.

Anyway, now that I'm done with that first step, I start focusing on packing and getting organized for the trip. I think I'm leaving Sunday. I'm driving, not sure if I've mentioned that here. I have a friend who is also cycling at the far away clinic, and we decided to caravan road trip out there. I'm looking forward to the drive, I really like to drive. Sing at the top of my lungs, listen to books on tape (or CD these days, did I just date myself??), chat on the phone (hands-free of course). We're not going to push it, so it will take us 2 days, which will put us at the far away clinic on Monday night.

And I am also in the process of transferring my one frozen blast to the far away clinic. We had to get all these releases notarized yesterday, and today I have to send them off. This way this blast can be included in the CGH/MA on the many other (I hope!) blasts from this cycle. More paperwork, more money. But hey, maybe that little snowbaby is the one! Ya never know.