Final Blast Report

Ugh, I about drove myself crazy today waiting for the lab to call me. And my previous theory about the lab calling early with with good news is totally bunk (LC, you were right), because they didn't call until 4:30pm.

But it was pretty good news again - 5 made it to blast! Which means we are doing genetic testing! So we had 3 Day 5 blasts, with the following grades: 6AB, 4BB and 3BB. Then 2 Day 6: 5BA and another 3BB.

Clearly I make a lot of 3BB blasts. But as I've seen with Chilly Willy and Frozen Frannie, it doesn't mean they are abnormal, just cause they are not the most pretty. So I'm not gonna get too worked up about the fact that only one blast had the ICM graded A (for those that are less than familiar with blast grading, here's a great resource page). No, I feel really good about the 5 blasts. I mean - wow - it is wayyy more blasts than I've ever made before in a cycle. Which was 1. So, yeah, I'm happy. Mr. P looked seriously relieved. And we had made a bet on how many blasts we'd end up with (yes, this is what we've come to, betting on the existence of our future children). He took more than 5, I took less (I really am a pessimist). But 5 on the nose - a push. I guess we both win!

So - what's next, you ask? Well, more fun, let me tell you. Fun in the form of medically-induced menopause! Whoo-hoo, nothing says party like a really good hot flash. I have to take 2 months of depot Looopy-ron to treat this beta-3 integrin deficiency in my lining. And in March, I have to have my fibroid removed. Yeah, I decided to just get it done. So back to the far away clinic for a few days. Then, after all of that crapola, I can begin prep for my FET. That should begin the end of March/early April.

It can't just be simple, can it?

But hey - it is forward motion. I like forward.

Great Day 3 report

Ok, before the great news, I have a new theory about the lab at the far away clinic. They call you early with good news, and they call you later with bad news. I hadn't even thought about them calling me today, and the phone rings.

Which now means good news. On Day 3, all 10 are still kicking! I cannot believe it!

The embryologist (some woman, and not my favorite one there, John) that called is like "And they all look really good." Uh, ok, that is not descriptive enough for me, 4-time IVF veteran and Dr. Google College of RE degree holder. So she says, "They all are still alive and are of good quality." I scoff, and say, "I'm going to need more than that. What are the cell counts, what are the grades?" She pauses, then says , "Oh, ok. Well, let me look..."

Sigh. Don't treat me like an idiot.

Anywho, she counts (yes, out loud) "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...Eight are 8-celled. Six of those are grade 4, the highest quality. Then one is 10-celled, also grade 4. And one is 6-celled, more fragmentation in that one." I'm so happy about having eight 8-celled embies, I don't even press her to give me grades on the 2 remaining 8-cells or the 6-cell.

And just to give you perspective on how much better this is than any other cycle we've done, check this out:

IVF #1: 4 fertilized. D3 transfer of 2 8-celled embies. The only 2 that are 8-celled. Other 2 embies are 6-celled, don't live to blast stage.

IVF #2: 8 fertilized. D3 transfer of 2 8-celled embies. Leaves 1 other 8-celled, 1 10-celled, 2 6-celled. One of the 6-celled makes it to blast, is frozen aka Chilly Willy (a genetically normal 3BB).

IVF #3: 5 fertilized. Freeze-all cycle, push to blast. On Day 3, 2 8-celled embies, 2 10-celled, and a 6-celled. One of the 8-celled makes it to blast, is frozen aka Frozen Frannie (also a genetically normal 3BB).

IVF #4 (this cycle): 10 fertilized. On D3, eight 8-celled, a 10-cell and 1 6-cell.

It is looking good.

I also mentioned that we were not sure if we were going to do the MA genetic testing on this round. We debated it back and forth, and came up with an "if-then" that took into account how I'd done on previous cycles and, well...money. On previous cycles, I'd never gotten more than one blast, and it seemed like the blasts that could survive to that stage were genetically normal. Granted, the n is small, but it was an interesting coincidence. And financially, its $5000 to do the genetic testing again - none covered or reimbursed by insurance. Ouch. So after lots of back and forth with the genetic counselor, we came up with the following, extremely optimistic, tempting the fates, best-case-scenario plan:

Scenario 1: If we get 2 or fewer blasts (which we thought most likely, given past performance), then we would not do genetic testing. We figured that we would transfer one of the already frozen genetically normal blasts in the spring, hopefully get pregnant, and transfer the second genetically normal frozen blast 6-8 months after the first was born. Then, optimistically, 6 months after that one is born, we would transfer whatever was left (1 or 2 untested blasts). Maybe in total have 2 kids, maybe 3. Or 4. Let the fates decide. Because 2-4 kids is my ideal. 3 is perfect.

Scenario 2: If we get 3 or more blasts, then cough up the cash and send them for genetic testing. That way we can figure out which are the good ones to transfer, and still keep with the family planning ideals of 3 kids. Doing SETs with all.

So going into this, I was certain we'd be going with scenario 1. Now, I'm not so sure. Better make sure we have space cleared on a credit card. Gulp.

Fert Report

Double digits, baby!

Of the 14 retrieved, 11 were mature. And 10 fertilized normally.

Most ever fertilized for me. I am over-the-moon happy. Now, I know we are far from out of the woods, but this is has been so different than I feared it would be just a week ago. Just goes to show you, IF is a roller coaster, and there is not rhyme or reason to any of it. I just hope the up swing keeps up for a awhile longer.

Stay tuned for Tuesday, the fateful Day 3 report. I'll also update y'all about if we will do genetic testing this round - it's still up in the air.

Quick update

ER went well yesterday - we got 14 eggs! A personal best.

I'm pretty sore this morning, but better than I felt yesterday. I slept 11 hours last night, and am planning on taking it easy again today. Mr. P is here, which has been so nice. We fly home together tomorrow.

Fert report later today. Keep your fingers crossed.

Ode to Pho

Oh, pho, how I love you. You are beefy and anise-y and noodle-y. You warm me and make me feel like the world makes sense again. I can customise you in so many ways, with all the fresh green basil I want, a squirt of lime here, a dash of sambal there. The crunch of sprout, the squish of noodle, the chew of beef strip. You are all things, the healer of all ails, good for any meal of the day.

I love you very much pho.


Oh, and yeah, the tummy bug has lessened, and I had a yummy bowl of pho today for lunch. Now I am certainly cured. I am convinced pho should be prescribed to everyone. The world would be a happier place, I'm sure.

And, in non-pho related news, I am triggering tonight! After my monitoring visit this morning, I was not thinking it would happen. I had about 8-9 over 16mm on the right, largest measured at 19mm. And 4 bigger than 16mm on the left. But here's what I'm thinking - there is a wide discrepancy between u/s techs. The one I had today was certainly on the conservative side, I could even see her cheating me a mm here and there. When my bloodwork came back at e2 = 2869 (!) they said trigger. Which I agree with. Can you believe, estradiol increased over 1000 in a day? Yeah, I'd say I'm ready.

So at 8:30am on Saturday, I'll be under the knife, or needle, or vacuum, or whatever the hell they use to get those eggs. And most fancy of all, Dr. Famous is on this weekend, so he'll actually be doing my ER. Fancy.

C'mon eggs, let's all be grown ups here! Let's be mature!

Queasy-peasy

Things are still progressing well. My right ovary seems to be fully on the program now, with about 9 measurable follies over 10mm, with about 6 between 15-18mm. Those are growing at the expected pace of 1mm/day. The left ovary is clearly riding on the short bus, it has about 5 measurable follies over 10mm, but only 2 at 14-15mm. And it is growing at about half the pace of what's expected. So I'm hoping to trigger tomorrow (please!) and we'll have more good righties, and less lefties. Last time I was concerned they pushed me an extra day in hopes of getting the slow pokes to catch up, and I think I had some over-mature follies. So if the right reaches decent size tomorrow, I'm ready for a Saturday ER. E2 was at 1838 today, so that is also progressing well.

But all is not sunshine and butterflies around here. Starting late yesterday afternoon, I started feeling queasy. I made dinner (lots of protein and veggies, as I've been having for the last week) but I could barely eat it, it made me gag. Into the trash. Then the back end kicked in, and I've had the "runs" since last night. Ugh, bad, gut-spasm "runs". The nurse did not seem concerned today, just to keep my liquids up. Given my E2 is not that high, it couldn't be OHSS, so it's likely a little bug I picked up at the movie theater (I saw "Nine" yesterday, which was shiny but sorta lame). All I've had today was weak chamomile tea with honey, a few bites of plain white rice and some cran-grape juice mixed with water. Blech, I got the serious queasies going on.

But I can live through it, only a few more days here. A few more days til Mr. P can take care of me, a few more days of this cycle. I'm in the home stretch, and given how this time last week I was not even sure I'd make it to ER, I am happy to be here now. Queasy and all.

The worst is over (I hope)

I think Saturday was the worst of it. Starting Sunday, I woke up in a better mood. I took myself to the outlet mall to walk around and buy a few things. And best of all, I started to feel the ovary ache by afternoon.

This morning I had my monitoring appointment, and it went much better. We saw about 5 measurable follies on each side, right maybe a bit bigger than the left, with the largest at 14mm. So ranging in size from 9 to 14mm. I was relieved to see something measurable at all, and this was better than I hoped. Talking to the nurse, we estimated my ER would be this weekend sometime. If I were a betting girl, I'd go with Sunday. Now mind you, I was supposed to trigger tonight for ER Wednesday. So way behind, but at least not canceled. Then they took blood, and sent me on my way.

I went for an acupuncture appointment, which was so great. I swear, I love me some acupuncture. She did the electro-acupuncture on me, to really wake those ovaries up. It was so relaxing, helped me get some whiffs of zen again. I'm going again later in the week.

Then, the nurse called with my E2 - 1050! I was expecting like 800-900, after the 550 on Saturday. What a great sign! Finally, things moving in the right direction. It's like I'm back to my normal stim self, just 5 days behind. It makes me wonder, could the Sai.zen have suppressed me? After stopping that stuff, my body began to respond to the meds. Who knows, but I think it is an odd coincidence.

So I'm here for almost another week, but at least I have a chance to have a somewhat decent ER. Mr. P is coming Friday, which will be nice. I sure do miss him and my cat. But I am feeling better all around, so I can make it through another few days. I think being here without seeing progress really bummed me out. But now that things are looking up, I'm doing better. Let's keep it going, ovaries!!