Step By Step, Day By Day

Well, I had my Beta blood test and my number was a 644.  So I am OFFICIALLY preggo according to the docs. For anyone that isn't familiar with beta numbers that, it's pretty high for a single baby.  So there may be two or it might be just one REALLY healthy baby... Yikes for two.  I have had my second blood test (7 days later) and it was 3434.  Showing steady growth BUT maybe not as rapidly as twins.  These are all assumptions that I make based on other people's stories.  For all I know there are eight in there and I will be banished from society like that Octo-lady.

Currently I am dealing with a boat load of side effects.  I can't say that it is from being pregnant as I am sure it is from the crap-ton of meds in my system.

1- ALWAYS exhausted.  I could sleep right now in fact.  I also enjoy sleeping under my desk on a regular basis.  In the morning I feel amazing.  At around 10-11 am, I feel like death.  That lasts until 8:30 pm and then I absolutely must sleep. 

2- Slightly nauseas.  Nothing ginger ale and small meals doesn't cure.  This was happening before the transfer, so I will assume it is meds.  It's just getting slightly worse, but so far I have held it together... for the most part.

3- Body temperature.  At night (right after shots) I sweat.  Bad.  My poor husband.  :-(  During the day- FREEZING.  At work I usually have a cardi, a scarf and a jacket.  It's 78 degrees outside and THAT is my outfit.

All in all I am excited to get off the meds.  Also thrilled to have the ultrasound.  That is next week.  That's when we will know how many are in there...  As of today, 5 weeks an 4 days along... CRAZINESS!

Me giving a shot- looks like I am doing it in
the side, but I am pretty twisted around and
 it's right above my bum.



I Think it Worked.....

So it started out with a 2 hour drive up to L.A. with the hubby.  Then we sat in the office and I took my Valium (yes it is prescribed) and all I wanted to do was relax.  I completely understood why they gave it to me because I was super nervous.  About 30 minutes later, they took us back into the room.  They brought in what looked like an incubator and I got to take a look at two little embryos.  It was an amazing, once in a lifetime, experience.  They looked something like this-

Then the doctor began prepping and then he said, ok we are done.  It literally was completely painless and super quick.  I had to lay there for 30 minutes with my bottom half lifted and then we went home....

Then comes the wait.  The odds are in our favor I believe.  Strong egg donor, healthy embryos and my stellar uterus.  But those factors don't always mean success.  Science can only go so far.  My blood test isn't for a few days to determine if I am or am not preggers.  HOWEVER, I obviously couldn't wait that long.  So I have obviously taken a test, or two, or 20.  I don't have the most recent, but I have one of my first positives below....

I have darker, more visible ones now, just no photos.  So... I am cautiously optimistic that everything was a success!  In other words, I am

PREGNANT!!!

OH GOSH!

This morning I had another ultrasound, and let me tell you, I didn't have high hopes.  Last time I went in assuming all was swell and they told me that my uterus was not cooperating.  This time.... it's READY FOR BLAST-OCYSTS (haha, like ready for blast off, but blastocysts... I made a funny).  Anyway, so they were like: "yo lady, nice uterus, we will be using it for a while." (or something to that affect.) 

So I sent a text to the baby daddy and let him know and we were both excited.  YAY! 

Fast Forward a couple of hours (lots of driving and work being done during this time)
WAITING WAITING WAITING for the Fertility Clinic to call and give me medication (A LOT MORE) instructions and a date.   In approximately one week little embryos are going to make their way from their dish to my uterus and make it home for a few months.  I can't believe it!  I mean, things can still go wrong, but this is pretty exciting, so I will enjoy it. 



Me- Right before my Ultrasound



AAAAHHHH!!!!!!  So in 2012 I will be carrying a baby for someone - what's on your docket?  Oh and apparently I also have been forced to make a resolution to be a bit more tidy (agreed on by my BFF <<<click there to read her adoption journey>>> and the hubby because they are OCD and I am NOT) 

HAPPY 2012!!!!!!!!!

Delays Delays Delays

Well, the transfer didn't happen.  That doesn't mean it isn't going to happen, but it didn't.  Yet.

I went to the doctor on Dec 6th and he told me that my uterine lining was looking a little thin.  It needed to be 7-12 mm (i think) thick, and mine was only at 6.3.  So they gave me some extra estrogen and then I came back a few days later for another ultrasound.  I didn't really think anything of it and was told it was pretty common, but the extra estrogen should boost it.  So when he gave me the news that it was thinner (5mm) not thicker, I was incredibly disappointed. 

The thing is, the Intended Father is an amazing man.  And this is not his first attempt at surrogacy.  So I wanted so bad to be able to tell him his long wait was finally over and that he would be a father in just nine short months.  However, I do have high hopes, and can't wait until we can do the transfer.  He said he was anticipating this delay, but hopefully there are no more.

Anyway, I went off meds, let them all cycle out and started back on them on Dec 21.  The mid cycle ultra sound is on January 3rd.  As long as there are no issues with that, we should be transferring an embryo or two shortly after. 

On another note, because the transfer didn't happen I had plenty of time to study and take my calculus final... That I FAILED.  Thankfully though, I passed the class.  No more calculus for me.  EVER. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a safe and awesome start to 2012!!!

A Calculus Final or an Embryo Transfer....

So our transfer date was originally set for December 12.  Which worked ok with my schedule.  It is my work Christmas party, but I could go without.  I mean, it's easy to determine which is more important.  BUT then, the egg donor's cycle was off by a few days so they said that the transfer would be on the 15th or 16th.

I was like SCORE!  Christmas party here I come.  Until I realized that the 15th is the day of my Calculus final.  Pretty hard to take a final if you are on bed rest.  I stressed about this all morning.  And then I found out from the Intended Father that they are definitely aiming for the 15th.  UUUUGGGHHHH!

So, I called the fertility  clinic and they were super amazing.  They said that as long as I am straining my mind only and not my body, it would be fine if I took my final that evening after the embryo transfer.  YAY!  I am still waiting for the IF's approval, but that is one less stress.  Thank goodness.

The only drawback is that I have to take a Valium before the procedure.  Anyone wanna guess how awesome my grade will be after taking a Calculus final while under the Valium cloud?  We will see....

Sometimes You Feel Like a Druggie....?

So, shots have been going for about three weeks... and at this point the stomach ones (Lupron) have become second nature.  I can do them in a matter of seconds.  The needle is nothing now...

But let's discuss Delestrogen.  Those need to go intramuscular (read: in the butt).  And the needle is GIANT (see photo). I figured no big deal we are pretty much pros.  I forgot to think about things like... traveling.  And what to do if you need to give yourself a shot.  The obvious answer...

DO IT IN A BURGER KING PARKING LOT

Is that not the conclusion that YOU came to? Me neither.

So we went to San Francisco for Turkey Day and traffic was predictably terrible.  So we wound up being much later than anticipated.  At 7:30 I say to the hubby, I gotta do shots in like 30 minutes... Ok- We will stop somewhere.  So we get to Burger King AKA County Hospital and their restrooms are FOUL.  I didn't even want to wash my hands for fear of contracting a disease.  So that was out.

I go back to the car and we decide to do it in the car.  Rump up, under street lights and in a VERY public place.  Yes.  I looked like a crack head.  Because I then proceeded to whip out my other syringe and shoot up my belly with Lupron.  Quite the thrilling adventure that I hope to never repeat.

Anyway... things are on track, for the most part.  Which is swell.  A couple more weeks until the transfer as long as all goes well... I can't wait!

Wow.... 'Nuff Said

Shots.  Not really a big deal.  At this point I have had quite a bit.  Between childhood and the military, I have had many a shot....

None were given by my husband though.

Having him give me the shot on Friday was emotionally exhausting.

We prepared everything. 

Then we read all the instructions.  Multiple times.  Then we watched

videos. Multiple times.  At this point we were both drained and

 just wanted it done.

Finally, he gave me the shot.  I may or may not have yelled.  Multiple times.  (This may or may not have been videotaped).  I trusted this man so much.  Until Friday, somehow it was all gone.  He might as well have been a stranger on the street giving me a shot.

I am glad that the first one is over.  So far the second and third have been much easier.  Which is promising for our relationship.

I have only notice one side effect (I find it to be wonderful), the medication makes me very drowsy, so within 20 minutes I am out.  Good thing I am not taking it before work!