No embryos to freeze

Our last 3 embryos, that were still growing after our transfer, arrested on Day 6...so we have no embryos to freeze! Hope the 2 that we transferred are in for the long haul...

First picture

Presenting our first picture of the Heaton Babies!!!!! Aren't they cute little things?

Embryo transfer TODAY!!!

Justin and I are driving into The Center for an embryo transfer this am!!! LeAnn told me we have two little embryos calling our name:-}

Check in at 8:00 am and hopefully a transfer around 8:45 am...both feeling VERY EXCITED TODAY!!!!

Day 3 Embryo Progress

http://reddot4ttc.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/embryo-development-101/


I just got a call about the progress of our little embryos (D3) and all 7 are still growing!!!  YAY!!!  But I was informed that it is not uncommon to loose 50% of them between now and D5 (Sunday). 

The drill for transfer day, if our embryos have reached the expanded blastocyst state by Day 5 we will have an embryo transfer:

• Be awake, showered and waiting for The Centers call by 7:30am
• 1 hour prior to transfer, drink 32 oz. of water.  Without a full bladder they can not do a transfer.
• Be at The Center 30 minutes prior to our transfer appointment.

If our embryos are not at the expanded blastocyst stage by Day 5, they are not ready to be transferred to my uterus.  But if the embryos reach the appropriate stage by the following morning (D6) we will have to do a "Freeze All" and prepare to do a frozen transfer at a later date.

Below is a little chart the breaks down embryo development and what the lab is watching for:


http://www.pacificfertilitycenter.com/blog/stages-embryos

Video: Inside the IVF Lab

Do to my science background I keep thinking everyday how I wish I could walk into the IVF Lab to watch what they do during embryo growth.  The whole process just fascinates me to the core.  And since I don't work in an IVF clinic I thought the next best thing was to do one more "Google Search"!! 

This video does a pretty good job walking you through the steps between retrieval and transplant...through the eyes of the lab:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcJWPWb2uBs

Day 1 fertilization report

I just got a call from The Center and we have 7 eggs that were fertilized and are currently growing!  This is our D1 report and we will get another growth report on D3 and D5...hoping for a D5 embryo transfer!

The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day outside!  I woke up with a pretty swollen abdomen, so out came my hubby's WSU sweatpants=). My insides are a bit more tender compared to yesterday as well :-/

My progesterone shot last night went really good, I jumped a little expecting it to bite more! Then I sat against a heating pad for 20 minutes to help work the oil into my muscle.

Retrieval egg count

They were able to collect 18 eggs today from my retrieval. I am excited for my call tomorrow from LeAnn to see how many eggs actually got fertilized!

Excited to not be hurting right now. Justin and I are headed back to my folks so I can get some food in my tummy, take it easy and love on a heating pad for the rest I the day!

Egg retrieval tomorrow!!!

Big day tomorrow!!! Justin and I will be combining forces...FINALLY...thanks to modern science!!!

Justin has to leave a sample of his fine swimmers tomorrow morning during morning clinic at 7am in the doctors office. The embryologist will prep the sperm to fertilize the eggs once they have been retrieved!

I will check in at 9:30 am for a scheduled egg retrieval at 10:30 am. Keys points for tomorrow morning, no food or water after midnight tonight. I can not use any scented lotions, hair products, makeup or perfume the day of retrieval.  Odors can be toxic to embryos so they are not allowed in the operating room. I need to wear loose clothing to the procedure since I will likely experience cramping and discomfort after the procedure.

Once I check in, I will be taken back to an exam room to change into a gown and have an IV started.  I will meet with the anesthesiologist to discuss the retrieval, medications used and take a brief medical history.  Once in the OR, the embryologist will come in to confirm my ID and I will be asked to view a monitor on the wall where my petri dish with my name will appear.  This is where my eggs will be placed and fertilized after the retrieval.  Once I identify my dish I will take a nice 20-30 minute nap and the procedure will begin!

Once I am asleep the doctor will place a speculum in place to clean the vaginal area with saline.  Then a vaginal ultrasound probe will be used to identify the ovaries.  They will use an aspiration needle, which is attached to the probe, and it will be used to penetrate the vaginal wall and enter the ovaries to remove the egg and follicular fluid from each of the follicles.  The doctor will first aspirate one ovary, then move onto the next.  The length of the process depends on how may follicles are in each ovary.  Once all the follicles have been aspirated, the vaginal area is cleaned, the speculum is removed and the procedure is complete.

From the OR I will go to the recovery area.  Abdominal cramping is normal and to be expected.  As soon as I wake up they would like me to eat a small snack and take pain medication.  Justin will be able to join me for recovery once I am awake and ready for a visitor.  Once I am ready to leave and have the pain under control Justin will bring me back to mom and dad's house to finish recovering.  I will likely be pretty tired and should be resting for the remainder of the day.  We should expect abdominal cramping and bloating or up to a week after my retrieval.  It will take a couple weeks for my ovaries to return to normal size from stimulation.

Tomorrow night I will start taking Medrol (oral) and Progesterone (IM hip injection).  Medrol is used because the steroid hormone transiently suppresses the immune function between the time of retrieval and the transfer of the embryos.  It is taken to enhance implantation of the embryo.  The progesterone oil based injection is a natural hormone normally produced by the corpus luteum (a follicle that has ruptured and released the egg).  In IVF, it is administered as an injection after egg retrieval.  It helps to stabilize the endometrium and is essential for implantation of the embryo.  If I get a positive pregnancy test I will have to take the progesterone injection for 46 days post retrieval!

Lots of information I know, this is why my head is spinning!!  Hoping for a great day tomorrow and some good quality eggs =)

Trigger shot tonight!!!

Its time...my ovaries had some pretty look'n follicles today (measuring 20 and 22mm). I will get my trigger shot tonight at 11:30pm in the hip, and 35 hours later we will be retrieving eggs and fertilizing them!!  I still have to visit the doctors office tomorrow morning for lab work but no ultrasound=)

Excited for Tuesdays events and getting to take a break from shots for a day!!  

Little nurse help in the Stab'n Cabin

Sam and Kes helping grandma Kathy supervise my evening shots Friday and Saturday.

Kes really wanted to be hands on...so she helped me push on my tummy after my shots to help avoid bruising.  She was also good help at checking for ouch-y marks!  Look'n good Aunt KA-TEE=)

She's gonna blow...

Just woke up from a nap and it feels like my stomach is going to explode:-/  I think stuff is about to get pretty uncomfortable...sweatpants and loose shirts for this girl!

I have had morning clinics the last 2 days and will be in the office again tomorrow morning. Ovaries are measuring really good, the doctor measured one follicle today at 20 which is what he wants them to be for retrieval. Most of the other follicles measured 16 and 17 in size, so they are close.  I woke up this am with a rash all across my stomach and around my sides, one of my new drugs that I have taken for the past 2 nights is giving me some sort of allergic reaction. Hopefully I only have to take one more of those shots tonight since I can't take any antihistamine medicine to help with the rash!  Keeping my fingers crossed that I get orders to take my trigger shot tomorrow night...time to occupy the brain  with a good book!

Wednesday morning labs & ultrasound

Little catch up from my March 5 morning clinic results.  The doctor was happy with the progress on my large follicles (measuring 14 & 15) during my morning ultrasound which is vaginal...not sure if I have mentioned that yet or not, but my body is NOT a fan of them.  I often find myself doing lamaze type breathing during the procedure and try not to focus on how bad it hurts this poor body of mine.  Ok back to them growing follicles...I also have a bunch of little follicles that he would like to try and stimulate more.  So my drug cocktail has changed a bit.  Last night I had to bump my Follistim up to 300 units, from 225, and now I will add a shot of Ganirelix Thursday night and this shot is to help prevent premature ovulation.

New drug cocktail until Friday Morning:
Wednesday:

•  7pm - Follistim 300 units, Low Dose HCG 20 units

Thursday:

• 7am - Follistim 150 units
• 7pm - Follistim 150 units, Low Dose HCG 20 units, and a new drug called Ganirelix 250 units

Friday:

• 7am - Follistim 150 units before morning clinic

Last night we did a little training session with my sister Muggy T, since I have to get the am shots and mom is gone for work by 7am.  Mom showed her how to give my Follistim shot and she did great!  I honestly think she would have shit her pants if I had screamed or yelled "OUCH"!!!  She was a wee bit nervous, but she was a rock star and even got up early to help me with my morning shot.  I had contemplated before she got up...can I give myself this shot!?!  If need be I'm sure I could, but it is just nice to have somebody else doing the poking.  I told my little brother I could have a slumber party at his new house, but that he would have to help me with my shots...he was pretty convinced he would pass would.  So no slumber parties with the baby brother=)

I feel really luck to have such a great support team here at home and a wonderful hubby who is taking care of the home place while I am in Spokane!  I have a great friend Jenna that has been sending me little daily bits of encouragement via old school snail mail (which I LOVE)...and am always excited for the next days mail!! 

Monday morning labs and ultrasound

Got a message from my nurse coordinator, LeAnn, saying that my morning blood work looks good and as well as my ultrasound. The doctor is happy with my progress and wants to keep my medicine dosage the same: 225 units follistim and 20 units Low Dose HCG.

Next morning lab and ultrasound will be Wednesday! Good work ovaries:-}

Evening cocktail

It's funny how the older I get, the more my idea of a perfect evening cocktail changes. In my early years of college it was a nice cold beer, or an ice cold jäger bomb to get the evening rolling.  Once I decided to test the waters a little bit more I learned to LOVE a really well mixed Cosmo! After college I decided that I could toy more in the wine department....nothing better than gathering with a group of girlfriends and enjoying a nice glass or bottle of wine😉

And in 2014 I have changed my favorite evening cocktail once again...CHEERS to fertility drugs and 7pm shots in "The Stab'n Cabin"!!!

Let's get this party started...

So I have a wee but if catching up to do! This week I have had 2 labs (blood work) and one ultrasound. The doctor was really happy with how my ovaries looked so he put me on the lowest dose of follistim to start the ovary stimulation process! 

All of my drugs arrived on Thursday, and let me tell you...there are A LOT of needles and syringes. Reality is settling in a bit, my ass is gonna get poked lots here in the next month and hopefully longer!!  My dog Izzy (a.k.a. my therapy dog) and I packed the car up yesterday and traveled north. We will be staying at my parents house so that I don't have to be driving back and forth and mom is going to be my stellar shot nurse! Next week I have 7am labs (blood work) and US (ultrasound) M, W, F.

We started shots last night. Current line up includes: 225 units follistim, and 20 units low dose HCG. I will be getting poked every night at 7pm with this dose unless my nurse coordinator calls with different doses based on how my ovaries are stimulating!

I'm happy to by home and ready to focus on just taking care of myself. The ball is officially rolling....come on ovaries work your magic!!!

Calendar of Events

Here is my tentative calendar! I start my shots on Friday night and will be staying up in Spokane from then on out! Time to relax and take care of myself for the next couple of weeks.

Injectable Drugs

Highlighted in yellow are my injectable drugs! Been working hard on pricing out my 8 drugs from different pharmacies...but I think I have finally decided to order everything through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy in Frisco, TX!

I applied today for my fertility pharmacy card through Walgreens...all about extra savings no matter how big or little!!

Shots start Feb 28th

I talked with my nurse coordinator today and I will be starting my shots on Feb 28th. I'm excited to get my calendar, LeAnn will be mailing it out tomorrow. So I will post it once I get it in the mail.

I'm feeling excited... nervous... overwhelmed... all in one!! I feel like I have the weight of 3 1/2 years on my shoulders and I wish I could just shrug it off but I have been waiting for this moment and opportunity in my life for SO LONG!!  

B-I-G...

D-E-E-P...

B-R-E-A-T-H...

we are getting closer to our family💖

What NOT to say to someone struggling with infertility

So, what do you think people would say to you if you were paraplegic instead of infertile? (author unknown)

 

1. As soon as you buy a wheelchair, I bet you'll be able to walk again!

2. You can't use your legs? Boy, I wish I was paralyzed. I get so tired of walking, and if I were paralyzed I wouldn't have to walk anywhere!

3. My cousin was paralyzed, but she started shaving her legs in the other direction and she could walk again. You should try that.

4. I guess God just didn't mean for you to be able to walk.

5. Oh, I know exactly how you feel, because I have an ingrown toenail.

6. Sorry, we don't cover treatment for paraplegia, because it's not a life-threatening illness.

7. So... when are *you* going to start walking?

8. Oh, I have just the opposite problem. I have to walk walk walk - everywhere I go!

9. But don't you *want* to walk?

10. You're just trying too hard. Relax and you'll be able to walk.

11. You're so lucky... think of the money you save on shoes.

12. I don't know why you're being so selfish. You should at least be happy that *I* can walk.

13. I hope you don't try those anti-paralysis drugs. They sometimes make people run too fast and they get hurt.

14. Look at those people hiking... doesn't that make you want to hike?

15. Just relax, you'll be walking in no time.

16. Oh do my legs hurt, I was walking and walking and going up and down the stairs all day.

17. I broke my leg skiing, and was on crutches for weeks, and was worried I'd have a permanent limp, but I'm 100% healed.

18. I'd ask you to be in my wedding party but the wheelchair will look out of place at the altar.

19. You're being selfish, not coming on the hike with us, and looking at all of my track & field trophies.

20. Don't complain, you get all the good parking places.

21. If you just lose weight your legs will work again.

22. If you would just have more sex, you could walk!

23. You don't know how to walk? What's wrong with you? Here let a real man show you how to walk!

24. You are just trying too hard to walk. Give up, and then you'll walk.

25. Here, touch my legs, then you'll walk!

26. Just take a vacation, and the stress-break will be sure to get you walking!

27. When *we* were young we only had to worry about having to walk too much.

28. And I bet a paraplegic going to a bookstore doesn't find books about paralysis stacked next to all the books on running...

So here's a little hint. If someone you know tells you that she's trying to get pregnant and it's taking longer than expected, DON'T tell her to just relax. Don't tell her to adopt and then surely she'll get pregnant with her own child. Don't say, "At least it's fun trying!" Scheduling sex with the person you love isn't fun. Getting vaginal ultrasounds every other day and intramuscular injections in your derriere twice a day isn't fun. Finding out every single month that - yet again - it didn't work this month either is Just. Not. Fun.

DO tell her that you're sorry she's going through such pain/grief/frustration. Do tell her that you're glad she told you. Do tell her that, even if you don't bring it up (because you want to respect her privacy and understand that she might not feel like talking about it sometimes), that you're there for her if she ever wants to talk or vent.

And DON'T feel that because she told you that it's okay for you to tell your other friends, children, co-workers, neighbors, cousins, mailman, whomever - unless she tells you that it's okay to do so. Your need to share news pales in comparison to her need to maintain a shred of privacy and dignity.

 

 

So, there you have it. Be gentle, be kind, and when in doubt- don't say anything but "We're praying for you!" Because more than likely, I'm crazy hormonal and everything that is said will make me cry!

 

Informative Links

I have a few links that I would like to share.  The first is one by RESOLVE (The National Infertility Association) and it is about Infertility Etiquette for friends and family:
http://www.resolve.org/support-and-services/for-family--friends/infertility-etiquette.html

The second is a website that I came across today and it helps breakdown the IVF process in more simple terms and is titled, "The Ultimate IVF Thriving Guide":
http://www.fertilehealing.com/ivf-the-details/

For me I find a huge amount of therapy is reading other peoples stories and talking with those that have been through the process.  Sometimes it is hard to talk about and I totally feel a loss for words...but I find HUGE comfort in those that I don't have to explain everything too.  They just get it because they have walked in my shoes.

Hysteroscopy & IVF Drug Class

Well it's official...me and the hysteroscopy procedure are definitely NOT FRIENDS!  I understand the importance of this procedure in allowing the doctor to see what my uterus looks like from the inside and shape wise, and ultimately if it will be a good home environment for embryos...but women truly should be allowed to be sedated or slightly numbed.  Though the procedure is quite fast, around 45 seconds for the doctor to fill the uterus with saline, it was the LONGEST 45 seconds of my life to date!  Followed quickly by the vaginal ultrasound probe so that Dr. Robins could get a good picture of my uterus shape.  The little bit that I remember was that he said I had a "T-shaped uterus", but that he felt confident that we would be able to implant embryos successfully...THANK THE GODS!!!

We also took our IVF drug class with Karen.  I was lucky enough to have Justin and my mom come to the class since they will be sharing "poking Katy with needles" responsibilities along the way.  I'm hoping that the stomach injections wont be too bad, but I am not overly excited about the oil-based progesterone shots that Justin will be giving me in the hip via intramuscular injection (IM) for 46 days after egg retrieval. This will help make the uterus the welcoming environment for embryos and also help us hold the pregnancy!

Justin and I also made our base payment to confirm our slot in the March 2014 IVF series.  Once I get my calendar from my nurse coordinator I will post it on here, but this calendar is merely a rough guideline and is not set in stone.  I will try to be good about posting what's going on when we actually get into the series.

Please say a little prayer for us.  This is going to be quite a journey and I'm hoping to focus on taking care of myself and my body during the next couple of months.  I already have feeling of wanting to be completely isolated and swallowed by a black hole.  I told Justin driving home last week that I just feel numb to the core and I just think that is because we have been on such a crazy ride to get to this point and I'm just hoping my body can get me through the process.

Just where I'm at...

I feel this way alot these days...

Day 3 labs

So my period started earlier than expected and I had to take a last minute trip up to Spokane last night for a 7am Day 3 lab draw today!  Day 3 labs look at my estradiol, FSH, and LH blood levels.  I didn't even feel the needle when the gal poked me, and hopefully I will have her again since I will be getting lots of regular blood draws in the near future.  These are baseline labs that help set the pace for my drug protocol.  I got to the clinic at 6:50am and was walked out the door at 7:06am to drive back down to Pullman for work.

They also had me jump back on birth control (BC) to start my Suppression Phase.  I will stay on this until we get ready to ramp up my ovaries for egg retrieval.  I was worried yesterday that we would need to change my hysteroscope appointment since my period started earlier than planned, but being on BC allows them to look in my uterus at anytime instead of just Day 5-12.

We also got Justin's Semen Analysis results in the mail last week and he is healthy as a horse...one plus we will take!!!

Yesterday before I drove up to Spokane I was having quite a day of internal stress and anxiety about this whole process.  And I just have to say that I have the BEST partner in crime to undertake this journey with.  Justin in very much my rock and is also helping take on the financial responsibility for this process.  I feel very lucky to have his support and love during this.  This morning he sent me a picture of a new baby calf because he knows them little buggers make my heart smile=)  I do have THE BEST HUSBAND!!!

As it sits we are still waiting for other blood results to come in and are planning on get in on the March IVF series.

Meeting Dr. Robins

Justin and I went and met Dr. Robins at the Center for Reproductive Health in Spokane, WA on January 2nd, 2014.  We didn't know what to expect from the initial consultation, but we were both excited about the idea of IVF helping us become parents.

The following website helps explains the steps in the IVF process:
http://fertilitydoctor.net/start-here/

The first appointment we:

• Met with Dr. Robins,
• met our Nurse Coordinator, LeAnn,
• met Karen the nurse facilitator, 
• Justin got to par-take in the fun activity of a Semen Analysis, and 
• we wrapped it up with blood work on both of us to look for HIV or any other infectious diseases.

The plan moving forward it that I still have to get:

• Day 3 blood draw,
• Hysteroscope (tentatively scheduled for Jan 30th, 2014).

But I thought that I would test this blog....so ready or not, here we go!!!