Extraction Day!!! (Sunday, June 26, 2011)

Physical: Feeling swollen this morning, which is good.  If I felt completely normal, I would worry that there weren't potentially 20 little eggs waiting to be extracted.  I am a bit hungry, having had nothing to eat since last night.  But my procedure is early this morning, so it won't be long until I can eat.

Emotional: I am a bit trepidatious.  Will it hurt?  Amazingly, I never got extremely emotional or crazy from the hormone shots.  I know that each woman reacts differently, so I believe that I have been lucky.

This is especially important to me because, unlike those married women undergoing IVF (which the fertility clinic is teaming with), I don't have a husband.  What I do have is a new boyfriend who has been incredibly supportive.  Throughout the process, I have feared that I would have some sort of emotional upheaval that would send him running for the hills.  But, alas, we have survived and he has been an absolute savior, including getting up at an ungodly hour this morning to make sure I made it to surgery on time.

The funny part was when the nurse asked him for his sperm sample!  I had to immediately intercede that we are not making embryos today!  Please don't fertilize these eggs!!!  That could've been the straw that sent him running, but instead he joked about it and offered (privately, to me) to go hang out in the semen sample production room, especially if they had good magazines/movies!

The Procedure
So, after being hooked up to an IV, they walk me into the Operating Room and sit me on the table.  I position myself as instructed and answer the nurses questions about my identity.
...

Next thing I know, I'm waking up to the sound of my perfect new boyfriend's voice!  I'm in the recovery room and can't believe that the procedure has been completed.  No pain, no discomfort.  I waddle to the car and, with a quick stop at the pharmacy and grocery, head home to convalesce.

Injections: Day 9 (Friday, June 24, 2001)

Physical: The title of this post is misleading, because after my morning injection of Ganirelix, there were no further injections.  The doctor decided that my follicles are mature enough to trigger tonight! (Today's Test Results: 20 follicles visible, 16 are big, 4 are dinky, estrogen 2672)  That estrogen sounds ridiculous, if you ask me!

Emotional: Amazingly, considering the level of my estrogen, I'm still as sane as I ever was.  I'm very grateful for this.

I'm afraid of the trigger shot.  There are no two ways about it, the needle is long and I'm a chicken!  I brought my shooter to the doctor with me this morning in order to give him a crash course in administering the trigger shot.  The nurse insisted it doesn't hurt, but I don't believe her.

Evening update:  The trigger shot really didn't hurt!!!  I am very sensitive to needles.  When they take my blood at the doctor, I can't stand it.  But amazingly, the 1.5 inch needle in my butt, into the muscle, was barely noticeable.  I kept asking if he was sure it was in (probably not a question men like to hear in any other circumstances ;).  But, GOOD NEWS LADIES, it was in and it was completely painless!

Injections: Day 8 (Thursday, June 23, 2011)

Physical: Generally, I'm fine, but feeling a little swollen, fragile, and just not 100%.  I left work at 4pm because there was no reason to tough it out and jeopardize my health. (Today's Test Results: 13 are big with some behind, estrogen 1850)  With the follicle count, it seems like there's a bit of gamesmanship going on.  Understandably, the doctor doesn't want my expectations to be built up, so they've stopped telling me as much about the smaller follicles.  That's fine.  I know there are at least 17 there somewhere!  Grow babies grow!!!

Emotional: Amazingly, considering the level of my estrogen, I'm still as sane as I ever was.  However, I'm probably less fun than normal because all I want to do is chill out at home and watch movies.


Is anyone reading this?  Tell me your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below.  Have you considered freezing your eggs?  It took me about two years of thinking about it, researching, and getting comfortable with spending the money before I was ready.  But I have to say, as soon as the doctor's appointment was made, I felt like a weight was lifted, like I could stop grasping straws and trying to make the wrong relationships work.

Injections: Day 7 (Wednesday, June 22, 2011)

Physical: The swollen feeling continues, but it's nothing that is changing my life.  I can still do most normal things.  I'm going to work without a problem.  The major difference is no exercise (I normally run and lift weights) and nothing else to physically strenuous.  (Today's Test Results: 13 follicles were measured, but 3 of them are kinda dinky, so call it 10 big, estrogen 1057)

Emotional: I feel fine.

FYI, there was no doctor's appointment yesterday and nothing exciting happened, so I didn't feel the need to post.


The Doctor's Take
Today, the doctor joined us (the ultrasound nurse and me) during the ultrasound.  She was quick to tell me that I only had 10 decent sized follicles.  That is good, but I shouldn't be too confident that I won't have to go through a second cycle of egg freezing in order to get the desired 15+ eggs.


This definitely put a damper on my enthusiasm, but I also chalked it up to her desire to set my expectations low so that I would likely be happy with the outcome of this cycle.

Injections: Day 5 (Monday, June 20, 2011)

Physical: Starting to feel more swollen and bloated for parts of the day.  I go back and forth from feeling normal and feeling a bit fragile.  (Today's Test Results: 17 follicles visible, 7 are measurable (not sure what happened to the 8th one that was measurable yesterday), estrogen 648)

Emotional: I'm perfectly sane.  Really, I might be immune to the emotional effects.  I'm just so level-headed!  Who am I kidding?  I'm sure devil-woman is waiting in the wings for her opportunity to strike next week...



I'm absolutely thrilled to have 17 follicles.  Let's just hope they all mature and have beautiful, perfect, little eggs in them.


Is anyone reading this?  Tell me your thoughts.  Have you considered freezing your eggs?  It took me about two years of thinking about it, researching, and getting comfortable with spending the money before I was ready.  But I have to say, as soon as the doctor's appointment was made, I felt like a weight was lifted, like I could stop grasping straws and trying to make the wrong relationships work.

Injections: Day 3 (Saturday, June 18, 2011)

Physical: I have some slight swelling and bloating, but really nothing to complain about.

Emotional: Still not crazy!  My emotions are nothing out of the ordinary.  In fact, I might feel less today that I have recently.  Am I immune to the hormones?!?! (I know, famous last words...)


Stay tuned...

Injections: Day 2 (Friday, June 17, 2011)

Physical: I'm just spotting a little from the period that started on Tuesday, post birth control pills.  Otherwise, I have generally felt normal today.  There may have been some slight cramping and bloating, but nothing that really impacted my day.  I'm spending the evening relaxing at home and watching a movie after shooting up.

Emotional: Not crazy yet!  I'm still me, no emotional swings so far.  I'm still happy and very appreciative of supportive friends and family.



The shots went faster tonight.  Halfway through, I stopped and thought:
    "This is crazy!  I hate needles.  What was I thinking?"


I can only half remember why I'm doing this.  The other half of me feels so young and invincible.  Who me, not be able to bear children someday?  Impossible!  I am strong like bull!  I guess, strong like cow is more appropriate.  Hmm, do I really want to equate myself with a cow?


In case you're wondering, no, it's not the hormones that have made me so goofy...I'm always like this!  Maybe that means I'll be a fun mommy!

Injections: Day 1 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)

Physical: I'm still bleeding from the period that started on Tuesday, the day after I stopped taking birth control pills and had my baseline tests done.  (Baseline Test Results: 11 follicles visible, no cysts, no pregnancy...it's a go!)

Emotional: Upbeat, curious about the process, happy to have friends and (however bizarrely) a new and amazing boyfriend to support me through this process.

I pull out my big box of meds at 7:15pm, thinking this will be simple.  Hold on, what did I do with my notes from Injection Class?  Crap, they're not in the box of meds; they're not in my folder of egg freezing-related document; they're nowhere!

"Relax", I tell myself.  Then, I remember that there's supposed to be a video online.  One final review of the documents in my folder yields an instruction manual.  Awesome!  However, it's funny how it seemed so simple when I was mixing and injecting the artificial belly during the "injection class".  Now, it seems like absolute rocket science.

I inject the Gonal F on the right side of the belly.  I must admit that I do have that one inch of chub to pinch, which is just what I need for a good injection.  The Menopur is going in the left belly.  I'm amazed that I can barely feel the needle going in.  The Gonal F, upon injection, causes no sensation at all.  However, there is a slight sting with the Menopur.  By 8:00pm, I'm done with my injections.  I'm sure it will go much faster tomorrow.

It's now about 45 minutes after the injection.  I'm sitting on the couch, writing my inaugural blog entry, feeling like my belly is bloated or swollen.  But I kinda think that sensation is psychosomatic.  Otherwise, nothing has happened yet.

Stay tuned...