My Transfer Day!...

Haven't we been waiting for this day for over a year?! Yes, I think so. Hence the blog title ;-)

Today Amanda and I arrived in Rochester Hills at 9:30am. I immediately had to take a valium to help me relax during and after the procedure. They require a full bladder for the transfer because they use an ultrasound machine to help them see where they put the embryos. On the way down I drank about 30 ounces of water. As soon as I got out of the car I said, "Yup, I gotta pee!"

Different than my other ultrasound appointments, I had to completely undress and wear a hospital gown, complete with a hat and booties. Manda had to wear a gown over her clothes, a hat and booties too. They aren't messing around with this transfer!

We went into a sterile room, got all situated on that fabulously uncomfortable table with stirrups, and the doctor came in. He gave us a picture of our two embryos! He told us it was baby's first picture. They proceeded to pick and poke, press on my full bladder, and boom-they were done. They also gave me a picture showing where the embryos were placed in my uterus. So cool!!

They let me pee, then I had to lay flat for a half hour. Then I got dressed and we went home.

As of today, of the 12 fertilized eggs, we still have 9 good ones. 2 are inside me and the other 7 will be observed for two days. If they still look good in two days, they will be frozen for later possible babies.

I am to continue the medications I've been taking. I am required to be on bed rest for 48 hours. Tuesday morning I go in to have blood work done, just testing my hormone levels again.

Tuesday, April 8th is my pregnancy blood test. I'll write more before then.

While we were waiting we played with crafty stuff to help time pass, we spent the weekend with our moms, and we got all caught up and prepared for the final episode of How I Met Your Mother.

March 25th, The Retrieval...

Yesterday, Tuesday, was my retrieval. My doctors office actually paid to put me up in a hotel Monday night so I wouldn't have to drive all the way from home. So, my mom and I stayed in a hotel that was only about five minutes from the doctors office. It was in Rochester Hills, a different office than my usual one in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti. Anyway, it was very cool that they did that for me.

The retrieval is actually a procedure that involves anesthesia. So I arrived there, changed into a gown, and they started with the questions and poking and testing. When they were ready, I actually walked to the operating room and got situated on the half bed thing with stirrups that go under my knees.

The anesthesiologist puts a mask on my face and tells me it's oxygen. That's the last I remembered.

When i woke up, I felt more groggy than I have in the past. My throat hurt and it was hard to breath in. The nurse said my oxygen numbers were low so she needed me to take deep breaths. I tried but I kept coughing. Apparently, during the procedure, the anesthesiologist had to intubate (I think that's right. Where they put a breathing tube down your throat) me. He said I was acting like I was going to throw up the whole time. Weird.

The doctor came in, he told me I did really good, and said they got 12 eggs! I was a little disappointed because I expected 20 but I get what I get.

My calendar now shows the drugs I am to take after the retrieval. They include:

-Amoxicillin for 5 days, which I've already started,
-Estrace, something to do with estrogen
-Vivelle Dot patches, also something to do with estrogen
-progesterone in oil injections every morning to keep my uterine lining thick. This will help to support a pregnancy.

My transfer will be 5 days later, on Sunday the 30th.

They called today with my fertilization results...
-13 eggs were retrieved yesterday,
-all 13 were mature,
-and 12 fertilized!!

So exciting!! 12 is such a great number. Now they grow for the next 4 days. Until Sunday when we decide which ones to put back in.

While we were waiting I had a fun night with my mom hanging out in a hotel room, we officially signed up for health insurance through Manda's new job, and I laid around for a couple lazy days to allow my body to heal.

March 22nd, The Last Follow Up...

Today's appointment was awesome!

We left Bay City, a scrapbooking event, at 5:30 this morning to make it to Ypsilanti by 8am. It was a fine drive, not a lot of people on the road that early on a Saturday. My doctor wasn't there today so I saw the other doctor in the clinic.

First was my ultrasound. We saw a lot of follicles. The doctor said it was somewhere between 20-25 follicles! Holy crap! They will not all mature completely but it's a good number to start with. He said, "it couldn't look any better". We we're so happy!

I then met with a nurse who drew blood to check hormones and went over my next steps.

Here goes:
-Tonight I am to do things as I've been. The Bravelle, Menopur, and Ganirelix injections.
-Sunday I do those injections for the last time. I then do one of my two trigger shots and start taking an antibiotic.
-Monday I have to go back for a blood test. I am to bring my second trigger shot and they will give it to me while I'm there.
-Tuesday is my retrieval day!! Amanda would say they are "harvesting" eggs that day :) I'm going to Rochester Hills for a minor surgical procedure where they will remove all of the eggs. It involves anesthesia, but still pretty minor.

There is more to this calendar, but I'll update again soon.

It has been a great day :)

While we were waiting we had a relaxing weekend in Bay City, we have been planning for our marriage license in Michigan, and we've been working on a couple really cool projects.

March 20th, Another Follow Up...

My appointment this morning went almost the same as it went on Tuesday. Except today I saw my doctor instead of only a nurse.

I now have at least nine follicles in my left ovary and several in my right ovary. My right ovary is harder to see on the ultrasound, so it's harder to see how many follicles are there. They measure anywhere between 12-17mm, with most of them being between 15mm and 17mm. They are looking for them to be about 20mm when they take them out. My uterine lining also looks good, they want it thick so it will support a pregnancy. My doctor estimated a retrieval date of Tuesday of next week, but I'll get a better date on Saturday when I'm there for my next appointment.

I have to get two more drugs. As if I'm not on a lot of stuff already! I'm getting a booster trigger shot that will be a booster for the trigger shot I already have and some estrogen patches that supplement the missing estrogen that isn't in this booster shot. I don't completely understand, but I do trust that I'm in good hands.

They drew blood again to check my hormone levels but they have been good so far.

Not much new, but a couple days closer to...well, let's hope, a baby.

While we were waiting I enjoyed lazy days with my mom, we figured out our new health care (!), and we continued to pray for comfort for a loved one.

March 18th, Follow Up...

Today was my first follow up appointment. It's been one week since my baseline ultrasound and five days since I've started my meds.

I have two more appointments this week, so I decided to stay with my mom for the middle of the week to save on some gas and drive time. So last night Manda drove me to Perry, where we met my mom for dinner, and did a "kid switch".

Side note: I had to pick a time of day to do my injection so that it will be the same time every day. I decided 7pm would be a good time and not likely to be interrupted with daily life activities. Well, there is nothing like riding in the car on I-69 while drawing up five vials of medications preparing for my 7 o'clock injection and then actually doing the injection in the parking lot of taco bell. Ha! Classy!

So my appointment was at 10 this morning. My mom drove me down as I'm getting rather uncomfortable. I was told I'd likely feel bloated and crampy because my ovaries have more eggs in them than normal. So, yes, they weren't lyin'.

I had an ultrasound that revealed I had "about 7 follicles on the left side" and "several on the right side". The nurse appeared pleased with what she saw, said things are looking good. The largest follicle was 15mm and they are looking for them to be 18-22mm when they take them out (retrieval). I also had my blood drawn again to check my hormone levels. The nurse discussed my hormone levels and my follicle information with my doctor and called me to instruct me with what to do next.

I have to increase my Menopur (FSH and LH to produce eggs and mature eggs) from 2 vials to 3 vials each day. And I am to begin the Ganirelix injection-to prevent premature ovulation. That raises my meds from one poke a day, to two pokes a day.

One day at a time, right?!

While we were waiting I spent a few days with my mom, we stayed strong for those who are very scared, and we saw puppies and ate soft pretzels at the mall.

March 13th, Start Medications...

In my last post I said that if the doctor didn't call me that I could start my medications. Well, they didn't call!! This means all of my blood work looked good to move onto the next step. Yay!!

To begin with, there are two medications that I have to take. They are called Bravelle and Menopur. They are injections not oral meds. They also don't come mixed. I have to take 3 vials of Bravelle and 2 vials of Menopur. So I am to draw up .5 mL of saline solution (I think that's what it is). Then I mix the saline into the first vial of meds. Then draw that liquid back up. Then I mix it with the next vial of meds and then draw that back up, etc. until all 5 vials of meds are mixed into the .5mL of saline. I understand that all doctors have a different protocol for these medications. I am lucky that my doctor allows all 5 to be mixed into one poke.

The poke really doesn't bother me. Needles and shots have never been a problem for me. It's easy. And this needle is tiny. It's only 3/8 of an inch, I think. Almost the whole time we've talked about injectable meds, manda was very thankful that the injection went into my belly because she didn't want to do it. Then last night came along and she asked when she was going to shoot me up. So she did it!

These medications will continue just like this until, at least, my appointment on Tuesday the 18th. Then things might be changed, added, etc.

Just in case anyone was wondering... The Bravelle contains FSH and the Menopur contains both FSH and LH.
FSH is to make me produce many eggs. Instead of just one (which happens in a normal cycle) the FSH will make me produce lots and lots. The more eggs, the better a chance of pregnancy. LH is used to mature the eggs. Again, in a natural cycle, we might produce a few eggs, but only one matures and is released into the fallopian tube. So using both medications together, we are hoping for a whole lot of mature healthy eggs.

While we were waiting we stayed in bed for a few days in hopes that this is my last period in a long time, we packed for Amanda to go on a quick get-away to Ohio, and we gave in to peer pressure and downloaded candy crush ;)

March 11th, Baseline Ultrasound...

Yesterday was my baseline ultrasound. I've been looking forward to that appointment for a long time now! It marked the official start of IVF for us. So exciting!!

My mom went to my appointment with me because Amanda's new job doesn't allow a bunch of days off right at the beginning. It was a beautiful, sun-shiny day. Perfect for a long drive. We even had the windows down part of the time :)

First was my ultrasound. They wanted to be sure my ovaries were "quiet" and that my uterine lining looked normal considering my period will start any minute. I had a couple little follicles in my ovaries already, but they were tiny and of no concern. She was pleased with the way everything looked.

Second was a blood test. They wanted to check all of the important hormones to be sure everything is at a normal level before we start injecting meds and forcing hormones to do things. She told me that she would get the results back yesterday afternoon and she would only call me if something was a problem. She would only call if I need to change something in my IVF protocol. As of 5:30am this morning, she hasn't called :) I guess there is a possibility of her calling today, but we'll cross our fingers that she won't need to.

Third, I was given a medication review. The nurse went over what meds exactly, need to be given when exactly, how exactly, and where exactly. She provided me with a few tools to make things easier. And if I didn't receive a phone call about my blood tests, I am to start my medications tomorrow, Thursday.

Fourth, I had to sign consent forms. You know this is serious stuff when consent forms are involved!  I had to sign forms giving my doctor permission to inject my eggs with sperm, to use donor sperm, to transfer 2 embryos, to freeze any remaining embryos, and anything else that was largely important to sign. A couple things had to be signed now, because once I'm drugged up, getting ready for my retrieval, I can no longer sign for things.

Lastly, I had to pay. I had a combination of a cashiers check and cash. When all was said and done, yesterday I paid:
$10,550 for the procedures
$1600 for all of my labs, ultrasounds and doctor visits
$500 for the first year of "rent" as we plan to freeze some embryos

$12,650. My biggest purchase ever. I still have a hard time with this number. Spending so much on something that isn't a guarantee. On something I desperately want, that isn't a guarantee. It's tough but let's pray it's worth it.

So the next big step is Thursday when I have to start my medications. More on that later!

While we were waiting we played baseball with the family, were entertained by a D and D game via Skype, and supported a family member in a major decision.

It's March!!...

It's March. It's FINALLY March! I feel like I've waited for this month for a really long time. But it's been even harder than I would have ever imagined. It's been one hell of a roller coaster ride.

My (our! including the entire Newman family and all of their family friends) roller coaster ride began at the very top of the hill and quickly came rushing down on February 20th as we learned that Marty, my father-in-law (step father-in-law but I know him as the one who was a real dad for my wife since about age 10), was taken to the emergency room in severe pain. Everyone expressed concern but nobody was prepared for what followed.

On the next day, the 21st, Manda got word that she only had one week left in her job. Our roller coaster flew back to the top of the hill as we learned that she was finally hired for the State job she applied for many months ago. We were so excited! This means a lot for us. It means a solid, steady job. It means a career in a State job. It means benefits. Benefits for Manda. Benefits for me. And even benefits for any children we have. It means a retirement fund. It means that I can stay home while pregnant and be a stay at home mom while our kids are young. (Some people seem to be judgmental about me not working while I'm pregnant. I know for some this is ridiculous, but when they decide to spend more than $13,000 to get pregnant, they will probably be afraid to move let alone be on their feet for 10 hours a day.)

Do you know how difficult it is to be really worried and scared for someone you love and really excited about a new job at the exact same time?! Not easy. It's enough to send your mind into a crazy, spiral, crying mess.

They said it might be cancer. They attempted an operation unsuccessfully. They moved him to Henry Ford in Detroit on the 24th. They performed an operation which after some long, hard days healing for Marty, really seemed to be helpful to him. They also did a biopsy on the masses and blockages on and around his pancreas.

February 28th was Manda's last day at her job. Hectic as she scrambled to finish up loose ends. Crazy as she tried to teach an employee everything she needed to know in only a week. Sad as she loved her customers and knew that she would miss them. Excited as she was about to begin a new leg in life.

Terrified of not knowing how her dad will handle the rest of his life. Marty was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which has spread to his liver. Marty was diagnosed with cancer on his birthday. Marty (unaware) received a death sentence on his 62nd birthday. How awful. How unimaginably awful.

At 2 on Friday afternoon, a party was thrown for Amanda congratulating her on her new job. All day long she went up the roller coaster celebrating her good news, and down again as she thought about Marty.

Fortunately, Marty got to go home the next day, March 1st. His diagnosis remains. It always will. But he gets to be home now. He gets to be with his puppy. With his wife. With his own stuff. His own bed. His own pjs. This doesn't change the awfulness of what he's living through, but it brings a tiny silver lining. A tiny silver lining brought on by the first day of March.

March was originally bringing us much excitement, much anxiety, and a lot of impatience as we await our first appointment of our IVF cycle. We continue to have those feelings but they are coupled with sadness, exhaustion and a different kind of hope. I never thought I'd be praying for a longer, happy, painless life for one person at the same time I was praying for the start of a life for another.

As far as my IVF cycle goes (roller coaster back up the hill!) things are going great! My first appointment is on March 11th, next Tuesday. That's only 5 days away! I'm very excited. Very nervous. And terrified. I'm really looking forward to this next part of our journey. I'll be posting a lot as each appointment will be new information.

While we were waiting we spent a lot of time in the car and at the hospital with Marty, we prayed-a lot, and we experienced the biggest roller coaster ride we've ever had to do.