An Egg-filled Story

 

Okay, I'm ready to report on our full egg retrieval story in all it's glory, and to send a little shout out to Foxy over at Someday, who is a couple of days ahead of me, and resting up after her perfect 3 day embryo transfer.

So, we started the morning super early with a 5am wake up call.  The goal was to not be rushed as we made our way out the clinic for our 7:20am appt.  I was surprisingly calm, especially considering I usually get nervous just going in for monitoring appointments, and I was oddly excited about the prosepct of being "put under".  I had been under conscious sedation once before, when my wisdom teeth were extracted, and I just remembered how odd it was to be awake one second and then out the next.

When we arrived (20 minutes early thanks to the lack of traffic), everyone was super nice as they escorted us through the special "procedure suite" and into our own private curtained off cubby -- one thing I love about this office is how not sterile-looking it is and how even our private cubby looked kinda like a tiny hotel room with a gurney instead of a bed. 

I changed into my breezy, backless hospital gown, the nurse came to check my vitals and give us some information, and just like that DH was whisked off to the "collection" room and me to the procedure room.  The anesthetist was very sweet, and she talked to me the whole time she was getting the drip set up.  I remember the nurse doing some uncomfortable poking downstairs, while the anesthetist searched for a good vein, and then I was asleep.  I woke up, already back in our cubby, with my husband looking cheerful to see me.  I wasn't in much pain, and my ovaries actually felt lighter and more comfortable which was a nice added bonus.

After some dry crackers, Tylenol, a lot of water, and three trips to the bathroom in less than 20 minutes (I swear my bladder has seriously not recovered from this experience), the doc came to see us and give us the numbers.  I was apparently, "a good producer" and they were able to get 18 eggs (big exhale), and DH's swimmers were given the thumbs up to go for "natural" fertilization as opposed to ICSI.

DH and I discussed our option to have some of the eggs fertilized with ICSI - seeing as how we have no evidence as yet that my eggs can be fertilized by his sperm - but the doc told us that 98% of couples in our situation will do just fine with natural fertilization, so we agreed to risk it. 

I've been feeling pretty good, despite the number of eggs they took out, drinking lots of water, and today I think I might even be able to skip the Tylenol.  Today, I am also far more nervous about the fertilization report than I was yesterday.  Yesterday, I felt happily detached from everything, and safe in my little cocoon of an apartment.  Today, I am anxious each time the phone chirps, and hoping they call sooner rather than later.

Most importantly now, I want to say thank you to everyone for your wonderful messages!  I can't tell you how much it means to me to receive them, and how grateful I am to have you ladies in my life as I go through this process.  You truly are my saving grace.

Love,
- K