Egg Retrieval Update

It was a rough morning...

BJ and I got up bright and early for the egg retrieval this morning.  I was the only patient in this wing of the facility this morning so it was nice to have 3 people to talk to.  My luck apparently ran out with first attempt needle sticks today and it took a few to start an IV...oh well.  Similarly to last time I walked back to the Operating Room.  They gave me less medicine this time just in case it affected my egg quality.  So...ouch.  It kinda feels like I sat on a spear, which in a way...I guess i kinda did.  

As I was waking up, they told me they got 18 eggs.  I was devastated and had a meltdown. Jan, my coordinator, Susan my recovery nurse, and Susan the embryologist were not upset in the least.  They stuck around and comforted me.  They kept reminding me we were going for quality not quantity.  I'm so stuck on it being a numbers game.  Jan kept saying that my stimulation went so much better this time.  Embryologist Susan told me she would update me in the afternoon about the number of mature eggs.  So, out of 18...16 were mature and she used ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) to fertilize the eggs.  I'll find out tomorrow how many actually fertilized.  

As a frame of reference, people go through IVF all the time with only 3-5 eggs and have successful outcomes. It's just difficult for me because it's hard to not play the numbers game in my situation when I previously had 24 eggs with no success.

Tonight I start my estrogen patches and PIO shots.  I learned that because my follicles are aspirated during the egg retrieval procedure, there is no corpus lutea left to supply estrogen and progesterone.  That is why I have to pretend I'm getting ready for male to female gender reassignment surgery with all my hormone treatments.  If/when I get released to an obstetrician, he/she will determine if my placenta is functioning well enough to back off on the hormone supplements.  

I'm holding vigil for my embryo babies.  For all intents and purposes I'm going to assume I have 16 embryos to work with.  I cannot wait to hear how they did tomorrow.  I'm really anxious to hear how they do by day 3 on Sunday.  This is when things started to go south for my embryo babies last time.

Well, I'm still feeling pretty rough, so I'm going to head to bed.  Please keep my embryo babies in mind tonight.  They can use every ounce of support they can get! Grow, babies, grow!

Peace, Love, and Quality over Quantity,

MK