One more week...

One week from today is my ultrasound.  To be honest, I haven't thought too much about it, as I've been pretty busy with work and things at home and Elizabeth, so I guess that's good.

I've been feeling pretty good, crampy on and off, but different cramps than menstral cramps, so I think that's good!  I have been nauseaus on and off, but nothing bad yet.  I almost forget I'm pregnant most of the time.  We had Elizabeth's cousin Sammy's first birthday party last Sunday, and there was beer there... I almost grabbed one!  I normally would!  I just wish I would "feel" more pregnant now.  Just as a comfort, I guess.


Silly girl!



Elizabeth has been feeling crappy the past 2 weeks or so with allergies (at least that's what we think it is).  She's had a runny nose like no other.  Poor thing.  She was on Zyrtec for awhile, then we got a prescription anti-histamine syrup which we hope is what is working, because after 10 days of this, yesterday was the FIRST day it hasn't run!  Woo hoo!



Oscar and her are buddies!

 She's also been "pushing" a lot, like she is trying to poop, but nothing is coming out.  She either curls in a ball or crouches and just pushes.  Mabye 4 times, then she continues what she is doing... like nothing happened!  I will check her diaper after these pushing episodes, sometimes there is poop, sometimes not.  Weird. I finally called the Dr. about it last Friday, they said she may be constipated in the lower intestine, but some is going around the blockage so it let's some poop through.  So they suggested Milk of Magnesia, which is a laxative, so see if we can soften it up and let it pass.  After about 5 days on it, yesterday was the first time she didn't push.  And when she did, it was for the real thing!  Hooray!  Hopefully that's fixed too! :)



Easter 2011



She's 16 months now... can't believe it.  She's so independent too.  She wants to go up and down stairs by herself, she "helps" me by bringing me things I ask her to, she says about 20 words now, and learning new ones every day.  She knows what a cow says, monkey says, bear says, and what cookie monster says!  (in a low growley voice... "cookie!!")

So one more week until we see what we have created in there... I'm still thinking only 1 in there.  But if there is more than one, there is nothing I can do about it but freak out at first. Oh boy... I think Tommy would be the one to freak out the most.  Especially if we find out it's 2 more girls!  :) 





2nd Beta

My beta went from 73 to 213!  Great numbers!  they really just want them to double in 48 hours, instead mine trippled!  But I'm not worried about more than one... these are VERY similar numbers to when I was pregnant with Elizabeth.  But I am very excited!

Go back for first ultrasound on Thursday, May 26th.... 12 LONG days away! :)

Beta day!

I went in for my beta today... and it was POSITIVE!!!

Top is from Monday, bottom from Tuesday... getting darker! :)

Actually, I already knew that (he he) because I hate to admit it, but curiosity got to me.  I peed on a stick on Monday AND Tuesday, and got a positive result! Didn't want to spill the news just yet, as I wanted to get confirmation from the Dr. first!

My actual beta number came in at 73 (it was 84 with Elizabeth), progesterone was 38.2 (great!) and estrogen was 116.  All good numbers! 

From Dr. Doherty's office this morning... positive!!

I go back in on Saturday morning for a repeat blood test to make sure the beta number doubles in 48 hours. 

Dr. Doherty was so funny, she gave me a hug and told me "Good job!"  Ha, like I had anything to do with it... she did it all!  If it were't for her, I wouldn't have Elizabeth or this baby.  She is truly a miracle maker!  Elizabeth is proof!

I'll keep you posted!

I'm PREGNANT!!! :)

Caught early

Went in for some more bloodwork yesterday just to check my levels, and it's a good thing I did!  My estrogen levels dropped a bit!  went from 1572 to 1148.  Not a HUGE drop, but still.... that would have been bad if that weren't caught early. 

So I was prescribed the Climara patch, an estrogen patch I have to wear on my abdomen now to help boost my estrogen levels. 

I asked the nurse that called with the news why this happened, she just said it does, sometimes age has to do with it (age, again). She said not to worry, it doesn't mean I'm not pregnant, just means it was a good thing we caught it now otherwise, if I WAS pregnant, I probably wouldn't have been able to sustain the pregnancy.

So it's a good thing!

6 days until my pregnancy test!

Transfer and other fun!

Yesterday was egg transfer day.  It started with Dr. Doherty calling about 7:45am to tell me all my embies looked REALLY good... so she said she will leave it up to me how many we transfer.  She said she really oscillates between 2 and 3 for my age (ahem.. 37).  So I told her I was good with 2.  So she said ok, they will take the best 2 and see if we can freeze the rest!

Grandma came over about 8:45, then we were off to the hospital.  I took my valium right before we left, and took a big cup of water to drinnk, since I had to have a full bladder.  Got checked in, they came almost right away to get us, and off we went next door to the hospital!

I changed into my gown, party hat and slippers, and so did Tommy.  They took my vitals and asked how my bladder was.  I thought I needed more water, so they gave me another glass.  About the same time I realized that I had indeed drank too much, my valium kicked in, and I was dizzy!!  Relaxed, but dizzy!  Wheeeeeeeeee!  I was so afraid I was going to wet the bed.. I kept shaking my leg, trying to focus on the TV ion the wall, anything to take my mind off my bulging bladder!

At 10:10am, they were ready for us! Our nice nurse wheeled us down to the same OR we had the retrieval.  I walked in, and got on the table, everyone was all ready to go.  The really COOL part about this was that on the wall, there was a huge flatscreen I hadn't noticed before.  Dr. Doherty told us to watch it. In the next room was the embryologist, and the microscope she used to fertilize and watch our babies was hooked into this TV!  she showed us the dish, which had my name and info on it, so we  know it's our babies, then she positioned the dish right in the middle of the microscope.  Dr. Doherty then walked over to the screen to point out our 2 little embryos!  They were so cute! Just little bubbles on this huge screen.  Then we could see the catheter come in the picture and both little embryos got sucked up inside.  Funny thing was, as we watched them go in the catheter, which was clear, they went down side by side, not one in front of the other.  Dr. Doherty said, "Uh oh, maybe this is a sign of things to come!"... meaning maybe twins!?


The best one... on the left



Baby #2



The embryologist came out of the room with the catheter, and guided by an ultrasound, in they went in me.  Felt nothing and took maybe 2 min.  I then scooted off the OR table onto the hospital bed, and was wheeled back to our room where I had to lay for 60 min before we could leave.  it was 10:30am at that point. I fell asleep, as the valium was still in effect, and I think Tommy did too!

Finally, 11:30 rolled around, I could get up to get dressed, and then layed back down on the bed.  I was wheeled out to the Doctor's garage (underground), where Tommy brought the car.  I got in the backseat, layed down, and off we went!

I was starving, so we stopped for lunch at Dairy Queen (they have the BEST burgers!) and then we headed home to eat.  I got out of the car, went immediatly up to our room, got in bed, and have been there since!  My back is KILLING ME... been taking tylonol like candy, and trying to get comfortable.  It sucks, but will all be worth it if we get a baby out of this!

I go back this Thursday for blood work, and then the pregnancy test a week from Thursday, May 12. 

It's going to be a LOOOOOOONG week!

Fertilization Reports!

Sorry I haven't been able to update daily... I have been in quite a bit of pain since Friday!  Swollen belly, bloating, cramps, all the way up into my chest and neck.  I have been pretty miserable.  Sunday morning, I was so nauseausous that I finally called the Dr.  She said it's normal, all the bloating was probably pushing up on my stomach, causing me to feel bad.  So I've been loaded up on tylenol and pepto bismol.  Good news, I FINALLY feel somewhat normal today.  Thank GOD, because today is transfer!!

This is how our report has gone:

17 eggs recovered
15 mature
13 were ICSI (where they inject one sperm into the egg to assist in fertilization)
12 fertilized normally
10 growing normally

Yesterday's report was that all 10 made it to Code 1, which means they all made it to the milestones they should have for that day!  So that is EXCELLENT news!!

Protocol for today is gma is coming over this morning at 8:45, we have to be at the hospital at 9:15.  Transfer is at 10am.  Have to have a full bladder and take a Valium before we go.... FUN! :)  Then it's just like a pap smear, they will insert a soft flexible tube in my uterus, and guided with an ultrasound, place the embryos right where they need to be!

Oh, Dr. Doherty is supposed to call me sometime this morning with the report on how my 10 babies are doing and discuss how many to transfer.  She said earlier in the week, if they are so-so quality, then transfer 3.  If good quality, then only 2.  So we will just hope for transfering 2 :P

After the transfer is done, I have to be on my back for the next 48 hours... YAY!  Even on the ride home.  Have to lay in the back seat.  This is going to suck, but it's all worth it for a baby!

OK, better get going, the dogs want in and I hear Elizabeth talking to herself in her crib.  Time to start the day and hopefully get pregnant too!

I'll keep ya posted!