Our IVF Journey, Part One

After our big announcement yesterday, I thought I would let you all in on how we got here. It wasn't as easy as it is for most. We've been on a 2 year journey to get to this point. After a failed year on our own, and 6 failed months on fertility drugs we arrived at IVF as our solution. Today and tomorrow I'm going to share our IVF process. I decided to keep track of my entire process so that I could look back one day and remember what I was going through at the time. This post is extremely long and I really don't expect anyone to read it, but keeping this journal really helped me keep up with everything that was happening. I also thought someone going through what we went through might benefit from hearing our story. I started writing this post in early June.

Our IVF Journey, Part One
So, I have to come clean. We've been keeping a secret that only a handful of people know. We've been going through the IVF process. We told our parents and siblings but decided to leave it at that. I don't really know why since I've been so open about everything else I've gone through, but something just told me to keep it quiet. It's a long and very intense process and I just felt the less people who knew, the better. I needed to keep my stress low and fielding questions from 20 or 30 people would not allow me to be stress free.

Back in May after 6 failed cycles on Clomid (a fertility drug), I had an HSG test. We found out that I had a blocked fillopian tube on my left side. I already had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome so with that, plus the blocked tube, my doctor recommended that we start down the path to in vitro fertilaztion (IVF). I was pretty devastated at first. I had it set in my mind that we wouldn't ever get to that point and I was not mentally ready for it. After a day of feeling sorry for myself, talking about it at length, and crying until my eyes were puffy; I became more determined than ever.

Michael and I talked about it over and over and over again. He told me that he would support any decision I made and that if I didn't want to go through with it and explore adoption or stop trying altogether, he was fine with it. But, I'm not a quitter, and I never wanted to give up. I started researching IVF like crazy to get a better idea of what it involved, what our chances were, how much it would cost, etc. My OB recommended an IVF specialist for us to meet with and we were lucky to get in for a consultation the next week. On Wednesday, June 8 after meeting with several professionals at the IVF office and talking through all of our available options, we made the decision to move forward with IVF.

After our initial consultation, they sent me home with about 25 books, pamphlets and CD's to review. I read every single thing front to back twice. I wanted to educate myself on the entire process so I would know what to expect all along the way. After reading everything, I started to feel excited more than scared. I just had a good feeling that this is what we needed to do to get our family started and that it was going to work.

A week later on June 14, we went back to our IVF office for a training class on the entire process, timeline, how to give injections and we both had to get a blood test. It was pretty funny because I taught one of the nurses how to give one of the injections because I watched one of the CD's they gave me and she was telling me how to do it wrong. She couldn't believe I had actually watched all the instructional videos and read everything they gave me. She said no one does that. Obviously she had never met me before! LOL

We found out that I would be in the August IVF group. They batch all of their patients together and the doctors only see that IVF group the entire week of the month. That way they can focus only on their IVF patients. The retrieval and transfer would be around the week of August 15 - 22. I really started to get excited. All I had to do was wait to get my period, get a blood test, and then they would put me on birth control to put me in a holding pattern until I was ready to start the injections for the retrieval. I didn't really want to wish Summer away, but I've never been so excited for Fall. I could be pregnant by Labor Day and that's all I could think about!

Here's how the next several weeks played out:

Thursday, June 16 - I got my period
Friday, June 17 - I went for a blood test - I got stuck 8 times in order to get my blood drawn, it was rough.
Sunday, June 19 - I started birth control to keep me in a holding pattern until early August.
Friday, June 24 - I got full medical clearance form my primary care doctor that I'm healthy and can start the IVF process. 
The rest of June and July - Wait and wait and wait some more...I am enjoying all this time without doctors, needles and tests, I must say!
Friday, July 22 - I got all of my medications for my IVF cycle - it's getting pretty real about now seeing all those needles and drugs!

Friday, August 5 - I had my first blood test and ultrasound. My blood test didn't go very well. They stuck me 9 times and still couldn't get my blood. Luckily my ultrasound looked great so I was able to start taking my stimulant injections today. I have to inject myself every evening. I thought I would have a hard time stabbing myself in the stomach, but it was no big deal. It's amazing what you are able to overcome when you want something really bad.

Monday, August 8 - I went in for another blood test and ultrasound to see how I was progressing. We could see 8-10 follicles forming in my ovaries. They said I was progressing right on track. I had a much better experience getting my blood taken today. They got it on the second try. I was never so excited to see my blood flowing into a tube! I got a call later in the day to up my dosage, grow little eggs grow!

Wednesday, August 10 - I went in for yet another blood test and ultrasound to see how our little eggs were growing. They were able to find my blood again today, it took 5 tries, but at least they got it. Our eggs looked great. I had 6 large follicles and 12-15 smaller follicles still growing. My ovaries are really going to hurt in a few days as they get bigger. Overall, she said that everything looked perfect. I got another call later in the day to increase the dosage again to get the rest of those smaller eggs to catch up!

Friday, August 12 - It's blood test and ultrasound time again. I feel like all I've done is go to the doctor this week! Everything still looked great, lots of follicles growing. It looks like my retrieval will be Wednesday the 17th, but we will see how it all plays out. The best part was that I only got stuck once for my blood test, it was a good day!

Sunday, August 14 - Nothing says Sunday like a blood test and an ultrasound. I was hoping this would be my last time before my retrieval but unfortunately I have to go in Monday as well. It's okay though because I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully I will have my retrieval on Wednesday but we'll see what happens. I'm ready to cross the finish line!

Monday, August 15 - Back to the doctor's office for yet another blood test and ultrasound. My veins have just about had it, but luckily the past few times they've gotten my blood on the first try. Everything looked good on my ultrasound and she told us that our retrieval would most likely be Wednesday or Thursday. It's very exciting that the end is in sight, let's hope it works! Tonight I got a call that my retrieval was officially scheduled. I am going in on Wednesday, August 17 at 11:45 with my retrieval at 1 pm. I also found out that Michael has to give me a HCG shot in the butt tonight. The timing is so precise it has to be given right at 2 am! That should be fun.

Tuesday, August 16 - Well we woke up at 1:50 am so we could wake ourselves up a bit before shooting me with a needle! I mixed up the HCG and Michael gave me my shot in the butt. It is a lot easier to give yourself the injections, I will say that. I was scared to death, but Michael is wonderful and did a great job. I barely felt anything. Unfortunately I couldn't go back to sleep so I was up the rest of the night.

Wednesday, August 17 - It's retrieval day! I have to admit I'm pretty happy to get these eggs out of me. I feel really bloated and my ovaries feel like they are going to burst. I just wish my surgery was earlier in the day. I can't eat or drink anything until after the retrieval, so about 2 pm this afternoon. It's going to be a long day. I woke up feeling good and wasn't nervous at all.

My motto for the day was, "Once you choose hope, anything's possible." I got ready, put on my Hope t-shirt and I was ready to go. We headed to the city to the surgery center around 11. We got there around 12, I checked in and we waited for a few minutes before they took me back to get ready. I changed clothes and they hooked up my IV. I was worried about the IV, since I've had so much trouble with the blood tests, but the nurse was fabulous and got it on the first try! I was ready to go, I just had to wait. Michael said I looked goofy, so he had to take my picture. He said I looked like a lunch lady in my hair net, HA!

We had to wait a couple of hours before I was finally brought back to the operating room. I remember going in, laying on the table, and getting strapped down. I was talking to all the nurses about my nail polish color when the anesthesiologist came in and put the sedative in my IV line. It was lights out about 6 seconds later!  I woke up in recovery a half hour later and I felt great. The nurses couldn't believe how alert I was. I begged for a glass of ice water and it was the best glass of water I've ever had! It had been so long since I had drank anything. Michael came back and told me he talked to the doctor and everything went great. I had very minimal pain and I was so happy I wasn't feeling nauseous or groggy. I stayed in recovery for about a half hour and then I was free to go. We headed home and I started calling and texting our parents, siblings and a few other people who knew what was going on. We came home and I had some chicken noodle soup. I felt fine, no nausea or cramping. I am so happy it's over, It wasn't bad at all. I am just so excited to have babies in me in either 3 or 5 days!

Thursday, August 18 - Today we got a call from the embryology lab for an update on the eggs taken yesterday at my retrieval. They retrieved 10 eggs, of those 10, 6 were mature. Out of the 6, 5 embryos were made successfully.We have 5 babies! I'm having a 3 day transfer so our babies will be put back in on Saturday. I am so excited, it's the closest I've ever been to being pregnant! I really hope our babies stick!

Saturday, August 20 - This is the day I have been waiting for for a long time. I got to have our babies put back inside of me so they can grow. We needed to be at the surgery center at 9:30 with my procedure being at 10:30. I was so excited, it was hard to believe that I was finally going to have a chance at being pregnant. When we got there I was taken back to change and have my vitals taken before the procedure. Everything looked good and then we just waited for my doctor to come in and give us an update on our embryos and help advise us on how many we wanted to insert. We still had 5 strong embryos. We had 3 - 8 cell embryos and 2 - 6 cell embryos. They were all rated the highest quality possible so they were nice and strong. It was a relief to know that we had good embryos. He showed us a picture of our top 3 - 8 cell embryos.

Not many people get to see their kids this early on! We decided to put 2 embryos in to give us the best shot. The possibility of twins was 20 - 25%. It was very exciting to see we had strong babies just waiting to return to their mama! We waited a few more minutes and then they came and got me to bring me into the operating room. The procedure only took about 10-15 minutes and was really easy. My doctor said everything went perfect. He showed me on the monitor where our babies were inserted and gave me a picture. 

After the procedure, I was able to get dressed and head home. I had to stay off my feet and take it easy on Saturday and Sunday. I couldn't believe that I was leaving with babies inside me. We spent the ride home calling and texting our parents and siblings.

I really hope they stick and grow, grow, grow! It's nice to be done with this round of IVF. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. If we don't get the desired outcome this time, I'm fully ready to turn around and do it all over again. We will know if I am pregnant on September 2. It seems like a long way away, but I know it will go fast. I have to go for a blood test this week as well.

Monday, August 22 - After two days of bed rest, I finally could get back to normal today. I started feeling some cramping today, but that is supposedly normal. I'm hoping it means the babies are growing! I'm hoping my blood test goes well on Wednesday and that my numbers are where they are supposed to be.

Wednesday, August 24 - Today I had to go in for a blood test to monitor my progesterone levels. I got stuck 5 times, which is never fun, but at least they did get my blood. I got a call this afternoon that all of my levels were where they should be so that was good news. I also got a call from the lab that our additional 3 embryos were put into cryo storage and they were all still great quality. It was a relief to know that we still have some embryos left if this cycle doesn't work. Now we just have to wait, wait and wait some more until September 2 to find out if 1 or both of these babies stuck.

Part 2 tomorrow...our good news!

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