This week has definitely allowed me to flex my faith muscles. Last fresh cycle I felt like the embryologist called me daily for updates. The last update I got was on Day 3 that all 11 were still in the running. As a worrier, I flashed back to my last cycle. All TWENTY were still in the running on Day 3 but just 6 made it to blastocyst and out of the 4 "perfect" ones transferred, I'm still not pregnant. Eleven seemed a lot slimmer to me and of course worse casenario is nothing makes it to Day 5. On the bright side, I have trained my mouth and mind to whisper Jesus and remind myself no matter what I do/don't do, He is in control and makes the call.
On a great note, since they triggered me a day early (day 8) I had 1 day of mild bloating but by the 3rd day after SURGERY I shoveled dirt for our yard and my parents for 3 hours and mowed the lawn. AND shoveled bark dust. The best part of all this was after we did our yard, I decided to help my dad (they are our neighbors) and he gave me $10! LOL, it was like a little allowance. I feel amazing and am so thankful I avoided OHSS.
I got the call today, Day 5, that it was "game time" and that I won the "best embryos of the day" award. I'm guarded because last time I got that award too. Just because they are "high quality" doesn't mean they implant or that they are normal (flashback early miscarriage).
I over zealously filled my bladder. The embryologist came to talk to us and said he was shocked our FET didn't work (they dethawed beautifully) but that infertility is unpredictable (no crap). He went on to say that we have SEVEN blastocysts that meet freezing criteria with a possible 2 more he can add tomorrow. I was shocked because last time we just had 6 with more than double the fertilized embryos to begin with. I told him I wanted to transfer 3. He laughed. Then realized I wasn't kidding. He asked "why?" I pointed out that FOUR high quality had been transferred and that nothing stuck. He stared a me and my husband silently and said "you will have to talk to the Dr."
Well, I was one step ahead of him and had talked with her a few days before. We know the risks but at this point with this being our 11th total treatment (including IUIs) I don't want to mess around. Triplets would be nuts, and our goal is a healthy baby, but I do want to do this again.
The Dr. did her best to try to re-convince me one last time "you're young, your embryos are good" but she said, "I'm fine with 3" and as she was setting up said the chances of all 3 sticking are slim anyway. I would be lying if I said Darren didn't look a little nervous with all the concern, but we had prayed God would make it clear if we were to not tranfer 3, and we both felt peace about it. We decided to transfer our two "BEST" 4AA embryos and then lucky number 7 (he said this last one was still like a B plus). It went smooth. The only small hiccup was I had to get up to go to the bathroom after 20 minutes (instead of waiting the 30-40 they prefer) but the nurse convinced me it was safe.
Darren then drove me to an acupuncturist that was willing to be "on call." It was different than the regular one I see but I felt better going. The only annoying part was she asked me if I have had all my hormones checked and if my husband had been checked (read in sarcastic voice 'oh, we've only done 3 IVFs and haven't even thought of that?). Lol. The nurse on duty today told me that I'm on "princess duty" and to lay low the rest of the day. I've watched like 10 episodes of Arrested Development and whenever I need something I refer to my husband as "helper" instead of Darren :) I feel peaceful now, praying that lasts the next 9 days.
*Final count: 17 retrieved, 11 mature, 11 fertilized, 9 made it to blastocyst, transfered 3, 6 frozen (added to our 2 other frosties from 1st transfer so we have 8 frosties total). Infterility is so random. Last time had 20 mature fertilzied eggs and 6 made it to day 5; this time I had half that amount but 3 more made it? So strange. Of course several people I follow only ending up having TWO viable embyos total and still end up getting pregnant. I've had tons of awesome ones and nothing yet. I know too well that ART isn't 100% guaranteed and although I'm thankful for the numbers, it doesn't mean they are all normal or healthy (we didn't pay for genetic testing) But, for now I get to flash around the annoying term PUPO! That's me! Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise ;)
