Time for the harvest

So, after I talked to my boss, we had an appointment with the doctor for the pre IVF stuff. Another HSG with an intern and a Fellow from the UK in attendance, the consultation with the doctor, intern and the Fellow from the UK and the teaching session for all of the meds, where we learn about all of the drugs that I would be taking, where to inject them, how to mix them and when to start. What fun... To get into the September group, I had to get my period by August 21st. After years of hoping not to see blood when I wipe, quite suddenly, I am anxiously waiting for blood to appear! What a switch. They told me not to worry about not making the September group - I could always get into the October group. The problem was, that I had an out of town trip scheduled that I didn't want to cancel, and I really didn't want to have to wait that extra month. I understand that they don't want you to be on the pill for too long, but what if your period never synced up with the doctor's IVF schedule? So, I braced myself for having to cancel the trip, but hoped for blood every day. When I wasn't even spotting by August 20th, I called the nurse to talk to her. She told me that we may have a day or two leeway, but that the sooner my period started the better.

August 22nd, I saw blood! YEAH! So as soon as the office opened, I called the doctor's office. They told me to start the pill that night. We were on our way! August 31st I started the Lupron injections and on September 6th, I took my last birth control pill and waited for my period to start. My cycle started on September 9th and I went in for my day three scan on September 12th, which was also when I started my Folistim and Repronex shots. Got to love all of the intramuscular shots! My rear end looked like I had been attacked by mosquitos, but at least I didn't have much bruising. Every night, I would get the shot ready - mixing the Folistim with the Repronex and hand the syringe over to DH, who would grimace, swab where I pointed and ask me if I was ready... Every night I would tell him to just do it - don't ask... When you ask, it just makes it worse! September 17th I went in for my first scan and bloodwork. I already had five (or more) large follicles and several more that were coming along nicely. September 19th I went in again, and to everyone's surprise, I was ready for my hcg shot and the eggs would be harvested on Sunday! I was the first one of the September group to be ready. I knew I was an over-achiever in some way!

Now, I have heard about how some people react to the fertility meds, and when we did our first round of injectables, I warned my DH that things could get crazy, and by things, I meant me and my hormones! Well, don't hate me, but I didn't have those side effects. I didn't yell at anyone, I didn't cry at tv commercials, I didn't scream at anyone who didn't deserve it (really - I didn't) and I didn't have to figure out where to hide any of the bodies! What I did feel was bloated and full and a bit gassy, which (except for the gassy part) the ultrasound tech and the nurse assured me was perfectly normal. So, harvesting day comes and we had to be at the hospital by 7:30. I was so nervous about everything... Would they get enough good eggs, would my DH be able to give a good sperm sample (although, they had some in frozen, just in case), would they like each other? My mind was racing. We got there and found that we were the first ones there! Really the first ones there - the doctor and nurse and whoever else was going to be there weren't there yet! When everyone finally got there, they took me back to get me ready. An IV in the hand, pants and underwear in the closet, husband off giving his sample (ok, so does anyone notice that the men get the easier part of this? No shots, no stirrups, no doctor looking at you from the wrong end... Just saying...) Once the doctor got in the room, things got fuzzy. I remember hearing them counting through the haze and then suddenly, I felt some pain and the haze was gone! It felt like someone was snipping me inside. Oh, wait, they were! I remember trying to squirm away from the doctor (not really easy with the stirrups they had me in - they had knee stirrups, too - makes it much harder to move!) and having someone say that we were almost done and that I was doing really well. Things got fuzzy again and next thing I knew, everyone was gone and the nurse was bringing DH in.

They got 14 eggs and even though I tried to get away, she said I did really well. She asked me if I was thirsty and if I could handle some crackers and I suddenly realized that I was very hungry! She brought me the cutest little can of soda and some graham crackers. I ate everything that I could get my hands on and I was trying to drink the whole mini can of soda in one slurp. I was feeling a little woozy still, but happy that it was over and that we had gotten so many eggs. I barely stayed awake for the ride home - I kept nodding off, which is usually what DH is doing on long rides when I am driving, but I don't sleep in cars normally. Actually, I don't really sleep well at all, ever! I made it home and crawled up the stairs to go to bed, which is where I spent the rest of the day. Thankfully, no one called to check on me, or if they did, no one insisted on speaking to me - DH ran interference! When DH came to bed, I reminded him that I needed my shot - progesterone in a sesame oil. YUM! My friend said that it sounded more like a dish in an Italian restaurant than a drug! He went back downstairs and got my shot, while I fell back asleep, until he was ready to give me the shot, and then I was up for a bit. The next day I got up for work like nothing had happened! I actually felt well rested, which was no surprise considering that I had slept the whole day, except for two hours for dinner and struggling to stay awake on the couch, and then I slept through the night!

And now we wait to see how many eggs fertilized...