5 weeks!

When I wake up in the morning, I will be 5 weeks pregnant!  Tomorrow will be the 21st day since fertilization/conception.  Guess what???

"Days 21-23

The cluster of heart cells about the size of a poppy seed begins to beat."

http://www.realalternatives.org/pregnant/fetaldevelopment.htm

I find it so fascinating!

I'm craving spicy food.  I've been eating jalapenos every day.  I googled it.  Apparently, its a common craving.  I craved chocolate milk and chicken taco salads last time.  This time its chicken taco salads with jalapenos.  I like putting 2 jalapenos on a tortilla chip then top it with lettuce, shredded cheese, and a piece of grilled chicken.  It's making me hungry thinking about it!

I made it to 9:15.  It's time for bed.

Goodnight!  Thank you for all of your prayers!!!

~Sam

2 weeks

My first ultrasound is in 2 weeks!  I cannot wait!  Who wants to make a prediction?  One baby or two?

Have a great night!

~Sam

Is this real???

March 11 will be our 7 year anniversary.   We've been trying to have a baby since our Wedding.  Almost 7 years of trying.  I pray we have a happy and healthy 9 months.

I took a 3 hour nap yesterday.  I took a 1 1/2 hour nap today.  I am exhausted.  I had to make myself get up earlier.  I could go back to bed now and not get up until morning.  IVF made me tired, but not like this.  Oh, and I don't think I can sleep without drooling.  Yes, it is common: http://www.mahalo.com/pregnancy-symptoms/

Unusual Pregnancy Symptoms

1. Leg cramping- may be due to insufficient mineral intake
2. Metallic taste in the mouth- hormonal cause
3. Facial hair and pigmentation
4. Spider Veins of the chest and upper arms
5. Flatulence
6. Sinus congestion- and sometimes bleeding
7. Excess saliva production and drooling while sleeping 5

I'm still bloated too.  I might be exhausted and bloated, but I'm enjoying every second of this!!! I feel so lucky right now!!!!!!!

It's starting to rain a little here.  Hopefully it doesn't freeze.

Have a great week!

~Sam

Comparing...

Betas (hcg) should double every 48-72 hours.

Last time we did IVF, my first labs were when I was 3 weeks and 6 days pregnant.  My beta (hcg) was 50. Since it was Thanksgiving, we didn't get to recheck my labs until I was 4 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  My beta (hcg) was 206.  My beta was doubling every 58.75 hours.

This time, at 4 weeks 0 days pregnant, my beta (hcg) was 354.  At 4 weeks 2 days, my beta was 690.  This is a doubling time of 49.85 hours.

Both are normal.  My numbers are much higher this time.  I know I implanted sooner this time.  I implanted on the late side last time.

Last time, the baby stopped growing at 7 weeks and I miscarried at 10 weeks.

I pray for a healthy pregnancy!  More than one doctor said there is no reason to think it will happen again.  I am going to be nervous until I get past 8 weeks.

I have a better feeling this time.  I cannot wait for the first ultrasound!  I can't wait to see the heartbeat(s)!

Continued prayers are appreciated!!!

Thanks!

~Sam

Oh boy!

I'm hormonal!  I am so excited and thankful that I want to cry!  LOL!

~Sam

Great News!!!

Dr. Bopp's office just called with my lab results from this morning. My Beta (hcg) went from 354 on Thursday to 690 this morning. They want you numbers to double every 48-72 hours. Mine are doubling every 49.85 hours. Things are looking great!!! I will call on Monday to schedule my first ultrasound for around the 6 week mark. I am 4 weeks and 2 days today!!!!!!

We are SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!  Please pray for a healthy pregnancy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

~Sam

4 weeks 1 day

I am 4 weeks and 1 day pregnant and I have morning sickness.  Already!  I gagged brushing my teeth this morning.  After the nausea went away, I had heartburn.  I also feel hungry a lot.  I'm majorly bloated!  I gained 7 pounds during IVF.  I lost 6 of them back.  I am so bloated, I feel like I've gained 20 pounds.

After all that, I am enjoying every minute of it!  It is real!  Already!  I am so thankful.  Please continue to pray for a higher beta (hcg) tomorrow.

Have a great weekend!

~Sam

I'M PREGNANT!

Yes, you read that correctly!  Shawn and I have known for a few days, but we wanted to wait and make sure my beta (hcg) levels were good.

When we did IVF in November of 2011, my beta  was 50 at 8 days past my embryo transfer.  Today, at 9 days past my embryo transfer, my beta was 354.  My numbers should double every 48-72 hours.  Please pray for good numbers on Saturday!

When you do IVF, you take an HCG trigger shot.  The amount depends on what your doctor thinks you need.  Sometimes you mix it with Lupron.  I took 10,000 units.  Having all of that HCG in your system will give you false positives on home pregnancy tests.  I bought several dollar store tests so I could test out the trigger shot.  I began testing two days after the transfer.  I had a faint positive.  At 3 days, it was very faint.  At 4 days, it was a little darker and continued to get darker daily.  I never actually saw a negative.

The baby implanted late the last time we did IVF.  This time it was much earlier.  In order to see a positive at 4 days past the transfer, implantation must have begun within the first 48 hours.

Now, the big question.  How many are there?  As long as my numbers are good on Saturday, I will get a call next week to schedule my first ultrasound.  I will let you know when I know!

Have a great weekend!!!

~Sam

Tomorrow

Is only a day away....

I get my blood drawn tomorrow morning.  When I get home from work, I will update and let everyone know.

Have a great night!

~Sam

And waiting...

I am scheduled for a blood pregnancy test on Thursday.  I will let everyone know that evening as soon as I know.  This waiting is taking FOREVER!

Have a great night!

~Sam

The Other 4

I just got a call from Alison in the lab at Midwest Fertility.  Unfortunately, the other 4 that fertilized did not make it.  None of them made it to the blastocyst stage.  She said they all just stopped developing.  However, she said they were very happy with the two that were transferred yesterday.  She referred to them as "above average" 3 times during our conversation.

I asked Alison how long it takes for a blastocyst to hatch.  She said it depends.  Each one is different and progresses at a different rate.  Since ours are progressing nicely, she said I would probably be implanting within the first 48 hours after the transfer.  It's been nearly 24 hours.  I could be implanting now!!!!!  Especially the one that was already hatching!

According to this: http://www.advancedfertility.com/implantation.htm

When does blastocyst implantation actually occur after an IVF cycle - or in a normal menstrual cycle?
Implantation occurs on day 6-10 after the egg retrieval
Which is 1 to 5 days after a blastocyst transfer

Can you tell I'm a little excited???

Take Care Everyone!

~Sam

Blastocyst

According to Dr. Will, he graded me blastocyst as a 4AA and a 5AA.  I had to look that up.  Here is what I found:
http://www.lajollaivf.com/fertility-treatments/blastocyst-day-5-embryo-transfer-san-diego/

He said they were "perfect".  After seeing this, they couldn't have been any better!

It's so exciting!

I'm resting and Googling.  I'm so excited!

~Sam

Day 5 Embryo Transfer

This is detailed, long, and a lot of personal information post...

Today has been a wonderful day!  After we got the kids on the bus, Shawn and I watched some music videos on CMT, MTV, VH1...  I must be old, because I have no clue about some of the new music today.  My transfer time was scheduled for 10:30 and I was told to arrive be 10:00.  I was anxious, so we left the house at 8:10.  It only take an hour and a half to get to Midwest Fertility.  We took our time, got gas in Burlington and arrived at 9:40.  I drank water the whole way down to Indy.  You need a full bladder to push your uterus forward so you can see it on the ultrasound.  They use ultrasound to guide the catheter to the top of the uterus.

We weren't in the waiting room long before they called our names and took as back.  I had to put on one of those sexy gowns and a hair net.  Shawn had to put on a jumpsuit, shoe covers, and a hairnet.  It was SO funny!  If you know Shawn, you know he's a fairly big guy.  The jump suit was an XL.  It fit fine on his legs and body, but I had to help him get it up over his big shoulders.  I thought we were going to rip the thing trying to get it on.  I was trying to tug it up his arms while laughing my behind off.  I laughed so hard, I had tears in my eyes.   Not to mention, Shawn looked hilarious!  Too bad I didn't get a picture.

After I calmed down, the nurse came in and had me take my Valium.  She asked me if I was laughing at my husband.  I told her we had trouble getting it over his shoulders and it was very funny.  I think you had to be there.  That, and I needed a laugh.  IVF is a stressful process.  The Valium really relaxed me and made me feel lethargic.

Dr. Bopp is in Fort Wayne on Tuesday's, so Dr. Will did my embryo transfer today.  He came in my room and chatted with us a minute.  He brought us a beautiful picture of our babies!  They turned into blastocyst this morning!!!  Here they are:

Aren't they adorable?  The dark spots are the start of babies!!!  Dr. Will said that three of my embryos were 8 celled on Day 3.  They like them to be between 5 and 10 cells on that day.  They were perfect!  He said that is the reason they wait until day 5, when they turn into blastocyst.  These 2 developed faster than the other one.  They are now between 50 and 100 cells each.  In fact he said the one on the right is such good quality that he was confident we could transfer it alone if we wanted to.  In fact, he used the words "beautiful" and "perfect" to describe them!  The one on the left is nearly as good.  He graded the one on the right to be higher because it is hatching already.  Dr. Will said the one on the left looks like it is starting to as well.  I told him I still wanted to transfer 2 and that I would be happy with twins.

I followed Dr. Will, the nurses, and the ultrasound tech to the room.  It doesn't take long at all.  Once the ultrasound tech pushed the ultrasound on my lower belly, I thought I was going to pee my pants.  Well, I wasn't wearing pants, so wet the bed, I guess.  Here is a picture of what we saw on the ultrasound:

The oval is my uterus.  The white dot in the middle is our babies!!!

Dr. Will said that being very conservative, I have at least a 50% chance of being pregnant and again, being conservative, I have at least a 25% of having twins.  He said I may have some fluid come out, but not to panic.  It is not the babies.  LOL!  After the transfer, I had to lay for 15 minutes to help the Valium wear off.  I was dying for a potty break by that time!

After we left, we went to TGI Friday's for lunch to celebrate.  They had a special going that you could get a free appetizer if you went certain dishes.  We got a free BBQ Chicken Flatbread as an appetizer.  OMG, it was awesome!  I need to find a copycat recipe for it.  Yum!

The last time we did IVF, we were told that one embryo was pretty good and the other was okay.  These are so much healthier!

I feel so HAPPY and EXCITED!  I have a great feeling about this.  I will get a call tomorrow to let us know if they are able to freeze the last one.

We are now home watching TV and I have Dr.'s orders to lay around and rest!

Have a wonderful week!

~Sam

Fertilization Update

I went to work this morning and I survived the day.  I am VERY sore and EXTREMELY bloated!  IVF this time has been worse.  I ache more this time.  I'm not sure why.  I got a call from the embryologist this morning.  Out of the 11 eggs retrieved, 10 were mature.  Of the 10, 6 fertilized with ICSI.  At the moment, we have 6 fertilized babies in Indy.  It's so exciting!  Usually 50% mature will fertilize and 50% of those will make it to transfer day.  It is all in God's hands!  Prayers are appreciated!

I'm going to rest all weekend and recover.

Take Care!

~Sam

Egg Retrieval

Our egg retrieval was this morning.  Dr. Bopp sucked out 11 eggs.  :-)  We will find out tomorrow how many fertilized.  This time was a little different.  The last time we did IVF, I had an IV with a pain meds in a syringe.  They would push a little in every time I needed it.  This time at this clinic, I was under anesthesia.  I remember the medicine burning as it went in and that's the last thing I remember.  The next thing I remember is waking up and being told they got 11 eggs.  Dr. Bopp came and visited me.  He was said he was happy with the way everything went.  I can take pain meds, but I haven't yet.  I feel VERY bloated.  I've bee feeling that way for a week, but its worse now.

Do you want to know something ironic? I miscarried one year ago today. My follicles matured and were retrieved a day early... today... We didn't plan it this way. Do you think its a sign?

http://sscottfamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-over.html

Last time, 14 eggs were retrieved.  8 fertilized.  4 lived to day 3.  2 lived to day 5 and both were transferred.  One attached and I miscarried around 10 weeks.  The baby stopped growing at 8 weeks and died after 9 weeks.

I'm excited and scared at the same time.  Please send up prayers for us!

Take Care!

~Sam

Done

Shawn just gave me my HCG trigger shot!  Woohoo!  I was a little scared, but it went well.  We put ice over the area first.  Numbing it helps!!!  Other than labs, no more needles!  Yeah!

~Sam

Day 9

Guess what?!?!?!  My ultrasound this morning showed that I am ready to trigger!  I take 10,000 units of HCG tonight at 8:45.  No more Menopur, Follistim, or Ganirelix!  My egg retrieval is Thursday at 8:45 a.m.  It only took me 9 days of stims.  Last time it took me 11 days.  Isn't that amazing?  I'd say weight loss had a huge impact.

I have lost a 5,000 BTU air conditioner.  Well, I had. I've gained a few pounds from the stims.  I hope I lose it quickly!

Have a Wonderful Evening!!!

~Sam

Update

My next ultrasound is Tuesday.  Same dose.  Things are going great!!!  Yeah!!!!!!

Take Care!

GO COLTS!!!

~Sam

Day 7

I had another ultrasound and labs this morning.  I am waiting on my phone call telling me what dose to take and when I need to come back.

I am so bloated.  My ovaries definitely hurt more this time.  My follicles are  around 11 mm - 14 mm.  I have one in my right ovary that is 18 mm and one in my left ovary that is 17 mm.  18 mm is mature.  Unfortunately, those two have matured early, so they won't make it until my retrieval.

I had a hot flash on the way home.  Shawn was cold and wanted to run the heater and I wanted to roll the windows down.

I'm still right on schedule.  I will probably take my trigger shot on Wednesday night and have my retrieval on Friday.  That would be good.  I would have the weekend to recuperate.

Packers won last night!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE COLTS GAME TODAY!  Is it time for kickoff yet???  GO COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Sam

I survived...

So, I just took my first Ganirelix shot.  I was really nervous about it.  It's new to me.  I wasn't nervous about the Menopur or Follistim.  I've taken them before.  The last time we did IVF, I took Lupron, not Ganirelix.  They basically do the same thing, but you start Lupron before everything else.  With Ganirelix, you start it halfway through the stims.  All I have to say is, Ouch!  The darn needle didn't want to break the skin.  I had to really stick myself hard with it.  My skin was tight around the needle.  It pulled my skin when I took the needle back out.  I'm not sure what that was about.  I'm not sure if it was the needle or where I stuck myself.  I have several injection spots on my lower belly now, so I asked Shawn to find a good/new spot.  If it was the location, I blame him.  LOL!  I Love You, Shawn!

I've been kind of snappy.  I'm trying not to.  I told the kids I am going to snap at them, but to ignore me and know that I am not doing it to be mean.  I told them they are not in trouble, I just can't always help it.  I'm trying to be nice and patient.  I can only imagine what my hormones look like now...

I painted my toenails around 10:30-11:00 last night.  We were watching Looper when I realized my toenails looked horrible and I didn't want to be getting ultrasounds and doing procedures with ugly looking toenails.  I asked Shawn what color last night.  He said purple, so that's what I painted them.  I put a layer of glitter nail polish on top.  As soon as the ultrasound tech walked in this morning, she saw my toes and said, "Your toes are so cute."  She even leaned in and touched one of my toes. I laughed and told her I had to paint them last night since I didn't want ugly toes throughout this.  Being a woman, she understood.

That's about it.  I'm really tired.  Is it time for bed yet?

Have a great FOOTBALL weekend!!!!!  GO COLTS!!!!!!!!

~Sam

Day 5

I had my first ultrasound and lab work this morning.  Everything is going well.  My endometrium lining needs to be above 7.5 mm for IVF.  Mine was 8.34 mm, so that was good!  The embryos need a nice thick lining to attach to.  I have about 10 follicles in each ovary.  The ultrasound tech measured about 7 on each side.  They range from 7.0 mm to 14.3 mm.

My morning dose of Menopur is staying at 150 units.  My evening dose of Follistim is going up from 100 units to 125 units.  I am adding Ganirelix to my nightly regimen.  It comes in single dose shots.  Ganirelix keeps me from ovulating.

My ovaries have constant twinges and aches now.  For some reason, it hurts worse this time.  Maybe I have just forgotten how much my ovaries hurt last time.  My lower belly has a little pooch to it now.  I look and feel a little bloated.  Knock on wood, I haven't gained any weight so far.  Last time I gained 5 pounds during IVF.

I have another ultrasound and labs in a couple of days.  Lets hope my follicles continue to mature!

Have a great weekend!

~Sam

Day 4 Complete

I can't believe how quickly this is going.  We are excited, but I'm a little scared at the same time.  The first time we did IVF, I was confident about the whole thing.  I am confident it will work again.  I'm just afraid of the same thing happening.  If I respond normally to the stims, my egg retrieval and fertilization will be January 11th.  I miscarried January 10th last year.  One year, one day.  It's funny how things work out sometimes.

I forgot how much the medicine stings when you're injecting it.  It also depends on where I stick myself.

I can feel the follicles growing.  I feel it more this time around.  Either that, or I have forgotten.  I'm not sure which.  I wouldn't say it "hurts", but its not "comfortable" either.  My ovaries throb a little and I feel twinges.

I also have a constant headache.  I did last time as well.  Yuck!  It could be the lack of sleep too.  I can't sleep.  My mind won't stop.  It's probably my nerves...

My mood swings haven't been that bad.  Better than last time, so far.  I get annoyed easily.  I'm not tolerating stupidity well.  I know that is terrible to say!  I lack patience.  I'm keeping my nose in a book so I don't needlessly snap at anyone. ;-)

I can't complain.  This will all be worth it in the end.

Have a great night!!!

~Sam