Ta-Da!

Whelp, it's in there! 

We were excited & anxious early this morning as we put the kids in the car still in their jammies and dropped them off at my friend's house. Awesome friend for waking up before dawn on a Sunday so I can drop my rug-rats off! It was strange being at the clinic on a Sunday. The rest of the building (shared office space) and most of the city is pretty sleepy that early on Sundays. Anyway, we checked-in, got settled in the room and I waited under a cozy blanket.

 

... and Scot was feeling left out...  

The IPs arrived and it was so nice to see their faces! The nurse came in and put an ultrasound wand on my tummy so we could watch the embryo being implanted! Watching it was so surreal - the whole room was silent! Once they pushed it in, they took a picture & handed it to the IM. I turned around and they handed me one too! Yay!

I added the arrow and circle to show you where it is. I apologize for my artistic ability on the computer. :)

The nurse explained some "dos & don'ts" and said I should lay there for 5 minutes, so we chit chatted with the IPs for a bit. I can't imagine how they must feel! I would be so overwhelmed with emotion!

Now at home, I'm taking it easy & spending my day like Phoebe - 

Down to the wire!

Well, I got the appointment time for the day 5 transfer - 8:00am TOMORROW! Woo Hoo! When I was there on Tuesday to get my final check, they had already extracted the donor's eggs and the nurse told me that they got a lot of eggs, which was great, so it looked more likely for a day 5 transfer. I was not really counting on the day 3 transfer. Instructions for the appointment are just to arrive 15 minutes early and come with a half-full bladder. They said it should take no more than 30 minutes.

I have a high tolerance for pain, but boy, am I sore! Up to a few days ago, the injections had been going fine. I had no side effects and they really weren't painful. Then I started progesterone and now I know why anyone who has gone through IVF looks at me with a sympathetic eye when we talk about the shots! The injections leave me sore in the "upper bum" area - sore to the touch like a huge bruise, sore to sit, lay & walk. We alternate sides each day, but they never really heal in-between so it's a constant uncomfort. The medicine creates these "knots" under the skin and the nurse said they can be massaged but it hurts to touch it too much. I'm not trying to complain for sympathy's sake, but just to give anyone who has never gone through it an honest report. :)

I am so excited for tomorrow! Slightly nervous, but mostly excited! I keep thinking how surreal it all is and how it seems like it took forever to get to this point (so much more so for the IPs!) yet I can't believe it's already here! It's strange to actually know I will walk out of the clinic totally changed. My contact (case worker) at the agency has been checking in with me and she said something so beautiful (she has been a surrogate before and is now pregnant for another set of IPs) - she said "I love transfers - they are so beautiful, its the most amazing feeling when those embryos are brought into the room and you know it's life being put into you body." That gave me chills!

The IPs will be at the transfer as well as my amazing husband, Scot. Today is his birthday and I'm sure there's nothing he would rather do on his birthday weekend besides take care of me on light bed rest for a whole day. :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONEY!! LOVE YOU! :)

Big Week!

Big things are happening here! As we get closer to the Transfer Day there has been a lot more monitoring. I have had several vials of blood taken from my arm to make sure my dosage of the meds are on-track as well as a few trips in the good ol' stirrups to check my uterine lining. Last check was Friday and I go again tomorrow (Tuesday). When I went on Friday the doctor said that anything over "8" was good. Not sure what "8" exactly measures, but I was at 14.4!! Woo hoo!

Look at that cute bootie over the stirrup. :) 

I was told to take my last dose of Lupron last night and to start Progesterone tonight. Progesterone supports the lining of the uterus and is needed to maintain an early pregnancy.

I will probably be more informed tomorrow in detail, but what I have been told so far is that they are extracting the donor's eggs tomorrow and they will be fertilized tomorrow as well. They will do either a day 3 transfer or a day 5 transfer. From what I understand, if the embryos are weak at day 3, they will want to go ahead and transfer them right away... if they are strong, then they will wait 2 more days and transfer 5 days after fertilization. From what I have read, many doctors believe that chances of a successful pregnancy are good for either day. 

And... just for a laugh... I saw this on Pinterest and couldn't resist. :)