Achieving Embryos

Well, Monday night went well! T did a great job with the trigger shot! I didn't feel a thing until a little later when the muscle became a bit sore. But totally bareable.

(HCG Trigger- had to mix the water solution with the powdered HCG med)

(the left is the 22g needle that everything gets mixed with and the right is the 25g needle that is used for the injection)

 36 hours after that 9pm trigger I returned to the office for the Egg Retrievel. 8:45am sitting in the doctors office, getting my gown on in the back and then walking to the small OR room where the ERs are done. I meet with both the doctor  and the anesthesiologist. The RE, (doctor), told me I had 18 follies. The IV began, and all I can remember was talking about rum with everyone in the room before being knocked out. While I was having my eggs retrieved, T had to go off and do his thing.

I woke up. I vaguely remember what really happened. Apparently I couldn't stop crying. And I do remember the nurse telling me how many eggs were retrieved. I also remember feeling very nausous and dizzy for a while after trying to fully get up. It took me a while, but finally I was able to get dressed and leave. We got home and I fell back asleep.


Yesterday they retrieved 20 eggs. This morning I got the fertilization report. Of the 20 eggs retrieved, 18 of them were mature. They fertilized all 18 and of those 18, 15 took. So, as of this morning we have 15 embryos! I am completly amazed and shocked at this number, especially after our first failed attempt. Tomorrow they just let the embryos incuabte and grow without disturbing them and they check on them again on Saturday and I will recieve another report on how they are doing.

This is what an embryo looks like 24 hours after fertilization!

(from: http://www.myfertilitycenter.com/tidbits/embryo-stages.php)

As of today I am scheduled for ET, (embryo transfer) on Monday, 6/25, at 2pm. :-)

I also would like to talk about the PIO injection. It uses the smae needles as the HCG trigger above. This is a new one for me and it is the only injection I do from here until the beta. If it turns out to be a positive test, I countinue this injection throughout the first trimester. This has probably been the shot I have been lest looking forward to, as the medication is mixed in with sesame seed oil which makes it pretty thick. It's intramuscular too. Well, I started that last night, and I have to say, it was not bad at all and T, once again, did an excellet job! And On top of the PIO injection, I'm back on an antibiotic, estradiol (estrogen), and Medrol. These last few are all pills, thank goodness!

And here are som photos of the PIO: