Going to Mystic!

I have always wanted to visit Mystic, CT...since I saw the movie. So, I'm taking Mark there next weekend. Some time away from work and stress, while enjoying each other's company, fun activities, good food (Mystic Pizza here I come), and good drink, is just what the doctor ordered.

I just booked a room at a cute bed and breakfast (The Mermaid Inn) and we ship out on Friday.

And, good news for the puppy, we don't have to board him...either my MIL or my SIL will be able to watch him. This way, he will have a great time, and I won't feel guilty about leaving him in a kennel.

If anyone reading this blog has ever been to Mystic, CT, I could use some recommendations (food, activities, vineyards, etc.).

I'll definitely post a trip report when we come back.

Yup, I'm going to Mexico!

Ok, I started getting all of my lymphocyte immunotherapy information today, and it's completely overwhelming. I'm not sure if I need to get all the testing done, or if it's just Mark. Also, we seem to be having scheduling issues, which totally stresses me out. Initially, Dr. Check told us we should go out the last weekend of August, for a September 7ish FET. However, if I still have my 27 day cycles, we are a week off. Of course, I realized this after I told Mark to request the last weekend off from work. He works in the emergency room, so he needs to request his time off a couple months in advance. He's going to love me when he wakes up and I get to tell him…"oops, see if you can switch." And, as a result, he may have to work on my birthday. It figures.

Anyway, we would probably fly into Arizona on Thursday and stay with my parents for a couple of days, and then make the drive down to Nogales, Arizona very early on Saturday morning. Apparently, we can wait at the McD's on the US side, and a staff from the Nogales' doctor's office would pick us up and walk us across the border. Good times!

I’m telling you, the things I will put myself through in the hopes of getting pregnant. I'm sure I'll have some fun entries about our experience!

I Need a Hobby!

Alright, today's entry has nothing to do with IVF and making babies, at all. I need to come up with a good idea for a weekend getaway. Between the stress of starting a family, and Mark's work, I really think he needs a break. Since it's so last minute (next weekend), I am thinking of doing a drivable getaway…maybe Cape May, Lancaster County, DC area for the weekend. I think Mark would probably prefer to be at a beach, while I might be leaning more towards wine tastings. Are there even any wineries in Lancaster County? I have some research to do…if only I had internet at work : (

My second thought is that I need a hobby. Since we are on a forced break until our FET in September, I need something else to fixate on. I have gained about 10 lbs since we began our journey through the murky waters of infertility. So, one goal for the rest of the summer, is to get myself into some kind of shape…or at least better shape than what I am right now. I'm at the point where I walk around and think to myself, ok, she's thinner than I am, but I'm thinner than this other person is. It's not a fun game to play. However, I don't see working out as a hobby. I'm open to suggestions!

5 Frosties!! Woo Hoo@

I had my egg retrieval on July 4th. Before I went back for the procedure, I had to have another u/s. On this u/s, the tech counted 10 follicles. I was relieved. If we can get 10 eggs, and 9 are mature, and 8 fertilize, we will definitely have enough to do at least 2 FETs. I was in a much better mood.

They saw us right away. I think that the staff was anxious to get everything done so that they all could enjoy the holiday. I changed into the embarrassing blue gown, and they set me up with an IV. I thought for sure that I would be getting my visit from anesthesiology almost immediately. Um, I was wrong. I proceeded to sit there, freezing my ass off for 1 hour. Apparently, the ER before me was taking a long time. I could hear the dr. doing the procedure and calling out the number of eggs. This particular person got 26 eggs. Not something that I wanted to hear, know that best case scenario, they'd be getting 10 eggs.

Finally, they bring me into the other room, and the anesthesiologist gets me set up with my oxygen and consents. The dr., who I had NEVER met before, breezes in, barely introduces herself, and the next thing I know, I'm in recovery.

They tell me that they got 7 eggs. I'm sorry, what did you say?? 7 eggs. I must have asked the nurse to repeat that a few times. I was devastated. I couldn't even cry though, because my throat was so dry. Then, I overhear the dr, as I asked the nurse why only 7, and the dr. says that really only 5 of them were good. Nice! I was definitely not in a good mood.

So, we got the call yesterday from embryology. Out of the 7 retrieved, 6 were mature, and 5 fertilized and divided normally. Great! Considering what we were dealing with, 5 embies is not a bad outcome. I'm not sure if that will be enough to get us through two FETs, but if I'm lucky enough to get pg on the first, it doesn't really matter.

Mark and I did come to the decision that we are going to Nogales, Mexico for lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT). This is a process where they take Mark's blood, separate the white blood cells, make some kind of serum with them, and then inject them under my skin. It's supposed to help with embryo implantation. If we go at the end of August, we should be good for 6 months. That will cover us if I get pregnant with my first FET, or if we have to do another fresh and frozen. So, I'm waiting to get information from the lab manager at Cooper, and then I will call Mexico and make our appointment.

I really hope this is the beginning of the story of how we got our baby. I feel like nothing in this entire process has come easily to Mark and I. I just hope that this is it.

Heading off to ER

Well, the day has finally come. Mark and I leave for our ER at 8:45. I'm feeling a bit better about my numbers. If we can get a good 10 eggs, and at least 7 strong embryos to freeze, I think I'm feeling good.

It is bizarre to do this on a holiday, but I guess you have to do what you have to do.
I plan on coming home, sleeping for a bit, watching some trashy tv, and then if I'm feeling good, leaving the house for some fireworks. I know that Mark is bummed about not being down the shore, but we have to remind ourselves that it's for the greater good.

The kind of cool thing is that after they get my eggs, I'm off restriction. I can have some caffeine, and alcohol. Seriously, it's the little things. So, I should be partaking in my favorite libation of Blue Moon by around 7pm.

I will check in again after ER to give an update on egg number. Wish me luck!

Triggered Last Night!

Well, as usual, this was another funky cycle. I went in on Wednesday for my b/w and u/s and found out that I still only had 7 measurable follicles. I was quite distraught...I had visions of getting at least 15. I mean, I was doing everything right; I even included acupuncture this time. Well, when the nurse called and said that they wanted me to come back on Thursday, I knew that I would be triggering.

Normally, I get excited when I trigger, but after only 7 days of stims, and only 7 folllies, I had one of many crying sessions.

But, there is some good news here. As of yesterday, I now have 10 follies, with the possibility of some to catch up. Our egg retrieval (ER) will be on July 4th. And, since we are freezing everything, I can even have a celebratory Blue Moon on Saturday night.

Oh, and Dr. Check let us know last night that we don't have to take 2 cycles off before our FET, just one. So, we will be heading to Arizona at the end of August for our LIT treatment, and then doing a transfer around September 7. I'll get more into LIT in another post.

Wish me luck for the 4th. If all goes well, we will get at least 10 eggs.

Happy 4th of July!