Transfer Day

Let me introduce you to our two little embryos. I believe the process is to pick out the best looking out of the bunch, the ones with the most potential to implant and grow. They are also able to see cell movement and viability. We were told that these got through the freezing and thawing process perfectly and the doctor even showed us a before and after picture. In the before picture, they were compressed and it reminded me a bit of the hamburger meat I pack in the sealer to prep for freezing. Then you see the after pictures where they look plump and active. In the picture above you can kind of tell where they did a bit of "hatching" or opening the cell a bit to promote burrowing and implantation into the uterus lining. So amazing!

There is also a picture of my uterus with the embryos in it. It's not showing in this entry, but the doctor said it was a perfect placement and he's really happy with the results so far.

We had our appointment at 11:15am yesterday, Friday the 4th. Before we left, I was able to have a light breakfast, complete a couple of loads of laundry, straighten the house a bit, clean my icky bathroom sink and gather books, videos and magazines to help me get through the 2 1/2 days of bed rest. I was also to be drinking a lot of water as the doctor required a full bladder upon transfer. He wanted me to imagine that I was driving down a long stretch of highway and really needed to go to the bathroom. If I could wait for an exit to the next Denny's then that wasn't good enough. He needed me to be so full that I would stop on the side of the road and go right there and then. By the time we got done with registration at around 11:30am, I was ready to stop by the side of the road, I didn't care who saw me!! They finally called us in around 11:45am or so.

This is us after having put on our special gear. I think we will make a fine looking baby. A nurse came in for my vitals and to administer a Motrin and Valium. I think they must have checked my name and date of birth a million times while we were there. Didn't want to give us someone else's babies, huh? We waited a bit longer before Dr.Witz came in to chit chat. That's when he showed us the pictures, went over the process and asked about my bladder. It must have been very important to him! I told him to not press too hard during the scan or we would have a serious problem. I really like Dr.Witz and today he was especially pleasant to visit with. Mike asked him about the process of choosing our two embryos and asked what the odds were of having multiples at this point. I don't know where he came up with the answer but he said about 30% chance of having twins. Part of me thinks it would be nice to have the two and not have to think about going through the process again, but then there are always risks to having multiples and I'm not sure that it's worth the risk. Good thing at this point it is not my choice to make!!

Quicker than expected, I was feeling the affects of the Valium, but it was more of a dizzy and relaxed feeling. I never got sleepy. They took us to the operating room and I was glad Mike was finally able to escort me to a procedure. He was exposed to all the bright lights, machinery and sounds and did great. He was on my good side (I'm deaf in one ear) so he was able to translate what I couldn't hear the doctor saying. It seems that doctors tend to mumble when they are working so intently. Present in the room were a couple of nurses, one intern and the embryologist along with the doctor. They were all so pleasant and smiling. Even when we first walked into the office, the receptionist gave me the "all knowing" smile with a slight shrug of excitement. No words were exchanged between us, she just knew this was our special day. 

After the actual transfer, they let me go to the bathroom finally. RELIEF! Then I rested in the "recovery" room for another 20 minutes. I laid reclined on the way home and Mike has been taking care of me ever since. Bed rest is not for sissies! My back aches and I really, really want to vacuum! The nurse told me that the Prednisone I am to take for 4 days (so that my uterus doesn't reject the embryos) will make me hungry. I had not noticed... until she said something. Then I was like, "I'm starving!" Luckily, to eat, I have to ask Mike to bring me something and I hate imposing so I've refrained from all the extra treats I would have offered myself having been given the opportunity. So far I've texted my loved ones, read a book, watched two movies, talked about the future with my sweet husband, was taught the rules and got whooped at Mancala by Maddie, whooped Maddie at Connect Four (until she figured out my strategy) and came in second at a game of UNO with Maddie and Zack and have probably bugged the living heck out of my poor mother, calling her a thousand times a day. I have Chinese on my pjs, Taco Bell on my pillow, water at my bedside and two wonderful embryos in my womb. 

Now we wait 11 days to see if these embryos come to fruition. It's a sweet life. 

In case you are wondering. I am on day 7 of my progesterone shots and they are really not as bad as I thought they would be. After the first couple of days I was a bit worried as I was forming knots in my derriere. But then after the third day, my sister Melissa gave me the shot with her special technique and I've not had any problems since. I think I'm just getting used the them already. Sure I would rather not have them, but at this point it's mostly an inconvenience really. So see, once again, I fretted over nothing. Silly me.