Still a "go"

Donor's estrogen is rising appropriately and all is well. Her next appt is Thursday where they will draw blood and do an ultrasound.

I went back and looked at our fresh cycle two years ago: I had an utrasound on Friday and took Ovidrel on Sunday night for a Tues retrieval. It's been nice to be able to look back on what we did so I can get an idea of what to expect this time.

My ultrasound to check my lining is this Friday. *Hoping* for a retrieval on Tuesday and a Sunday transfer in one week!


Health update:
Still have one sick child at home...day 6 of illness...we shall see if the fever returns again today.

Using a Net*i Pot, taking vitamin D3, prenatal vitamin and Tami*flu.

Stimming Along

Based on the calendar I was given we can assume retrieval will be one week from today. The donor goes in today for a blood check...hopefully all looks good there.

Oldest daughter still has the flu...she is on day 5 of fever. Sigh. I am hoping we see improvement today. If there is no improvement today we will be visiting the Ped for a possible secondary bacterial issue.

This entire DE process has been a challenge from DAY 1! I have to hope this is actually lucky...the best things in life are worth fighting for!

I continue to be on Lu*pron, DOTs and Es*trace....oh, and Tami*flu!

Growin' Eggs Today

Unless something has changed, our donor starts growing eggs today. Beautiful 21 year old eggs! :)

With that good news comes not so good news....the worst scenario imaginable came true in our home this week. H1N1! Both daughters have been taken down. Ivan and I are on Tami*flu so I am hoping we don't contract it. So far, so good. One daughter has recovered. The oldest just started with fever Friday so she will be contagious for a few more days. The Tami*flu should help shorten her bout with it. And, thank you IVF powers that be, Ivan will be protected by Tami*flu right up until egg retrieval. We just need to get his stellar swimmers in a petri dish without a fever interfering!

Please send good thoughts for no rogue follicles! We need evenly growing eggs!

Transfer the first week in November.

Growin' Eggs on the 24th!

The donor's estradiol finally fell below 25! WHEW! We start growing eggs on Saturday!! :)

Toning down my enthusiasm ever so slightly is the fact that my youngest came home from school with a fever. Sigh. Not sure yet if it could be flu. Right now I am saying NOT b/c she really only has fever. None of the cold symptoms or vomiting/diarrhea that comes with the flu are present right now. Morning will tell us more.

Popping vitamin D3 like crazy so we don't get this. Ivan's swimmers cannot be exposed to a fever!

30 Days Until.....

I am all about diversions right now.

New M*oon hits theaters in 30 days! I POAS that same week.

http://www.newmoonmovie.org/trailer/

Bring on the vampires. And bring on two lines.

Talk of changing donors

Yeah. Imagine getting *that* email.

The coordinator emailed that we should be considering the possibility of having to switch donors. It knocked the breath out of me. I cried and cried.

Further emailing revealed that the donor is not backing out. It has to do with her estrogen levels. They think her blood may be the type that does not "read" well with the estrogen tests. You have heard of women who have pregnancy tests that come back positive even when they are not pregnant? Same issue. The tests show her estrogen is still too high to proceed but they think this is a testing issue rather than a real issue with her being suppressed.

We find out Wednesday for sure. The RE is having her blood tested in an outside lab (using more detailed testing I assume).

No eggs yet...

The donor's estradiol level was a little too high. They are re-checking her Weds and if all is well then we will proceed with stims on Saturday the 24th. That puts an embryo transfer the first week in November. The *only* positive thing is that this no longer could impact Hallo*ween plans. We do have commitments made for the 30th and 31st so it will be nice not to worry about that. The new projected week of ET *does* interfere with some other commitments but those don't involve my children so easier to deal with. My biggest fear? This gives Ivan, the donor or me one more week to contract the flu! I am terrified it will impact this cycle.

Bummer. I feel like nothing with this has gone smoothly....is that possibly a good sign that it will work? The best things aren't easy?

I stay on Lup*ron and estro*gen for ANOTHER week.

Back to regular programming.

Growing Eggs...

I think.

Today our donor is being checked to see if estrogen levels are optimum for starting stims and if so she starts TODAY! I hope to hear something later today but I doubt I will know until Monday.

I feel a lot better, much less emotional. Honestly, I think I was completely drained from vacation, fighting a little bug we all picked up at Dis*ney and just mildly overwhelmed that it was all starting..finally! (This is something I have been dreaming of EVERY DAY for over two years).

Still on Lup*ron and estro*gen and so far so good! BB's very sore...youch!

Will post Monday about egg growing news.

Lu*pron

Has anyone else noticed bloating/weight gain on Lu*pron? I have been on it for almost two weeks and I am telling you, I can barely get my jeans on! How can it happen so quickly?

I feel drained. No energy, despite the four Vi*velle's and Es*trace. Is this also the Lu*pron? For some reason I feel really pessimistic about this cycle. I want to be excited but am overcome with anxiety and fear. I wasn't like this before the Lu*pron.

Two more weeks. Embryo transfer the last week in October.

Honest Scrap

Thank you Circus Princess for the Honest Scrap Award.

Rules: Reveal 10 things not previously known about you, and pass along the award to others.

Here goes.

I....

1. ...hate tomato skins in my food.

2. ...am becoming increasingly filled with anxiety and guilt as our active cycle proceeds.

3. ...am a soap opera snob and have preconceived notions about people who watch them.

4. ...am terrified this cycle will work and terrified that it won't.

5. ...never blame God for bad things that happen but often thank God when good things do happen.

6. ...have the urge to make political comments on Facebook but always hold back.

7. ...cannot wait for the next Twilight movie.

8. ...love my iPhone.

9. ...think Johnny Depp is the sexiest man alive.

10. ...love to read historical fiction.

Back from vacation

It's been a while since the last update. Sorry!

Got through the mock cycle, had the biopsy...don't yet have the results from that test. Right now I am on Lup*ron, Est*race vaginally and four Vi*velle patches every other day. We are growin' endometrium for the active cycle!

Unfortunately the donor has a cyst while on Lu*pron so the stims are starting one week later than planned. We should do an embryo transfer the last week in October.

I am bummed about the one week delay but that gives me more time to get my endometrium good and ready for the embryos.

Having some communication issues with the donor egg coordinator. Twice now, prescriptions THAT I NEED have not been called in requiring me to call the on-call doctor. I am on the verge of a good, hearty cry right about now! This is so effing expensive and this is MY LAST SHOT...I need all involved to be 100% committed. I complained to the doctor when he called me back...I tried to stay professional but just came right out and said that this is really important and expensive and I am not feeling very confident with my care. He apologized and called in the patches I need for TOMORROW MORNING.

Would you all have complained? It's not really my personality to sit back and let people drop the ball when it concerns ME. I want to have a smooth relationship with this coordinator but I also need my one and only cycle to be treated with respect.

Sigh. Why is this so hard from every angle imaginable?