Seven Days.

It has been seven days since the transfer and I feel like I'm going to go crazy during this 2 week wait (2ww). Luckily for us, it really isn't a complete 2ww, we only have to wait until Friday...so, 4 more days.

The transfer went as expected. Two beautiful, perfect 3 day old blastocysts appeared on the screen for us to see for just a second. Both were hatching already. They both were graded as perfect in all areas by the embryologist. They were then placed inside of me, and we got to hang out there for just over an hour, with me laying completely flat. Again, new found empathy towards my heart cath patients that have to lay flat for at least 6 hours. It is horrible. After our time was up, we headed back to the hotel. (Sorry no cute pics of me in the gown, booties and shower cap, Ali took one, but I don't have it)!

We stayed in Scottsdale until Thursday morning. The clinic doesn't require any bed rest, but we have met many people who have done this, and they were all on required 3 days of bed rest, so this is what we did. From Monday afternoon until Thursday morning, all I did was sit in bed, watch tv, watch movies, play games, read books and be bored. This was torture for me. I don't sit and do nothing. Ever. I'm always up cleaning, trying to organize things, or just doing something. Not sitting. The only times I got up were for food, water, to go to the bathroom, and I think I showered twice. I didn't even nap. All that laying around doing nothing made me not feel sleepy at all.

When we got home Thursday, I continued with much of the same. The kids were still at my moms having a blast, learning how to swim without floaties, and getting spoiled! I laid around, watched more movies, and rested. Finally on Friday, I was a bit more active and hit up the commissary, did a little laundry, and even went out to dinner and a movie with my husband that night. Everyday since has been about the same, I've done as little as possible and I'm trying not to think about it all as much as possible.

The injections are going well this time around. I initially had some pain, but now they really aren't bothering me, aside from a little itchiness at some of the injection sites.

Please don't ask me if I "feel" pregnant. Assuming the transfer was successful, I'm currently 3 weeks, 5 days pregnant. I'm pretty sure that with both of my kids, I had no idea I was pregnant at this point. So, how would I know if I'm "feeling" pregnant. I'm dizzy, I'm tired, I have nearly constant mild "period-like" cramping. Guess what, those are all side-effects of the progesterone as well. I know people mean well when they ask this, but it just stresses me out. I wish I knew.

I'm excited. I'm hopeful. I'm scared. I'm praying like crazy.

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good news.

We received great news at my last appointment on the 18th. My uterine lining was nice and fluffy at 13mm, thicker than it has to be, and 1mm thinner that before the last transfer. Ali and I were both so very relieved that the medications worked. It definitely made it all worth it.

I started the progesterone injections Thursday afternoon. So far, they are going well. Both hips are sore, but I'm hardly in any pain at all, compared to last time around. I also started the progesterone lozenges Thursday. I'm still using the viagra suppositories until tomorrow night. I will be adding antibiotics and steroids to my medication regiment tomorrow.

The embryo transfer is scheduled for Monday, July 22nd at 1:30pm. They will be placing two embryos. Both embryos are graded out "perfect" according to Dr. Nemiro. Ali and I will leave tomorrow to head back to Phoenix. We are planning to stay there until Thursday. My kiddos are staying at my mom's house for the week. I miss them already, but they are having a blast swimming the days away!

Prayers are appreciated for the procedure to go well and for these perfect embryos to attach and grow!

5 days....

That's right, 5. It should be 1 day, but instead it is now 5.

Last Friday, Ali and I made the drive out to Arizona for another ultrasound to check my uterine lining. At this point in the cycle, they want to see it at 8-10mm. Mine was only 7-8mm. Not good. We want these embryos to have the best environment possible for them to attach to, so the transfer had to be pushed back. Unfortunately, this meant many changes.

First of all, I was started on a new medication to help boost my lining. It is fabulous not fun. It is Viagra. Yep, that's right, Viagra. You want to know the best part, I don't just get to pop another pill, they are suppositories...vaginal suppositories! Yay! Please note the heavy sarcasm. Plus, I get to use them 4 times a day! Double yay! Despite how much I'm disliking this medication, research shows that within 24-48 hours of starting Viagra suppositories, a notable change is seen in the uterine lining. So, whatever works will be worth it.

Second change, more lab draws. The transfer was initially scheduled for July 22nd, then we realized that the FDA required labs expired on July 19th, so they bumped it all up a few days. Yesterday, I got the pleasure of donating more blood to Quest labs. I believe they took 6 large vials. At least they only had to stick me once this time!

Third change, planning for an additional 1 day trip to Arizona for a follow up ultrasound on the 18th, and rearranging all of our childcare plans for the week of the transfer. Thankfully, my mom's job is super flexible, so she was easily able to take off the days I need her. We are still working on figuring out someone to watch the kids Thursday morning, but I know it will all workout.

While we were out there last Friday, it was incredibly stressful finding out about all these changes at the very last minute. Prior to the appointment, I had exactly the amount of Lupron I needed to get me to the transfer date. Pushing it back meant I needed more, and I needed it immediately. Since it is a compounded medication, it isn't available immediately, it takes 24-48 hours for the pharmacy to make it. Thankfully, the clinic had a spare bottle with just enough to get us through to the new transfer date. Then, there was the Viagra suppositories. This too is a compounded medication that is rarely used. Neither of the pharmacies that the clinic works with had any in stock and I needed to start that one by Saturday. Get this, we found out no one had them at 5:15 on a Friday, after the clinic closed and 15 minutes before all the pharmacies closed. Ali had to leave me at the pharmacy while she drove back to the clinic to get help. Thankfully, the clinic was able to find a compounding pharmacy in Beverly Hills that had the medication on hand and was willing to ship it out right then. By the grace of God, it arrived on Ali's doorstep by 9am the next morning...the earliest the other pharmacies would be able to get it to us would have been today!!

Each little setback seems so frustrating sometimes. However, each time something comes up, doors open up all around us and we are able to move forward. Thursday will be an important day. Prayers for a nice full, fluffy uterine lining are greatly appreciated!

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16 Days

I can't believe we are only 16 days away from the 2nd transfer. It feels like it has taken so long to get to this point, but the past few weeks have flown by.

I've been terrible about updating here, but a lot of progress has been made these past few months. Ali's eggs were retrieved mid-June. We have to great embryos frozen, and waiting for the transfer. I have made 2 trips to Arizona since the transfer. The first was for my SHG. That's the test that checks my uterus to make sure it's in prime shape. It's also the test in which they found the polyp last time around. Luckily, all was clear this time. They thought there was a potential polyp again, but it turned out to just be a bit of retained tissue. The test was just as uncomfortable as I remembered it being the first time around. Luckily, I had a great friend their with me, and we were able to squeeze some shopping in before heading back home. The second trip was for an ultrasound to verify that my uterine line was thinning, as it should be while on Lupron. Everything looked great. Ali made the trip with me that time and it was a great, quick trip. Boy is it hot out there this time of year though!

Our next trip out is scheduled for July 12th, 6 days before the transfer. At that appointment, I will have another ultrasound, and Ali and I will sign all of our consents for the procedure. This ultrasound will be to verify that my uterine lining is full and "fluffy," the perfect environment for those precious embryos to implant themselves in.

Following the last appointment, we received results from some of my labs. As of right now, my thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are higher than the clinic would like to see. I'm at a 3.7 and they want it between 1 and 2. So, this week, I started taking Synthroid. According to the nurses at the clinic, I should only be on the medication through the first trimester. I'm hoping that holds true. At this point, taking one more pill a day doesn't make all that much of a difference when you look at all that I'm taking! Plus, I am more than willing to do whatever it will take to make this work!!

Emotions are crazy right now. I truly feel both Ali and I have tried very, very hard to keep things under wraps this time around. We are scared. We are optimistic and hopeful that things are going to work this time around, but after how things turned out last time, we can't help but be a little fearful. All we can do now is pray and put our faith in God. No matter what we do, He has already decided the outcome. Hopefully, His plan and Ali's plan align and by the end of this month, we'll be announcing a pregnancy!