ivf - day 46 - egg retrieval

Our egg retrieval day began very early.

Actually, I woke up at 12:30, 3:30, and ultimately 5:00am. Worse than a kid on Christmas morning, I tell you!

Greg, on the other hand slept like a baby.

We left at 6:09, although I wanted to leave at 6:00. I'm always nervous about a wreck or traffic in Nashville and missing my appointment. And, for this, if I miss my appointment, my eggs could ovulate and that would mean my cycle was worthless.

When we got to the office, they weren't even open yet (7:15), so we checked our iPhones for emails and I looked at some of the comments on my blog (thanks!).

I brought something unique to the clinic today. I was worried about hyperstimulating at my appointment yesterday, and asked my IVF nurse, Jennifer about Gatorade since I had read somewhere that it helps. She said, "The nurses in California swear by coconut milk."

Number 1: I HATE coconut with a passion. It's the reason I don't think I could survive on Survivor.

There is no number 2.

I went to the store when I got home yesterday and bought an 8-pack of Gatorade and a can of coconut milk and took it to the office where I was going to open the can and drink it. A few minute after I arrived, Jennifer called with my bloodwork results and I told her I bought coconut milk. She asked where I found it.

me: "Kroger." (duh)

Jennifer: "April, I don't think you can get it at Kroger. What does it look like?"

me: "It's in a can and it's thick, I really don't know how I'll get it down. Maybe I should dilute it."

Jennifer: "DON'T DRINK THAT!!! Bring it to me and I'll use it to cook with."

So, there's the coconut milk (aka cream) I thankfully didn't try to drink.

All the nurses had a good laugh over this one.

We were called back at 8:30 and I donned my lingerie.

Sexy, isn't it?

And, with the socks, even better.

We read some magazines while we waited...

Greg has the better lighting here. I should have insisted we move the bed closer to the window.

The nurses talked with us a bit. I was the only egg retrieval today.



Then, I drifted off to sleep so they could perform this procedure:




Basically, my feet go up in stirrups again. The doctor uses a vaginal ultrasound to locate the follicles. Then she guides a needle and small tube up through my abdomen and into each follicle. Then sucks out all the fluid. They may even add extra fluid in and suck it out again, just to make sure they get the egg. The egg is microscopic, but the follicle isn't, so they have to trust that an egg is in there and will come out. After they did that to each one of my follicles, they wheeled me out.

ACK! This procedure isn't pretty, I tell you!

And a little while later, I was awake and snug as a bug under my warm blankets. And a piece of advice to all you ladies out there who stay cold: If you're ever having surgery, the hospital most likely has a blanket warmer. They may or may not tell you about it, but you've already paid for it, so you might as well use it. Heaven on earth!

After I was fully awake, Jennifer came back to talk to us and to wait for the egg count. We waited and waited...and I got more and more nauseous (from the anesthesia).

Jennifer guessed 15 eggs and Greg (forever the optimist) guessed 16.

Finally, Annette, the lab tech came in and told us we had 19!!! Significantly higher than last time.

So, I bounced out of bed and went home, skipping along the way:

um, no.

Once I was cleared to go, I was wheeled out with my saltine crackers and Gatorade and came home to sleep for a bit.

Today, I started the following meds:

• Tetracycline (antibiotic) 4 times daily and I'll continue that for 4 days
  
• Medrol (steroid) 1 time a day for the next 4 days
• Progesterone in Oil (PIO) via injection once daily until my pregnancy test and with any luck, I'll continue this for a bit longer than that.

Tomorrow is a big day, too. I will receive my fertilization report. Keep your fingers crossed for some polar bodies.