FET#2 Transfer Day

Didn't think transfer day for FET #2 (5th transfer with IVF) would ever get here seems like this cycle took forever to get through. I was very relieved my reg RE was there today. Was a long day up at 5am to do my progesterone shot, shower and get on the road to the clinic, there is a detour on the way there so it takes a bit longer to arrive as we had to go around to get there.

Got there around 9am did my progesterone, estrogen blood work followed by ultrasound to check on the cysts. My RE said it was still very tiny and to him it was not anything like a polyp or growth but just a tiny bit of fluid and he felt it would not interfere with anything. I guess I felt reassured but when I told him that my RI suggested I do a saline ultrasound again if this cycle is a bust he said why we did one on you and I was like yes but that was 2yrs ago and if I do a fresh IVF cycle I want to make sure all is ok in there, figure if my insurance is still picking up the bill this year then why not and it's a simple procedure to do and tells a lot about the inside of the uterus. But we are going to remain positive thinking that it won't get to that.

Around 9:30ish my wonderful acupuncture lady showed up for my relaxing before transfer session. She turns up the energy levels on transfer day and really gets the needles going. After that was fill the bladder and drink drink drink got down 2 liters worth to fill up my bladder enough, that part is the worse it's so hard to hold your pee while you get a specular stuck in you and a long needle like tube while up in leg stirrups and someone pressing a ultrasound machine wand down on your belly right above your bladder, it's all one can do to hold it together while transferring lol.  Had them empty my bladder with a cath after like usual, nothing like peeing in a bucket in front of your dh and Dr. to humble a person. I think along this journey I don't really have any more self conscious about my body it's like ok get it done it's just body parts etc. The embryo lab guy (most expensive babysitter as my RE likes to call him) said that of 3 frosties he unfroze that 2 looked really good excellent and 1 was average. I am glad we choose to do 3 this time around maybe 1 of them will be the one. We still have 2 frosties left but the plan is if this time is a bust to go into a fresh IVF cycle and have those 2 as back up.

Transfer was around 11:45ish I was happy to have my RE back as I like his bedside manner so much better on how he does things and my favorite nurse I had not seen in months was there too she was there when I did my other IVF's in 2011 and I was glad to see her and have her there with me this morning.

Then after was another round of acupuncture and relaxing for a hour while laying flat. Finally got out of the clinic a little after 1pm. The valium they have you take was knocking me on my butt making me really sleepy.

My dh wanted to go to a book store while we where in that town so he looked around while I chilled and we did lunch a few errands and headed home. A long day but hopefully the last time I have to see the inside of the transfer room. Wore my lucky owl socks today from a friend. Didn't really take any other pictures this time around felt we did all the other cycles so at least we got those. I did get 1 ultrasound picture of them putting in the embryo's isn't that exciting but it's a pic at least. Now it's rest and relax and wait. I got another session of acupuncture on Wed. and Sun. Then Oct. 31st is our beta so only 10 more days to wait till we find out but it will be a long 10 days. Was talking to my frosties and told them to behave this time and find a place to settle in for the next 9months cause they are no longer allowed to misbehave it's time one of them decides to be a good little baby. :)

Ultrasound image of the 3 embryo's being transfered to my uterus

My lucky Owl socks for today

FET#2 Thoughts leading to Transfer Day

10/18 - Just 2 more days till Monday. I can't help but be scared this time around. I know others don't understand the emotional toll of 11 yrs of ttc has taken on me. This FET could be our last shot right now to be parents. I am scared it won't work and scared it will and that I won't mc. It is hard to explain the whirlwind of emotions going on inside right now. I am tired hormonal and exhausted since starting the PIO shots. Not to mention the darn pain in my hips from having to endure them too. I ended up sleeping a lot of the day today just had no energy at all. Checked with my RI on the blood panels they did this past Monday and it all came back normal. I still need to do my PAI-1 and Thyroid for them next week. I have felt a lot better with no leg cramps since I did the Intralipids something about it seems to make me feel better.

10/20 - Been a busy weekend of working on ornaments for the Hoping Believing Waiting store. Been trying to get all the glitter mess done with so I can clean things up before tomorrow but don't think that will happen as I am still not done with all of the ornaments. Not sure if I am really looking forward to transfer day. The whole process of going thru transfer is not pleasant and the 10 day wait will be hard to endure. Got to do my best to remain hopeful.


How I wish that God would answer my prayer. -Job 6:8

 

Transfer Day Schedule

Was a long night. Felt ill and had some cramping then some bright red bleeding which finally stopped, not enough to fill a pad or anything just spotting. Enough to worry me and nothing that has happened in other cycles. Not sure if it had to do with the tiny 2mm cyst that has been lingering in the endometrial lining and it burst and bleed out or what?

Tried yesterday to get a hold of my clinic and never did so finally someone called me a little bit ago.  

I guess we are a go for Monday transfer. I have to figure out how to give myself the darn PIO shot this morning or wait till Scott comes home at 6pm to do it and be off on it as I don't know if I can poke it in myself and they didn't get back to me yesterday so we could time to do it before he went to work at 2am.

We are going to do a ultrasound that morning when I first arrive, I insisted on it, to see if the bleeding I had was the cyst bursting and is gone now or if my RE needs to suck it out, etc. I told them I want to make sure everything is ok before we transfer or it's a waste of my embryo's.

I'll arrive at 9am do blood (prog/estro) and ultrasound and if all ok do acupuncture, do my drinking to fill my bladder and transfer around 11:30am.

They didn't seem concerned at all about the cramping and bright red bleeding don't get them there anymore and so tired of being my own advocate and fighting infertility. 

I think I am also coming down with a cold and really not feeling well today. My sinus's are all messed up and asthma is acting up. Not a good time to get sick at all but it's the change in the weather now and not unusual for me to get a cold. Have a few antibodies left from last sinus infection so started them to help. I know being on things to lower my immune system can't be helping keep me healthy when it's starting to be cold season and many germs going around. 

At least I got a little plan till Monday. Please pray that everything is ok and goes well that day. I am pretty nervous about it all.

Oct. 15th Wave of Light Day

Been one of those days. Never got a hold of my IVF coordinator even though I left messages and finally had to call my RE on the after hours line to see if I should start PIO on Wed. but he was unsure and has to call me in the morning. Frustrated me as my dh needs to know about work and now we don't even know when transfer day is.

Today is also the remembrance day for everyone who has lost a child. It's a hard day cause I also found out on this day in 2011 that I was mc. Trying not to dwell on what if's cause it's not good for my spirit.

Read this verse today and it really helped as I just need to cry out to God about everything and trust he has a plan ... 

Lord, I beg You, hear my prayers; but more than that, listen to the groanings of my heart—my unspoken sadness. In the din of my distress I cry out to my King, “I need Your help, God!” The first thing every morning, I lay out the broken pieces of my life before You; then I wait for You to speak to my heart, Lord. ~Psalm 5:1-3 

Hopefully tomorrow my RE will get back to me on a plan. I told him about the tiny cyst too and he said it maybe something we can suck out before transfer. 
 

RI Apt. FET#2

Yesterday we went to see my RI reproductive immunologist. I had a extensive blood flow ultrasound done and my flow was at a 2 which was good (similar to last FET). Without Lovenox blood thinner shots my blood flow is a 0 which is not conducive to being able to support a pregnancy. They have me doing 2 a day this time around to help. My lining with them averaged at 7.7 so up a bit from last FET. (My RE had me at 9.25 but they always seem to have me higher than my RI). The lining was nice 3 layer so that all is great.

They took blood and are checking my chem panel, PAI-1 gene and a few other things as they like to monitor my overall health too especially on all the medications I am on. I am so bummed my insurance is not wanting to cover doing my NK killer cells and Cystine levels as they could not do those tests yesterday and find out my numbers this time around. I even sent in letters to my insurance on why I need the labs done and called but they are still reviewing it all and we decided at $900 a pop we had to wait. I may be low on potassium and why I am having leg cramps from the steriods so they will let me know on that one when tests come back.

The only concern my RI had is I have a tiny 2mm cyst in the upper part of the uterus in the endometriam(sp?). You don't really want anything in the uterus at all when doing a transfer so I was a little shocked my RE did not mention or monitor this issue when I had ultrasounds this cycle with them. My RE did see it when I went in almost a month ago for my first u/s and then told me it go away with my period but it did not and they never said anything about it again so I did not know it was still there.

My RI felt is was small enough that it could just be caused by the medications I am on and may resolve when the progesterone starts or is tiny enough it won't interfere with implantation but if this FET does not work I need to insist on my RE doing a saline ultrasound to make sure it's not a issue that has to be fixed.

I have a call into my IVF cord. at my RE clinic to discuss these findings and set up transfer for the 21st. I am really not happy with my RE at the moment that they never talked about this tiny spot. They should of not proceeded if they saw it during my second u/s of the cycle but they never talked about it again. I could of just canceled the whole cycle but the thought of starting over etc is to much for me to go thru again right now. All I can do is leave the issue in God's hands and pray it shrinks and is not anything that will be a problem.

My Intralipids IV went well last night we hit up the Coram infusions place on the way back up from IL to WI - I get really tired after doing it and lose my appetite for a few days as it's a high fat content so it's like a nutrition supplement as well as helping lower my NK killer cells. I seemed to have bp issues all day yesterday and could of been from the 8lb weight gain (from all the predisone) so I have to get my walking in each day and do better on the low carbs. It was a long long day and I am really exhausted today and thankful I have a week yet to recover from all the travel till transfer day. Thank you for everyone's continued prayers.

RE Apt. FET#2 - Lining Check

Things looked good today. Lining was at (9.25) Looking at the 21st now for transfer as I guess they don't do weekends now unless they have to. So my husband will have to do a FMLA day as I can't drive after transfer and he needs to be with me.

Acupuncture today was awesome she spent almost 2 hrs on treatment this time around. We ended with a round in my ears cause I was having congestion which she said indicated I was fighting off sickness (which makes sense since Scott has been ill I may of caught something) and anyway one of the needles just popped out of my ear and started gushing blood which freaked me out but she said it was normal it meant I had a blockage and we hit the right energy spot after my head and throat and sinus's opened up really good and I felt better. Did more cupping on my back too. I love it there it's such a relaxing time. Will see her on the 21st for transfer day too.

Tomorrow is my blood flow ultrasounds with Dr. K in IL. Getting ready to head to bed cause we got to head out early to be in IL by 11:15 then intralipids later in Milwaukee WI on the way home. Very tired and hoping I can sleep as last night I just laid there and dozed in and out. So much on my mind about transfer day. I want to be hopeful but it's our 5th transfer and I just don't know anymore if it's ever going to happen for us. I'd like to think it will but doubt is just there about it all.

Keep praying for safe travel will be a lot of driving for Scott tomorrow. Got a few movies to keep me entertained during my lipids IV and one Scott can watch while he waits for me at the RI office on our little DVD player. Guess that is all for now.

More thoughts along the way FET#2

10/1 - It's been so crazy trying to schedule in this FET. Last time we had everything planned in advance but with AF being so late this time I was not able to. Was thankful my RI Dr. Kwak-Kim was able to squeeze me in for my blood flow ultrasound, she was booked up on Oct. 11th so got her last one on the 14th. Trying to also book my Intralipids for that night as the infusion center is on the way home from IL, back up to WI where I live and save us a trip. (If I can't then I will have to do it on Sat. the 12th). But man that is going to be a long day. We will have to leave out by 7:30am to get to my 11:15am apt and probably won't be back home till 10pm or so. Had to e-mail my RE and let them know that even if they say everything is good on Oct. 13th (when I have my lining check with them) I can't start progesterone until Dr. K on the 14th says she agrees and the intralipids get done. So that be starting PIO on Oct. 15th and transfer 6 days later. I sure hope this time works cause it's getting difficult to plan and do all the extra stuff I need to do for my immune and clotting issues. I am glad I have a Dr. to help treat those issues but wish she was closer to us and not so far away.

10/2 - Got to love the extra cm from estrogen pills - yuck! at least it subsides when PIO starts although I am not looking forward to shots in the butt again ouch! FET's are so much fun lol 

Last year around this day we conceived our angel baby that would of been due July 4, 2013. I do wonder at times what it be like to have him/her here with us. That pregnancy was the farthest we ever got and the most painful. Praying so hard this FET works and we get to a happy end.  

10/6 - Been so busy working on the HBW store making Memory Angel Ornaments and hosting a Fall Auction on my items have not had time to post a update. Everything is going well. I forgot how much the Lovenox shots sting ouch. Today I did a session of acupuncture at Red Sage Health again. I love acupunture it helps me relax and destress. Did some cupping on my back and moxi heat. Will do it again this next Sunday. 10/13 I have my lining check with my RE so hopefully all is going to look good. Could use some prayers for my husband he is coming down with a cold and I worry about him working so much and getting run down so close to us having to do trips to the Dr. next weekend. Well that is all for now :)

10/8 - Called to fill my PIO and found out they where out and it's on back order. Had to call around to local pharmacies till I found a walgreens that can get some in and then call my fertility clinic to call in a new prescription for some. Thank God I have 3 vials sitting here from last FET to at least start with next week. I know I could do the crinone cream if it came to it but I'd prefer to do the PIO shots being they are suppose to be better. Good thing I called today and didn't wait so I can get it going. I think half the battle sometimes is getting all your meds for a cycle.

10/11 - Huge travel weekend coming up. RE on Sunday followed by acupuncture in Madison. Monday is our trip to IL to see my RI and then back up to Milwaukee for my Intralipids IV infusion before travel home. Please pray that everything is looking good for our second FET transfer, will be testing lining and blood flow. If all is ok we are on target for the 20th for transfer. Getting excited but nervous all at the same time. Really needing this time to be it! Pray for Scott to as he is under the weather.