Calculator Help, Please

Let's start with what I know, my numbers continue to increase and look good!

What I can't seem to figure out, and would like your help with, is whether I'm most likely looking at a single pregnancy or a twin pregnancy.  Here are the facts and figures:

Nov 17: 5 day transfer
Nov 25: Beta 149.7
Nov 28: Beta 623.9

Also, what day should I use as a marker when the charts are based on DPO?  My first beta had me thinking one embryo implanted, my second beta has me wondering if both implanted.  For those of you who "get" all of this calculation stuff, what do you think?

Thanks!

Crocodile Tears

...of pure JOY!

I had my blood test this morning and then dropped P off at work.  The plan was to have lunch together and listen to the message from the IVF Nurse.  Well, the call came at 9:45 so I called P and asked if we could have a snack break.  The minute the nurse started to talk I could her from the tone in her voice she had good news, and she did!

P and I hugged and I started sobbing.  Crocodile tears and big, heaving breaths.  I was such a relief to hear what I so badly wanted to believe.  I think I have been holding my breath since the transfer and could I finally let it out!

My beta is 149.7, which they said is, "a good, strong number."  Estrodiol is 552 and progesterone is 50.5, those were described as, "Good levels for you."

Our IVF nurse happened to be the one on today and poked her head in while I was having my blood drawn.  P told her about my discomfort with the IM injections (tenderness, a lump on each hip, and itching).  She didn't like the sound of itching, so she talked with the Dr on call this weekend and they are having us make a slight decrease to my dose starting tomorrow, as well as trying a shorter needle.

Life is good!

Waiting for Confirmation and Other Ramblings

In my last post I said I paid attention to my body so that I wouldn't ask a kajillion questions about what is "normal."  Yeah, so it turns out I'm just asking different questions.  The most frequent things I question are related to appetite and emotions.  Here are some examples:
-I want something salty.  (Do I usually want salty snacks?)
-I am crying at a cheesy movie.  (Would I cry at this moment if I weren't pregnant?)
-I'm thirsty.  (Do I usually drink this many fluids?)
-Awh, someone just said something really sweet about me.  (I feel like I'm about to cry, is that normal for me?)
-Do we have any chips in the house?  (What's with the salty snacking these days?)
You see what I'm saying?

Remember that post about how great the shots were going?  Things have changed.  I guess it takes dily shots for a prolonged period of time to piss off my glut muscles, and we have reached that point.  I have a large, sore bump the size of a small sand dollar on each of my hips.  And P says they are looking red.  I've been on the IM injections daily for about 3 weeks, with as many as 9 more to go.  I see my accupuncturist tomorrow and I hope she has some relief to offer.  The discomfort isn't constant; I seem to notice it most when I am walking or as I lay or sit down.

I don't recall how this conversation came up, but a really nice guy at work said to me and the woman who sits next to me, "I'm so glad we've all chosen not to have kids.  My friends keep having kids and I get so angry.  Don't they know about overpopulating the planet?"  Whoa.  I get that we are all 35-40 year-olds in long-term committed relationships without children, and none of us talk about having children at work, but he made a big leap in assuming we don't want children.  When there was a bit of a break I reacted by saying, "Don't get too excited about that because we do hope to have children.  I get what you're saying about overpopulation, but it doesn't bother me until couples have more than 2 children.  Also, at lunch I was reading my book and there was a part where the main character was asked to take a picture of her husband and son with the deer they killed hunting.  She was initially repulsed and then realized this scene has been repeated over and over since our ancesters scractched images of their bison hunt on a cave wall.  She decided killing animals might be as instinctual as conceiving children."  He agreed that people are compelled to have children with or without reason and appologized for his assumption.  Then he asked if we were going to adopt and I said, "Maybe," then quickly realized I couldn't live with that answer and added, "But we want to try and have children of our own."  Then I felt like I might cry.  How could I be faced with this conversation at work this week?  How could I almost lie about how hard we have worked to conceive?  It is so hard to talk about becoming parents when we are in this space of waiting to know for sure.  I imagine it will be even harder after we have confirmation and before the end of the first trimester.  It seems like answers just lead to more questions.

Keep your eyes on Sugar and Spice over at Hail Mary tomorrow (Wednesday).  They are waiting for confirmation, but their 2WW has been stretched into a 3WW.  Give them your love!

Welcome Home

I couldn't be happier with the way things went today. I had a relaxing massage, then lunch with my sweetie before heading to the clinic. The nurses got me ready and gave me blankets from the warmer. Then my acupuncturist did my points and I listened to relaxing music for 25 minutes. The nurses used U/S to looka t my bladder and determined it was too full. So, my big challenge of the day was to pee 3/4 cup and no more. I did my best. Dr B came in and talked with us about the procedure and gave me a dose of valium. The embryologist gave us the report that they only thawed 2 embryos and they had started to expand (I can't remember the technical word for that), which means we have 13 more frostiness should we need them in the future. After that I got my hat and booties on and P got the same plus a jump suit and I was wheeled in to the surgical suite. The transfer itself was pretty quick everyone complimented me on my level of relaxation. When I was wheeled back to my room T did more acupuncture and P held her hand over my uterus welcoming the embryos and encouraging them to make themselves at home! We both feel like it is working, everything just seems right this time. I don't know how to explain it except to say I feel confident rather than just hopeful.

Paying Attention?

I have been gearing up for a relaxed and confident TWW 8 day wait.

The last few days I've been paying particularly close attention to the activity within my body so that I can decipher what is different or has changed when I am pregnant.  Well let me tell you, ladies, if you are anything like me you have twinges and gurgles and pangs all of the time.  During my past waits I thought all of those things might be "signs" of pregnancy.  Now I know better, and instead of wondering about every bit of movment or sound in my body I know they are normal.  And I am left to just wonder believe my embryos are implanting and growing.

And I'll leave you with a request: please pray, hope, wish, cross your fingers, send up positive enegery, etc for P and I about 1pm PST tomorrow, when I am reunited with 2 wonderful embryos!

Two Weeks, 3 Days Pregnant

I interrupt your daily activities to share my optimistic thought.  I find all it so odd that they calculate pregnancy starting 2 weeks prior to conception, but since they do I believe I am 2w3d today, with a FET coming up on Thursday.  My IVF calendar says "Day 0" on last Saturday, which would have been retrieval day for a fresh transfer and conception day for a hetero girl.  Since I'm going with the whole, "Pregnant unless proven otherwise" attitude, that means today I am two weeks 3 days pregnant.  How is that for optimisitc?!!

I Love Shots!

Okay, maybe that's a little strong, but I was braced for an uncomfortable experience and it has just been a series of little pokes.

Our IVF nurse told us about the welts and soreness most women experience at the IM injection site.  My accupuncturist warned me about the same thing and asks me every visit if I'm having any pain or reaction.  The answer is no!

For those of you who have not done IVF, these are shots in your upper gluts.  The needles are 2 inches long and the medication is in oil.  At the recommendation of my accupuncturist I ice the area before the shot and apply heat after.I have had multiple IM delestrogen and progesterone injections and so far so good.  These shots are helping my body prepare for pregnancy and they are going really well.

Counting Down and Building Up

One week from today is my FET!

I know it helps to be as relaxed and optimistic as possible, but those things are really hard to control.  I mean, in my head I know I have fabulous embryos, my hormone levels are in the ideal range, of course this is going to work, but in my gut it doesn't feel like a slam dunk.  Thankfully, this morning I woke up realizing one week from today I'll be reunited with two frosties and it put a spring in my step and a grin on my face.  That means the countdown is in full swing and the excitement is growing!  Phew!

Here is how next Thursday will go.  I'll sleep in a little take my time getting up and do my IVF meditation.  Then I'll make my way to a day spa near the RE clinic for a steam and relaxing massage.  Next I'll have an early lunch at a great, little cafe.  Then I'll walk over to the clinic and check-in at 12:15, where I will meet up with P (she is working a half day) and my acupuncturist (T).  The nurse will get me ready and T will do some acupuncture points before Dr B does the transfer.  Afterwards T will do more acupuncture points.  Eventually  will get to pee and we'll head home for a few days of watching movies and reading books.  What's not to be excited about?!

It also occurred to me today that my TWW is really only 8 days!  My pregnancy test confirmation is Friday, Nov 25, the day after Thanksgiving.