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.

I am a Chemistry Project

I am long overdue for a post.  First there wasn't much to report, then life got crazy, then Blogger wasn't playing nice with my iPad.

This morning a friend asked how I'm feeling, since my body is a chemistry project right now, and I am feeling quite well.  On the medical front we are chugging along as expected.  At my supression check everything was quiet, as we would hope.  We also had injection training during that visit and since P's biggest question regarded location our nurse drew target circles on me with a sharpie!

Life got busy as we prepared for a trip to visit P's sister A and family in Nashville.  It was a poor choice of timing on my part, with a board meeting at work on the day I got back, so there was a lot of details to nail down at work in addition to all of the laundry, packing, putting mail on hold, etc. at home.  Ultimately we got it all done and had a great visit.  We carved pumpkins, went bowling, played games, explored the Opryland Hotel and Cheekwood Botanical Garden.  P and I took a day trip to Hunstville one day because it was just 2 hours away and Alabama was the only state I had not visited.  While we were gone a lifelong friend of my family passed away following a long battle with heart disease.  So, I flew home Wednesday, worked Thursday, attended our friend's funeral with my parents and brother north of Seattle on Friday, and took the train back home yesterday.  P is on her way home from Nashville today and I can't wait to see her!

Given all of the travel in the last week, P gave me my first intramuscular shot was Monday in Nashville and my mom gave me the second one in Seattle on Friday.  P, who works in the medical field, is pretty comfortable giving shots, my mom not so much!  She was really nervous but I just kept telling her she could do it and it would be fine.  We watched the online training video of delestrogen injections and she bravely did it.  Once the needle was in and she was holding it while pushing the thick med I could feel her hand shaking!  Thus far I don't have any bumps, welts, or discomfort - I think those come with the progesterone more than the delestrogen.

I am looking forward to getting back into the comfort and routines of home.  The last week has been filled with emotional highs and lows, relaxation and stress, and I feel tired from all of it.  I am thrilled for the Momma L and Momma B on their double dose of joy and the ladies over at Insert Metaphor on their new arrival.

Time to Be Quiet

We had an appointment with Dr B this morning to make sure everything looked okay, and we got the green light to start the suppression meds for our FET.  I woke up feeling a little stressed, afraid of hearing my body isn't be ready after the OHSS and we would have to wait another month, but thankfully all is well!

So, tonight I start lupron and baby aspirin (do your docs have you take that?).  It is the same as the start of the IVF cycle, making us old pros!

Don't Twist an Ovary

I'd be jumping for joy if I wasn't still at risk for twisting an ovary.  (I am under strict instructions, "no jumping.")

AF arrived in full force this morning.  I called the clinic as instructed and expected them to schedule an appointment to discuss a calendar.  Instead, the receptionist said our nurse, G, was with a patient but wants to talk with me directly and will call back.  She called and explained that due to our travel dates and Dr B's travel dates if we go with the calendar she is proposing I need to start BCP's tomorrow.  Given the short turnaround G emailed me a calendar to review/approve, rather than scheduling an appointment.

The virtual jumping for joy is because this calendar leads us to a FET on Nov 11 and pregnancy blood test Nov 25!  Previous conversations and speculations had us thinking the transfer would not be until early December.  I'm just so tired of waiting and am thrilled ecstatic to learn it will happen a whole month sooner than I was expecting.  AND, being a girl who loves numbers, a transfer on 11-11-11 is fabulous!  AND, confirming we are pregnant (remember, I will be getting pregnant this cycle) Thanksgiving weekend is the ultimate gift to be thankful for!

Now, how am I supposed to focus and get any work done today?  I'm SO excited by this news I can't possibly concentrate on anything but how perfect this is.