Golden Retrieval!

So I'll start with the most current news first and then recap the "excitement" of retrieval day...

Just found out that we have 8 eggs that are fertilized! We will be watching these over the next few days to see how they develop and then we'll transfer 2!

Here's how it all started...

Wednesday morning 7:30 a.m.: I swallow my Valium with 1 sip of water (all I've been allowed since midnight the night before) and wonder aloud "will this really do anything?"

7:45 a.m.: Starting to feel a little relaxed we arrive at UMC and head back to the lab. I am weighed and led to the retrieval room (which I am instantly glad that I had declined a tour of before today- it would have most certainly starred in a nightmare or two) I suit up in a lovely mint green gown and hop into the gynocological equivalent of a Lazy Boy (no stirrups but knee holders instead, sorry for the visual). Brad is looking around and asking for the screen to watch- he doesn't want to miss this! I am starting to feel GROOVY as I am getting an IV poked in my arm. Oh, and they cranked up some Van Morrison. I swear, I'm not making this up- I was still coherent at this point.

8:15ish: Dr. Hines and young doctor enter- young doctor turns out to be my pain med dealer. He gives me a hit and I am feeling awesome. (Brad says I kept telling young doctor that I like him.) Screen is wheeled in and I vaguely remember getting a glimpse of one of my ovaries and the black circles (follicles) that could be holding eggs! Then they begin. Dr. Hines tells me that I will feel some Lydocane that he is inserting. He is not lying- it hurts bad so I just go under for a bit...Then I start feeling the action and watch the screen as they insert a needle (I am saying this nicely- Brad says they were just stabbing away) into my ovaries and start sucking out (aspirating if you want a pretty word) follicular fluid. It's running into tubes which they disconnect and pass through a little door in the wall into the lab. The whole procedure lasts about 20-25 minutes. Brad can definitely give a more accurate account...he says that anytime I would cringe (which was a couple times- shockingly this procedure does not feel good!!!) Dr. Hines would instruct young doctor to hit me again...thank you.

They let us know that the lab had found 12 eggs in the follicles. 9 of which looked mature enough to proceed with ICSI (they inject a single sperm into a single egg).

Well, then the fun began. As we know from past experiences, I apparently like to stay anesthetized. The nurse and Dr. Hines were explaining to us, Brad really, what would happen next and I would occasionally get my wits about me and ask an educated question- none of which I was able to stay tuned in for the answer...then they left and Betsy, our nurse, kept checking in until I was fully awake. This would take a normal person about 30 minutes on the amount of anesthesia I was given. It took me almost 2 hours.

11:00 a.m.: I tried to get up at which point I turned white, felt like I was going to throw up and my legs were on fire. There were suddenly 7 people back in my room- stabbing me with another IV, putting cold rags on me, etc... They gave me some fluids and I stayed a little while longer. Take 2 didn't go much better so Vicki, another nurse, gave me some Triscuits. Third time was a charm but I did have to ride in a wheelchair (over several uncomfortable bumps in the halls- careful, watch the ovaries!)

We got home, Brad fed me and I slept until almost 4. It was uncomfortable to walk around and I was having trouble peeing (voiding if you need a pretty word) (you people and your pretty ways of saying things!) Called nurse- she said everything's just a a little swollen and enlarged so it's nothing to worry about. Oh and I can take TYLENOL for pain- wow, how generous of you!!!!! I might as well swallow a Tic Tac for pain- hasn't anyone noticed that Tylenol doesn't do ANYTHING?!

So now I am chugging G2 (low calorie gatorade) for dehydration and cringing every time I have to go to the bathroom!

Slept great last night once I figured out how to lay on my side in comfort... woke this morning to Brad screaming "Bridge, it's the call!!!!!" and running toward our room (dressed in a suit- it was a sight) It turned out to be Betsy checking on us which I thought was nice but Brad said they shouldn't do when people are waiting on "the call of their lives" (this has turned Brad into quite the drama queen).

Anyway, the man was cleaning frantically and I suggested that maybe he should go to work. No- wanted to wait on the call. Then we put a cap on how long he would wait. When his time was up he asked if I would call him with the news?! I might. ;)

They called about 10 minutes after he left- it was Vicki and she said of the 9 eggs they injected 8 fertilized which is GREAT! So over the next few days, they will be watching these 8 to see if they continue to grow. We'll get updates every day so I will, of course, keep you posted. Please start praying for these 8 fertilized eggs to start growing into embryos.

Will start progesterone shots tonight.