Brief Rundown

I have been horrible at keeping up with this blog. Here's a brief rundown of what has happened.

Fresh 3 day transfer 9/30/08 2 embryos.
First BFP 6dp3dt.
Beta 10/10 10dp3dt 121!
Beta 10/13 13dp3dt 724!!
Beta 10/20 8,538; U/S showed one sac (5w3d)
Beta 10/27 10,000; U/S- yolk sac, but no fetal pole (6w3d)
Beta 10/30 14,000; U/S- no growth... blighted ovum ??? (6w6d)
11/3 U/S (with my IM here!) showed 1 baby with a heartbeat (7w3d)!!! Believe in miracles!!!

Beta from 11/3 15,000. Not doubling appropriately. Not even close. But we're not giving up hope!

It worked! I am pregnant!

It has been a while since I've updated this blog so here's the rundown.

I took my first hpt on the Sunday after transfer, which was 5dp3dt. It was negative which I was expecting since it was still so early. I took another on Monday afternoon, 6dp3dt and I was fully expecting another negative (I just couldn't resist the urge to test!!). What to my wondering eyes should appear, but a faint second line!! Could my eyes be deceiving me??? Nope. There was a faint line... faint, but there! I did not want to tell my IP's just yet because I wanted to test a few more times, just to make sure this wasn't a fluke. The next day I tested with 2 different brands and they were both positive as well, and the lines were darker. =) I made a cute little photo with the words "We did it!" over the 2 tests from that day and sent it to my IP's.

My IM called a little bit later and was just overjoyed. I was so moved by her reaction.. she broke down in tears a few times.. It was such an amazing feeling to know that we did it!!!!! That I was actually pregnant with their baby. Of course I tested every day between then and the beta, and each day the line got darker and darker. =)

Beta 1 on 10/10 which was 10dp3dt was 121. Excellent number!

Beta 2 on 10/13 which was 13dp3dt was a whopping 724!!! The number is ideally supposed to double every 2 days, which would have put us in the 360 range for that day. I think it's safe to say that BOTH embryos decided to stick around!

I go in for the first ultrasound tomorrow 10/20 and we'll know if both embryos decided to stick around! I'm 99.9% sure it's twins.

I'm 5 weeks 2 days pregnant today, and I'm feeling awesome. No morning sickness (I had one day of queasies but that may have been lack of sleep). I have been a little more tired than usual, but that's really my only "symptom" so far. Thank goodness. I hear morning sickness with multiples is worse than with singletons. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that when it comes it is mild... or even better, that I don't get it at all!

It has all come down to this

We had our transfer last Tuesday September 30th. 2 excellent 3 day embryos. Beta day is Friday. I'm trying to hold out testing for as long as I can, but I know I will break down and take a home test before beta day.

Christina accompanied me to NJ so James could stay home with the kids. I learned some things about my IPs that made me realize just how perfect a match we are. I'm eternally grateful that we wound up together.

BIG day today: Egg Retrieval and My First PIO Shot

So, today my IM went in for her egg retrieval. I was on pins and needles all day, but I never got a phone call. I'm assuming that's a good thing. Though, I am concerned for her and how she's feeling. I figured that if they didn't get any eggs they would have called to tell me that my trip is canceled. So, no call=good news, right? (Let's hope so).

Tonight I did my FIRST PIO (progesterone in oil) shot. It's an intramuscular injection (upper, outer quadrant of buttox). I was worried because I've heard horror stories of how much it hurts, how hard it is to do, etc... Some people can't do the shot themselves so their husband or someone else has to do it.

Well, tonight I decided that I was going to do it myself. I did it.. I got it all prepped, I twisted myself in such a way that I could reach, and as I stuck the needle in, it didn't even hurt. I pushed it into the muscle, and it still didn't hurt! It was a little hard getting the oil pushed into the muscle just because it's so thick and takes a while to push through the syringe. Then, I pulled it out, and rubbed the area to help disperse the oil.

I'm sure that once my muscles catch on to what I'm doing and start to feel like pin cushions they'll revolt and start to ache, but the shot itself is no big deal, thank goodness!

Tomorrow we find out how many eggs fertilized. Monday, my friend Christina and I fly out to NJ! How exciting is this?!?!

I'm getting so nervous

(first a quick little blurb since I haven't updated this blog. I have now been to 4 monitering appointments and I am responding well to my meds. I'm still on 10 units of lupron (subcutaneous injection) nightly and I'm on 2 estrodial pills 3 times a day. My uterine lining is 12.. anything over 8 is considered good.)

I can't even imagine the stress my IM must be under if I'm feeling this nervous.

Yesterday she told me that she has 6 follicles. 3 in one ovary and 3 in the other. 3 on the one side are too small (they need to be a certain size to have an egg inside). On the other side one was small, and 2 were a bit bigger, but still not considered mature (big enough). Yikes.

Today, she went for another appointment and found that they *are* growing, which is a good thing. There are 2 that are considered mature. Hopefully between now and whenever they decide to perform the egg retrieval (it was going to be Friday... not sure if they'll let her go a couple more days) they will have grown some more and the smaller ones will have grown too. *fingers crossed*

I'm trying to keep positive. It only takes ONE good embryo to make a baby, right?

It's just so scary. It's more of a peace of mind thing if they have multiple embryos to work with. Then the RE (Dr) can pick and choose the best ones.

After egg retrieval the eggs are fertilized with the intended father's sperm and allowed to grow. If there are more embryos to work with, the chances of at least some of them making it to day 3 (transfer day) are higher. If it's just one or two embryos there's a lot riding on those little guys (or girls lol)!

So yeah.... the pressure is officially on. I am officially freaking out.

PLEASE my IM can use all of the "grow follicles!" vibes she can get right now.

First monitering appt. today

I had my first ultrasound and bloodwork appointment today. Everything is looking as it should at this point. I now reduce my nightly lupron dose from 20 units to 10 units. I also begin taking estrace. 2 tonight and then twice daily until I get further notice.

My IM starts her meds on Monday if her u/s and bloodwork look ok.

I'm trying to take this one day at a time, rather then get excited. With my last set of IPs I got so excited that I just wanted to burst. When the cycle was canceled it was really hard to deal with the disappointment. I *want* to get excited but I know it's better if I just go with the flow. If a pregnancy is achieved (please please please!!!) then there will be plenty of time for excitement and celebration. =) Until then.... one day at a time.

Drumroll please.... announcing my new journey

This blog has been a long time coming. I've had a few inquiries so I decided to go ahead and finally put this out there.

I met a new set of (fabulous!) IPs in May (met in person in June). They flew out here and we all went out for a great night of good food and fun times. We all really hit it off and were talking like old friends. We had already decided to take this journey together, but that night just sealed the deal.

We did the contract in the summer and anticipated an August transfer, but as is such in the surrogacy world, we had a bit of a hold up.

All the while I kept my emotions bottled up and kept this journey under wraps for the most part. Mostly to protect myself from the enormous let downs my (former)IPs and I went through last time. I didn't want to air each and every step of this journey publicly only to have to come back and say "not this time" (yet again).

Well.... after much consideration I have decided to go ahead and post that I am starting my lupron shots TONIGHT! This means that transfer will be roughly a month away (WOW!). I will have monitoring appointments to make sure that I am responding to my meds and my IM will as well.

I have to admit that although I'm not feeling the same excitement I did the first go round (completely due to the fact that I'm guarding my emotions) I am thrilled to be with this new set of IPs. They are incredible and wonderful, easygoing and down to earth. My IM has brought me to tears with her gratitude. I can't even describe it.

So, there we have it! =) Think positive baby vibes for us please!!!