Terror

So, my coordinator, whom I dislike more and more with every interaction, called today. She said that the radiology place should have called them right away when they didn't see a heartbeat. So, instead of coming into the clinic for the next one, they want us to go back to the radiology place, and then come talk to the RE afterward.

I wasn't worried at all about the no HB thing before, because it was so early, but now she's got me really freaked out. I know in my head that it was perfectly fine to not see the HB, but now I'm afraid. Why does she have to be like that? She gives as little info as possible, and she makes what she does give seem as dire as she can. And why didn't she respond like that when I told her we didn't see a HB. Am I an idiot not to be believed?

First U/S

Today was our first u/s. I'm only 5w3d, according to the IVF due date calendar I found online. That's pretty darn early for an ultrasound. I didn't even think we'd see anything, really. They didn't do it in the clinic, which I also find to be odd. We had to go to the radiology place that's upstairs from the clinic.

Anyway, we got there, checked in, and paid. When both Adam & Steve came with me to do the u/s, the tech said that it was a small room, and only one person could come. When I explained that they were both the dads, she let them both come in. The other thing I found very odd was that she did an external u/s first. I have never had an external in early pregnancy. You can't see anything! And, indeed, she couldn't. So, we went to the internal. Then, she could see the amniotic sac and the yolk sac. She measured it at 5 weeks, give or take a couple of days. So, right on track! No heartbeat yet, but that's to be expected. It's pretty hit or miss before 6 weeks or so.

I wrote to my coordinator and told her that we saw the two sacs, but no HB. I asked her if we should change next Monday's u/s to a later date, since Monday may not be late enough to see anything, either. She said, sure, we'll change it to Friday. Cool beans. 

Beta 2

I am currently waiting for my second beta results. I went in and had the blood drawn this morning. I usually get my blood work results at about 2. It is currently 2:38, and nothing. I'm freaking out. What if she hasn't called because she doesn't want to tell me that it went down? Or if she's talking to the RE because it rose, but not fast enough? Ugh.

*update*

She emailed me mere moments after I wrote this. 537! That's wonderful. That's 3.5 times higher in 72 hours. I'm so relieved. I don't have to go back in until our ultrasound the week of the 29th. I'm not sure of the exact day yet, I have to see when the guys can make it.

Beta!

The beta is the blood test to determine if you're pregnant. They measure the level of hCG (the pregnancy hormone) in your blood. Over a certain number indicates pregnancy. It should double every 48-72 hours, so I'll go back n next week for one or two more tests. My coordinator said they do two or three, depending on how things look.

My appointment was originally for Monday the 15, but I asked if we could please do it Friday instead. I said that waiting all weekend may kill me, and that I had betas done at 10 days post 5-day transfer (10dp5dt) before. She said OK.

So, here I am. My daughter (I don't remember what name I gave her before. I'll call her Emily for now) came with me, so we could spend the day at the Natural History Museum. She loves it there. We drove down to the clinic, I got my blood work done, and we headed out to the museum. We spent a few hours there, and then headed back home. We stopped at the mall near the clinic for Jamba Juice and lunch at the food court.

As I was looking for a parking spot, I got a voice mail notification. My phone hadn't rung at all. It was my coordinator, asking me to call her back. I hadn't been terribly nervous until that point, but her voice scared me. Why hadn't she just said a number? Did that mean it was negative? I called her back, and the receptionist put me on hold for what seemed like forever. She came back on several minutes later and said that my coordinator was in a meeting with my RE, could she call me back? I said OK, but I was now totally flipping out. Why was she talking to the RE? Was she getting a schedule together for a new cycle? I was a mess.

We got in the mall and ordered our Jamba Juice, when my phone rang. It was my coordinator! She took her sweet time, and kind of beat around the bush, but finally told me I'm pregnant! Thank goodness. A 153, a nice solid number. She asked if I wanted to call the guys or if she should. I told her I would. I couldn't get a hold of them, so I left a voicemail on each phone, I texted each phone, and I emailed them both. They called back while we were eating lunch, and they are over the moon excited.

I'm so glad. :)

Hopeful

I've been feeling pregnant, though I know that could just be the shots. But, I'm exhausted, which has always been one of my first signs of pregnancy. My sinuses seem to be acting up, as well, which is another sign for me. I have sore boobs, but that could easily be the shots. I had some cramping Wednesday night. It was just on one side, and it was only for like 10 minutes. I'm wondering if that could have been implantation. I have gotten a spot with the other ones, but a potential spot can easily be washed away without noticing.

So, while these symptoms could just be the hormones I'm taking, they could indicate pregnancy. I'm going to take them as a good sign, but not get my hopes up too much.

Blood Test

Today was just a blood test. I hate having to drive over an hour for a 5 minute procedure, but oh, well. We weren't sure how the traffic would be today (since it's a holiday weekend), so we left plenty of time. I can get there any time between 7:30 & 9:30, so we left at 7:30. It actually took us less than an hour, which is unheard of. I was in and out by 8:45. Unfortunately, that meant that there wasn't anything open in the area. I like to go to Jamba Juice or one of the exotic foods markets to pad the trip down (it's hard to get some less common ingredients up here), but nothing opened until 10. I was tired, and didn't feel like waiting in the car for over an hour, so we just came back home.

My coordinator called this afternoon and said that my levels look good, and to just continue as I have been.

Transfer!

This morning was the transfer. The appointment was at 9:30, but we had gotten instructions to be there no later than 9am. The transfer was in a different office than the one I usually go to. It's actually downtown, instead of on the outskirts of the city. The normal trip is supposed to take just over an hour, but can take up to two with traffic. The drive to the downtown office was supposed to take about 1.5 hours. But, we had no idea what traffic was like down that way. We decided it would be better to be early than even a wee bit late, so we left at 6am. You aren't allowed to drive yourself home from the transfer, so Linnell came with me.

I had as many good luck charms as an old lady playing bingo. I had a charm bracelet that has been passed around my surro group for several years now, as well as lots of other good luck jewelry, including some given to me by former IPs. I also had a stork shirt that we bought at a stork rehabilitation place in France. Linnell bought it for me specifically because he knew I wanted to do another surrogacy.

For the transfer, you have to have a full bladder, so the RE can clearly see where to put the embryo in your uterus. To that end, I was told to drink 32oz of water between 8am and 9am. However, I am prone to feeling really sick if I chug water, so I started early and went slowly. There was no traffic on the way down, so we did actually get there in less than two hours. That left us over an hour to kill. Since I already had to pee (I was OK until we went over a really bumpy road), we decided that staying in the car might be best. I knew that when I stood up, it would get worse. At about 8:15, I couldn't take it anymore. I really, really HAD to go. It was no longer a choice. It hurt so much that I could barely walk.

We went into the clinic, and I told them that I had to let a bit out. They said that it was OK, since I was early and could refill. Let me tell you, it is so very, very hard to stop in the middle when you really have to go. But, I didn't have enough water to refill completely, and I didn't want to get in trouble if it came time for the transfer and my bladder wasn't full enough. It still hurt pretty badly, but I was able to make it so I was no longer about to pee the seat. I started drinking again.

They took Linnell and me back to the back, where they gave me a gown and had me change. It was quite the complicated gown, and we had some trouble with it. But, we figured it out eventually. :) We then went back into another recovery room sort of place. I was tucked up in a comfy chair with a heated blanket, and the nurse took my blood pressure. Adam & Steve weren't there yet (it was still before 9), so Linnell & I read magazines. The RE came in and said hi, and said that they had successfully thawed one embryo. I asked how many days it was, and she looked confused. I said, "Three or five?" She said, "Oh, five." and smiled. Perhaps she isn't used to dealing with surrogates who know what they're talking about.

When the guys got there, we chatted for a few minutes before the RE called us back to the transfer room. I got on the table and scootched down. The RE asked me if I had a full bladder, and I assured her I did. She pulled up the sheet, looked down, and said, "Oh, yes, it's full." It was so full that she could see it from the outside. She told me I did a good job, so that's nice. She inserted the speculum, and the nurse pushed down HARD with the U/S transducer. I thought I might die. This was way more pain than the HSG, and way more pain than any of my other transfers. She put in a catheter, dug around a bit, and came back out. Everybody wondered if that was the transfer, but she told them it was just a test. I was just in pain, and wanted it to be over.

I had hoped that there would be a little relief between the test and the actual thing, but no. I guess they needed to keep it in the exact same spot, because the nurse pushed just as hard as ever in the few minutes between the two. The lab guy brought in the catheter that actually contained the embryo, and everybody smiled. The RE did her work, and then the nurse finally let up the pressure. I was overjoyed. Luckily, I didn't have to lay there for half an hour like I did with the last two. It was only like 5 minutes, and I was OK with that. The RE quizzed me on what medications I was taking, and I passed. ;)

After they let me up to use the restroom, it was back out into the recovery room for another 10 minutes.I showed the guys all of my good luck charms. I got to change back into my regular clothes, and it was time to go. They gave me cookies that they had made (Snickerdoodles, one of my favorite kinds), and we hugged and made our goodbyes.

One of the traditions for the surro group I belonged to with my last two surrogacies was McDonald's fries after the transfer. So, we ran through and got some fries. One of the traditions for my current group is two desserts. So, Linnell ran into the mall down there and got me a Jamba Juice. (I love Jamba Juice, and the closest one to our house is over an hour away, so any time I'm near one, I have to try and get one). My second dessert was one of the snickerdoodles, but not until later.

Then, it was just the drive home. There was no traffic, so we made it home in good time. I go in on Friday for blood work to test my estrogen and progesterone levels. It will be two weeks before the beta (blood test to determine pregnancy)

Ugh

As lead up to the transfer, I have to take Doxycycline (an antibiotic) and Prednisone (a steroid). The Prednisone lowers immune response, so I'm guessing it makes my body less likely to reject the embryo. I've never had to take it before, though. I have had to take an antibiotic every time, though. I'm not sure exactly why, but I can think of a few reasons. One could be that they just want to make sure that I don't have anything that could hurt the baby. The other could be that they don't want me to catch anything from the transfer itself. I'm pretty sure I got a UTI from the HSG, and the transfer is just as invasive as that.

Anyway, the Doxy can't be taken within an hour of dairy or antacids. Dairy is my go-to way to take antibiotics, so having to figure out another way to take them was icky. Especially because, yogurt isn't as effective for relieving antibiotic ravaged intestines if you can't take it with the antibiotic. I don't know if the Prednisone added to my discomfort, or if it was all the Doxy, but I have had an uncomfortable few days.

But, today is the last day of Doxy, and transfer is tomorrow!