6 Eggs!

We got 6 eggs!  And they were all mature!  I’ll take it.  I’ve read that average for a retrieval is 5-15 and realize our 6 is down there at the bottom, but I’ll still take it!  There’s that saying all over the IVF chat boards “all it takes is 1”, but unfortunately for us I think our saying is “all it takes is 3 excellently graded embryos (or maybe 4?)” depending on how many kids we want to have.  You’ll recall, we’re not doing this SO much to get pregnant now as to make sure we can have more than 1 child and hoping to bank embryos for later.  I'm pretty sure this wasn't the only week I'll have to take some shots in the belly... *sigh*

Le Sigh

My retrieval appt was for 8am yesterday, but they ask you to show up 45 mins early.  It’s a small infertility facility as opposed to a hospital.  But I liked the smaller feel of it – more intimate and “cozy” (I know, a weird word to describe an infertility clinic).  We arrived at 7:15am, and were taken to the pre-op area, which I guess is also the post-op area. I got settled in.  Put on my gown (the nicest/thickest hospital gown ever!) and booties and got my IV put in.  If I might take a moment to share – SO glad they put the IV on the inside of my arm as opposed to my wrist (where it was for my polyp removal).  It’s a lot more comfortable in the days after – esp if you wear a watch!   Hubby was with me the whole time while the nurse was prepping me.  I met the anesthesiologist who was awesome and funny yet patient and informing - just the kind of doctor you want.  Dr. A came in to say hello shortly before the procedure and then we WALKED to the retrieval/operating room.  Yes, I followed a nurse who was carrying my IV bag (staying right on her heels so that I didn’t accidentally pull my IV out!)  Hubby departed at that point to go do his all-important task.  Ah, the fairness of this picture, where we women are poked and prodded and injected and drugged and all the guy has to do is something he’s trained for since he was 13 years old… but I digress.

The small operating room was literally a few short steps from the pre/post-op area and I climbed up on the table myself.  I saw the giant stirrups in front of me, but wasn’t required to commit the very unladylike task of having to position myself into them.  Thanks to the doctors and nurses for saving my dignity for when I’m sedated.  I think.  (Now I’m picturing them wrangling me into them while I’m totally passed out…)

Very ladylike...

When I put on my gown I was wondering what these vent things were on the top and bottom and speculated if it wasn't for (eeks) drainage during some other kind of procedure.  But after I was lying on the table, a nurse attached a nozzle to the opening in my gown and it was blowing warm air in.  NICE!  Can I get one of these for at home?!  The last thing I remember (I truly hope I’d already been given some loopy-drugs in my IV at this point and I wasn’t just being weird) was rambling to the anesthesiologist that he could take my glasses off and then telling him that my glasses-case was in my purse (which Hubby had).  I’m sure the doctor got right on that.  And I’m pretty glad that he didn’t.

Suddenly I was waking up back in that post-op area with a nurse and Hubby there to greet me.  I felt pretty good all things considered.  And then I sandwiched my procedure with two silly comments (which I blame on drugs): when the nurse asked me if I’d like some apple juice, I exclaimed “sure.” And then feeling like I was all alert, in control of my speech and therefore was going to speak all the words in my head, promptly asked her if Hubby could have some too since “he loves apple juice!”  I wonder if a look didn’t pass between the two of them, but shortly thereafter we were both sipping apple juice!

The procedure only lasted about 20-30 minutes so all in all we were there for a pretty short amount of time.  The nurse helped me up to use the restroom.  I got back into my clothes and put on this gigantic pad they gave me (the kind I haven’t seen since I was about 12 years old).  I didn’t need said gigantic pad – the spotting was very minimal.  But I suppose it’s necessary and better than nothing!  (Can’t they get some liners up in this place?)

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and I gave Hubby a (very short) verbal list of items to pick up while I slept in the car.  He’s not the cook in our home and rarely does the shopping and I suppose just wanted to be thorough and make sure I had everything I could (POSSIBLY) need, but he essentially multiplied each item on my list by 5 and added a few other things too.  Just before we're about to leave town for Thanksgiving – thanks Hubby.  I do love you.

One of these, and one of these, and one of these and one of...

I climbed into bed as soon as we got home (but not before stopping to quickly text a sweet friend who was checking in with me) and slept for about 4 hours.  Woke up feeling GREAT but hungry.  I went looking for Hubby and found him ASSED OUT on the couch.  Poor guy has been working so much lately – I think an afternoon full of sleep was just what we BOTH needed.  I felt so great that I cooked lunch for us – soup from scratch!  But then we both fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon, getting up just in time for dinner.

I realize I’ve just given you a total play-by-play of my day (much of which was NOT part of the egg retrieval) but I suppose I included the latter part to illustrate how minor a procedure it really was.  I felt great overall!  Very light spotting, kind of like the last, last, day after your period ends.  Still felt a little bloated but that should fade hopefully by the end of the week (and be replaced with bloating from Thanksgiving).

Over the next few days we’ll get a daily call/email from Dr. A on how our eggs/embryos are progressing.  It’s hard to think what we might end up with, if anything at all.  They still have to divide and develop and grow and look normal and hopefully get to Day 5 and THEN we still have to do the PGS which could dwindle the number even more.  Ugh... it's hard waiting to find out.  I'm assuming second only to the waiting after an embryo transfer!

But we're keeping our heads up.  And staying positive!  After all, we have the holidays to look forward to.  And much to be thankful for overall.  Happy Thanksgiving to any and all of you who read this!