Latham, New York

03/29/2012 - Thursday

We flew out from Austin on early Thursday morning. Our flight was at 6am. We reached Providence, Rhode Island around 1:05pm. Rent a car and drove 3 hours away to Albany and Latham, New York.

We didn't get enough sleep. So driving feel way far from it should be. About few yards to the hotel, our car involved in an accident. All of us fine, but the rental car quite damage. We called the rental car to replace the car because we don't want to mess it more than it should be.

03/30/2012 - Friday

I woke up early, nervous because today is my egg retrieval day. We staying at the hotel close enough to the clinic. We arrived around 10:00am, filled necessary forms and Kevin decided to do his specimen collection in the hotel room rather than the clinic. The clinic parking looked full and I can tell it a busy clinic. We went in and I am impressed with the deco and the staff. They are very friendly.

I waited until 11:00am in the lobby, many other women there, some for ultrasounds, some for egg retrieval and some for other things that I don't know of. They asked if I want to do the acupuncture before and after the transfer. I said yes.

Kevin got his 'love container' and went back to the hotel, and I pray he don't have any difficulties to get the specimen. From old experience he will having issues if he feel depress. One of our IUI almost cancelled because took him over 2 hours to get it out. I was watching the clock, it was 11:00am and the nurse called me in. Asked me to change into hospital gown. I had trouble to tie it, took me longer than it suppose to. Once ready the nurse took me into the room and I asked if she can checked if my husband already arrived. She said she will do that after prepping me.

Ten minutes later Kevin came in with a hospital gown and hat...he wanted to stay with me entire time. The Dr. allow it. I met the embryologist, the anesthesiologist, and my RE, Dr. Grossman. They seems very nice.

The anesthesiologist start the procedure and I start feeling very sleepy, then nothing. Last thing I remember they told me they got two eggs. Two eggs??? They retrieved from five follicles, so I may have more. I am quite disappointed if it only two. But after few minutes the nurse came back and told us they actually got five. I am grateful and thankful to Allah at that time. Even it not many, but I hope I have few that will make it. We went back to hotel and I slept until night and then woke up and then slept again. Kevin told me actually while the big needle went it, I moved and made a sound, so they added more meds, I don't remember that at all! He also said that I was snoring and the anesthesiologist laughed. Heheh.

03/31/2012

I continue my Dexamethasone and prenatal vitamin today. The nurse added Endometrin and Estrace and also baby aspirin 81 mg. I kept watching the clock, I know the clinic going to call me today to update us the eggs progress. Around 10:30am, the nurse called and told me that my transfer will be on Day 5 (Wednesday the 4th). That will be our wedding anniversary! She told me that all 5 fertilized. Alhamdullillah. I feel tons of weight lifted at that time. I am praying that it keeps strong until the day of transfer. I am not sure why my RE prefer to transfer on Day 5 instead of Day 3. But I trust they know the best. I will get my fertility report again on Monday, April 2nd. Please embies growing and growing. Stay strong.

In the evening I craving for Thai, so we went to downtown Albany at Sukhotai Thai Restaurant, they have good Thai food. From there we went to the nice mall close by. Did few shopping and just having our time together. I have not feeling such an ease go shopping with my husband so long. Most of the time we did shopping because of my online business. But this is different, we shopped stuffed mostly for ourselves. In few days will be our 9th wedding anniversary. I am thankful and grateful to have a husband that love and always on my side. May Allah blessed our dream and life.

Kev's Excitement to Poke Me

Somehow I think Kev enjoy poking me with needles everyday :)

I noticed, every time it close to the time, he already ready to mix my meds, sometimes it early and I have to remind him, he have to stick to the time. I also noticed he like to swirl the powder and liquid mix. But he do a good job doing it. I am thankful and glad he willing to do all those for me without complaint.

Other than that, we are ready to go to New York this Thursday (March 29, 2012).

Flight tickets - Checked!
Hotel room - Checked!
Rental Car - Checked!
Eggs - Hmm..hopefully they are excited as I am :)

2ND Ultrasound and Bloodwork

Today is my 2nd round of ultrasound and bloodwork (Cycle Day 6). Hopefully the follicles is cooperating.

1st U/S:

3 follicles on left (biggest 5mm)
4 follicles on right (biggest 6mm)
Lining - 6 mm
E2 - 22
HCG - <5

Other results are pending.

2nd U/S:

Everything looks fine so far. I stay with my original dosage of meds, except I have to add Centrotide on my Day 5 stim (Cycle Day 7). Kevin getting expert in mixing my meds. It still sting but I starting get use to it.

3 follicles on left (biggest 12mm)
5 follicles on right (biggest 11mm)
Lining - 8 mm

Menopur and Bravelle Injections - It hurt

I don't really scared of needle, but the first time I have the injections of Menopur and Bravelle, it hurt! It sting! My husband Kevin helping me mixing them both and sticked the needle in my tummy as the video below.

Today, is my second day, my friend told me to really pinch hard on the tummy so I don't really feel it. It worked and I feel better. I have to go through at least another 11 days!

First Week Meds Dose

Received my medications dosage today. I am not sure what I feel, nervous? worry? or just scared? It all mix feeling. Here the dosage that I have to take from March 20th through March 23rd.

Menopur - 2 powder vials
Bravelle - 2 powder vials
Mixing all the above medications into 1 shot with 1 cc of the mixing liquid.

I will also be taking a prenatal vitamin 1 per day and 1 dexamethasone daily as well. I will remain on that dosing until Friday, March 23, 2012 and then I will need further monitoring on Friday the 23rd, Monday the 26th and Wednesday the 28th with potential retrieval on the 30th of March.

The blood work I will need on these days is estrogen, progesterone and lh and also ultrasound on those dates.

Menses

It amazing how the Fertility Friend calendar prediction about ovulation and period can be on spot! So today, I got my menses. What a big deal? Well, because this means that I am going to start my first cycle of IVF! I am nervous and also worry if my tests doesn't come back good and there are still many things that probably can be wrong. I pray that this going to work.

I have my menses on Sunday, means the Fertility clinic in New York is close. But I email the out of town patient coordinator, and she is very efficient. She replied my email in an hour! I asked her when I should do all my tests. She asked me to do it on Tuesday and tests must be ready by 11:00am. She will call me in the afternoon after she get the result.

So what test I have to take?

Baseline:
1. Beta HCG (Quantitative)
2. Estradiol
3. FSH
4. LH
5. Progesterone
6. TSH
7. Ultrasound (Transvaginal)

If everything going as planned, we will be in NY early of April, means we will celebrate our 9th Anniversary there and probably have transfer on our anniversary. I pray and asking Allah to make this dream come true. InsyaAllah.

Sad Week

This week is really sad week for me. Why? I feel sad for my friends. Both got pregnant at the same time. One naturally, but she really excited and want the baby so badly, but ended with blighted ovum in 7 weeks.

The other fried struggle for a long time like me, did her IVF last few weeks and got positive with twins! She lost one baby heart beat and then another one. I feel for them.

Other than that, I still have cough and runny nose. I hope all be gone in 2 weeks for my transfer. I am awaiting my period to start and proceed to the IVF. Praying that everything goes as plan.

I don't know what I feel...I think I just prepare for worst. It is hard to be positive when you failed so many times, so long and don't know what are the reasons. I hope I will find my finish line one day...amin.

March Delay Ovulation

February such a 'sick' time for me. I was sick almost 4 weeks. It dragging from fever, coughing and cool. Not to mention the stress from work and my online business. But I managed. Kevin was so nice in helping the chores at home. He went extra mile to help me with cleaning the house. Thanks honey.

Other than that, I have a delay ovulation this month. I always ovulate either Cycle 14 or 15. But this month it delayed to Cycle 17 or even maybe 18. I only got my positive OPK on Cycle Day 17 morning. Sickness and stress can delay the ovulation. This probably delay my period two to three days. That also will change our plan for the IVF for few days. I have few more days waiting for my next period and starting my baseline test and IVF meds.