So Different

This IVF cycle has been so different than last year.  Last year the cycle went without a hitch.  Everything was easy.  This time around things have been so much harder.  It didn't help that I got a cold during my first week of stimulation.  It also didn't help that I had to put my injections at 5 in the morning and at 9:15 at night because this was the latest and the earliest that I was assured to be home every day.  This trend continued with my egg retrieval surgery yesterday.  Last year, I felt fine both going into the surgery and out of it.  This year, it was a horrible day.  From the moment I woke up, I was having symptoms of a stomach bug.  I don't get stomach bugs often, and I was pretty sure that this was all hormonally induced.  That didn't help my pride as I threw up in a garbage can in the parking garage of the hospital.  I also got sick right before surgery and on the way home.  It was also harder emotionally.  The nurse came in to put in IV.  She chose the one spot I didn't want her to choose.  The scar on my hand from where the IV was the day the boys were born.  I am a hard stick so I didn't say anything to her when she choose this spot.  Then the anesthesiologist came in.  He wanted to know if I had ever had this procedure before.  Yes, last year.  He of course assumed that it wasn't successful then so I felt the need to explain to that it was and why we were back.  After we got home, things were not much better.  I spent the rest of the day on the couch between sleep and pain.  Every time I tried to get up, I would feel like I was going to faint.  Today has been much better though.  The transfer will be next Wednesday.

Holding Pattern

Last year, I stimulated too fast during my IVF cycle.  My egg retrieval had to be moved up a day, and I stopped my injections early.  In light of that, my doctor decided to give me much smaller doses of medication this time.  Unfortunately, now I am stimulating too slow.  I was supposed to have surgery on Wednesday, but now it looks like it will be Friday at the earliest.  This will also move back my transfer next week from Monday to Wednesday.  I am trying to see the benefits of this new plan, but I ready for this section to be over.  Simulation days require three injections a day, and I have to travel to across town every other day to be monitored by ultrasound.  Today, the alarm went off at 4:45 so I could do my first injection, get ready, drive to the north side of town, get my blood drawn, check my progress by ultrasound, and drive to the west side of town for work.  I was at work by 7:15.  I go back again on Wednesday.  Hopefully, I will get the green light for surgery.  Then, my stomach may get a break for awhile.  Watch out glutes.  It is your turn next.

Happenings

Yes, I know that it has been weeks since I have updated, but things have been quite busy around here.  Even as I type, I am ignoring the stack of papers that really should get graded today.  It really has seemed never ending these last few weeks.  Until Friday, there was not a single day in the last two weeks that I was able to come home straight after work and stay here all evening. 

Gabriel has spent the last few weeks losing teeth.  He lost his first two last year just before and after he turned five.  Now, he has lost two more, and he has another one loose.  If he can lose it soon, then he will truly be able to sing that all he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth (although maybe he should just be thankful if he has any left by then).

Gabriel and I also spent the afternoon making a leaf animal for a project for school.  Since my husband has already got a laugh out of the result, I thought I would let you have one as well.

On the medical front, a lot has been happening these last few weeks.  I was supposed to go and have another test in September to see if I needed another surgery before we started this next round of IVF.  I was prepared to leave early from work the day of the appointment, but I was called a couple hours before I left.  At the last minute, they decided that I didn't need the test again since I had already had one in June.  This was good news.  It saved us about $800, and it meant that I would not have to have surgery.  We were officially on-track for the next round.  Since then, I have begun to take injections and have gone for my baseline ultrasound (a check to see if you are ready to proceed).  Everything has gone fine with only one small glitch.  My doctor did some routine tests on my blood.  One of them was to check for my immunity to rubella (German measles).  Apparently, I have lost my immunity to it....again.  I was properly vaccinated as a child, and for 95% of the population, this creates a life-time immunity.  After I got pregnant with Gabriel, they could not find my rubella immunity.  I was told to be careful during my pregnancy, and I was re-vaccinated after he was born (only six years ago).  Now, I have lost it again.  There was some debate about whether I needed to abandon this cycle, get re-vaccinated, wait three months, and start over.  In the end, they decided I could proceed if I was willing to take the risk.  I have decided that the risk is very small, and I am going to move forward.   Although, I am trying to decide if I should still work in the children's department at church if this cycle works since many of the children that I work with are either too young to get the MMR or their parents have chosen to delay their vaccination.  German measles is rare, but there can always be another outbreak.  I will start monitoring ultrasounds this Tuesday, and I will go up every other day until my surgery on the 27th.   This is my wedding anniversary.  At first, I thought that it was not a very nice way to spend that day, but I am trying to look at it in a more positive light.  All of the rest of the children that Jason and I are likely to have will be conceived on our anniversary.  Who else can say that?