Our son was due on July 13th, 2017. I’d like to point out that at 36 weeks pregnant our OB told me to take it easy to encourage him to stay in. We were afraid that he would arrive too soon! Well, it looks like our Little Bear took our pleas a little too seriously because he did not want to come out. We hit 40 weeks, and at the OB office we discussed induction. I was hoping I could go into labor on my own to avoid interventions, but – it didn’t quite work out that way. Dr. Lee...
On Friday, March 31st – both Dean and I went to the Quest Lab that is closest to our house to do my glucose tolerance test. Also known as the test that searches for gestational diabetes. Or, as Mr. Brimley would say: Now, the reason I selected this particular Quest office was because they offered a 7:15AM appointment time, and when you are pregnant and fasting, a) the sooner you can eat, the better and b) I am still working, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t impact the office with my absence. As always, we came prepared – Dean...
This morning, with a VERY full bladder, we had our anatomy scan. Now, before everyone gets all: Let me get through a few things first. You still with me, or are you scrolling down to get to the good part? Come on, stick with me. In addition to finding out what private parts our child has, this is a very important ultrasound where measurements are taken to make sure the baby is growing at a healthy rate, certain chromosomal defects can be ruled out, any potential issues with the placenta (i.e. placenta previa), and that the visible organs are functioning/present. Well, this...
I told everyone that I would keep you posted, and look, here I am keeping my promises. We are officially 18 weeks pregnant – only two weeks off from the halfway mark! Crazy right? According to my two pregnancy apps, the baby is now the size of a sweet potato, or – a sugar glider. I’m not sure how I feel about our baby being compared to vegetables and animals, but sugar gliders are pretty adorable, so I’ll allow it. In my first trimester, I had some bloodwork done by Dr. Lee that indicated I may have hyperthyroidism caused by...
Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, I can share this super mega post that I have been saving since our FET. I recorded evvverrything! I’m sorry I kept it secret for so long. Well, sorry but not sorry, because it has been a very stressful time for me too! So, are you ready for a serious novel? No? Well here it is anyways: After a Frozen Embryo Transfer, you count the days as “post transfer” until you have your hcg bloodwork, which is referred to as your “hcg beta”. My transfer was on 10/25, and here...
I’m sorry I left you all hanging and in suspense, it has been really busy for me lately and I haven’t had time to update. I had my appointment on Saturday October 1st, and that cyst is GONE. Thank you to everyone who kept me in their thoughts while we waited to hear. This cycle is going to proceed as normal! I have an appointment to check my lining on October 12th, and they will teach me how to give my PIO (progesterone in oil) injections. These are intramuscular injections, instead of subcutaneous. If you’re wondering what that means, it...
Today was my Day 21 baseline appointment. This is generally a pretty routine appointment, you get an ultrasound, they count your AFC (Antral Follicle Count), and then you get your protocol that you will begin as soon as your period starts. …..Except, for when they discover a functional cyst. Some of you may remember this post, where I thought I had received my period but I had not. What I had was a functional cyst, as a direct result of stress in my body (stress, illness, professional, etc). This cyst is a direct cause of me not releasing an egg as I should. The...
Hi everyone, As I mentioned in our previous blog, the infertility world refers to the appointment after a failed cycle as the “WTF” appointment. You discuss what happened in the cycle, how you would like to proceed, what your options are, how you are feeling etc. Let’s go in order, shall we? What happened this cycle?: We implanted our best 6AA blastocyst, my lining was 11mm, and everything looked textbook perfect. How would you like to proceed?: We are going to start another FET cycle with my next period, which should be towards the end of September or early October. My...
The title speaks for itself. There really is no concrete explanation of why this happened, other than what we all already know – IVF is never a sure thing. I began testing around 7 days after our transfer, and each home test was starkly negative. For a 6 day blast transfer, I should have received a positive around that time, or before. I generally prefer testing at home instead of waiting two weeks and going in for the beta and having my hopes come crashing down all at once. This way, when I test at home I prepare myself for the negative tests of...
I keep playing this particular scene from Hamilton over and over in my head. It’s in “Stay Alive (Reprise)”. [Philip] I did exactly as you said, Pa I held my head up high [Hamilton] I know, I know. Shh I know, I know, shh I know you did everything just right. The brutal reality of infertility is that you can do exactly as you are told, do everything just right – and still not succeed. There is no magic wand that you can wave, and no amount of positive energy or hope can bring you the outcome that you desire....
