I wake up this morning and my first thought is, "I'm getting pregnant today!" Then I think, "Oh, yeah, Steve has to give me a needle first."
We are staying in Altadena, about an hour from our clinic. The nurse called me yesterday to give me instructions prior to our appointment at 4:00pm today. We are to arrive at 3:15 so I can take a Valium and they can give us an orientation on the procedure. I am told that the Valium is to make sure that I am completely relaxed for the transfer. I am supposed to wear comfortable clothes and have my bladder comfortably full. When everything is ready, the embryos will be thawed just prior to the transfer.
I will be pregnant when I leave the clinic! I am to be on bed rest for the next two days, so that should be interesting. I feel more anxious about laying around than for the transfer itself! I guess I need to learn to relax; Usually there is always something that I need to get done!
This morning we are going to relax and see the area. It is supposed to be 85 degrees today; I can live with that! It is beautiful here. Palm trees line some of the streets. It feels like another world. I'd like to spend some time sitting in front of a cafe watching people walk by. I don't know if that qualifies as an activity that I can do on bed rest; I'll have to find out what the rules are.
Next time I blog I'll be pregnant!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Packing our bags!
Just wrapping up all the last minute things on my to-do list before going to bed. Tomorrow we head for California and on Monday at 4:00 p.m., the long awaited, greatly anticipated Embryo transfer!
My Doc phoned at 9:30 p.m. last night to say that the lab had my results and had faxed them on to the clinic in California. He was also going to fax them to be sure that they received them! Nothing like waiting till the last minute!
My children are looking forward to a week with Dad/Uncle Kevin while we are away. We spent the past week making the house tidy and baking bread and cookies for lunches so they would be ready for school on time.
I am looking forward to some time alone with my husband, even if I will be on bed rest for half the time! Hopefully he is up to babysitting me!
I have not enjoyed my daily needles much; it puts a damper on waking up in the morning when I realize that I need to have Steve give me a shot before work! The Progesterone makes me thirsty, tired, nauseous and ready to cry at any given moment. Steve's feels more sorry for himself that he has to give me a needle than he feels for me to have to receive it! I think he's a little confused.
I was concerned about loosing my baggage on one of our flights and being without my hormones so I looked into Airline policies and found out that I should carry it on. Seems kinda fishy that I can walk onto a plane with needles, syringes and injectable meds, but as long as I carry the prescription with me, I am fine. I also learned that each passenger is entitled to one book of matches, though I won't be bringing any.
Praying for our babies to both thaw safely and thrive in my womb!
My Doc phoned at 9:30 p.m. last night to say that the lab had my results and had faxed them on to the clinic in California. He was also going to fax them to be sure that they received them! Nothing like waiting till the last minute!
My children are looking forward to a week with Dad/Uncle Kevin while we are away. We spent the past week making the house tidy and baking bread and cookies for lunches so they would be ready for school on time.
I am looking forward to some time alone with my husband, even if I will be on bed rest for half the time! Hopefully he is up to babysitting me!
I have not enjoyed my daily needles much; it puts a damper on waking up in the morning when I realize that I need to have Steve give me a shot before work! The Progesterone makes me thirsty, tired, nauseous and ready to cry at any given moment. Steve's feels more sorry for himself that he has to give me a needle than he feels for me to have to receive it! I think he's a little confused.
I was concerned about loosing my baggage on one of our flights and being without my hormones so I looked into Airline policies and found out that I should carry it on. Seems kinda fishy that I can walk onto a plane with needles, syringes and injectable meds, but as long as I carry the prescription with me, I am fine. I also learned that each passenger is entitled to one book of matches, though I won't be bringing any.
Praying for our babies to both thaw safely and thrive in my womb!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Trouble with blood tests
Any couple receiving donated Embryos for transfer must have blood tests to screen for any disease that can be transmitted inutero. I, of course, have had these blood tests. The problem is, only half of the results have made it to our clinic! The FDA requires the clinic to have these results before they can legally do the Embryo transfer. Needless to say, I will be on the phone to our Doctors office at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning to inquire after the whereabouts of these results! Praying that they have them and it is only a matter of forwarding the information to California.
Speaking of blood tests, I received an email from our clinic in California informing me that the couple donating the embryos were in this morning having blood tests that are required for them to donate their Embryos! Apparently, these tests were never done when they did invitro because they did not intend to donate the remaining embryos at that time. I fact, as the adoptive parents of these embryos, we are responsible for all costs incurred from here on in and so there is a bill of $500 for the genetic parents' blood tests this morning.
I guess I just need to smile since this is what is is like to be a parent. Aw, my Embryos are having unexpected expenses already! Just like the rest of my kids, and they will be costing me money for the rest of their lives! Lol, like all the other hitches, I'm sure God can work these things out.
I am happy to report that my acne is clearing up. Tonight I have an estrogen shot and tomorrow morning I have my first daily progesterone shot; daily needles for the next couple months!
So, if you want to join me in praying this week, I am praying for test results to appear, finances to work out and for all the travel preparations.
Speaking of blood tests, I received an email from our clinic in California informing me that the couple donating the embryos were in this morning having blood tests that are required for them to donate their Embryos! Apparently, these tests were never done when they did invitro because they did not intend to donate the remaining embryos at that time. I fact, as the adoptive parents of these embryos, we are responsible for all costs incurred from here on in and so there is a bill of $500 for the genetic parents' blood tests this morning.
I guess I just need to smile since this is what is is like to be a parent. Aw, my Embryos are having unexpected expenses already! Just like the rest of my kids, and they will be costing me money for the rest of their lives! Lol, like all the other hitches, I'm sure God can work these things out.
I am happy to report that my acne is clearing up. Tonight I have an estrogen shot and tomorrow morning I have my first daily progesterone shot; daily needles for the next couple months!
So, if you want to join me in praying this week, I am praying for test results to appear, finances to work out and for all the travel preparations.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
tears at the ready
Back home again after 5 days in Kamloops! I had Ultrasound and hormone measuring blood test appointments in Kelowna on Monday and Friday; they both went well. My Endometrium is developing very well and we are on track for the Embryo transfer on the 17th.
On Thursday I had the experience of giving myself an injection. I choose to do it in the thigh so I could see what I was doing. I had two spectators (sister-in-laws) who were as nervous I as was! It helped that they were watching because I had to be extra brave and just get it done! I was shaking like a leaf, but I managed and it was a success. It was actually one of the less painful ones so far. My next injection is Monday and I sart daily progesterone injections the next day, so I'm going to have to get used to those needles! Have I mentioned that they are 1.5" long and I have to put them all the way in?!
Steve had said that I could buy a nice pair of boots to help me be brave for the injections. When I was in Kamloops I went on several boot shopping excursions. If you knew how strongly my decision was based in my emotions, you could probably have a good laugh at my expense! At one point of the boot journey, I returned to Winners in Kelowna to purchase a great pair I had found there earlier. They were gone and I had a good cry in the truck on my way back to Kamloops! Haha! I ended up with a great pair from Aldo in the mall in Kamloops; you can check them out next time you see me. I assure you, they will deffinitly help me to be brave for the weeks of daily needles that I have ahead of me!
Tuesday afternoon I booked our flights for the trip. We fly out of Prince George at 11:30 a.m. on the 16th and return at 9:56 a.m. on the 21st. We will be staying with good friends of good friends while we are there; a blessing to be sure! We got a great deal on a rental car through our airline so we will have convenient transportation while in California. Kevin is comming here to stay with the kids and I am busily trying to have bread and cookies in the freezer to prepare for that week.
As always, I have great need of prayer; this time for blood test results that never made it to our clinic. It is a legal requirement of the FDA that any woman having an embryo transfer (even when it is their own embryo created through in vitro) must have blood tests to screen for STDs since they can be transmitted inutero. I had these blood tests done over a month ago. the problem is, only half of the results made it to the clinic. Tuesday morning I will be contacting the clinic to inquire about the whereabouts of the rest of the results. The tranfer will not happen without the results. I am trusting God for a timely solution!
I am getting very excited about the upcomming adventure! With an abundance of hormones, tears are always at the ready! If you see me crying, just pretend that its normal!
On Thursday I had the experience of giving myself an injection. I choose to do it in the thigh so I could see what I was doing. I had two spectators (sister-in-laws) who were as nervous I as was! It helped that they were watching because I had to be extra brave and just get it done! I was shaking like a leaf, but I managed and it was a success. It was actually one of the less painful ones so far. My next injection is Monday and I sart daily progesterone injections the next day, so I'm going to have to get used to those needles! Have I mentioned that they are 1.5" long and I have to put them all the way in?!
Steve had said that I could buy a nice pair of boots to help me be brave for the injections. When I was in Kamloops I went on several boot shopping excursions. If you knew how strongly my decision was based in my emotions, you could probably have a good laugh at my expense! At one point of the boot journey, I returned to Winners in Kelowna to purchase a great pair I had found there earlier. They were gone and I had a good cry in the truck on my way back to Kamloops! Haha! I ended up with a great pair from Aldo in the mall in Kamloops; you can check them out next time you see me. I assure you, they will deffinitly help me to be brave for the weeks of daily needles that I have ahead of me!
Tuesday afternoon I booked our flights for the trip. We fly out of Prince George at 11:30 a.m. on the 16th and return at 9:56 a.m. on the 21st. We will be staying with good friends of good friends while we are there; a blessing to be sure! We got a great deal on a rental car through our airline so we will have convenient transportation while in California. Kevin is comming here to stay with the kids and I am busily trying to have bread and cookies in the freezer to prepare for that week.
As always, I have great need of prayer; this time for blood test results that never made it to our clinic. It is a legal requirement of the FDA that any woman having an embryo transfer (even when it is their own embryo created through in vitro) must have blood tests to screen for STDs since they can be transmitted inutero. I had these blood tests done over a month ago. the problem is, only half of the results made it to the clinic. Tuesday morning I will be contacting the clinic to inquire about the whereabouts of the rest of the results. The tranfer will not happen without the results. I am trusting God for a timely solution!
I am getting very excited about the upcomming adventure! With an abundance of hormones, tears are always at the ready! If you see me crying, just pretend that its normal!
Monday, October 3, 2011
2nd Ultrasound
I woke up this morning and discovered, to my great dismay, that my chest and back are covered in tiny whiteheads! Never in all my life have I had zits like this! The nurse at the Fertility clinic in Kelowna assured me that it was from the Estrogen and would improve once I start taking Progesterone on the 12th. The puking, she said, was from the estrogen as well.
My appointment went well! My endometrium is developing nicely and we are on track for the transfer on the 17th! Yay! Deep down I was nervous that my endometrium wasn't going to be doing what it was supposed to. I had the same kind of butterflies that you get at a job interview! As if i wasn't good enough for the job or something! Ha!
The Nurse from California touched base this afternoon to confirm that it all looked good. Tonight I am supposed to increase my estrogen shot from .2 ml to .3 ml; hope this doesn't increase the acne! so far my face looks ok, I might start wearing a scarf to hide my neck!
Another thing I have noticed is that random strangers annoy me. I overheard a lady fighting with her teenage son and I wanted to tell her to grow up! I did not. The guy at the sushi place was insanely slow and I felt like having a temper tantrum! I did not. These are just a few examples of noticing that I am annoyed at silly little things that normally don't phase me. So far, I have had the presence of mind to attribute my annoyance to hormones and not act on them! Grace, Lord! Please!
My appointment went well! My endometrium is developing nicely and we are on track for the transfer on the 17th! Yay! Deep down I was nervous that my endometrium wasn't going to be doing what it was supposed to. I had the same kind of butterflies that you get at a job interview! As if i wasn't good enough for the job or something! Ha!
The Nurse from California touched base this afternoon to confirm that it all looked good. Tonight I am supposed to increase my estrogen shot from .2 ml to .3 ml; hope this doesn't increase the acne! so far my face looks ok, I might start wearing a scarf to hide my neck!
Another thing I have noticed is that random strangers annoy me. I overheard a lady fighting with her teenage son and I wanted to tell her to grow up! I did not. The guy at the sushi place was insanely slow and I felt like having a temper tantrum! I did not. These are just a few examples of noticing that I am annoyed at silly little things that normally don't phase me. So far, I have had the presence of mind to attribute my annoyance to hormones and not act on them! Grace, Lord! Please!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
A new experience
Hormones are a mighty thing! I have noticed that they are affecting my appetite; I don't always feel hungry when I should and sometimes I'm ravenous not long after I have eaten. My dreams seem to be much more vivid too. Everyone knows that hormones can make a person really emotional, weepy or angry, but lately I have noticed that several situations that normally would have stressed me out have actually not bothered me at all; I feel unusually calm.
Morning sickness is a well known symptom of pregnancy that is related to hormone changes. With my other pregnancies, I often experienced morning sickness strictly as nausea, but never actually threw up. There was one time while I was pregnant with Eden that I kinda forced a puke, but it didn't help so I always avoided it after that.
This morning I was driving to Prince George for an appointment with the kids. As soon as I got into the vehicle, I became nauseated. It soon was obvious that I was going to be sick! I pulled over beside the road and chucked my breakfast into the ditch! It was rather embarrassing that cars slowed down as they drove by!
Hopefully this is an isolated experience that doesn't become a fad in the upcoming months as I find vomiting to be repulsive and actually think it quite sinful! Just kidding about the sinful part, but I do not appreciate surrendering my food to the ditch!
Morning sickness is a well known symptom of pregnancy that is related to hormone changes. With my other pregnancies, I often experienced morning sickness strictly as nausea, but never actually threw up. There was one time while I was pregnant with Eden that I kinda forced a puke, but it didn't help so I always avoided it after that.
This morning I was driving to Prince George for an appointment with the kids. As soon as I got into the vehicle, I became nauseated. It soon was obvious that I was going to be sick! I pulled over beside the road and chucked my breakfast into the ditch! It was rather embarrassing that cars slowed down as they drove by!
Hopefully this is an isolated experience that doesn't become a fad in the upcoming months as I find vomiting to be repulsive and actually think it quite sinful! Just kidding about the sinful part, but I do not appreciate surrendering my food to the ditch!
Big needles!
Did I mention that I have to take needles?! When I successfully retrieved my parcel from DHL, I opened the box to see the expensive medication that I had nearly lost in customs. I was a little chagrined to find 60x1.5" needles!
My first round of hormones is Delestrogen, administered as an intramuscular shot twice a week. In a week I add progesterone, also an intramuscular shot, daily for 10 weeks.
I can't say that I am entirely brave about the situation. I was feeling very nervous about the shots. I can't really give them to myself, as they need to go into my largest muscle, which you may know is my backside! Steve is very courageous and has agreed to give me the shots. My mommy was here on Monday, so she gave me the first one. Trained as a psychiatric nurse, it has been many years since she has given anyone a needle. She definitely has a soft touch and I didn't feel it much. Thursday I will find out if Steve is as talented!
My next two Ultrasounds are in Kelowna on the 3rd and 10th of October, so I have a bit more travelling to do. Thanking God for working everything out so far. Praying for more safe travels!
My first round of hormones is Delestrogen, administered as an intramuscular shot twice a week. In a week I add progesterone, also an intramuscular shot, daily for 10 weeks.
I can't say that I am entirely brave about the situation. I was feeling very nervous about the shots. I can't really give them to myself, as they need to go into my largest muscle, which you may know is my backside! Steve is very courageous and has agreed to give me the shots. My mommy was here on Monday, so she gave me the first one. Trained as a psychiatric nurse, it has been many years since she has given anyone a needle. She definitely has a soft touch and I didn't feel it much. Thursday I will find out if Steve is as talented!
My next two Ultrasounds are in Kelowna on the 3rd and 10th of October, so I have a bit more travelling to do. Thanking God for working everything out so far. Praying for more safe travels!
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