Retrieval Day!

We got 8 eggs. Not bad. Dr. Williams said that the average is 6 (not sure that I believe that) Dr. Williams seemed very impressed by my high e2 levels this time....so we will just keep praying. We will see how many were mature and how many fertilized tomorrow.

My E2 Levels This Cycle for the "Record"

I just wanted to make a note of my e2 levels this cycle in the unfortunate (but probably likely) event that we have to move on to IVF #4. This cycle is going slower than the first two (but I was on Clomid on days 2-5 and then Gonal-F for days 6-16 of my cycle...so it is a new protocol). My e2 levels are much higher than they have ever been prior to retrieval. On IVF's #1 & #2, my e2 only reached 1,135 & 1, 094 respectively before I triggered. Here are my levels this cycle: cd #8 (2 days of stims) 131 cd #11 513 cd #13 931 cd #15 2193 I think the higher e2 means I may have more mature eggs this cycle. Oh, let's hope. Even though there is no reason to believe this, I feel that things are going better this cycle as I have had my own RE (Dr. Schmidt) for all of my appointments thus far. Maybe he is just our lucky charm. I trigger tonight and my retrieval is scheduled for 10:00 am on Thursday, February 28, 2002!!!

Working on a Thanksgiving Baby!

I had another scan yesterday (Saturday) and Dr. Schmidt saw 4-5 nice follicles on the left (my good ovary...it always does a lot better than the right) and 1 nice follicle and two "maybes" on the right. They were all 16 mm or under....so we stay on the stims for two more days and return for another scan on Monday with the hopes of triggering Monday night. I am really praying that we can trigger Monday night as I am scheduled to leave for Australia for work on Friday (that would be transfer day.) I was originally scheduled to leave TODAY, but because my cycle started off a little slow, I had to make up some excuses on why I couldn't leave until later in the week. If I can't leave on Friday, i don't know what I am going to do! I will also be leaving on the day of my transfer. That is supposed to be a day of rest. BUT, since I will be checking my luggage, and will just carry a small carry on bag (I will make it nice and light) there shouldn't be a problem. In fact, after the Chicago & LAX transfers, it is a 12 hour flight to New Zealand and then 3 hours to Melbourne, so it will be a lot of lying around. I will arrive on Sunday morning there and have the day to relax. I will be there for two weeks this time. Being gone that long worries me a bit. The last time I went (about a month ago) I was only gone for 6 days, and we have a very sick kitty who I adore. We are very bonded and he relies on me to give him attention and comfort. The last time I was gone, poor Paul was so distraught because Louie wasn't acting right that he was up all night several nights in a row. I know it was because Louie sensed the change since I was gone and I am terrified of what will happen during this trip. I pray he will be just fine. Last year in January, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and the vet gave him just a couple of months to live. Then in June, his heart condition got really bad and the cardiologist stated that he would only live a few more days in his condition. Well, my little angel keeps tugging along...sleeping with me and purring up a storm when we are together. If you read this would you please say a prayer for Louie? (http://petpromise.org/special2.shtml) Also, if you wouldn't mind throwing in a prayer for Paul & I as well? You see, Paul found out that the university (where he has worked for 23 years) will be closing his department. They are going to sever all of the employees working in that department. They did pull Paul aside to tell him that they would do everything that they could for him...but there are no assurances. Paul just needs 11 more months in order to have 25 years (he bought a year of his military time) which would allow him to retire and start drawing his retirement when he turns 55. If they sever him before January 3 of next year, he will have to wait until he is 62 to begin drawing. Also, we will lose all of our health insurance benefits through the university, and I don't believe my insurance provides coverage for IVF's and we certainly can't afford to do this on our own. So your thoughts and prayers would be so appreciated....as we may not have many more chances to have our baby. The strange thing is that we were toying with the idea of Paul retiring as soon as we had the baby anyway. (We figured that by that time, he would have his 25 years in and he could stay home and care for the baby). I would continue to work and while we would have to cut back a bit, we could survive on my salary alone. But if they take away his job and the wonderful health benefits before we are pregnant or before Paul has his 25 years in....things would not work so well. Poor Paul, he is so depressed. Oh, how I pray that this time it works for us!

Catching Up...In the Midst of IVF #3

Well, I am mad at myself for not keeping up my journal more regularly. I tried to look back at my last IVF and compare notes....but I had done such a poor job of tracking my progress that I have nothing to compare it to! I am well into my third IVF cycle now. On Cycle Day 8 (having been on Clomid days 2-4 and starting stims on day 5) my estrogen level was 131 and I had several small follicles on each ovary. On Cycle day 11, my estrogen was 513 and I had 4-5 pretty good sized follicles (12-14 mm) on the left and one at about 11-12 on the right as well as a number of smaller ones. Not a great response, but I will take it. I am scheduled to go in on Saturday, cycle day 13 (and I will hopefully trigger that night). Oh, how I pray that this one works. I just feel that if I could get 5 good embies that we would get pregnant.