Twice As Nice

Follow Up - Babies are 8 Months old already!

2010-06-10T13:10:00.002-05:00

Well, I just sent a link to this blog to my good friend FO who is newly pregnant and thought she'd get a kick out of reading all my crazy symptoms along the way.

In doing this I realize I haven't posted since the babies were born! Bad blogger! Bad!

Life has been crazy (as expected) but wonderful with Ethan and Hannah in my life. Besides having twins, my hubby and I have done crazy things like:

move halfway across the country
I stopped working
we moved in with my mom
and oh, we are about to start our own business.

I should really start a new blog about our life now. Keep your eyes peeled for that one!

Babies Are Here - 34 weeks 3 days

2009-10-08T09:40:00.003-05:00

It's been one week since my life turned upside down! I've managed to give birth to two beautiful babies - a boy (Ethan) and a girl (Hannah) last Friday morning.

Let's start back a week ago today when I had a scheduled appt with my OB. We also had our last ultrasound scheduled for that day and the sonographer saw a pleural effusion in Baby A's chest (Hannah). I was told that we needed to go to a larger hospital nearby for confirmation via a Level II ultrasound and probable induction of labor.

A pleural effusion is a build up of fluid in the chest. Hannah's turned out to be a chimera (fat deposit), but it was large enough to be pushing her heart to the side. They needed to act quickly to prevent any respiratory distress.

When I arrived at the hospital I was admitted to L&D and checked - no dialation, barely any effacement. I was given an EZ catheter to force my cervix to open along with pitocin. Inserting the catheter in my already swollen parts was painful! After that was finished I called for the pain meds - ASAP. So the catheter stayed for 6 hours and when removed I was 5 cm dialated, but hardly any effacement. So they continued pitocin.

My water broke on its own around 3:30 AM after being given an epidural. Around 7 AM I started feeling more pressure and by 9 AM I was wheeled into the OR for delivery.

There were no less than 12 people in the OR and after pushing for 1 hr 15 min, Hannah came out. Ethan came out 45 min later - slow going since he was posterior.

Since then both babies have been living in the NICU, it looks like Ethan will be coming home sooner than Hannah. Hannah has had a few issues since being born, none of which seems be be of major concern to the Dr's. I of course, am worried all the time.

That's all for now - will post more later....

Slacking at Keeping Up My Posts!

2009-09-22T11:48:00.002-05:00

Here we are, in the home stretch! Today I'm 33 weeks - I imagine it can be anywhere up to 5 more weeks from now. We shall see.

Both babies continue to move around like crazy and the movements are stronger now that they are getting bigger - definitely packing more of a punch!

I'm going weekly now to the Dr's for the NST and general checkup. So far everything is looking good - let's hope that continues for at least another 3 weeks or so.

Trapped at Home - Week 2

2009-08-31T12:02:00.002-05:00

So at my last appointment, my OB wanted me to start a modified bed rest routine - where I should be laying down 6 hours a day (not necessarily all at once). I started working from home last week and am now on week 2 of being trapped inside. It isn't too bad as long as I keep a schedule of things to do to keep me from going crazy.

My next appt is Thursday and I can't wait since we'll be having an U/S - I keep wondering how much each baby weighs now. I'm hoping closer to 3lbs than 2.

So tomorrow I'll be 30 weeks - I'm hoping to make it to 36 weeks. We shall see how it goes. So far so good, but I know things can change quickly.

28 Weeks - The Final Countdown Begins

2009-08-18T08:52:00.003-05:00

Wow - can't believe I've made it to this milestone. At this point both babies weigh a little more than 2 lbs, so there is much more weight to gain before the end. But the end is in sight - finally. If I believe my Dr that these babies will be out by week 38, we only have a max of 10 more weeks to go. That in itself is AMAZING!!!

My next Dr's appt is on Friday at which time he's supposedly going to give me the green light for modified bed rest. At first I wasn't sure about that since I wasn't having any underlying conditions, but as time goes by and the aches and pains increase, I can totally understand why this needs to happen. For instance last night insomnia took hold and I was up from 1 - 4 AM wide awake. I actually got out of bed, did laundry, cleaned up and tried to organize my recipe card holder. Who does that???

Glucose & Baby Shower - Week 26

2009-08-07T16:39:00.004-05:00

Guess it's been a busy week!

Last weekend we traveled back to the east coast for my baby shower, it was very nice and we had a great time. It was so good seeing all my girlfriends who not only came to the shower, but they came out to dinner with me on Saturday night as well. We received lots of nice things, but still need a few more items. Luckily we received a lot of gift cards and money to make that a little easier!

Yesterday I took my glucose test and found out today I passed - no problems! I do have slight anemia and need to start taking an iron supplement. Apparently, that'll give you a ton of constipation - which I'm not looking forward to. Back on the Colace and Miralax!

My belly has popped and my inny belly button is morphing into an outie. All my friends thought I looked huge. At my shower I looked like a pink circus tent...as seen above. I'm standing next to my girlfriend who gave birth to a baby girl in April. My friends made me wear a silly tiara and mom to be button.

25 Weeks

2009-07-28T12:27:00.002-05:00

So far so good. I'm getting excited as this weekend is my shower and we'll be traveling back to CT for it. Definitely not looking forward to the long drive to get there, but hopefully I'll get comfy and take a nap.

My aches and pains continue, with something new popping up everyday. Yesterday (all day) I had terrible round ligament pain. Today my left leg is killing me. So weird.

Next week is the big glucose test. I really hope I pass. My Dr thinks I've gained more than he'd like to see, but I'm still not carrying as large as you'd think. The babies weigh in alright, so I'm not to concerned.

Phew - Rough Week!

2009-07-22T14:08:00.002-05:00

Well this week has been marked so far (and it's only Wednesday!) with two trips to the hospital!

Trip #1
Last Friday night I started getting repeated quick stabbing pains in the front of my left leg.(Not calf, and not same pain as cramping). It was always in the same location. Well, I didn't think to much about it, but it continued into the day on Saturday and Saturday night, increasing in frequency and intensity. I finally broke down to call the Dr who sent me to the ER to get tested for a blood clot. Thankfully, no clot. The ER Doc thought it could be something horomonal. Weird. Hasn't happened since.

Trip #2
Yesterday (Tuesday), I walked to the Starbucks close to my work with a coworker. It's probably a 1/4 mile to get there on flat terrain, and we took it easy. When I get there I notice a weird fullness or pressure in my lower abs. By the time we got back to the office my stomach was as hard a a rock and I figured I was having a BH contraction. Well, the rest of the afternoon I'd get short ab pains while my belly remained hard. I finally broke down at 8:30 and called the same Dr on call (who sent me to ER on Sat) and she had me go into L&D to be monitored. Of course, while I was there I didn't have any more contractions, so I finally went home around midnight.

So to sum it up, this week has been marked with strange, new pains. My Dr always tells me at every visit to call if I think there is a problem, but since they only seem to want to send me directly to the ER every time (which costs a $100 ER copay a pop), next time I'll wait until I'm doubled over in pain before calling.

Will see the Dr for a routine visit this Friday, I'm sure we'll discuss this week's events in details.

Daycare/Healthcare Struggle Begins

2009-07-15T13:48:00.002-05:00

So after taking a good hard look at our books, unfortunately I think I'll need to be going back to work full time soon after these kiddos are born. I know - millions of women do it everyday, but it still stinks.

My hubby is from the UK where women get a one year paid time off thanks to the government. Of course, also no one there needs to worry about health care coverage either since that's another government run program. Makes me want to hop the next flight on over.

Right now I'm trying to find out about insurance and daycare after the babies are born. I work for a small employer who only covers the employee, not any dependents, for health insurance. Also, we only get 6 weeks of unpaid maternity time. What a stinker!

So far it all breaks down to this:

Health Insurance - if I get it through work, it's going to cost almost $600 per month to cover just the babies. I looked into independent health insurance, which could be less, but unless these kids are born perfectly healthy - they could deny them coverage. How nuts is that! Of course, with my past IF history, they can deny me coverage as well! Double nutiness!

Daycare - Ha! I just got off the phone with the closest daycare to my work and they want $359 per week, per child. So that's over $700 per week for full time daycare. That's definitely out of the question. I'll have to start looking on Craigslist for stay-at-home mom's or home daycares.

So much to think about and get settled before these kids even arrive. I can't wait until its all done and I can relax already.

23 wk check up

2009-07-13T10:49:00.005-05:00

I just thought it was cute to take a pic next to the expecting mother parking sign this morning at the Dr's. Not sure why the pic is fuzzy - this was taken on my hubby's cell phone, maybe he needs to wipe the lens...

22 weeks and all is well

2009-07-10T13:41:00.002-05:00

Wow - time is going by so fast! The cribs have been assembled and now were just waiting on the changing table/dresser from the same person we got the cribs from. The room is starting to come together!

Last week we started taking classes at our hospital - so far we've done Infant CPR/First Aid and our first of 4 Childbirthing Classes. The birthing class isn't really focused on Lamaze, more on the physical aspects of before delivery, during and after. This past week we spoke about signs of early labor, taking care of yourself in the 3rd trimester, etc.

Of course, of all the people in the room, I was the only one with twins. We had to go around the room to introduce ourselves and once my hubby announced we were having multiples, you could hear a big whoosh from everyone else. Also, everyone else was much further along then I was so I felt like a skinny-minnie.

One thing that did stink was the instructor kept singling me out, which I hated.

Next week a pediatrician is supposed to come and we get a tour of the maternity ward. Can't wait!

20 Wks

2009-06-24T14:27:00.002-05:00

Wow - here we are at the half-way point (well, already past it in twin-land). Everything is going well and we had our Level II ultrasound on Monday. Both babies are looking great, the only matter of concern was a small bright spot on Baby A's heart which they refer to as Echogenic Focus.

After looking up what the heck that was as soon as we got home, I found that it's not uncommon and is most likely a calcium deposit which disappears by the third trimester. Since the Dr saw no other issues with the growth and development he thinks its nothing to worry about and it doesn't warrant getting an amnio. That's good news.

Both babies are lying in a diagnol position with Baby A's head towards my left side and Baby B's head towards my right pelvic area. I feel bad that they're probably kicking each other in the face repeatedly. Ahhh, twins....

Last week I went to visit my dear IF friend Nadia in the hospital who just delivered her twins - a boy and a girl. Both babies were so small - 5.2lbs and 5.7lbs at 18 inches long each. She delivered at 36 weeks. Here's a pic of me holding the boy. He's probably loving life snuggled up next to my gigantic preggo boobs!

Never Expanding Belly

2009-06-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

So every week I have my coworker take a pic of me to send to my mom. Looking through the past few weeks, it does not look like I'm getting bigger at all. In fact, the only part of me getting larger is my chest, which was already large to begin with. Maybe the babies have decided to head north to live up there.

I know I'll eventually get large, but I now think it's going to be a Violet Beauregard kind of growth - instantly huge and round...

Week 18 - Movin On Up

2009-06-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

Time seems to be flying by. I can't believe we're almost at the halfway mark (although with a delivery planned by week 38, I guess we've passed that point already).

Things to look forward to include the Level II Ultrasound scheduled for the last week in June. I can't imagine what they'll look like at that point - the last time we saw them they were still kind of hard to make out. I'm hoping for a much clearer picture this time.

I think this weekend we're also planning on getting the cribs. We're getting two matching cribs from a co-worker who just bought them 3 years ago so they're pretty new. Can't wait to see what they look like in the room!!!

Tonight I've been invited to go to a Twins Club meeting nearby. It's going to be outdoors at a free concert, so I'm not sure how much chatting I'll get to do with other moms.

Is it hot in here? Wk 16

2009-05-29T15:10:00.002-05:00

Pheww! It feels like the office building has the heat on today - or maybe its just me. Can't wait till its August and 90 out!!

A milestone in this past week has been feeling a few kicks, but only maybe 1-2 times a day and only when I'm lying down. They are mostly coming from baby B on the left since that one is facing forward. I'm really looking forward to feeling more movement from both and when DH can feel them with his hand on my belly. He is really looking forward to seeing the "lumps" when they get really big and actually stick out of my stomach - I'm not so sure that'll be a great feeling for me. Sounds like it hurts...

Another thing that I've noticed is I don't like any pressure on my belly - from too tight pants/undies or when DH puts his hand on my belly to hard.

I've officially started my registry on B-r-Us but tonight is the first time we'll venture out to the store to look at car seats, strollers, etc. Can't wait. I always think that place is hot, overwhelming and filled with screaming kids, so I'm hoping no one will be there after 7PM at night to make it as stress-free as possible.

Week 15 - New Outfits

2009-05-21T08:38:00.002-05:00

So one of my dear girlfriends sent a truckload of maternity clothes last week. Here's one of the many new outfits I'll be modeling this summer!

I think this particular outfit makes my bump appear larger than it really is...

Bumpwatch - Week 14

2009-05-14T10:41:00.002-05:00

Here I am this morning in the parking lot at the Dr's office. All is going well and we were able to hear both heartbeats and one of them kicking when the Dr pressed down with the doppler device. Maybe I have a future David Beckham in there!!

Trimester 2 - Day 1

2009-05-12T09:30:00.002-05:00

Wow - can't believe we've made it this far! This is definitely new territory.

As for my appearance - I still think I look more chunky then preggo, but I think that's starting to change since the pants I could kind of zip up and wear with my Bellaband last week won't even zip up at all this week. This means until the donated clothes from my friend arrive, I'm reduced to 2 pair of jeans and one pair of capri pants that I bought at Target to wear to work. Not good. Let's hope those clothes are on the way!!

Not much else going on - my mom is trying to schedule a shower for me around August 1 which will be fun. Can't wait to get back towards the beach! I miss it so much being out here in the midwest.

That's all from here!

Approaching Phase 2

2009-05-05T08:50:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that I'm 13 weeks along already! Time is flying by! Hard to believe when we started both babies were only 8 cells big and now there both as big as a peach!

Another milestone will be next week when I get to go to my first baby shower feeling "part of the gang" and not the barren woman. Even better, the shower is for one of my IF friends who has struggled as much as I have, and now we're both having twins! I couldn't be happier for us both!

I should really post a bump-watch photo of myself, but I still feel more on the fat side and less pregnant. I hopped on the scale this morning and I think I've gained about eight pounds - which isn't to out of line I guess. I did buy some maternity jeans at the Gap, but they are still way to big on me but my normal jeans won't fit either unless I'm wearing a belly band. Such a weird place to be in. On a good note a dear friend of mine is sending a bunch of clothes for me which will be a godsend this summer when nothing fits but my DH's t-shirts and no shorts.

The other thing I need to buy is maternity undies - I've heard conflicting reports on these, but my current undies are cutting into me, especially at night when I'm at my most bloated. No fun!

Back from Vacation/Back to Work

2009-04-30T08:51:00.003-05:00

Always a bummer when you have to come back to work from vacation and there is huge pile of work on your desk and its raining..... sigh...

We went to sunny CA to visit family and that was fun and pretty relaxing. Everyone was excited to hear our news. My mom was also there visiting at the same time and insisted she listen to my stomach with a stethoscope, which I told her wouldn't work, but she proceeded anyways (didn't work).

Now that we're back and moved into our new place - I feel like we have so much work to do to fix it up and get ready for the fall. With the summer only a few weeks away the pressure is on!

Week 10 - So Far So Good

2009-04-17T08:58:00.002-05:00

Had another checkup yesterday with the OB/GYN and all is well! We got to see the little guys on ultrasound and one was jumping around like crazy! It was fun to see.

The U/S lady did note that one of the twins heartbeats was markedly faster then the other - so she thought it could be one boy/one girl. DH and I have decided not to find out, so I guess we'll have that to ponder on for the rest of the time.

So the next time I get an ultrasound won't be until week 20! That seems so far away!

Summer School

2009-04-13T16:00:00.003-05:00

Looks like this July will be busy with school - baby school that is.

I contacted the hospital about classes offered throughout the summer and the nice coordinator lady said I should plan on taking my classes during July.

The classes we'd like to take include the all the obvious ones - Childbirth Prep (aka Lamaze), Newborn Care + Safety, Infant CPR and a Breastfeeding Class. Each of these classes will cost $30 for me and DH except the Childbirth Prep which costs a whopping $100. They offer that class over 4 weeks for two hours per week, or I can get it all done on one Saturday. I'm thinking that may be info overload for one day - we'll see what DH says.

I did also find a twin breastfeeding class offered by another local hospital in August - will definitely need to sign up for that one!

Did I mention that I haven't exercised since IVF started in Feb? I feel like a tub o'lard. I also hope to sign up for water aerobics at the local high school to get my buns from way to giggly, to moderately giggly.

New Look, New Feel, Growing Pooch

2009-04-10T09:43:00.003-05:00

So I decided to update the blog look, hope everyone likes it.

My blog isn't the only thing that's changing its look. I have a definite pooch, but its hard to tell if I'm growing or if its the result of the truckload of food that I inhale everyday.

Yesterday morning I told myself to keep try and keep the eating within normal ranges, but I get so hungry so quickly I end up inhaling whatever I'm eating. I'm also always crave carbs - pasta, bread, bagels, mashed potatoes - can't get enough!

I'm also starting to amass used baby stuff from friends and coworkers. My mom has managed to get a twin stroller and one of my coworkers is selling me two cribs with mattresses for really cheap. I'm also hoping to get the matching dresser/changing table from her, but her son who is 3 1/2 still isn't potty trained. Maybe this summer he'll finally catch on.

First OB Appt

2009-04-03T11:29:00.003-05:00

So all went well with my OB today, other than he wouldn't give me a high-five when he walked in (only handshake - all business). I still have to go back this afternoon for the U/S (why in the world they don't have a full time U/S tech is beyond me).

We went over some do's and dont's. Gave us the option for genetic testing (we decided to turn down), also said that most twin mommas need to be on bedrest after 28 weeks (after Labor Day for me) and they deliver twins right around 38 weeks.

So, that's all for now. Waiting for 2 PM to leave for the U/S. Too bad I have to come back to work!!

Maybe the key is...

2009-04-01T16:31:00.002-05:00

So on Sunday I was lazy and didn't do my normal morning routine, which includes taking my prenatal vitamin. So I figured I'd take it before bed instead. Well - what do you know - no nausea (or only very slight) on Sunday.

Since then I've been taking them at night and have noticed a marked improvement. Thank the lord!

Other than that, I have had occasional cramping/burning feeling on my R side, but with no regularity. Not sure if it is something to worry about or has more to do with the neverending amount of gas I have. (TMI)

Still counting the days until my first OB appt - it will be so sweet to go see him for actually being pregnant and not because of my endo/annual pap exams.

I really hope everyone is still hanging on in there.

Peppermint Tea

2009-03-27T08:43:00.002-05:00

I'm hoping this tea holds the secret to keeping the nausea away. We shall see.

Since late last week I've been dealing with the upset stomach and spending my entire days looking for relief. So far I've come to the conclusion that:

I need to constantly eat to keep my stomach happy
Dairy only makes things worse
Protein in the morning is a good thing

So the constant eating has made me gain, and will continue to make me gain god knows how much extra weight. I'm trying to make healthy choices, but sometimes my brain wants junk.

Hopefully this doesn't last to long...

In Pursuit of Happy

2009-03-20T10:33:00.003-05:00

Of course I'm thrilled at our results from yesterday, but I haven't had the happy crying breakdown you'd think someone suffering from IF for more than 2 years would have.

I think we IF'ers are so used to disappointment, that when good news comes we remain skeptical. Like we're waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath, as it always has in the past. For instance, yesterday when pulling into the RE's parking lot, I said to DH - we'd normally be coming around the same time for the post IVF consult/pep talk. My brain couldn't grasp what we were there for.

So I ask the question - when is it safe to be happy and elated and thrilled? Perhaps all normal preggo women are this cautious, but I've never asked. My heart wants to tell the world about our good news, but at the same time my brain keeps saying - don't do it, you'll only hurt yourself even more.

Love Times Two

2009-03-19T12:45:00.003-05:00

Well, today was it. I went into the RE's with feelings of both excitement and terror. My new RE came in (my super fab old one left the practice) and got right down to it. We scanned from left to right and at first he said - over here is where we should see something if there's something to see, and for a split second I saw nothing. He kept it moving and there it was. One beautiful looking sack with pole and heartbeat.

The magic wand kept moving along and the RE says there's the second sac with pole and heartbeat. I could not believe it! My DH felt we were having two, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it, and still can't 4 hours later.

The RE did say 20% of pregnancies that start with twins, end up with "vanishing twin" syndrome - but hopefully that won't happen in this case.

I've since broken the news to my mom and a few close friends. They all freaked. Funny enough - I haven't shed a tear, which you think I would. Guess I'm still in shock.

I'll have video of the entire U/S to post later on once I get home and download.

Be Careful What You Wish For

2009-03-16T08:39:00.002-05:00

So last week I was lamenting how I wasn't feeling any of the typical preggo side effects - tiredness, nausea, etc. Starting on Saturday, I think things have begun to change...

Now, since the beginning I have had to get up in the middle of the night and pee (not normal for me) and have had trouble falling back asleep. Now I can add -

Tiredness (Saturday I slept all afternoon)
A little bit of nausea (feeling it right now)

I'm hoping these don't get too extreme and are short lived. This weekend is my busiest weekend at work where I'll be on my feet all day Sat - Tues at a big trade show. Fingers crossed I make it through each day without crashing.

3 days from today - #1 U/S. I really pray everything is OK and where it should be. I think they'll find only one sac in there, my DH thinks two. Stay tuned...

One Week From Today

2009-03-12T09:47:00.003-05:00

I wish I had the same remote control Adam Sandler had in that movie. I'd hit fast forward and jump to one week from right now where we'd just be leaving the RE's with our ultrasound report.

Already ahead of myself, I've scheduled an appt with my OB for next month. At that point I'll be 10 weeks along - crazy!!

Other than the waiting for time to fly, DH and I are also waiting to hear back on an offer that was made on our house. They bid low (not surprising) but we've countered back a couple of times, so I'm really hoping they've agreed to move forward! It would be fantastic to reduce our living expenses right now so we can save up for the little one in November. We shall see!

I can't tell if I'm just feeling really tired, or if I'm getting a cold since everyone around me is sick. I'm hoping its not the latter.

5 Weeks Down, 35 To Go

2009-03-09T08:43:00.002-05:00

The wait between now and my first U/S feels like an eternity. I wish I could press a fast forward button and jump 10 days.

I also went to the RE's for one more bloodtest over the weekend. I didn't need to do it, but felt I needed that extra reassurance. So far so good, my level jumped up to 1650.

Still feeling the same side effects as before - tender bbs, peeing more often, AF-style cramps (although they seem to be less than last week). I've also noticed that I have an occasional hot flash - I had one last night around 12:30 AM, had a cramp and had to pee all at the same time. After I came back to bed I had a hard time falling back asleep. My bum area is so sore from all the PIO shots, I'm finding it hard to lie on my back in bed.

On a good note - I met up with my fellow IF'er Nadia yesterday for lunch and wandering around the maternity stores. She talked me into getting something so I got a pair of sweatpants. They look pretty similar to normal pants, so I figured what the heck. I did try on one of those pillows that MimiMaternity has to see what I'll look like later on, and even then I still wasn't as large as my friend. (She's having twins and is 6 months along). It was hilarious!

November 9th can't come soon enough.

Relocating to the state of Disbelief!

2009-03-06T10:41:00.003-06:00

Maybe when we have our first ultrasound and I can see something in there, I'll really believe its true.

Everyone I tell (my closest friends and family who've followed along with my IF journey) is over the moon. My mom is already thinking about planning a shower! (She's nuts).

In all the excitement, DH and I are only taking it day by day, grateful that it hasn't all just fizzled away yet, like so many other past hopes.

This weekend I get together with a fellow IF-er who's now preggo with twins. I remember her telling me in the beginning she was also in denial. Maybe seeing her will help me think ahead to the future in a positive light. We'll see!

In other news, DH thinks my boobs are even larger (they are already huge) and I am noticing that I'm getting tired during the day. Now that I think of it, I haven't been to bed later than 9 all this week!

So Far So Good

2009-03-05T13:05:00.002-06:00

Waiting for my second beta today was worse than waiting for the results on Tuesday! At least then I knew (because I cheated) that something was going on, today I had no idea!

At noon when the RE still hadn't called I broke down and called. The nurse said my HCG was 639 (so more than double), progesterone was good and I can start weaning myself off the estrogen patches.

I go in for my fist U/S two weeks from today - 3/19.

Fingers crossed (again!) that everything stays where it needs to be and we have good results on U/S day!

Bigger Ray of Hope

2009-03-03T10:45:00.002-06:00

Yippee! I just got the call and my HCG levels are good (245), progesterone is good, estrogen is good. I go back on Thursday for the next bloodwork round.

I am totally bloated and have requested DH to bring me some Gatorade at lunch.

On a downward note - my beloved RE has left the practice! I couldn't believe it! The nurse just told me it was sudden, and he wanted to go in a different direction. My regular OB knows him pretty well, so I'll have to get the scoop when/if I make it to my first appointment.

Yeahh!!!!

Tiny ray of hope

2009-03-02T09:02:00.002-06:00

Ok, so after the AF-style cramping all weekend and the beta looming tomorrow I decided to test at home this morning.

+++++++++++++++++

It took no time at all for the positive to show up - I used a Safeway Early HPT.

I'm excited, but trying to maintain a calmness b/c we all know there's a long way to go before I can relax.

I'll test again tomorrow morning and then go in for beta. I'm already thinking that something will show up and I'll probably go in for a second beta later on this week.

Keep our fingers crossed for good things to keep on happening!

Cramp On/Cramp Off

2009-03-01T16:21:00.001-06:00

Well I'm 2 days away from beta (9dp3dt) and stating on Friday I noticed period-style cramping that would start and then stop. This cramping has happened over the entire weekend and I keep running to the bathroom to wipe and see if I notice any red. So far nothing yet - but I have decided (if AF holds off) to test tomorrow morning and the morning of Beta to feel a bit more prepared. Hopefully I'll get the answer I've been waiting for!

Other then that, not to much else happening.

Maybe my first sign

2009-02-23T15:50:00.003-06:00

This may turn out to be nothing, but yesterday and today I have felt extreme bitchiness at various points during the day. A sure fire sign of PMS, but maybe its to early for that.

Also, in a PIO rage last night (these shots are really killing me - I never had to take them before) I made my DH stick himself with an empty needle to be able to commiserate with me and understand the pain I'm in. He thought it wasn't that bad - I wanted to slap him. Bitchiness? YES!

Does anyone know if you can do serious damage with these shots? Friday nights shot was done by DH (who I thought did it to hard) and I spent the rest of the weekend in pain on that side. I did my own shot Saturday night and it didn't hurt so much. Maybe he hit a nerve or something? I worry that we're doing these in the wrong location.

Bummer - no frosties

2009-02-23T09:44:00.002-06:00

Morning -

Well I had hoped that some of my leftover embies would survive to be frozen, but alas it was not meant to be. This is par for the course as now all three of my cycles have only produced 2 embies good enough for transfer.

I'm bummed out, but hoping that the two transferred this time will take. Only time will tell - I get my results next Tuesday (3/2).

Muffins on Transfer Day

2009-02-21T10:29:00.003-06:00

I had my ET yesterday (Friday) and all went really well. My RE implanted two really nice 8-cell embies (grade 4)! The other 5 embies aren't faring so well, but we'll wait to hear if any can be frozen. Fingers crossed some will pull through!

So far, every part of this cycle has gone better than expected. I can't say enough of my RE (Dr. Akas Jain) and the nurses at my clinic. My RE is a young guy and I feel like he really "gets it". After transfer yesterday he sat with my husband and I in recovery for 45 minutes just chatting. I don't think I've ever spent so much time with a Dr in my life!

Differences between this transfer and prior transfers were:

The procedure room was very warm - 85 degrees
No getting up to pee afterwards - they used a catheter (what relief!!)
I laid down for an hour after transfer before I was discharged

I mention muffins because I brought the nurses some apple cinnamon Fiber One muffins (delish!).

I'm taking it easy for the rest of the weekend. Hopefully these two embies are in the process of snuggling on down.

(My DH has already nicknamed the embies "Walker" and "Texas Ranger" after Talledega Nights)

Fertilization Report

2009-02-18T14:04:00.004-06:00

Another update - out of the 9, we had 7 fertilize. This is great news!

Now I wait until Friday to find out about the quality and if I need a day 3 or 5 transfer. Since Friday would be my day 3, they'll call me before 9AM with the results.

So far, I've had really great results as compared to previous attempts. Maybe this is a good sign!

Post ER Update

2009-02-18T08:42:00.002-06:00

Morning -

I was offline yesterday and had no interest in getting near a computer on my day off! The good news is that ER went well, and they retrieved 9 eggs! This was totally amazing only because we were only expecting 4 to maybe 7 tops. The staff at my place was great and I've already decided to make some blueberry muffins for when I go in for ET.

Now I'm just waiting for the fert report. Fingers crossed we have at least 1 fertilized!

Tomorrow is it

2009-02-16T08:16:00.002-06:00

So ER is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I'm praying that my follies are fantastic this time and will all contain eggs and will all fertilize. (Wishful thinking).

I took my trigger at about 10PM last night and will have my procedure done around 8AM tomorrow. As of yesterday my biggest follie was just about 24mm and drops to around 11mm to the 7th smallest one. The nurses guess I'll have anywhere from 4-7 to work with - let's pray for closer to 7!

That's all from here - I'm waiting for the anesthesiologist to call today and I'm ready and raring to go.

Almost There!

2009-02-13T16:39:00.003-06:00

I have to take meds again tonight, but I have a feeling tomorrow will be it. Still averaging about 12 follies on my left side, but only about 6-7 are real contenders.

The top two are both 15mm, there are two 14's and then they go down to about 10 once you get to the sixth or seventh largest.

I'm thinking Monday will be my ER. Let's pray these are some serious quality follies who want to mate up with some spermy-sperm!

Check-up No 2

2009-02-12T08:57:00.002-06:00

Morning -

Things are going well with me - it's day 6 of stims and the U/S machine see's 12 follies growing in my left ovary. Still nothing happening on the right side. So weird...

Out of those 12, there are 6 possible contenders for retrieval. The largest one measures about 15 mm and the 6th measures around 7 mm. I'm hoping they reduce my meds and let the smaller ones catch up with the big one. As you know, not all of my follies will have eggo's and not everyone of those will successfully fertilize. Looks like I'll be lucky to eek out 2 or 3 again. I'm trying not to be too down on my luck, since all you need is 1 that works!!

Things are still crazy at work and I'm trying to remain stress-free. (Hard to do). Ok - gotta run!

Checkup No. 1

2009-02-10T08:33:00.002-06:00

Morning -

Fresh from the RE's office, I'm feeling positive about things. I don't have any BW results yet (will get this afternoon along w/instructions for tonight) but my ultrasound looked good, well kind of...

My left ovary is overflowing with beautiful follies - 9 total. My right ovary has nothing going on at all. I want to say something similar to this happened before, but I can't remember which ovary wasn't working.

Let's hope that things pick up on the right side and I can eek out a few contenders.

Monday Monday

2009-02-09T09:04:00.003-06:00

Work for me lately is becoming crazier by the minute. Everyone seems to be in a bad mood and it's the busiest time of year here. On top of it all, I have a pregnant boss who is just plain nuts to begin with, and now the pregnancy has added another whole new layer of crazy. Everything she wants me to do has to be done now, now, now. It feels like I've been at a sprinting pace for weeks. Important to note that the crazy boss only works 3 days a week, and then only partial days - also her dad owns the company. Read what you will into this...

Luckily by next week (ER week) things should be quiet since one major event will be finished and I can focus on me. Also a good thing that I've picked up a few more accupuncture appointments to keep me calm. I really hope they are helping me.

The Big Plan

2009-02-05T09:20:00.002-06:00

So finally yesterday my RE called with the plan for the first few days of stims. So far I've been on 10iu's of Lupron since Jan 22nd.

Starting this Saturday I'll:

Take 150 Menopur/450 Follastim in the AM
Take 5 Lupron/Baby Aspirin in the PM

On Sunday I'll switch it up to take the same as above, but only in the PM. Monday is the same.

I asked why for that 1 day I'll take meds in the morning and the nurse said it was to jumpstart my ovaries. I also asked about my high as a kite left ovary. She said that it could become a problem down the road at ER if it stays there, but with all the follies building, it should be weighed down.

So I'll have my next check up on Tuesday AM. Let's hope for good things!

When You Least Expect It

2009-02-03T09:01:00.002-06:00

Ah, so typical...

I had just called my RE's yesterday to report that AF was missing, and an hour later it magically appears!

So I went in this morning for my B/W & US (and shell out the remaining $9,100 that I owe) and they tell me since I'm doing a Luteal Phase cycle I won't be starting stims tonight - I'll be starting this Saturday unless the RE thinks otherwise.

Guess they like to bunch people together and have them start all at the same time. So now I'm looking at ER sometime around the 16th.

One note of concern was the little Russian sonographer, who when doing my US remarked how way high up my left ovary is. I asked - "is that bad?" and she didn't really respond. I do think I heard her say to the other nurse that my antral count was the same as last time - 14.

That's all for now - just waiting for RE to call back either today or tomorrow with instructions for starting meds.

TTFN!

Where O Where Has AF Gone?

2009-02-01T15:21:00.002-06:00

I think my body, knowing that everyone is waiting for AF to arrive, has decided to not cooperate this month. It's pretty frustrating since if it doesn't come by tomorrow, they'll push back my stims and ER by a week. I keep thinking its coming and nothing happens. Oh - I'm 99.9% sure I'm not preggo.

Still waiting for AF, and my toe hurts

2009-01-29T14:49:00.002-06:00

One of my co-workers (who knows that I'm getting ready for IVF round 3) mentioned today how I must be a glutton for pain.

She says it, and I think it must be true since I'm walking around with a doctor's foot bootie on my left foot. I've been dealing with (and this is definitely TMI) an infected toenail for like 2 years now. (I think I may have gotten it from a bad pedicure.)

Anyways, I've tried all kinds of meds for it and nothing has worked. So yesterday, my podiatrist says we should remove it. I immediately start sweating, thinking about the pain that is to come, but she assures me I won't feel a thing since she'll give me novacaine. And it really wasn't so bad until... 4 AM this morning, when all the novacaine and Advil had finally worn off. Ughhh..

So now I'm limping around, waiting for AF to arrive. I wish it would come like tomorrow morning. I'm anxious to get this show on the road!

I'm feeling for my friend and fellow blogger MammaSoon about her crappy failed CGH testing this cycle. I can't imagine how PO'd she's feeling, especially since she chose her RE specifically based on their wonderful labs.

Octuplets & Biding My Time Waiting for AF

2009-01-27T15:39:00.005-06:00

Did anyone else see that story on the news this morning about the woman who gave birth to octuplets? They didn't go into detail as to how she became preggo with so many - my guess is IUI. (That's how Jon Minus 9 got preggo).

People are quick to blame IVF on high order multiples - but I think the opposite - RE's really control the quantity of embryos put back in. To have a number like 8 through IVF would mean possibly four embryos all split to become identical twins. I can't see an RE putting 8 embies back in? Could you? I think it would be unethical.

I'm really hoping AF comes soon so I can get the clearance to start stims! It should be here in the next couple of days.

Chinese Horoscope

2009-01-26T11:55:00.003-06:00

Hey - I just went to the Yahoo homepage and they had a special Chinese New Year horoscope - I was born in the year of the Snake (my least favorite animal)... but things are apparently looking on the bright side:

Snake Overview

The Snake has an incredibly favorable year ahead. The year of the Ox provides many opportunities for the Snake to fulfill long awaited career goals and achieve more than he/she ever imagined. Your wisdom and patience are tools that prove successful in all aspects of your life. Relationships could be taken to new heights and deep and meaningful friendships are acquired. This year proves to be one of action, the year that all of your planning and waiting pay off for you. The later months prove to be especially successful, tying a year of arduous work into an extremely blissful culmination.

Hanging by a thread

2009-01-26T09:00:00.002-06:00

So this past weekend started out OK - DH and I were preparing for our open house on Sunday (our 3rd one so far) and as it turns out the open house didn't happen. Why you ask? Because my stupid real estate agent sent someone else to handle our open house and she couldn't figure out how to open the lock box on our door. On top of which our agent never called us. So all that hard work - cleaning like crazy - down the drain. Now we're supposed to get a new lock box for the door and hold another open house the weekend after the Super Bowl. I'm trying to use my power of zen to put it past me and move on, but I'm still pretty PO'd.

Of course - the weekend of the new open house, I'll be busy since IVF should be in full force by then. My tentative ER will be sometime the week of 2/8. We'll see how it goes.

As if yesterday couldn't get any worse - my mom tells me my about multiple cousins who have now either given birth, or who now are preggo. I don't wish bad thoughts on these people, it just all reminds me of how long DH and I have been on BabyQuest.

On a side note, the Lupron that I'm taking this time is giving me really weird (bad) dreams and hot flashes. No fun!

TGIF! Let the weekend begin

2009-01-23T16:04:00.000-06:00

This week draaagged on, but here we are at last - the end of the day Friday!

Last night DH and I tried to video my shot-taking with his fancy new phone (Blackberry Storm) but it crashed. So much for technology! Will try again tonight with the camera on the laptop if I can remember.

Went to accupuncture today, which although pretty pricey, has become a high point in my week. My accupuncturist is a lady named Mitzi - kind of funny to imagine a little old white lady practicing the ancient art of Asia, but hey whatever floats your boat! She travels to Taiwan every year to meet with her teacher. I asked her last week what her teacher is like (I envisioned an older gentleman - Mr. Myagi like) and I was correct!

I enjoy going because it gives me at least 20 minutes off peaceful relaxation. Even with all those needles sticking out of me (once they're in you really can't feel them). I try and picture my future with a baby involved - which is really hard to do since you can't picture what your baby will look like.

This weekend DH and I don't have too much going on - our house is on the market so our realtor is holding an open house on Sunday afternoon (pray that someone comes!) and we'll probably go to the movies. Saturday I think I'd like to visit my coworker's new condo. She's very excited since its her first house purchase. Lots to think about and do!

Have a great weekend!

Let the Craziness Begin!

2009-01-22T15:31:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd blog this time around if only to connect with other IF bloggers.

Today starts attempt number 3 of IVF, and I'm nervous, excited, terrified and everything else all rolled into one.

So tonight I start taking a drug called Lupron, which from what I can remember isn't that bad since the needle is so small (as is the dose). My Lupron (and a few other meds that I'll be taking this time) was generously donated from two of my fellow Resolve members.

I have to say this entire journey would have been completely lonely and discouraging if it wasn't for my fellow IF'ers. It truly feels like a battle, but at least I know there are a few soldiers out there fighting with me. Reading their blogs, following along on InfertilityCommunity and going to the (ok - only 1 meeting, but hey it was a far drive!) Resolve meeting was really comforting.

Actually it's gotten to the point where a couple of my fellow IF'ers have had success. One girl who I met on InfertilityCommunity just gave birth to twin girls, and the other is preggo with triplets! That's nuts!

Makes me wonder if this works (and I love to think and plan ahead) if I'll be lucky enough to have more than one.