Embryo Transfer Day

I got the call on Sunday (at the hotel) that we might be heading into a 3 day embryo transfer instead of our expected 5.  I can’t really give you all the medical reasons behind why a Reproductive Endocrinologist (fertility doctor) would choose one over the other.  From what I do understand, sometimes if there are not a lot of embryo’s or if they are poor quality, they like to get them into a hospitable environment (ie:  uterus) before they die.  We only had 7 embryos so our Doctor decided he wanted to get them in.

Mike (my Intended Father) called me Tuesday morning.  I was just hanging out in my PJ’s.  I really didn’t think that we would be going in.  The Sunday call was just a “precaution.”  HA!  We were on for a 1:00 PM transfer.

Suddenly I was in a rush.  I also did not have a ride to the clinic!  My ride had arranged her schedule to be able to take me up on Wednesday or Thursday, but not Tuesday.  Yikes!  Usually the clinic gives you a mild sedative at transfer so it’s not advised that you drive yourself.  I was immediately on the phone trying to find either someone to watch the boys so Bob could take me, or someone to take me.  Thank goodness, my dad was home and was able to drive me up.  We were on the road in less than an hour.

It was surreal.  One of those weird moments that you really can’t believe it’s happening now even though it’s what you have been preparing for.

I arrived at the clinic to the smiling faces of my nervous IP’s.

Aren’t we cute in our matching shirts??  Shannon pulled her’s off much better than I did.  We chose these shirts together because of the beautiful poem that surrounded the butterfly.  It says:

“May the butterflies we feel this very special day, Grow into flutters that will forever stay!

Stick little butterfly and you will see, What an amazing adventure life will be!”

Yeah, made us a little weepy, too.  If you are going through IVF or are a surrogate, you can get these (and other) shirts at this Cafe Press store.

So Dr. Acacio took us in and we got ready for transfer.  We got to wear very stylish hair nets and gowns.  I even got some very special socks.  They put me on the table, feet in stirrups.  My IP’s got to come in the room and sit with me (at my head!).  Dr. Acacio is very funny and is good at putting you at ease.  It was nice, too, since I had done it before so I wasn’t nervous.  This was a good thing since they actually forgot my Valium!  I was really bummed that I didn’t get my drugs.  LOL.  The nurses told me I was “jipped.”  haha.

Anyhow, they thread a small tube/catheter up into my uterus and while watching on the ultrasound, the place the embryos.  There is another person….lab tech?  Doctor?  I don’t even know.  But he came in with the embabies.  Read the names of my IP’s and myself.  We had to agree that we were the correct people.  Then the doctor pushed the little embabies into place.  The lab tech then looks under the microscope to be sure there are no embryos left in the tube.

That’s it.  All done.  I’m pregnant.

Well, not exactly.

I had to lay still for 1 hour.  Just a little insurance policy to give the embryos a chance to stick.  After my hour was up, I was sprung.  We all headed to McDonald’s for a surrogates traditional “after transfer meal” of french fries!  And it has to be McDonald’s.  I don’t know why.  But it’s what we do and I am certainly not going to test fate by eating somewhere else!

Is this not the cutest couple you have ever seen?  I just love them and I feel so so lucky that they chose me for this monumental honor.  They even brought me some gifts to make my 3 days of bed rest easier.

YUM, huh?!  Lots of chocolate treats, popcorn and jelly belly’s for the boys, some magazines, flowers and pregnancy tests!  haha!! But there is more…

DINNER!  Shannon made us 3 nights worth of casserole dinners.  SO SO freaking nice!!!  Thank you Shannon!  SO much.

So we are now officially in what’s called the “two week wait.”  We will have our first beta blood draw (which will test my hCg levels) on September 8th.  Our Doctor is making us wait the full 2 weeks.  Total torture!  But I do have pregnancy tests and will start peeing on sticks come…oh….Saturday.  hehe.  Wish us luck!!!