Last Baseline Appointment - 5 dayssss!!!!

5 Days!!!!!

 

So far we have matched with IP's, had all of our pre-screening done, and had 3 baseline appointments tracking how my body is taking to the medications. In 5 days our wait will be over and it feels good that we are finally in the home stretch for our frozen embryo transfer! I am trying really hard not to get my hopes us for a positive pregnancy result but it is soooooo hard not too be excited! I want to believe with everything I have that we will see a BFP! (Big Fat Positive!) If it does so happen to be a negative result then we will start at square one putting me back another cycle of medications but I have a good feeling it will not come to that.

 

Ben and I drove down to Chicago again today for our last baseline appointment for blood work and another ultrasound. Our drive down we passed 9 police and 3 huge over sized load semi's with trailing airplane wings. The way back we passed 5 more police! Jeez o petes they were thick today because all the other trips down we rarely saw 2 the entire trip. Our morning started off with our adrenaline pumping as I woke to hearing Ava in the next room, looked at the clock and it was 1 1/2 hours past the time I set my alarm! YIKES! I realized after scrambling around that I made our appointment for an hour later than I thought, WHEW, so we were going to be just on time! I have been on a random coffee frenzy which is severely strange seeings how I hate coffee but I have been liking the caffeine kick from the frozen caramel coffee's I'd get. I decided not to get one this morning because I'm obviously going to have to check out on the frozen coffee kick for the next 9 months so I might as well get used to it, hehehe.

 

We got to Chicago and could not believe how awesome traffic was an hour later than we usually go through. We literally got through what normally takes us 40 minutes to an hour within 10 minutes! It was crazy! We were excited and thought our entire day would just go flying by from here on out because that is always the worst part about our Chicago trips. Nope, the clinic was so packed and backed up because they have specific cycle dates they run so everyone literally comes the same time 2 weeks out of the month. We were at our appointment for about an hour which still isn't bad considering the great news we got! Uterine Lining is now at 16mm and Nurse C said that is awesome! I took my last Lupron shot last night around 9:30 and now have the go to start the Progesterone in Oil injections! Ughk! Can't say I'm exactly anywhere near excited for that :( I'm going to attempt to let Ben do it and not go in the room until he is ready to poke the needle in because I don't want to freak myself out like the first time I took my belly shots. I will not be preparing to take a picture of this shot either because there is no way I will be emotionally up for it.

 

I was a little nervous about getting my blood work done this time because our last appointment I was tortured with the needle. She didn't end up hitting the vein the first time so instead of taking it out and starting again, she continued to move the needle around jabbing me with it 3 times! Ahhhhhh! I am still bruised pretty bad from a week ago. This time another lady saw my arm and said, "Oh No" and was nice enough to draw from my other arm and not torture me, hehe. It was easy breezy!

 

Progesterone in Oil

1 1/2 inch 18 gage needle to get the progesterone out of the vial and 22 gage needle to administer.

 

Progesterone is a hormone that in basic terms helps get the uterine lining all nice and fluffy for the embryo transfer. I continue to take this throughout 12 weeks of pregnancy until my placenta makes enough progesterone by itself to support the pregnancy. It makes the little embies 'stick' to the lining. There are 3 different kinds of supplements that a woman can take in order to increase or just maintain a high progesterone level: oral supplements, vaginal suppositories and injections. All of these must be prescribed by a doctor. I will be taking injections and suppositories as pictured :)

 

Progesterone will be stopped if the pregnancy results come back negative. If we get a BFP then I will continue the injections throughout the first trimester.

 

Did I mention these are in my Boooootaaaayyyyyyy!!!!! Eeeekk!

 

Antibiotics

This is a 5 day antibiotic that I take starting today to prevent any infection that may occur. I started taking 2 pills the first day and I continue taking 1 pill until gone which is the day before the transfer.

 

Endometrin

These are tablets that have to be inserted vaginally (I apologize for the TMI)

 

Endometrin is another medication that is used to thicken the lining of the uterus but in suppository form and done 3x daily. The box with all the pills, the actual pill size, and the applicator. (Inserted exactly as a tampon would be)

 

Whew! So For the next week I am going to be hopped up on all types of medications: prenatal vitamins, baby aspirin, progesterone injections every 3 days, 4 patches every other day, antibiotics, and 3x daily suppositories. 



 

Last bit of insight into our journey: I had someone inquire about whether or not I was pregnant yet. I told them excitedly, "Not yet but just one more week until out transfer day!" The reply shocked me a little but it makes me realize that not everyone sees things in the same manner so it is interesting to see how others view it. He says, "So, how does it feel knowing that someone else will be controlling/owning you the next 9 months" Huh? I replied explaining that it has not been that type of journey and it wont be a boss to employee relationship. I had just never seen it as that, so someone bringing it up in that manner caught me off guard. I told them that all for of us are in this together as a team and there are so many more people surrounding us with all their love and support making up an even bigger team. I don't look at this as a job although compensation is involved. I am doing this because I want to help their family and it just so happens that they are able to help our family as well. Any thoughts/comments are welcome on this little remark. I didn't take it as a rude comment but do other people see it like that?

 

Until tomorrow! Revealing our first booty shot story and going over a typical frozen embryo transfer.