IVF: Part Five

PART FIVE: The retrieval! Here’s a recap of today…

Wake up with sore breasts. The Lupron made my A cup breasts shrink to whatever size is below A, but they’re back! And they hurt!

Relaxed and calm this morning. I decide to dress for success. I pretty myself up and I’m feeling great. I get a text from my BFF which keeps my spirits bright.

On my way to the lab, I listen to my relaxation music that I listen to during acupuncture sessions to make sure I stay in a good place.

Arrive at the lab. This place is blowin up! Standing room only! Silently wishing all of the other couples luck and hope they’re doing the same for us. I don’t like the smell of this place. So medicinal. But it feels comfortable.

Nerves start kicking in. Still listening to my music. Hubby gets taken away to do his thing and I start writing this post to keep me distracted. I have nothing else to update you on so I think I’ll go play a game on my iPhone.

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I’m home now resting on the couch and hydrating like crazy. Here’s what I remember from the retrieval:

I was taken back to change into the lovely surgery gown. They called me back abruptly and in my nervous state I realized that I left without saying goodbye to my husband. Once I was changed, I had the nurse call him back so we could smooch and say our I love you’s. My husband also landed a forehead kiss, which is the most tender kiss in the world. Exactly what I needed. I almost had some tears at this point, but I was able to breathe through it. Finally, I was taken into the procedure room. I was chatting it up with the anesthesiologist quite a bit and I wasn’t nervous anymore. I think knowing that I was about to get some really good meds helped to ease the nerves. The doctor came in and the IV started. I felt it almost instantaneously.

The last thing I remember is the doctor asking me if I knew how many eggs I had (I said 14 as of Thursday) and then I asked him to take really good care of my eggs! Then – BAM! I was out. But I was apparently doing lots of talking about work and a recent vacation I took, because 10 minutes later when I was taken to the recovery room the anesthesiologist said something to me about not working too hard and taking more vacations. Haha. Of course, that’s what I would talk about in my drugged state.

While waiting to be released, I was a bit crampy but nothing too terrible. While waiting for the nurse to tell me how many eggs they got, she stopped by the girl next to me to tell her they were only able to get three. I felt so badly for her, because the nurse immediately told me my news. They got 18 eggs! Woohoo!

The cab ride home was bumpy and uncomfortable, but now I’m safe and sound at home with my snuggly furbaby and very nice husband. I’m starting to get a little more uncomfortable and bloated, but more TV and relaxing on the couch is all I have planned so I’ll be fine.

I’ll find out how many of our eggs fertilized on Monday. Until then, I relax. Transfer will be Wednesday or Thursday. Can’t wait to have our embryo(s) snuggled inside of me!

Next Up: Begin PIO shots tonight. I have my heating pad ready. 🙂