The HCG results from my second draw yesterday were right were they wanted them to be. For the number to double it needed to be at 316 and it was somewhere around 360. Still anyone's guess whether it is one or two, only the ultrasound will be able to definitely tell us that.
The ultrasound will either be at 7 weeks (via an internal ultrasound, which for those of you who have not been privy to having one, it looks like a big dildo!) or at around 10 weeks using the wand on the stomach. The intended mother had a miscarriage within hours of seeing a heart beat with an internal ultrasound so she is not very interested in having one and to risk the same happening. Of course the clinic wants us to do it but I will do whatever.
I am big on watching my weight with each of my pregnancies and am starting this one about 10 pounds heavier then my other 3, yikes! I think that some of my weight gain might be from the drugs because in the week since I found out I have lost 1.5 pounds...and that was without working out. I don't want to gain too much since I don't have the breastfeeding to help rid myself of the weight after!
I am 4 weeks, 4 days.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
It's Official...
The blood work results are in and I am officially pregnant. Not that I doubted the home pregnancy test, but it made the intended mother feel much better. My HCG level was at 158 (they like to see anything over 150) and my progesterone was somewhere around 56 which was good (something was mentioned about 35 but not sure what all that meant). I go back tomorrow to see how the levels have changed in 48 hours. As long as the HCG levels go up, more specifically they like them to double, then we are on the right track.
I feel great, maybe a little tired, but when am I not tired? I hope all stays that way!
I feel great, maybe a little tired, but when am I not tired? I hope all stays that way!
Friday, May 18, 2012
"Unofficial" results
If you can call a home pregnancy test unofficial, but I would say a double line is a double line! I tested on Tuesday just for fun and it was negative but yesterday the double line came up pretty fast. I had not really been given the go-ahead to test so I never said anything about the negative but couldn't keep good news in! I sent the intended mother a picture of the double lines with the word "surprise". Apparently she did not have her phone with her all morning so did not see it till after lunch, I was starting to get worried they were mad at me for testing! But quite the contrary, they were elated.
The fertility doctor called later in the afternoon to offer congrats and to let me know I could move up the. Loos test to today but since we could not get the request over to REACH I will just go on Monday. They will take hcg and progesterone levels on Monday, then again on Wednesday to see how the levels are increasing. I am just ready to get done with the fertility clinics and to go see my midwife.
I am already feeling the difference from carrying my own children. There is a disconnect with this thing growing inside me (still unbelievable that someone else's child has such a connection to me) and being pregnant is just a job I am doing. It will be interesting to see how the feelings will differ through this whole process.
36 weeks to go!!
The fertility doctor called later in the afternoon to offer congrats and to let me know I could move up the. Loos test to today but since we could not get the request over to REACH I will just go on Monday. They will take hcg and progesterone levels on Monday, then again on Wednesday to see how the levels are increasing. I am just ready to get done with the fertility clinics and to go see my midwife.
I am already feeling the difference from carrying my own children. There is a disconnect with this thing growing inside me (still unbelievable that someone else's child has such a connection to me) and being pregnant is just a job I am doing. It will be interesting to see how the feelings will differ through this whole process.
36 weeks to go!!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Last Chance
Today was the day, the final embryo transfer. It is definitely the last one since they only had 5 viable embryos after her egg transfer and we used 2 for the last transfer. There were 3 embryos frozen but as suspected, one did not survive the thaw. When they freeze the embryos they take out all the water from the cells and then rehydrate them during the thaw. I did not get to see the pictures of the embryos but they seemed to be happy with them and one looked a little better then the other. She said that they have 100+ cells and it is typical that around 20% of the cells die during freeze.
The transfer was at 10:30 and it is a very simple procedure. Not much more difficult then an annual exam (except the fact everyone in the room has scrubs, hair nets, masks and shoe booties!) The procedure itself took about 5 minutes and most of that time was waiting on the embryologist to bring in the embryos. Standard protocol for the clinic is to complete the procedure and then allow the patient to go right to the bathroom (in order to see the uterus better they ask you come in with a full bladder), but the intended mother felt better if I laid there for 30 minutes post transfer. I enjoyed my quiet time laying there but was getting a little restless as I really needed to pee!
We were out of the office by 12 and headed to East Village Deli for lunch. Overall a pretty easy morning and now have to take it easy the rest of the weekend. Any excuse to let Tim do more with the kids is a good one!
There is a 50% chance for each of the embryos to implant. If they do implant they should do it between the next 24-36 hours. The pregnancy test will be on Monday, May 21st. I am very ready to know if I am pregnant or if this is the end of this journey.
Thanks to everyone for their support during this journey and the wonderful thoughts and well wishes!
The transfer was at 10:30 and it is a very simple procedure. Not much more difficult then an annual exam (except the fact everyone in the room has scrubs, hair nets, masks and shoe booties!) The procedure itself took about 5 minutes and most of that time was waiting on the embryologist to bring in the embryos. Standard protocol for the clinic is to complete the procedure and then allow the patient to go right to the bathroom (in order to see the uterus better they ask you come in with a full bladder), but the intended mother felt better if I laid there for 30 minutes post transfer. I enjoyed my quiet time laying there but was getting a little restless as I really needed to pee!
We were out of the office by 12 and headed to East Village Deli for lunch. Overall a pretty easy morning and now have to take it easy the rest of the weekend. Any excuse to let Tim do more with the kids is a good one!
There is a 50% chance for each of the embryos to implant. If they do implant they should do it between the next 24-36 hours. The pregnancy test will be on Monday, May 21st. I am very ready to know if I am pregnant or if this is the end of this journey.
Thanks to everyone for their support during this journey and the wonderful thoughts and well wishes!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Here we go again...
As I have warned most of you, I am a horrible blogger. I am sorry for not keeping this up to date. I will do my best to keep at it at least once a week from here on out. Not much happened after we finally got the intended parents convinced that my 2.5 HCG levels did not mean a pregnancy. Still no answer why I had a level at all but from what I read, it is normal to have a level below 5 and not be pregnant.
It would have taken about 5 weeks to get back ready for a transfer but doing that would have put the due date right around Dec 26/27 which is something that neither of us wanted. If possible I would not prefer to spend my Christmas morning in the hospital (even now it is a possibility). We delayed things another month making it a late January due date, January 27th to be exact. So if both embryos stick it could still likely be a December birthday, but we had to take our chances with that.
The drugs are a little different this time around as I did not have to do the 2 weeks of Lupron at the start. All I have had to do so far is 1.5 weeks of the patches. The big progesterone shots start on Saturday:( I have had to make 2 trips to REACH for monitoring but nothing too bad. They have the system worked out very efficiently and we feel like nothing more then cattle as we cycle through the office! I am able to be in line when they open at 7, have my blood drawn and ultrasound completed and out of there by 7:30, in time to get back home so Tim can go to work.
The transfer is now on Friday, May 11 and I am ready to know if this is it or not. Not really the birthday present I would have thought I was getting for my 33rd birthday but oh well! Goodbye until next week...
It would have taken about 5 weeks to get back ready for a transfer but doing that would have put the due date right around Dec 26/27 which is something that neither of us wanted. If possible I would not prefer to spend my Christmas morning in the hospital (even now it is a possibility). We delayed things another month making it a late January due date, January 27th to be exact. So if both embryos stick it could still likely be a December birthday, but we had to take our chances with that.
The drugs are a little different this time around as I did not have to do the 2 weeks of Lupron at the start. All I have had to do so far is 1.5 weeks of the patches. The big progesterone shots start on Saturday:( I have had to make 2 trips to REACH for monitoring but nothing too bad. They have the system worked out very efficiently and we feel like nothing more then cattle as we cycle through the office! I am able to be in line when they open at 7, have my blood drawn and ultrasound completed and out of there by 7:30, in time to get back home so Tim can go to work.
The transfer is now on Friday, May 11 and I am ready to know if this is it or not. Not really the birthday present I would have thought I was getting for my 33rd birthday but oh well! Goodbye until next week...
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