Eggs in a basket

Friday, February 24, 2012 was my egg retrieval day.  I was so nervous, and I had no idea what to expect even though I had spent the entire night before retrieval reading everything there was to know about ER.  I even watched youtube videos and vlogs of women who've been there and done that, so I wanted to be completely prepared.

Guess what?  I wasn't.

Ok, someone out there (me?) needs to point out how much of a walk-in-the-park this experience HASN'T been.  I was comforted watching other people say "Oh wow, it didn't hurt at all..." and "Yeah, it feels a little bit like menstrual cramps."

I have a BS card, and I'm waving it in faces because my experience was COMPLETELY different.

Wait...

I was taken back into the prep room where the nurse attempted to hook me up to the IV.  She completely blew my vein on my left hand even after I told her that my veins on the right side were way better.  So she apologized and finally got it in.  I was then given some antibiotic and DH and I waited.. and waited.. and omg we waited.  Anesthesiologist showed up and checked my neck, had me open my mouth and say ahhhhh and said he would see me in surgery.

Then we waited some more.  I think the waiting was more agonizing than anything.  I just wanted to hurry up and get it over with.  I was exhausted and terrified.

My RE finally swooshed into the room and greeted me and then tried to go into the whole "now let's be negative about this whole procedure..." but I stopped him dead in his tracks and told him "I have faith in you..."  He smiled and nodded, and swooshed back out.

Facebooking during Surgery?

It was time to walk back into the procedure room where I hopped up onto a table with the most comfy leg stirrups ever.  The anesthesiologist popped up behind me like a stealthy ninja... and he was preparing to knock my effing lights out.  With my mask on, I asked the room "any last words of good luck??" and the anesthesiologist said "uhhh.. break a leg?" The nurse said "Pretend you're on the beach..."  :0/  Then I was out.

For some reason, I felt awake the entire time, even though I wasn't.  And for some even STRANGER reason, I thought I was updating my Facebook status during surgery.  When I woke up, I asked everyone "Was I awake the whole time?"  They all laughed and said "No." and then I was spouting off how much I loved them and how I wanted to get them all fruit baskets from Edible Arrangements for a job well done.  I didn't even know how many eggs were retrieved, but they finally got me to shut up and said "we have 5 eggs."

REALLY!?  FIVE!?  That was five more than what we originally thought I'd have.  And they were all mature.  Again... bite me RE.

Sock me in the guts 3 more times...

I was in la la land for a few minutes until the medication began wearing off.  I'm gonna curse right now... but holy shit.  Omg... pain.

Freaking hurt.  And I'm not talking about "uncomfortable" or "period-like cramps"... I'm talking about "I remember when I had a c-section" type of pain.  Apparently, my left ovary was hiding, so my RE had to dig around for it.  I think he even put some SCUBA gear on and went in after it.  I felt like I was shot in the stomach with a really small gun (because a big gun would have killed me), and all I wanted the nurse to do was give me drugs to help with the pain.

She did... but it wasn't enough.

Poor DH.  I've not talked about him just yet, have I?  Well, the man was a saint.  He took really good care of me when I was crying on the floor because I was in so much pain that laying down was just out of the question.  He held my hair back when I started barfing up all of the anesthesia (while still crying on the floor), and he rubbed my bloated belly until I finally drifted off to sleep.  He was amazing.

I slept the entire day.  It wasn't until 9pm, (9 hours after the procedure) when I could finally get up and walk around.  I nibbled on some food, but I was still incredibly sore and in a ton of pain.  Then it was time for DH to give me a shot using "the world's biggest freaking needle ever..." in my butt... with progesterone oil.  At that point, I figured there couldn't be anything worse than what I went through that afternoon... so I just assumed the position and let him find a juicy spot to stick me.  He was freaking out more than anything... I just wanted him to get it over with.  It took 3 tries before he finally got it right.  Either I wasn't paying attention or I was still in way too much pain from ER, but I didn't feel it.  Not even with the huge Donkey Kong needle.  Sweeeeeet.

24 HOUR REPORT!

Saturday, February 25, 2012... All of my eggs fertilized.  4 of them were perfect, and the other one was a lazy ass.  I just prayed that at least 3 would make it to my day 3 transfer... and so far, so good.  The embryologist was way more positive than my RE had ever been, and she was telling me that this was all really good news... and I believed her.

48 HOUR REPORT!!

Guess what... we still have all five embies.  4 at a grade 2 (which is like a B) and the lazy ass at grade 3.  But we still have them all.  *shocked face*... Tomorrow we transfer three of the grade 2 and pray that at least one sticks.  I just need one.  Please Lord, let me have just one...

How do I feel today?  I'm still VERY sore.  Not as bad as yesterday, but still bad enough to where I don't want to eat just in case I have to poop.  (TMI!!).  I'm waaaay gassy still, and my left side feels worse than my right.  But I'm so just excited to make it to transfer tomorrow.  I go in at 12:45 but I have to be there by 12:30.  I get to take my Valuim (yesssss!) by 12:15 and I have to drink enough water to make the person next to me have to pee.

I'm so excited.  I just want my babies back in side of me.  I've beat the odds and I can't wait to see my RE tomorrow so I could just give him that *look*... you know which one I'm talking about?  The "now what, punk!?" look.

Then it's the dreaded TWW... but I'm feeling so positive.  More news tomorrow.  :)  Hopefully, it's all golden.