GO EMBRYOS GO!!!

So we had our egg retrieval yesterday and that went off without any issues and I was told that they had gotten 14 eggs...WHOA MAMA!! So it was back home to recoup...lots of sleep as that anestesia was NO joke...
I received a call this morning that of the 14 eggs that were retrieved, 7 of them were mature and were fertilized using ICSI (one sperm injected directly into 1 egg). As of today at 1pm, 5 of those are growing...YEA!!!! So we will know soon when out embryo tranfer will be...can't wait and fingers are still crossed!!!

WHOA..that's a lot of EGGS!!

What a big and exciting morning it was for us. We went into the surgery center at 8am and were asked to fill out a pile of paperwork (mostly just signatures, etc..). At about 8:20am, Chris was called back to give his...well..um..."contribution". At about 8:45am, I was called back to get changed and prepped. I have to tell you, the gown and head-dress I was asked to wear was quite...fashonable...hahhaa...They then brought Chris back to go over post-operative procedure. I was told to drink tons of water, take my pain pills and eat a high protein diet. Anyhoo...at 9:40am (10 mins after our 9:30am appt), I was brought back by my nurse and said good-bye to Chris. That was sad but I was sooo excited.

Surgery began, I felt high as a kite, and then I was out...hahaha. Next thing I knew I was in recovery being told that at last count, I had 13 eggs retrieved!! How cool is that. Then the doctor who did the surgery came back and said there were actually 14!! WHOOOO...anyway, I was only in recovery for 10 mins or so, and then we were headed home.

We are both VERY excited because 14 eggs is awesome. They fertilize them today and will call us tomorrow by 1pm to see how many are growing and will call us every day until the embryo transfer. This transfer will take place either on Sunday or Tuesday. We are hoping for Tuesday, because that would be a 5-day transfer, our 3 year anniversary and a great day to get pregnant!! Not to mention, today is the 27th, Lindsay's birthday, so its good Karma all the way around!! Then our pregnancy test will be on my birthday...GOOD TIMES and FINGERS CROSSED.

In Case you were wondering about IVF...

In Vitro Fertilization
The Embryology Laboratory at the Strong Fertility Center is a state-of-the-art facility accredited by the NYS Department of Health. We offer a wide variety of laboratory techniques to help patients achieve success with assisted reproduction. These include in vitro fertilization with standard insemination, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Assisted Hatching (AHA), embryo cryopreservation, blastocyst culture, TESE and MESA for male factor, and embryo biopsy for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Following are step-by-step descriptions of the IVF procedures.

Step 1: Control Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH)
COH is done using different protocols. The most common one is a long GnRH-Agonist (Lupron) protocol where the secretion of gonadotropin hormones is suppressed in order to prevent premature ovulation. Once optimal suppression is achieved, the next step is the recruitment of multiple follicles by daily injections of gonadotropins. Ultrasound imaging and hormone assessments are used to monitor follicular development. When the lead follicles have reached the appropriate size, the final maturation of eggs is done by HCG administration. Egg retrieval is scheduled 34-36 hours after HCG injection.

(Below scheduled for Thursday September 27, 2007 - Lindsay's Birthday)
Step 2: Egg Retrieval
Egg retrieval is performed in a surgical suite under intravenous sedation. Ovarian follicles are aspirated using a needle guided by trans-vaginal ultrasonography. Follicular fluids are scanned by the embryologist to locate all available eggs. The eggs are placed in a special media and cultured in an incubator until insemination.


Step 3: Fertilization and Embryo Culture
If sperm parameters are normal, approximately 50,000 to 100,000 motile sperm are transferred to the dish containing the eggs. This is called standard insemination.


WE ARE DOING ICSI - The ICSI technique is utilized to fertilize mature eggs if sperm parameters are abnormal. This procedure is performed under a high-powered microscope. The embryologist picks up a single spermatozoa using a fine glass micro needle and injects it directly into the egg cytoplasm. ICSI increases the chance that fertilization will occur if the semen sample has a low sperm count and/or motility, poor morphology or poor progression. If there are no sperm in the ejaculate, sperm may be obtained via a surgical procedure. ICSI is always used to achieve fertilization if the sperm is surgically retrieved.

A normally fertilized egg is called a zygote. Two pronuclei are seen in the center. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) procedure where a single spermatozoa, as shown by an arrow, is in the process of being injected into a mature egg's cytoplasm.


Fertilization is assessed 16-18 hours after insemination or ICSI. The fertilized eggs are called zygotes and are cultured in a specially formulated culture medium that supports their growth. They will be assessed on the second and third day after retrieval. If sufficient numbers of embryos exhibit good growth and development, they may be selected to grow to the blastocyst stage in a specially designed culture medium. Blastocyst culture has several advantages. Embryos at this stage have a higher potential for implantation, therefore fewer embryos can be transferred on day 5 to reduce the chance of multiple pregnancies. Low numbers of embryos and poor embryo quality reduce the chances for good blastocyst development. A day 3 embryo transfer is recommended for cycles with low numbers and/or poor quality.

Below will take place either Sunday September 30th or Tuesday October 2nd (our 3 yr dating anniversary).
Step 4: Embryo Transfer
Embryos are transferred on day 3 when they are at the cleavage stage (6-8 cells) or on day 5 when they have reached the blastocyst stage. Embryo transfer is a simple procedure that does not require any anesthesia. Embryos are loaded in a soft catheter and are placed in the uterine cavity through the cervix.

http://www.stronghealth.com/services/fertility/IVF/index.cfm

EGG RETRIEVAL SCHEDULED

Soooo....the next phase is FINALLY in sight. I trigger tonight (and then NO more needles in my belly...well not given by me anyway), go in for a physical and history exam with my doctor in the morning, then bright and early on Thursday morning we get these babies (or potential babies rather) removed and fertilized!! From there, for each mature egg, one sperm will be injected into it. Then they call on Friday and tell me how many are maturing, and again on Saturday. If we do a 3 day transfer then it'll be scheduled for Sunday morning, if a 5-day transfer, then Tuesday Morning (our 3 year dating anniversary) they will be transfered. Anyway, I am just so damn excited and hopeful that we will be pregnant by my birthday (October 14th). So keep your fingers crossed and we, of course, will keep you posted!!!

What a Woman

So Alana has been poking her self with needles every day. I know I couldn't do that and even if it was for life and death purposes I would probably ask the Dr. how long would I live if I didn't. A man can never understand a women's want, need, or drive to have children. I know a lot of women haven't gotten to that point but whether your 25 or 45 the urge will come. It will swallow up your life and you will make it your priority. I have seen people go over board with this problem. The biggest effect on the women's life is usually the relationship. The guys wants and needs are thrown to the side in the quest for motherhood. We basically become sperm dispensers in most cases. I would like to thank Alana for not being one of those typical girls. I will say it is a hard especially as a man who will never get a maturnal drive but she has made this process awesome. Trust me I want a child and it is not a one way street but if not for her patience and dealing with my normal crap through these hard times we would have never made it.

Chris

Holy Follicles Batman!!!

Soooo...I went to the doc this morning and we had an ultrasound. My normal nurses weren't there, so I had a new one, whose name I have totally forgotten. Anyhoo, she looked at my Ultrasound pictures and results and exclaimed "Holy Cow girl, you have 11 follicles that are already maturing." to which I replied: "Is that good?" She said that they usually see those kinds of results on Cycle Day (CD) 6 or 7 and we are only on CD 4, so I am ahead of the curve, which means I still need to go in every morning to make sure I don't hyper-stimulate and our Egg Retrieval (ER) might be pushed up a few days (rather than CD 10) it might be closer to CD 7 or 8. So thats cool too!!

To be honest I thought we would have MUCH more, because on Monday I was told I have 41 follicles on my right ovary and 39 on the left...so we'll see what's cooking tomorrow morning and every morning there after until our Egg Retrieval!

Chris has been a trooper and was with me during all of this and is actually getting to know what things on the ultrasound are without the tech having to tell us. We are just soooo excited for this cycle and I am very hopeful that it will take and we will get a BFP (Big Freakin' Positive) on (or around) my birthday...pretty cool, huh??

Poor Poor Xterra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13522962@N08/?saved=1

I just wanted to let you know that I should have died this afternoon. The state trooper said it was a miracle that the tracker trailer next to me was able to stop before rolling right over me. I literally hydroplaned into the guard rail on the driver’s side which put me into a spin right across 2 lanes and into the divider between east-bound and west-bound traffic. My wheels where so high on the divider that everyone was surprised I didn’t go right over (which would have meant death due to a bevy of semi’s on the road going 80mph), then I spun around again hit the same divider head on about 20 feet down the road and broke it and then flipped onto my passenger side which left me dangling. Thank goodness for some friendly people who pulled my windshield out so I could get out! And honestly, I am very shaken up but almost fine.

Anyway, life is short...live it to the fullest!!

IVF Schedule...getting really excited

Okay, so I have been on Lupron for 2 weeks (14 full days) and finally was visited by Aunt Flow this morning. Chris and I went to the doctor to have an ultrasound as well as bloodwork. Our ultrasound revealed 29 follicles on the left and 30 follicles on the right...whooo..of course not all of those will get to be full eggs, but how cool is that!!! Anyway, I was told to start Bravelle to mature the eggs tomorrow morning.
That was until I got a call saying the my estrogen level was too high to start the Bravelle...sooooo now we have to Thursday to go back to the doctors office and get more bloodwork and HOPEFULLY start bravelle on Friday. If all goes according to plan, my Egg Retreival will be around the 22nd or 23rd with the Egg Transfer being on the 27th ot 28th. But we wont know for sure for another few days (6 days after taking the bravelle I go in for monitoring everyday)...
Anyway, so thats what's going on with us and the baby making front. The cool part is, we would know if we were successful right around my birthday (October 14th in case you didnt know, so we will be celebrating the night of the 13th)! Pretty neat birthday present, huh!!! I hope I get my wish!
Other than that, everything is good.

Best Husband EVER!!

So last night Chris and I are about to go to bed and or conversation goes something like this:

A: I love you
C: I love you too
A: How much do you love me?
C: More than anything in the world. I realized that I would be okay with dying if I knew I would be reincarnated and be able to find you again!
A: (crying...with tears and everything), that is SO sweet

Chris is seriously the best guy that I know, I guess its a good thing I married him. We have been going through alot lately and when I found out I had to have surgery, here is the email he sent to me:
Subject: How Much I Love You

Alana,

I love you more than anything else in the world. I can never honestly know what you are going through right now. You are sacrificing you body and emotions for us while I have to sit here helpless. No matter how involved I get I can do nothing to help change the outcomes we've had these past terrible months. All I can hope is that I am providing you with the physical and emotional support you need and deserve. You never have to apologize for what ever reason. Nothing is your fault and the disappointment we share is not in you or myself but of the hope we had in a positive outcome. We are in a situation were we cannot financially and more importantly Emotionally afford to be pessimistic about the result we are trying to obtain. All we can do is hope for the best and shoot for the stars and in the end know that we have each other talk to , to hold, to cry with, vent to and love. I will always be here for you and It makes me proud that you accept that and allow yourself to be so vulnerable with me. Its an honor to except you for all that you are and that even in my lowest moments you may have a discouraging look on your face but the love in your eyes in unmistakable. This is a step in our lives that someone or something is requiring us to muddle through and we will conquer it triumphantly together. This journey will only get harder but we will become stronger and love each other harder with every tribulation. I love you Alana. Even after 3 years and all that we have done together every time I see you after us being apart for any amount of time you still give me the same chills as if it was the first time I saw you after the first night we spent apart.

With all my Love and Infinite Devotion,

Chris


Isnt he the best!! Its okay to be a little jealous, I would be if I werent me! Just thought I would share as I am feeling particularly mushy today!

Ah Life

Well were do I begin. No matter how terrible things seem to be going recently with the fertility crap, Alana and I have pushed through it. Yes as she claims the mood swings have been getting worse everyday she has been taking the Lupron. Yeah for me!!!! But as fast as they come they are gone and she is pleasant for 80% of the day. I look at other couples and when they are in a pinch the weakness in their relationship really shows. As for Alana and I, well, we must be some bad ass mofos because we just keep on going like its just another day. As a man I won't be girly about it but I feel bad for other guys. I would rather shoot myself in the foot than deal with any typical girl out there in the world. Alana is the best

LOVE THESE LINKS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTU2He2BIc0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9TMTMMDd2U

TOOOOO FUNNY!!!

Fat and Frumpy

Why oh why do I feel so fat and frumpy...hmmm..maybe because I have to wake up every morning at 5am and inject myself in the stomach with a drug called Lupron!! This drug, although helping us get pregnant, makes me tired, VERY moody, and FAT! Nice! But all in all its for the greatest blessing this world has to offer, a baby. Anyhoo...I am planning on starting yoga classes at our local YMCA and working from there...hopefully by this time next month, we will have a positive pregnancy test...