More Waitin' & Brett's Brag Board

Went to the doc today for bloodwork and ultrasound and they called me back and said we needed to wait another week and check everything again. So, I was disappointed and sad but I do want everything to be just right for the embryo transfer. Later today, I was Pinteresting mindlessly and saw this quote:

Joseph waited 13 years.

Abraham waited 25 years.

Moses waited 40 years.

Jesus waited 30 years.

If God is making you wait, you're in good company.

Made me feel better. Okay, now on to the mushy stuff. Yesterday was Brett's birthday and I just have to take a minute and talk about how amazing my husband is. I wanted to share a letter he wrote me a few weeks ago word for word, but he wanted to keep it, in it's entirety, between us. (and sharing the whole thing might be a little too braggadocious..) I think I forgot between the shots, and the meds, and the every-other-day doctor visits, that Brett is going through this right along beside me. Even though he did run out of the room the first time he watched me do an injection..hmmmm..

But anyway, that letter he wrote meant so much to me because it put into words what I wanted and needed to hear in the middle of all this. He told me he was awake at 2:00 in the morning because he was so nervous and excited about the next few weeks. He let me know that he was proud of me and appreciated what I was putting my body (and mind) through to get us to the prospect of a Baby BooHeini. He told me that God drew up our plan long ago and that everything happens for a reason. He said that I handled tough situations with grace and courage, and that he respected me. And finally, he wrote how much he loved me. I was just blown away by his words. For those of you who know Brett, he's not the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, so all his thoughts written out like that meant a lot and I know he would trade places with me if he could.

Ohhh Ellie & Carl....gets me every time.

Trials and tribulations like this can really put a "wear and tear" on a relationship, but they can also show you what you're made of. Granted, right now I may be made of progesterone, but my husband told me I'm brave and strong, and that's all that matters.

"Crisis Averted" (in the words of Brett)

I went to the doctor today for blood work for the first time since the egg retrieval and the nurse called me with my instructions and started with how I'm supposed to go back to doing my Lupron shots, which I still had left from a few weeks ago. Then she begins naming off medicines I didn't have and had never heard of. She said they should have been delivered a week ago..say what?!

So I had to call the pharmacy and get them to overnight the meds by 5:30 (it's 4:00 at this point). I call and of course the girl's on lunch for the next hour, so I leave a message on her voice mail and with her assistant, and then I wait patiently freak out and make sure the volume on my phone is at maximum level, pray, check it 20 times, pray, drink a glass (or 3) of wine to calm the nerves, pray, wait until the hour is up, pray, and call again and.. yes! She answers. I exasperatingly explain what's happened and my life is over if I don't get these meds by tomorrow and my sweet baby angel frozen embryos are counting on being transferred the week of August 4th so I must have this shipment a.s.a.p.!

Well, the pharm rep Andrea' made it happen and I'll have all of it tomorrow. So we're still a go (as of now) for the transfer for the first week of August. Wheeew..I exhaust myself.

Our Embryo Report Card

Total frozen embryo count is 4 and they made their mommy and daddy proud. We have 2 grade A's, 1 grade B, and 1 grade C+. (Hey, I was an A,B,C student and I made out just fine.) So, hallelujah-praise-the-Lord! This part of the waiting game is over. I thought I was literally going to throw up when I saw the embryologist on my caller ID yesterday (Sunday) because I was so nervous. That day she had already frozen the 2 A's and 1 B, and told me she was waiting on the others to see if there would be any more to freeze. She called today (Monday) and said she froze one more and it was a C+. They grade the embryos A-D based on many different facts. Obviously, A's the best then B and so on.

We are thrilled to have 4 embryos to work with. Answered prayers. I say prayerS because we prayed over and over and over and I know many of my prayer people did too. Thank you!!

Now on to the next IVF adventure: the transfer. We are waiting on cycling timing on this and will hopefully be doing the transfer in the next couple of weeks. Also, YAY to not hyperstimulating which was a possibility when I last posted.

I know it's so easy to say "God is good" when things are going good, but let me just say :

Hurry Up & Wait

The egg retrieval was a success. They got 24 eggs (whoa). I got to sleep through the whole process and was just uncomfortable afterwards, not really in any pain. Before the procedure, our doctor came in to talk to us about the chance of me hyper stimulating. With my young age (ha! 28 is young in the IVF world. Good for the self-esteem), large egg count, and high estrogen level, I was a prime candidate for this to happen. He talked with us about freezing all of our embryos and trying the embryo transfer in a few weeks instead of a few days. That way, there would be 0% chance of hyper stimulation and a higher chance that the embryo transfer would be successful.

This was a little disappointing because Brett and I both were expecting to do the transfer within 3-5 days, but after waiting for 4 years for a baby, what's a few more weeks, right? So we decided to go the frozen route.

We just got a call from the embryologist saying out of the 24 eggs, they could use 14. They are watching 7 of the eggs waiting for more maturity, and 7 of the eggs have been fertilized. These little guys (or gals lol) have days more to go to make it, so these next few days will be a game of "hurry up and wait" and prayin', prayin', prayin'.

If I've learned one thing from this experience it's patience. Waiting for God's timing can be frustrating. Sometimes it feels like He doesn't hear you at all. Sometimes you feel almost forgotten.

I love this verse I found randomly one day, and I think it fits with our IVF journey: "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12. So please keep praying for me, Brett, and our Baby BooHeini embryos, and thank you for everyone who has been constant in prayer for us. It has helped us get this far. Well, the prayers and Muddy's cupcakes..those help too.

Thank you mom for the Plain Jane and Prozac delivery yesterday. #cupcakesheal

Big Mama Shot

Doctor's visit on a Sunday?? Whaaat? But yes, we went to the doctor bright and early Sunday morning to do blood work and ultrasound. (The infertility world never sleeps.) The nurse said everything was lookin' good and she'd call me that afternoon. We got the call that I was ready for egg retrieval Tuesday (tomorrow!). Yay!! So this meant it was time for the "big mama shot". Dun dun duuun! It also meant my sister, Amanda, got to put her nurse expertise back to use. Dun dun duuun!

"Mwahahahaha"

So after watching the World Cup at our friends house -USA! USA! USA!- we headed over to The Cantrell's to really get this party started.

I've been dreading the rather large, intramuscular HCG shot that is given in the back hip. No more so than my niece Kate though..oh my word. haha.

We decided she probably shouldn't be a nurse.

She was my official "hand holder".

Afterwards, we mini-celebrated our shot success .

Sam be like "Champagne..in a can?"

The morning before the retrieval and after the HCG shot, you're supposed to take a pregnancy test and it should say "positive" so I did, and it did, so we are a go for retrieval tomorrow. I'm going under, so Brett has strict instructions not to let me blog, Facebook, or Instagram for the day, oh and feed me TCBY, let me watch any musical I want, and just dote on me in general.

Stim Shots: Just A Little Cray Cray

So the Lupron shots I've been taking have been going well, as I said in last week's post, and I started my stimulant shot last Friday. It was slightly more complicated than the other one, and after one small breakdown (poor Brett) , I got it together. I couldn't remember if I was supposed to turn the shot dial to 225 or 275 so I had to page the nurse on call and she couldn't get my file until the morning, and I felt stupid for not remembering, so I just wanted to throw the box across the room and cry but I couldn't because I remembered the receipt for how much this stuff costs and ANY WAY, I've tried to keep my cray cray contained.

I've had pretty bad headaches the past few weeks, but they've mostly gone away since I've gotten to lower my dose of Lupron. This stim shot called Gonal F (stim = stimulant.. I get to use all the cool IVF lingo now :) has just made me feel slightly tired and bloated, but bloated is good for this situation. I've been going to the doctor every other day to do bloodwork and/or an ultrasound and went today and the nurse said everything is looking really good. Lots of eggs..yay! I even got to see them on the screen haha. So, it was a happy visit.

I go back to the doctor Friday to check on things again. I thought I'd get so sick of these appointments, but it's actually comforting to be in the room at 7:30 every other morning with a group of women who are going through the same thing I am. You can see the nervousness all over our faces and then for most of us, the relief of leaving the ultrasound room with good news. It's nice to be looked after by such sweet people on the doctor's office staff too. They are great!

We should be doing our egg retrieval sometime next week. Get exciiited!

"The Meds Are Heya" aka The Medication Has Arrived

"Meds are heya!" little Jersey Shore reference for ya there. So we walked in from our annual Bousson Family Beach trip to a counter full of foreign boxes and bags. Brett's mom had signed for them while we were gone and kindly set them out for us. It was a little overwhelming if I'm being honest with you. There were needles and pills and instructions and stuff in the fridge..ahh! It was also an exciting feeling like "wow..this is happening!" So I read all the directions, watched the videos, and psyched myself up for my first time shooting up giving an injection. I also did what any other normal 28 year old girl would do..SnapChatted all my besties a picture of the needle for some words of encouragement..haha (and I'm serious). Then, I just closed my eyes, well I guess squinted my eyes, and went for it! It seemed so not that bad afterwards but coming from someone who has previously looked the opposite direction any time I've gotten a shot, given blood, or even gotten my finger pricked, this was a big feat.

Told you I was serious.

The 2nd night was even easier and after that..piece of cake. I go back to the doctor June 11th for a check up, so until then in the words of the great "Lil Jon":

"Shots shots shots shots shots shots Shots shots shots shots shots Shots shots shots shots shots.

Everybody!"