Back to hospital

On Saturday afternoon, only a few hours after transfer, I was more bloated than ever. I tried to rest, but was just too uncomfortable.  Everything was hurting, I was super emotional and getting scared.

My husband had forced jugs of water and bottles of Gatorade down my throat for the past few days, but I knew I was still becoming dehydrated.

That night, lying in bed, I was struggling to breath. My stomach was so distended that it was affecting my lung capacity. I calmly woke my husband at about 2am and told him something was very wrong.

We rang the afterhour’s emergency number the clinic gave us... but there was no answer!  So he decided to take me to the emergency ward.

I was starting to panic at that stage and barely made it across the car park; I threw up 3 or 4 times on the way.

On being admitted, I went to the bathroom and there I continued to vomit... I called out for my husband who caught me in the nick of time as I collapsed to the floor.

For the next 12 hours I lay in emergency, hooked up to oxygen and an IV drip. It took 3 different nurses 2 attempts each to insert the cannula, as my veins had collapsed due to the dehydration (you should see my bruises). From there I was finally moved to the  OB/GYN ward and for the next 24 hours they monitored me...

Measuring my girth, weighing me (I had put on nearly 4 kgs since the pick up), blood pressure, blood tests and urine output. I felt just horrible.

My husband decided to have me transferred to the private hospital, so I could be treated by the Doctor that did the pick up and hopefully to expedite the whole process (we were still waiting on an Ultra sound 2 days later!)

The 3rd night I slept better, as I had peace and quiet and my own bathroom.

On Tuesday morning I had the Ultra sound back at the IVF clinic and it showed no signs of OHSS! So they sent me home... where I have been ever since.

I tried acupuncture and Bowen therapy in an attempt to drain whatever fluids/gases were filling up my stomach and slowly but surely it has been getting better.

I’m still sore, but I have weaned off the endone they gave me at the hospital, down to the panadeine forte, to regular panadol. (TMI, but all the pain killers were making me very constipated which was only adding to my woes).

I have booked in for a blood test next Wednesday to see if I'm pregnant, but to be honest I'm not holding my breath.

This last week has been hell, if we get pregnant then it was obviously all worth it, but if we don't, the thought about having to do it all over again is a very daunting one.

Transfer

On Saturday morning, we headed into the clinic for the transfer.

I was convinced they would cancel because I was sure I had OHSS. I had all the symptons; nausia, extreme bloating, weight gain, little to no urine, excessive thirst, really dry skin and lower abdominal pains.

However, after an uncomfortable Ultra Sound, the Doctor seemed positive it wasn’t Hyper Stimulation, just fluid and gas build up and therefore she was happy to proceed with the transfer.

I couldn’t believe it was all happening so fast!

As a lay on a little bed, legs akimbo, there on a plasma TV screen was our 3 day old embryo.
I watched as a scientist used a pipette-thingy to suck it up and then the screen went to black.
Through a mysterious doorway in the wall above the bed came the pipette-thingy and within a few moments it was done... just like that!

As i lay there, I realised, for the briefest moment in time... I was pregnant.

I went home, sore, scared, bloated and tired.
I named our embryo "Sprite", and begged it to hold on.

Egg pick up

On Wednesday morning we awoke before 7 am and although it would have been too early for breakfast, just knowing that I wasn’t allowed to eat made me hungry!

We arrived at the private hospital, checked in and waited in a small waiting room.
Within a few minutes a nurse took us into an office, checked my paper work, weighed me and then berated me for signing something before the doctor had filled out the form. She then had me change into a flattering hospital gown.

The only thing that made me smile that day was the sight of my husband in scrubs.
For a moment I imaged what it would be like being married to a surgeon.
But as he struggled to get the footsie covers over his big feet, that illusion was shattered.
I lay down under a warm blanket for a few minutes before being wheeled off to a pre-op room.

There I met my anesthesiologist, the doctor performing the egg pick up and the scientist assisting her. I was given an injection referred to as “champagne”... and I felt a light buzz. Then they wheeled me into the operating theatre and the last thing I remember was a male nurse introducing himself...

I woke dazed, confused and sore in the recovery ward.

I remembered that the doctor writes in pen on your hand the number of eggs they were able to retrieve...

My right hand read 14!

I drifted in and out of sleep for what must have been a few hours. I felt a leaking sensation between my legs and made the mistake of putting my hand down there, only to be upset by the sight of a lot of blood. I called over the nurse, he pulled back the cover and gasped!

That is the single worst sound one can hear in a hospital.

He replaced a soaked pad-thing 3 or 4 times, before he deemed me ok to move to the next section of the recovery process. A nice nurse gave me a sandwich (which has never tasted so good) and suggested when I was ready, that I get dressed.

When I sat up and draped my legs over the side of the bed I felt something leave my body...

I suggest you stop reading now if you are squeamish...

There in front of me on the bed was a clot of blood the size of a grapefruit and I started to freak.

I tried to stand and as I did I felt more blood running down my legs and onto the floor.

I cried out for help and the nice nurse assured me it was ok and cleaned me up.
She walked me to a bathroom and within a few seconds I felt my knees wobble as I threw up in the sink. My head was pounding, my heart was racing and my abdomen was throbbing. After being seated and given some anti-nausea medicine, I was eventually allowed to leave.

The next 3 days were a blur, I slept poorly, awoke every few hours in pain, found it difficult to roll over, let alone get up and my stomach was so distended, I thought my skin would tear.

On Thursday morning we were told that only 2 of the 14 eggs had fertilized.

My heart broke.

All sytems are go!

My belly is covered in bruises, my breathing is shallow and I feel like I might pop!
On Friday our 2nd Ultra Sound showed 11 follies between 12 & 16mm!
I’ve never strived to be average at anything before, but in the IVF world that is exactly what you hope for.
Last week was horrendous... I literally cried for 5 days straight. We thought it a good idea to get away for a night, so we headed up to the Vineyards for a little R 'n R. The spa in the hotel worked wonders on my aching back. Whilst lying in the water, belly all bloated and emotions running wild, for the first time ever, I allowed myself to imagine being pregnant.
Our 3rd scan yesterday showed 9 follies between 14 and 18mm, so that meant we were ready to progress to the next step!
Last night we injected the triggers and tomorrow morning at 9:30 we are booked into the hospital for our very first egg pick up.
The nurse has warned me that my blood tests show my hormone levels to be very high and therefore the likely hood of suffering from OHSS is also very high.
So I've arranged for my Mum to come up and stay for a few days, just in case I feel rotten.

Hello little follies

This morning marks day 9 of injections and our first Ultra Sound and blood test for IVF cycle #2.

After awkward chat about the passing of my dear kitty, the nurse lubes up the dildo camera, and I see something similar to the picture above.

Upping the initial dose to 250iu (international units) has appeared to be working, because today we have 16 follicles all between 9 and 11mm. (This result is already much better than where we ended up with our cancelled cycle, having only 2 follies at 12mm and about 20 at 6mm and under).

This explains why even my trackie dacks are tight and it's uncomfortable to bend down and tie my shoes.

So now the plan is to continue to carefully grow them (as they need to be bigger than 17mm to be worthy of pick up), without adding any more, because then I will enter the dreaded realms of OHSS territory. (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ).

 We scan again in 2 days... fingers crossed.

RIP Elvira

Yesterday I lost my beautiful kitty.
She has been my friend, my companion and my baby girl for nearly 14 years.
She was given to me when she was smaller than the palm of my hand.

She was with me through our trial separation, my Uni degree, 4 homes, our Wedding, my husband’s cancer, our IVF journey and over a decade of sometimes crippling depression.

Her love was unconditional.

Working from home meant being with her nearly everyday.

The house is so empty now. My heart is broken. I knew she wasn’t young, but had wished for a smooth transition between losing her and having a baby one day.
But we don’t always get  what we want.

I just can't stop crying, this pain is unbearable... I'm sure the IVF hormones pumping through my body aren't helping.

She will  be forever in my heart xxx

Ready...set...go!

So a few days after my last post about not getting my period... I got my period.

This meant a trip to the hospital for a blood test to check my hormone levels and to book in a series of Ultra Sounds and blood tests for next week.

I was inspired by a friend who is also going through IVF to take some control of this cycle and stand up for myself. Since the last cycle was cancelled because upping the dose 10 days into it was too little too late, I’ve requested an extra early scan and blood test. I could tell the nurse wasn’t that impressed with my request, but I don’t care... if I want more things poked in me and up me, that’s my prerogative!

We began shooting up the Puregon last night, and I found it to sting much worse than the Gonal F.

So that will be our routine for the rest of the week...

·         after dinner have a shower while hubby preps the needle-pen-thingy

·         sit in the arm chair with belly out

·         criticize hubby at least twice for his technique (which is really to procrastinate the actual injection)

·          remember the injection part doesn’t really hurt and feel silly for the fuss

·          remember the Puregon does sting after the fact and feel a bit sorry for myself

·         remember that all this may eventuate in a baby and feel much better!