30 weeks and thankful

Now comes the time where I just keep counting each week as a blessing that I've made it this far with no complications. The boys are healthy and growing strong. At our appointment a week ago Pea A was 2 lbs. 14 oz. and Pea B was an even 3 lbs. Pea A is head down and Pea B is transverse. Pea B was also practicing his breathing as the tech pointed out. His diaphragm kept opening and closing, which was so cool to see on the ultrasound. The doctor was very pleased with my progress and with everything related to the boys. My blood pressure was excellent, fluid looked good, and I feel good. Acid reflux is my only issue and I've just been dealing with it. I will continue to go to the OB every 2 weeks for a check-up. My next appointment is January 4th.

Lately the boys are moving a lot, which tells me they are beginning to get cramped. Pea A has been very active, even more than I remember just a few weeks ago. I just hope they stay comfortable in there because I would really like to keep them there until mid February. We have a C-section tentatively scheduled for February 16th, which is 37 weeks. I'm happy to continue to carry them past that point if my OB will let me.

Our Christmas was very nice. Peter got me a pregnancy massage at the Pregnancy Spa and Imaging Center in Mason and I intend to use it in the next couple of weeks. I think it will relax me and maybe help with some of my back pain. But really, we already had everything we could possibly want for Christmas-these babies. We can't wait for next Christmas when we'll have two little ones crawling and moving around.

End of 25 weeks

25 week Baby Mountain

28 weeks: Braxton Hicks Contractions

At my 24 week appointment my OB asked me if I was having Braxton Hick's Contractions but I had no clue what they were or what they felt like. She described it as pressure and your stomach/uterus tightening for about 15-30 seconds and then stopping. She told me they wouldn't hurt and would be very sporadic in nature. Well, last week (27 weeks) I was pretty sure I had a few but nothing to be concerned about. Now this week (28 weeks) I've had a lot. I called the OB and she assured me this was normal and to call if I felt I needed to be seen or if I had more than 6 in an hour. I've had a bit of stress lately with school and the holidays so I'm wondering if that's causing them. It's also more common with multiples because of how fast the uterus grows. And it's also more common when the babies are active, which mine have been these past two days. The evening seems to be the worst, between 5-7 pm. But they don't hurt and I don't feel any different so I'm going to try to stop getting so worried about them.

During my 26th week I had my glucose challenge, which I thankfully passed! That orange drink was totally nasty but the babies sure did love it. I also had my last cervix check because it has not shortened so they are not concerned about it happening now and my risk for pre-term labor continues to drop with each passing week. The babies are still sitting head to head and top to bottom. Doesn't really matter because we're having a C-section, which will be scheduled sometime during my 38th week (unless I go into labor prior to that). I'm feeling lots of baby body parts now, although I cannot distinguish what is what or who it belongs to. I just know it's very gratifying to push on one and have it push back.

The nursery is just about finished but not yet ready for pictures. I will post them soon though. We want it done before January 1 because I really don't know how I'm going to do much bending and what not with my increasing belly size.

I was just in the doctor's office on Monday for my RhoGam shot and bloodwork. I have a blood type of A negative so it's important that I get this shot so my body doesn't reject the babies should our blood mix. We have another appointment and ultrasound next Monday so I'll update with the boys' new growth, which judging by the size of my belly, will be A LOT!!

24 week checkup

My visit to the doctor yesterday went very well. The boys are both measuring at 1 lb. 10 oz. and doing well. They are currently in the breech position but it doesn't really matter because I am having a C-section. I had a cervix check and everything looks great. My uterus is measuring at 28 weeks right now. When the measurement gets to 36 weeks they will start checking the cervix again to determine when I might go into labor. In two weeks I go back for my last cervical length ultrasound and for my glucose challenge. Yay flat orange soda (yuck)!

We went for our hospital tour on Wednesday at Good Sam. It was really interesting, very informative, and in general made all this real for us. It was a multiples tour so we got to see the NICU as well as other parts that most parents with one don't see. There were five couples on the tour, including us, and four of them were pregnant with all boys (one couple was having triplet boys)!!! That's nine boys...amazing! The other couple didn't find out what they were having. I was just in awe over this. But needless to say, I'm glad we will be in good hands while we are in the hospital.

Last Wednesday we registered for all of our baby goodies and needs at Babies R Us. It took three hours but we were efficient and prepared when we arrived. I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I didn't come with a list of things that we would want and need. Thank goodness I'm anal!!

We also started and made very good progress on the nursery last weekend. It's completely painted and only needs one more cutting in coat of paint. We're planning to assemble the cribs soon and I'll post pics as soon as we're done. It's so exciting to prepare for the boys' arrival!!!

22 weeks: Crazy wedding week

My little sister is getting married this weekend so this week has been very crazy. We did her bachelorette party on Halloween, which was lots of fun. I felt pretty old going to the bars, especially now that I'm knocked up. But I could have people watched all day, especially with some of the interesting choices of costumes. Anyway, I'm busy getting ready for this weekend-got the dress ready (and didn't need any alterations-woo hoo), speech is nearly finished, and now it's just my maitron of honor duties that are left.

The babies are doing well. I got a little sneak peek at them on Monday when I was in the office for a cervical check (all is well there, too). They were both facing down and just chilling. They've been kicking a lot now and Peter can finally feel it for sure. He thinks it's just amazing and funny feeling all at the same time. I told him he should feel it from my side!!
I got my H1N1 vaccine yesterday at the Hamilton County Public Health Department-see, being a pregnant teacher does have its benefits after all. They were only administering them to women and students who are currently pregnant and teaching. We're in the group with the highest risk of exposure because we all know those little buggers are like walking incubators.
We are really excited about registering in a week-it's going to be so much fun! I'm such a planner and I refuse to spend hours in Babies 'R' Us getting frustrated so I've already created a wish list that I will print out and take with us so we know exactly what to get. I also ordered the window valance this week so we can start looking at paint colors. Finally, the cribs are ordered and will soon arrive at our house. Not sure what we'll do with them just yet but you can't argue with a sale!!

Pea A (20w 3d)-Face

Pea B (20w 3d)-Profile

Pea B (20w 3d)-Feet

Pea A (20w 3d)-Profile and Legs

Pea A (20w 3d)-I'M A BOY!

Pea B (20w 3d)-I'M A BOY!

End of 20 weeks with twin boys

End of 20 weeks

20 week update: Sinus Infection

Well the nastiness I was feeling a couple of weeks ago (which took a break last week) has returned this week in the form of a sinus infection. I probably had it all along and it tried to go away but couldn't. I saw the doctor yesterday and he is confident that's what we're dealing with (even though I repeatedly discussed my flu concerns-he told me these aren't the common symptoms). He put me on the Z-pack, which has been helpful in the past. Good news: I was able to start it last night...bad news: I threw up both pills 10 minutes after taking them thanks to the Netty Pot. I had my reservations about the Netty Pot but it has come highly recommended by many people, including my doctor. So I thought I'd just try it. I think the nastiness started running down the back of my throat and I just couldn't keep from throwing up. So, unfortunately I didn't get the benefits of the antibiotic yesterday. Doctor called me back this morning and told me just to continue the pack so I took it early because I probably absorbed little if any last night. Hopefully it kicks in soon and I start feeling some relief. I did have a low grade fever last night, which the doctor said was normal with sinus infections. As a result, I took a sick day from work because really the kids are super nasty sick there, too...I should keep myself safe and let myself recover.
Oh, and the Netty Pot does work, I'm definitely able to breathe better with it. It's just a matter of getting over the fact that nastiness runs out the other side of your nose...pretty gross, I know!

Oh, and our gender ultrasound tomorrow is definitely motivating me to feel better ASAP. We CANNOT wait to find out what we're having, let's just hope they aren't as stubborn as their father!

End of 16 Weeks

Week 18: Allergy/Sinus issues (AGAIN)

I've been feeling great until this past Monday when my allergies/sinuses started acting up. Luckily I have a great co-worker who insisted I call the OB to find out if I could take anything for relief. Even luckier (sarcasm) I got to speak to my favorite nurse (riiiight) Lori, who informed me that I can take Sudafed. Now, it seems I get my baby updates from whattoexpect.com and babycenter.com at just the right moment and today the heading was "Safe OTC Meds" I proceeded to scan through the list and saw that medicines containing pseudoephedrine were not advised for more than one day because it can affect blood flow to the placenta. Great...thanks Lori. Now I'm sure that it probably is fine and she wouldn't tell me it was if it wasn't but I'm just not crazy with that side effect and she never told me to stop after a day. So I'm either going to be stuffy, congested, and miserably happy that at least I am pregnant or I will take Mucinex (which is definitely safe) instead. Let's hope it clears this up because I can't take any sick days right now, I need them for the babies.

On the bright side, I'm not officially a side sleeper thanks to my body pillow. I've been sleeping better this week, well until the stuffiness started! Oh well, it's all definitely worth it!! We both can hardly wait to see what we're having, two weeks from tomorrow! I have no inclination as to what I'm having and all the old wives' tales are not even applicable to twins. So it will be a lovely surprise...and we're still NOT sharing our names, I don't care who you are!

Week 17: I love Ice Cream

All of a sudden I LOVE ice cream!! I was never a big ice cream eater before I got pregnant so this is kind of a surprise to me. At the top of the list is Graeter's Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream...I've bought 3 pints in the past 2 weeks!! Maybe that will explain the extra two pounds I've gained since I've been pregnant. Oh well, it's a good source of calcium! I've been eating very well otherwise, my lunches are near perfect with good nutrients for the babies.

News Flash: I could maybe write a small book about the bizarre things people don't tell you about when you become pregnant. First, you get a constant stuffy nose due to swollen membranes and blood vessels in the nose. It even has a fancy name: pregnancy rhinitis. I thought it was just my allergies but I think it's beyond that now! Second, you have to sleep on your side (preferably the left) after 16 weeks because sleeping on your back cuts off blood circulation to the babies. Now I've always been a back sleeper so this has been an adjustment. However, my wonderful husband bought me a body pillow so that has been helping. Don't get me wrong, I'd suffer through just about anything for these babies I just think some of this stuff got left out in my conversations with others who have experienced the amazing bodily changes of pregnancy!

15 week checkup

We went to the doctor for our 4 week check up on Thursday. We thought we would be getting an ultrasound but instead we got to hear the heartbeats! It was by far the most amazing thing I have ever heard. I never thought the sound would bring tears of absolute joy to my eyes, but it did. One little pea wouldn't cooperate and the doctor couldn't find him/her so she did a quick ultrasound on a portable machine. We saw why she couldn't find it right away. One of our peas was lounging and taking up all the room and that was the one whose heartbeat we could hear. The other one was all scrunched up. We did see both heartbeats on the screen and had a good laugh at the passive and aggressive babies we have on our hands! At the time of our appointment, they were both chilling on the right side of the womb, which explains why I was feeling all the movement on the right side and rarely on the left. We have another appointment on October 22 and we will be able to determine the genders then. This will be the last time I go every 4 weeks. After our appointment in October I'll start to visit the doctor more frequently so they can monitor the growth and make sure the babies are sharing the nutrients!

Week 15: Movin' and a Shakin'

I am definitely feeling the babies move now! It brings such a smile to my face! I am just so amazed that there are two little lives in there. Most of the women I know who have been pregnant told me it would feel like a flutter, and it does but not really...more like one of them is in there hula hooping. But it's a great feeling and I'm so in love.

On a different note, I have to say how overwhelmed I am at unsolicited advice. I think it must be part of the pregnancy ritual to receive lots of this throughout the pregnancy. I also am a little tired of people questioning our decision not to reveal the names we have chosen (which will probably change before the twins arrive). They are our babies people and we will keep all information related to them (including names) to ourselves if we want to. We will be finding out what we're having and we will share that information but we want some things to remain special to us, their parents. And all pregnant women know how it feels to share your baby names only to get bizarre reactions from others. And this is why we aren't telling anyone! Oh, and it also doesn't help that my name bank is already limited due to being a teacher. Whew, glad I got that off my chest.

We're really excited about our appointment on Thursday, where we'll be having another ultrasound and getting to see our beautiful twin peas. I'm even more excited that my sister and her fiancee will be home in Cincinnati at our house so we can share our news and pictures in person!!! Updates to come...

Baby bump: End of 12 weeks

Twin Peas taking up lots of space!

End of 12 weeks with TWIN peas!

Week 13: Welcome to the second trimester

Well, the peas and I have reached an important milestone...the second trimester!! Everything is going well, my nausea has gone and now I'm just left with the exhaustion and a pretty nice sized baby bump! This will be my second full week back at school (which explains my lack of time for updates) and it has pretty much made me feel more tired than ever. Getting up at 5:45 a.m. and rarely getting a nap has caused me to move my bedtime up to about 9:30 p.m. I've been taking it easy in the afternoon and evening, when I'm not coaching cheerleading that is!
I also went on my first shopping trip for maternity clothes (which actually fit by the way) last weekend, but didn't find much. Thankfully I have some nice hand-me-downs but I am always on the lookout for cheap and fashionable maternity clothes. I also LOVE my bella bands, they are an absolute lifesaver!
So all is well in pregnancy land and we are looking forward to our next appointment on September 17th.

11 week update and ultrasound

I've really been feeling better lately and the nausea has been decreasing, I've only had it once this week. I had a scare on Wednesday night (the night before the first day of school, of course), I started spotting after a walk with the dog. I immediately panicked and called the doctor-on-call because of course, these things can never happen during normal office hours. The doctor was not concerned because it was a small amount, lasted no longer than an hour, and occurred after exercise. She told me it was most likely a blood vessel in the cervix that was irritated and burst and nothing more. Well it scared me and was enough to cause me to stay off of my feet the rest of the night. Thank goodness I was scheduled for an appointment the next morning. I was so anxious that night and the next day.
At our appointment on Thursday we found out that the babies were doing just fine and growing big and strong. Our due date of 3/8/10 was confirmed. The doctor mentioned the benefits of a C-section with twins but I didn't need convincing, I'm already on board with that. So the peas will be removed from the pod no later than the last week in February. That will be 38 weeks which is past-due for twins. I was also given several samples of prescription pre-natal vitamins as twins need more folic acid and calcium. In addition, I will also be taking an additional folic acid pill. We didn't hear the heartbeats but saw them and were told they were very strong. I was in no mood to argue or request it since due to what I went through Wednesday night. I just wanted to see that our babies were healthy and happy. And are they ever happy! They were wiggling all over in there, almost saying "Hey mom, don't worry, we're loving it in here!"
Our next appointment is in four weeks and we can't wait to see them again!

Going crazy with excitement

We've made it to the 11 week mark and our babies are officially each a fetus. We've seen both heartbeats but have yet to hear them. I was told it was too early yet my husband's cousin's wife is preggo and she was able to hear the heartbeat already and she is nearly two weeks behind me. So on Thursday at our ultrasound appointment I'm going to ask again, and this time I'm asking the doctor and not that mean nurse.
In addition, I'm just crazy with excitement to officially announce to the world that I'm pregnant with two peas. I'm now showing so it's becoming difficult to hide my baby bump...and I don't want to! So I just can't decide what to do. I was thinking of waiting until after my appointment with the OB on Thursday but now that I'm thinking about it, I feel like it will NEVER get here. I mean we waited this long, what's a few more days!!!! Ahhhh, I might go crazy. Good thing this week is filled with meetings at school, hopefully it will distract me!

A frustrating trip to the OB/GYN: 10 weeks

So I had the very worst experience at my Prenatal counsel appointment yesterday! The R.N. that was going through everything was "double checking" my due date that she had listed as 3/21/10. Not even sure where that came from, I told them on the phone that 6/15 was our conception through IVF. So I told her my RE gave me a due date of 3/7/10 and she didn't even listen to me!! I was so aggravated. Then she proceeded to tell me that I will meet with the doctor next Thursday for an u/s to determine my EDD. HELLO!! I felt like I was talking to a monkey! Is she unaware that IVF is an exact science and that I conceived on the day of egg retrieval?? I was mad that our case was not being treated differently that someone who conceived on their own. Bottom line is that IVF is different when determining EDD.

In addition, it's not like I'm attached to 3/7/10 but I'm having twins here, it will definitely be sooner! I know that date will change, but you don't get any closer than you can with IVF. I'm completely frustrated and stressed out by this conversation I had with her not to mention I got about a trees worth of pamphlets and handouts that I need to read in my "free time" and a packet to fill out and return. But my favorite part of the appointment was meeting with the office manager to determine my insurance coverage. I kept thinking that I'm knocked up and these babies have to come out regardless of whether it is covered by my insurance. But thanks to her I now know that I have excellent coverage! Whew, glad that I know that!! Ha, right because that was the top of my list of concerns!

Thank goodness I wasn't speaking with the doctor. I'm hoping the next appointment goes better and the doctor has more knowledge than the nurse about IVF.

9 weeks

Nothing has really changed this week, still some nausea and still lots of peeing. I'm also tired of being tired, but it's a love hate thing because I love naps! I'm looking forward to going to Lake Cumberland this weekend with my husband's family. I actually have an excuse not to tube, ski, or ride a jet ski and for once I can just be lazy and take it easy. I just hope the nausea doesn't make sleeping in a warm tent completely unbearable. I really do love camping! It's one of the things I can't wait to do with the babies.

And speaking of the babies, I have to say that I really wish that people would stop telling people about our news without at least consulting us first...It's our news folks, we should get to tell it! I get that people are thrilled for us, but bottom line is it's OUR news to share when we're ready. Not only are we still not completely out of the clear, but I'm terrified that (God forbid) something should happen, I'll have to go and un-tell people I didn't even tell in the first place!! Just venting here. I would say it's the hormones, but it's actually not.

8 week ultrasound: Meet Pea 1 AND Pea 2!!

It's official...we're having TWINS!! We are just so blessed and thrilled but mostly thankful to all of the amazing doctors and nurses who helped us get to this point. We saw both heartbeats at our ultrasound today and I have officially graduated to the OB. I have my first appointment there on August 11th for blood work and then to schedule another ultrasound with the doctor.

As far as symptoms this week, I'm still having the nausea but it's on and off. It went on a two day absence but returned yesterday. It's not that bad at all really and I've tried to stay on top of it by never letting myself get hungry. Still exhausted most days, but naps help! Just resting and taking care of myself and the babies. Our babies are now the size of a kidney bean and eyes, nose, and lips are beginning to form! We are just so very excited!

Oh and check out the ultrasound from exactly 2 weeks ago and look at the amazing growth at this stage!! It's about 1mm per day. Pretty amazing stuff!

7 week update

Well, I'm pretty sure that nausea (without throwing up) has started to rear it's ugly head this week. Only it's not "morning sickness" but "evening sickness." It strikes at the oddest times, too! Several things I know for sure: 1) I can't ever let myself feel hungry or it gets worse; 2) I have to eat dinner before 7:00 p.m. because my "evening sickness" kicks in around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. most nights; and 3) By 10:00 p.m. I'm feeling pretty good (so good last night that I decided to eat some cake!). Another thing I've noticed is that I get tired a lot quicker. I have to take a nap at some point during the day or I'm ready for bed by 9:00 p.m. Finally, I pee all the time, but this is not new. It's been with me since the onset of OHSS and now is the result of the pregnancy. But no complaints about any of this from me. I just can't believe how quickly things change in my body, it's truly amazing!
This week our baby is the size of a blueberry and has grown 10,000 times bigger than it was at conception. Arm and leg buds are also forming and it has gone through three sets of kidneys by now. The set it grows this week will be permanent and will begin the job of waste management. In about a week our baby will start producing urine!
Today I went to the grocery store (my favorite...ugh) since we have virtually nothing to fix meals in this house. After an hour in the store and a forever and day long checkout I called Peter and told him he should probably NEVER send me to the grocery alone. This is because I bought everything that sounds good to me this week: 3 frozen pizzas and two bags of french fries...yum! I'll probably hate them next week! And hey, I stuck to the list and bought some healthy things, too. I was also starving when I was there and any good shopper knows you should never go to the grocery on an empty stomach. The last reason I shouldn't go there alone is because I had a nauseous moment in the pickle and salad dressing isle and almost ran someone over trying to escape that yucky stuff!
Whew, crazy things going on this week!!! Can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring.

6 week ultrasound

Just got back from our ultrasound and it's nothing but good news to report. The doctor was able to see one sac and it even had a heartbeat that we could see. There was something else there too but he was not sure if it was a developing sac just yet, it was a little too early. We have another appointment in two weeks and will know more then. For now we couldn't be happier with one little pea!

M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E!

So this is my favorite picture from my vacation to Disney World! I can't post it anywhere but here but it will be in the nursery. We had such a great time! I was so excited to tell Mickey we were having a baby (maybe 2). The symptoms from OHSS made me look really pregnant and Mickey was so excited to put his hand on my "belly." I didn't bother to tell him I was only 5 weeks and 5 days at the time, it wasn't important. And he told Minnie we were having a baby and she was excited, too! As you can tell, I absolutely LOVE Disney World and everything about it.
I was a little worried about being able to walk around the parks and I even had a wheelchair note from the doctor. But I didn't need it. I actually felt better after walking and it really seemed to help me, especially my back. I took frequent breaks and, of course, couldn't ride some of the rides but that was fine with me. I enjoyed people watching...there are some interesting ones!
So I'm anxiously awaiting my ultrasound today at 2:45 p.m. I am really nervous and am glad we will be able to see something today. I'm so worried that the embryo(s) didn't implant in the right place or that something might be wrong. I know it's not good to be stressed out about it but I can hardly stand not knowing what's going on in there. As of Monday when I peed on a stick, I was still pregnant. Now that I'm deflating from OHSS I feel better but am now worried about the baby(ies). I know I'll feel so much better in a few hours after I see what's going on in there. I know God will give us what we need and I have faith that He will protect our little pea(s). Will update upon returning from the doctor. Please pray for us!

"If you can dream it you can do it!"

Even though this is how I still currently feel (and feel like I look), I'm bound and determined to make it to Disney World in a few days. Sure, Dumbo's cute and he can fly but he's still a huge elephant. Despite this, we are planning to leave on Wednesday morning and will be in the park Thursday through Monday. I'm so excited to go and I really think this is what I need! I will feel so much happier, despite being bloated and slightly uncomfortable, when visiting MICKEY! So what if I can't ride all the big rides, I'm definitely going to enjoy people watching and just taking a vacation I thought we'd never get. But just to be safe, I'm clearing it with the doctor tomorrow. I don't suspect he'd object.

This weekend I did some things I didn't expect to happen so soon:

1. I purchased new and larger underwear (one and two sizes bigger than I normally wear). As distraught as I was about this, I feel so much more comfortable. And, get this, I didn't even consider going to Victoria's Secret even though that's the only kind I wear. Something tells me those won't make me feel any sexier.

2. I was asked how far along I was...how do I answer that? I just avoided it with the "I'm really bloated from medicine" comment

3. I purchased new and larger pants so that I can at least feel decent about myself if I'm going to look sixth moths preggers at five weeks.

4. I purchased six new and larger shirts that I would have never purchased two weeks ago let alone two years ago, in order to disguise my huge self. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed but I'm not sure how to explain all this and I'd just rather not. I just want to feel pretty again!

5. I compared my huge self to my father-in-law...it was a close call! hahaha

6. I realized I probably can't get in a swimsuit due to swelling in places down south that I didn't know could swell...that's enough information about that!

I'm actually coping with all this pretty well and I realized today that really this is a good thing. If anything, it's a preview for about seven months from now.

Every blind squirrel finds a nut at some point!

Well the news you've all been waiting for...it's a BIG HUGE OFF THE CHARTS POSITIVE! My beta was 300, leading them to believe that both of them might be in there! We actually did it this time!!!! Now just typing that has finally allowed it to settle in. You see, we've known since Monday when I went to the doctor with symptoms of Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Basically it's when the ovaries are over-stimulated by the medication. I developed it shortly after our embryo transfer (Father's Day to be exact) and then it got worse as the week progressed. The following Wednesday I noticed some relief but as I said in my previous post, it came back again last Friday, and with a vengence. So I spent the weekend being miserable and decided to see the doctor this Monday because I was dry-heaving (not fun). I was keeping down fluids but at that point had gained 6 pounds of water in less than a week.
So while I was in his office he decided to do the beta blood test and reassured me that these symptoms were a very good thing, especially that they went away and came back. That almost always indicates a conception. I also got an AWESOME shot of Demerrol and Phenergen (anit-nausea) which made me feel FABULOUS. I slept most of the remainder of the day until the nurse called with the news. I was barely coherent enough to understand what she was saying but thank goodness I had the ability to ask about the numbers. She said "You are very pregnant, the number is 300!"
So now that it's all confirmed, I have had this awesome bloating to deal with. You would never recognize me, I'm so huge. I have no curvature in my back and places are swollen that I didn't know existed. I am not complaining but just really uncomfortable. But I am determined to get to Disney World next week so I'm up and at 'em to get the fluids moving. Any other advice appreciated, especially if you've dealt with severe bloating before. I'm drinking tons of gatorade and avoiding all the salty cravings I already have. I actually wanted to drink salsa the other day while out with a friend at lunch, it was so amazing. And yesterday I hobbled myself to Kroger for some pickles because I desperately wanted them. Not sure if those count as cravings but I'm sure there's more to come!
Oh and by the way, the word is mum for a while...I'm sure you all understand! We have an ultrasound scheduled for July 16th and should know by then if we have one or two. We're hoping for two!

YUCKY!

Well that thing about the bloating getting better...scratch that. Yesterday I woke up and felt miserable. I tried to make myself feel better by going to the pool but it didn't work. I'm back to feeling absolutely MISERABLE. I most likely will not take my butt off of the couch for the remainder of the day. I woke up this morning and felt like I might actually pass out or throw up, one of the two (and don't read into this, it's much too early for that). So because I didn't want to worry my dear husband, I had him call the doctor's office (on a Saturday...and they returned my call within 15 minutes, that's how fabulous they are)! The nurse called in some Tylenol with Codeine to my pharmacy to hopefully provide me some relief. She also tempted me with an appointment on Monday for my beta test, but I turned that down. Peter already took Thursday off and I want him to be there with me.

I was supposed to go to a graduation party today, but I really don't see that happening. So instead, I'll be here, on the couch running out of DVR programs. And I want to be specific about one point: I'm definitely NOT complaining. I was so worried that something was wrong, especially with me, that might affect the peas success of making it. I think I could handle just about any pain if I knew the little peas were safe and snug. We'll find out soon enough...

7 days down, 7 to go...

Well we've reached the halfway point of the 2 week wait. My bloating is finally starting to decrease a little bit each day. My organs are thankful to reclaim the space that is rightfully theirs and I'm thankful to finally feel some relief. I know what your thinking...any pregnancy symptoms? Nope, feel the same as I did last week minus the huge Violet blueberry feeling (you know the scene from Willy Wonka). I have back pain at night when I sleep and that's it.

I've found a few things to distract me such as: 1. planning my sister's bridal shower; 2. working ahead on my grad school assignments; 3. logging on to Facebook at all hours of the day (BTW- I hate FB today, seriously FB, wtf??); 4. catching up on DVR (my favorite). I'm doing well with my positive thinking but am worried next week will be unbearable. I welcome any and ALL distractions from any idle time I may have to think negatively.

Against all odds

Where hope grows, miracles blossom. - Elna Rae

Let that quote set the tone for this awesome news. The doctor's office called today to tell me that our little single embryo that was lagging behind the other two actually made it to the blastocyst stage and is now frozen! The nurse couldn't believe it and she told me if I would have asked about its chances last week she would have told me she was 99% sure it wouldn't survive. So how's that for a miracle??!! Pretty awesome news for the "perfect peas" that are growing in me right now, too!

Lazy pants!

I've been doing well since the embryo transfer, taking it easy and not over-doing it...AT ALL!! Since the transfer, I've been catching up on DVR and not feeling bad about laying around. Besides, the weather has been rainy or unbearably hot so it only makes sense to stay in the A/C and relax!

Today we actually took a walk together with the dog, but Peter walked her because he didn't want her pulling me around. We walked for 30 minutes (not too much) and I feel good. I needed some exercise, I was feeling yucky! And it doesn't help that everything is bloated and huge in my body right now. But on a positive note, I can now go about 2 hours without running urgently to the bathroom. That's an improvement from four days ago.

We are thinking positive and praying often. We put our little peas' picture on the fridge and look at it often. We believe in the power of positive thinking!

Two little peas

These are our perfect 4 cell embryos that were transferred today. Everything went well and now we will just wait. The doctor did tell us that he believes he has isolated the problem due to the low number of eggs that fertilized. He said there is a problem with the egg binding with the sperm. But we're hoping that problem is behind us and it doesn't matter because we believe this cycle will give us a positive result (pun intended).

During the transfer we watched the doctor place our little peas into my uterus and now I can't believe I'm saying this but I am in love with a spot. We've never been this far before so the fact that there could be life inside me is AMAZING. I never thought I'd cry over two spots on the screen, but it's pretty incredible. We also got to keep the little dish that they were made/grown in, as a souvenir. It's definitely going to be a great story to tell our pea (or peas) some day!

Keep praying for us, we have to endure this long wait now!

Happy Birthday???

I received our fertilization report this morning and it was a most unwelcome birthday gift. Of my "8 is great" eggs, only 3 (that's right, less than half) fertilized. And, to add to the disappointment, our transfer was moved up to Wednesday instead of Thursday. And we don't even have the grades for the embryos yet. So after I got off the phone I cried for about an hour and am still feeling very sorry for us. Let's add to that the fact that I am in a great deal of discomfort from yesterday and have more pain now than I did 24 hours ago. I feel like a failure.

After calming myself down and taking a long walk, I did call the nurse because after all, they told me I could call with ANY concerns. My mind was put at ease (a little) when she told me that with low numbers (awesome, we have low numbers) they like to put them back in the uterus sooner because they will do better in me than in the dish. We can only hope that is the case. She said that sometimes there could be a late fertilizer. So it's three, with none to freeze. I'm trying to think positive and that maybe we won't need the frosties, but it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So tomorrow we will have our transfer and then we just wait. We need prayers now more than ever.

8 is Great (at least we hope)

Well I'm home from retrieval and everything went well. They were able to retrieve 8 eggs (some of my follicles did not contain an egg), which I cried about and not because I was happy. I'm sure it was some of the effects of the drugs they gave me but I was still slightly disappointed. The nurse and Peter both reassured me that "8 is great!" She told me that 8 is the average that they get and that the quality is more important (there it is again). Right after she said that another woman came out from retrieval and her number was 8 too. So I guess everything will be okay.

I don't remember the procedure very much and am really wondering how in the hell I got myself from the surgical table to my "chariot" as the nurse called it. I'm sure she talked to me and told me what to do but I don't remember at all. All I remember is watching the clouds on the ceiling start moving and then I was done.

I'm recovering at home and getting lots of attention from Peter and my mom. I'm a bit crampy but nothing that my heating pad or Tylenol won't take care of. I'm supposed to start my awesome progesterone suppositories tonight..fun fun! They will call with a fertilization report tomorrow morning. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Twas the night before retrieval

Caption says: "Some days I curse those IVF treatments!"

Tomorrow is retrieval day and I cannot wait to get these things out of me! I cannot sit without feeling uncomfortable. I actually feel like mother hen ready to lay a dozen eggs. The procedure is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. I will attempt to update but with all the sedation combined with a valium might make it impossible for at least the good part of the afternoon. Please say a prayer or two for us, it's out of our hands now and we've done everything we could. Thanks to everyone for your continued support!

The best birthday gift of all!

Well I went for another ultrasound and blood work checkup today and everything is continuing to progress. I will officially have my retrieval on Monday, June 15 just one day before my birthday. That really got me thinking that maybe this whole thing is bigger than me, maybe this has been God's plan after all. I mean think how perfect this situation is-I am off for summer break, I have two weeks off from grad school, and I am virtually stress-free. I am very positive and relaxed right now (and if you know me, you know that's very unusual).

So anyway, transfer will be shortly after that depending on how the little embryos develop. My doctor assured me that I have 10-12 follicles already well-developed and this is plenty. But as I now know, it's QUALITY over QUANTITY anyway (man I could apply that to several situations in my life, but that's another subject). But really, do you know how excited I am that I have my last Follistim injection tonight and no shots on Friday and Sunday? And my mood swings are virtually non existent, which makes my husband very happy! So all in all, I would say I am feeling GREAT!

And on a serious note, this really would be the best birthday gift of all...

I just want to warn you...

Well today was my office visit for blood work and an ultrasound. Everything is looking good in there and I have 8 follicles already. "Only 8!" This was my response to my doctor, who said that many more could grow between now and retrieval and really "8 is enough." Now I'm hoping for a few more since we will need some to freeze should this not work as planned (there it is again, cautiously optimistic).
So I have a new injection schedule: 150 IU today, 225 IU tomorrow, 150 IU Wednesday and another lovely office visit complete with blood work and ultrasound on Thursday morning. As my RE is leaving the room he said, "Now I want to warn you, your retrieval could be this weekend but no later than Monday." What is he warning me for? Now I'm concerned and should I be nervous, too? Maybe he was just saying that for planning purposes, or maybe he just wanted to "warn me" that my weekend will be miserable...who knows??!

Would you like to supersize your order?

Well the first injection has been completed and I must say that it was not a big deal. I wasn't really worried from the get go but decided to watch the administration video about three times just to make sure I was educated. The hardest part was loading the damn pen and screwing in the needle and then getting the needle to bubble with a drop of the medicine. Anyway, I will continue this until told to stop or until I burst, whichever comes first! I will become the supersize fries! I have an ultrasound scheduled for Monday 6/8.

On a side note, I am prepping myself for a baby shower this weekend. It's not that I'm not happy for the couple, I am, but it still hard to minimize my feelings. Apparently the Bodenstein side of the family has no problems with infertility (well, except for me-how lucky am I?). And the hardest part is that some of my family members just don't understand this still...and how could they be expected to, it's not like they had any problems getting pregnant. I'm actually still getting "advice" from some of them, such as: plan a trip, go on a diet, put my legs up in the air, get drunk, etc. etc....STUPID! We've been trying for two years, don't they think we've done ALL of that and more already!? So anyway, it's not really the baby shower I'm dreading, it's all the insensitive advice and questions. I know they are trying to express their care and concern, but really?

Once Upon A Time...

Well this isn't really related but a friend sent it to me. Well I guess it is kind of on-topic since fertility drugs could make me a little like Snow White! But anyway, it reminds me of the happiness I get from visiting Disney World, which I will be doing soon with my sister, her fiancee, and my husband (and hopefully my mom)! Planning the trip is distracting me from my mood swings! We're hoping to respond to this question: "What are you celebrating?" with a resounding "Our Anniversary and first child." But again, this blog post (and IVF cycle) is sponsored by: CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC!
Sure, there are screaming, bratty, spoiled children there and it really gets me thinking that anyone of child-bearing age could use the "Happiest Place on Earth" as a form of birth control! But alas, something keeps me coming back every time and it really is my happy place. It's actually kind of sick how obsessed I am with Mickey. Can't wait to pass that obsession on...

Beware: Follistim Injections Ahead!