The March of the Penguins

The socks were out in force this morning, and Nurse Fran has stopped laughing at me and is now laughing with me.

Yesterday, my list of measurable follicles was pretty short... today, she needed TWO screens to list them all!

page 1...

Page 2!!

Without further ado, and because I know you're all dying to know:

My lining looks great. 10mm and trilaminar. Thank you pomegranate juice.

And the important stuff... what we're all here for:

5 measurable follicles on the left: 9.2mm, 6.8mm, 12.7mm, 13.3mm, 12.3mm

10 (um, yes, I said TEN) measurable follicles on the right: 8.9mm, 7.1mm, 10mm, 8.7mm, 13mm, 8.6mm, 9mm, 15mm, 14.3mm, 12.8mm

Now, anything under 10, they're really not looking at. But there are a few REALLY good looking follicles there: 3 on the left and 4, MAYBE 5 on the right. But it looks like 7 is going to be my magic number this retrieval. Seven was the number with IVF #1, and we all know how that turned out. But this time seven is going to be lucky. Things are trucking right along, and I'm not worried. 

Right?

Because of the follicles 14mm and over, I started a new medication this morning called Ganirelix. This injectible is going to prevent the follicles from releasing the eggs too soon, and will allow some of the others to catch up. It's the med that keeps on giving. When it goes in, you're lulled into this false sense of, "hey, this one isn't so bad". Then about 5-10 minutes later, holy mother of goats, does that sucker sting. The Ganirelix comes in a pre-filled syringe, so you don't have to draw it up or anything, you just stick and shoot. Yeah, whatever. That needle is dull as a spork. So, smart cookie that I am, i empty it into a new syringe and stick a sharp needle on the end. 

Good thing too... I already look like this:

The IF landscape

Anyway - just sitting now, and waiting to hear what my estrogen is. From here on it, I'll be going to be monitored with vagcam and bloodwork every day until trigger. Fran will call me every afternoon to tell me my estrogen and if I need to adjust any doses. 

I'll leave you with this today... the reason why we're doing this. Because she deserves to have a sibling.

I'll update later.

Time to Break Out the Big Guns....

 That's right, folks. It's no holds barred now... I'm doing it and no one can stop me.

I'm wearing fleecy penguin socks in June.

Hi old friends.

These socks saw me through IVF #2, retrieval, transfer and the labor and eventual delivery of my daughter.

And now they're getting dusted off.  And just in time too. Because they worked.

Obviously, I know that there are factors in play other than lucky socks.  There are buttloads of injectible hormone stimulating medications and modern science. But HEY! If I want to give the socks some credit, then I'm going to.

And without further ado, I give you... monitoring #3.3 (have I ever mentioned that 3 is my favorite number, btw?):

My lining is trilaminar. For those paying attention, that means my estrogen is rising. So, yay! That also explains why I'm a hormonal raving crazy-monster, but who's really paying attention to EVERY little mood swing right now? (Honey, put your hand down please. Thank you.)

Now, let's discuss the follicles, shall we?

At the very tippy top, you can see a follicle. It's the black circle.

There are 5 measuring on the right with 2 small: 8.4mm, 12mm, 10.3mm, 10mm, 11.7mm

There are 6 measuring on the left with 1 small: 5.4mm, 8.3mm, 5.7mm, 10.7mm, 11.1mm, 11.4mm

Fran (my ever wonderful nurse) said for 6 days of stims, this is great for me. I'm obviously progressing and we're hoping for an E2 above 200 today.

So, now we get to wait for the phone call that will give me instructions for my meds tonight and tell me when I need to go back. I'm guessing saturday and staying the course on my meds... or maybe a SLIGHT increase if he wants me to go a little faster. But i'm not worried anymore.  I see at least 7 great follicles in my future. Now lets just hope for good mature eggs inside them.

Hold onto your penguin socks, friends... I think the ride is about to take off.