Pretty Nice Little Saturday...

Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.  -- Frank from "Old School"

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So, I had been trying to update my blog, but was having some difficult time signing in- especially from my phone.  So I am posting now about my weekend!  (Like I said- I'm a pretty boring person!)

In Infertility news- I finally called my RE.  She apologized for not getting to me sooner.  She thought the hubby's urologist was going to call us about the vari.cocele repair (which she didn't, either).  We talked and she really wanted us to get the repair done and then try another cycle, since she thinks our poor embryos were because of his sperm and didn't want us to "waste" anymore insurrance money.  I said I am hopping on my husband's insurrance at the end of this year and we can't get the repair done until late fall anyways because of our schedules- and that I wanted to do one more IVF now - but this time with closer monitoring and "good eggs."  She at least did admit that my eggs were of very poor quality this time.  She decided it was reasonable. So, we are good to go to start with my next cycle in June (which should be towards the end) as long as my labs and ultrasound look good (with no cysts!).

This past weekend was good.  It had stormed all week and we both had been working hard, so we were looking forward to Saturday. We had a big day of yardwork!  The day was beautiful (especially compared to the past week's weather).  We got up, I ran four miles (yeah!) and then we headed to Lowe's.  We worked all afternoon and Sidney dog hung out with us.  We filled up her pool and she played in it all afternoon.  I guess I'm a LITTLE obsessed with my dog- so I wanted to share the pics with you guys!

In other news- I think hubby AND I are going to try acupuncture.  I'm just waiting to see if his insurrance covers it (which I think they do).  If it can help women with infertility issues- maybe it can help a man?  I dunno! I guess it can't hurt to try!?  I am also trying to plan a vacation for this fall.  We were given a week timeshare from his mom and her husband for anywhere in the world.  I figure this fall will be a good time to go- because we will either be a little pregnant (and can always cancel if we are having issues) or I will be depressed from another failed cycle and stuck in between insurrances with no treatments scheduled until the next year.  Either way- this trip (especially the planning) has/is great at getting my infertility focused mind distracted onto other things!  Now we just need to pick a place to go! Any suggestions!? :)

Now- my Saturday pictures!

As you can see - it needed some work!

 Sidney Dog in her Pool!

 "Smiling" for the Camera

 Some flowers we got!

 The finished front!!! (well most of it! I could only get so much with my phone!)

Now just waiting for football season... GO VOLS!!

May ICLW

Hello ICLW visitors! This is my second time doing this since I haven't been blogging very long.

My husband and I were diagnosed with Severe MFI and given pretty much a <1% chance of ever conceiving on our own. We just completed our first failed IVF cycle. Since I am only 27 and haven't been diagnosed with any issues that would prevent us from conceiving - I responded too well from the meds. They were extremely concerned for OHSS and was pretty much coasted on meds from day five. The day of my trigger I had close to fifty follicles, but my e2 levels dropped extremely low and they almost canceled my cycle. After my trigger shot my e2 came up enough for retrieval, but they we're only able to get 12 poor quality eggs. Unfortunantly bad eggs and bad sperm equals poor quality embryos. We are now gearing up for our second cycle hopefully starting in June.

A little about me... I grew up in Tennessee. I absolutely LOVE college football. My team is the Tennessee Volunteers. I bleed orange. My lab even has a Tennessee cheer outfit. After graduating nursing school- I randomly on a spur- moved to Maryland and have been an ICU nurse for five years. I met my husband here and we married in Nov. 2007. We have a yellow lab named Sidney after S.idney C.rosby on the P.ittsbur.gh Pe.guins. She is our spoiled rotten daughter. I enjoy running and being outside! It is my goal to run a half marathon! Ever since our diagnosis I have wanted to become a fetility nurse. I feel like with my experience it would make me a better nurse and support for those also going through infertility treatments.

Anyways. That's pretty much it. Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has a good weekend!

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I am such a Slacker..

I have been wanting to post since my BFN.. but since then I feel like I have been working a ton and busy with weddings, volunteering, and suprisingly reading! (On a seperate note- I highly suggest reading The Art of Racing in the Rain- very good and pretty quick read).

Last week I went for my bllod test to confirm what I already knew. Yeah.. my office FORGOT to call me with the results. Even though I already knew them I still wanted the official confirmation to stop everything... AND I really wanted a big beer (or two) to "celebrate." I called the office and it closes at noon on Thursdays for research time for the docs ir something (I go to a large teaching hospital). I left a message hoping that the nurses still check it, but never got a phone call back. So that evening I called the nurse on call. She was like oh yeah.. I was wondering why I never saw your name on the sign in list so I didn't know you got your blood work done. Well I'm sorry, I'm a nurse too, and if my patient was suppose to come in for important lab work and I didn't think she did, I would have called to check in - make sure everything was ok and that she didn't forget. But whatever that is just me. However- I had gotten up on my day off at 7 am to get my blood drawn. I didn't sign in because the last time I had talked with anyone from the office they said just come in for bloodwork. The nurse obviously didn't have my lab values so she had to call around and find a doc who had access to them. When she FINALLY called she confirmed it and said my RE would call me the next day.

Well, at 8 am the next day ( my other day off) my RE called and woke me up. She caught ne completely off guard and wasn't able to ask any of my questions that I had. She pretty much blamed our bad embryos on my husbands bad sperm, but failed to mention anything about the poor quality eggs they retrieved ( which I shrill blame on them and their lack of monitoring me closely and mismanaging my meds). When I asked about it she kinda talked about it, but changed the subject back to my husbands sperm and how she wanted to talk with the urologist about ways to improve the sperm. She told me she'd call me back Monday... yup still waiting on that call. I know I could have called her, but I've been busy and there really isn't anything we are going to do right this second. Still planning on hopefully starting our next IVF round in June. So now I've just been excited about trying to start exercising again! I was doing so good before last IVF so now just trying to get into again.

I hope everyone is good and have been excited for so many blogging buddies BFP! Hoping soon I'm right there with ya! I'll try to post more regularly, but I am a pretty boring person! :-)

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I Knew It..

POAS this morning... I don't think the test could have looked more obviously negative. That poor little single pink line. The offical blood test isn't until tomorrow and I am definitely not expecting miracles. My mom tried to cheer me up by saying that the blood tests are more accurate and everything, but I know it won't change anything. I think I am most disappointed that this only leaves us one mire try on our insurrance and I can't get on my husbands insurrance until late fall and wouldn't be able to start again until next year. I know I shouldn't jump that far ahead, but I can't help it.

I guess the big question is... do I start another cycle with my next period or do I wait? As much as I want to do it now, I might wait a monthv so I can exercise and be normal again... I dunno. Just disappointed.

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7dp5dt

Heading towards the end of my 2ww and boy am I ready for it to be over.  With the extremely poor qualtiy of this cycle (egg/sperm/drop in estrogen, etc) as well as our poor embryo quality, I'm ready for my bfn so I can move on.  Of course I still have hope that it would have worked, but I feel like at least this way I won't be so disappointed when it is over.  I haven't really been having any symptoms.  Occasionally pressure or a cramp in the ovary/pooch area, migraines the last two days (but those also increase frequency around my period) but that is about it.  On another note, much to my husbands pleasure, since starting IVF and even more since the progesterone, my boobs are HUGE!  They seriously look fake.  I think I have grown almost two cup sizes (plus maybe 5lbs since I've been lazy) since we started this fertility journey! 

I found this website from another girl's blog which I found interesting about what happens after 3/5 day transfer: NYU Fertility Center  -- So I guess the question is -- should I POAS or not!?  I am leaning towards yes at some point before my beta just to mentally prepare myself.  I am lucky that I am not scheduled to work that day.  If it is negative, my doctor did say that I could immediately start another cycle (as long as I have no residual fluid in my abdomen/lungs and my ovaries aren't still enlarged), but I think I might wait one month and then do it.  I don't know!

Here are some pictures of my past week...

At the Nationals Game two days before transfer - only a few rows behind third base!

Picture of the Washington Monument from the Nationals Stadium

The hubby - barely fitting into the gown - right after transfer while I was on bedrest distracting myself from my very very full bladder! No bedpan for me!

Our babies first picture in their new home - of course it makes it to the fridge!

My Baby Girl Sidney all pooped out from going to Bark in the Park where she won 4th place for best trick!

My husband and I hosted a Mother's Day Brunch for his mom who lives close by - and her husband and my sister in law came.  I'm not much of a cook - but ever since we got married I have been trying!  I was so excited - because I got out our REALLY nice wedding china that we've never used! I was more excited about the menu - so I'll share it - and even for you non-cooks - if I can do it you can- and everything turned out great!!!

Raspberry - Orange Sunrise - I made a non-alcoholic version for myself (dork!)

Strawberry Parfaits - for an appetizer

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

and of course dessert!

Peanut Butter Pie

stick babies! stick!

Well... we transfered one poor quality blast and one poor quality not a blast... so I guess we'll just have to wait to see how it goes! My RE keeps saying that with my age and health that she has seen people get pregnant with poor quality embryos- so fingers and toes crossed and lots of prayers! The transfer went smoothly besides the painful full bladder part. My RE said she couldn't believe how big my ovaries were and were suprised that I wasn't having more symptoms. I can definitely feel them- especially when I move around, but I haven't really done much since retrieval. My mom came in town to be with me while hubby is at work and she has been spoiling me!

As much as I want this cycle to work I don't really have high hopes for it considering how everything has gone. Already mentally preparing myself for round two. I like to be pessimistic then pleasently suprised so we'll see. Two week wait starts now!

I'll post some pics when I'm no longer on bedrest! Thanks everyone for your support and prayers...

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They are Still Growing!

Our five little embryos are still growing....

Our center grades them from 1-4 with 4 being the best...

We have:

three cell grade 2
four cell grade 3
five cell grade 2
six cell grade 3
eight cell grade 3

At this point I'm not really counting on any to freeze, but with the bumps we have had on this cycle, I will just be thrilled to make it to have some to transfer.

My RE wants to only transfer one embryo (because of my age/health), but my husband and I are going to do two.  I feel like it gives us our best chance (especially since the quality doesn't seem the greatest!).

Transfer scheduled for Monday!  I have to be there at 7am and by late Monday morning, I'll be "pregnant!"  (Or at least the closest I have ever been before!)