My baby is 3 months

A lot of things have happened over this month. I am now 27, we celebrated Thanksgiving and Owen is 3 months old. Timmy took me to dinner for my birthday, we went to Benja's. The only other thing I wanted to do was walk around and look in different stores. We didn't get anything, I just wanted to do something different. Thanksgiving was fun. I got to see my family a little, it was really hard not being able to take Owen places. I know it is for the best and we really don't want him to get sick but it is difficult, not being around family. Timmy was a good husband and watched him while I did my black friday shopping and let me go to a movie with my sister. Owen is getting so big, he is now 7 pounds 8 ounces. We love him so much. Here are some things that he has accomplished this last month.

• He sleeps for 5 hours at night after his 30 calorie bottle.
• He just learned how to coo, he doesn't do it very often but he knows how.
• He can lift his head up and turn it side to side. 
• He crys a lot. His tummy hurts and he gets lots of gas bubbles.
• He likes to be with mommy. 
• He loves his bath time; he likes warm water, it makes his tummy feel better.
• He fits in newborn clothes.

We had so much fun for Thanksgiving we made our own dinner, and went to the sand dunes for football and watched daddy play.

I love his dimples

I said smile for daddy and he did.

Loves his bath time but hates getting out, it is too cold.

Loves to be wrapped to mommy

At home with my Owen

My little Owen is now 2 months old. He is getting so big, now at 5lb 4oz. I know that seems small to some people but he was only 3lb 2oz at birth. Here are a few things about him.

• He is getting little chubby cheeks and starting to fill out his preemie outfits. He has even outgrown 2 of his jammies. 
• He is really strong too. We do his exercises everyday. He can lift his head off the ground for 3 sec and he can grab my hands and pull his body up. 
• He sleeps a lot and eats every three hours. When he eats he puts his hand on his head like he is thinking. He gets 2 extra calorie bottles a day and loves daddy to feed him. 

 

• He is almost at his due date. Next week he will be 40 weeks on Wednesday. 
• We haven't gone many places yet. We avoid places with kids, and crowds. He had his first walk on the river trail, he loved it. He fell asleep pretty quickly. 

•  He has learned how to suck his thumb and sometimes snores when he sleeps.

• He likes to be up at night most of the time, and when he sleeps he likes to sleep next to his mamma.
• He still has frequent doctor appointments. Two next week.   
• His hair is red and it is fuzzy like his uncle Rileys

We love him so much. We are so happy that he is finally home. We pray everyday for him and are glad that he is growing and getting so strong.

My delivery story

Friday August 31 I went to have an NST at 10:20 am. I was able to go right on back and got comfortable on the recliner. Owens heart sounded really good, in the 140's and 150's. About 15 min later his heart went down to the 90's. I tried to find his heart but it was difficult, it came right back up, but mom knew something was wrong. I almost called for some help but his heart rate went back up after 1 min or so. I told Dr. Ott and he said that it was my heartbeat and that sometimes it picks up the maternal heart rate. I knew in my heart that it wasn't mine and it was his. I called Timmy and he told me very calmly to listen to his heartbeat with the doppler throughout the day. I went to Wal-mart to get my mind off of things, and bought things  for delivery that I wouldn't be having for at least a few weeks and then went home. I listened to him a couple of times, on and off and he sounded really good. I called Lena to talk and ate some pizza for lunch. Throughout the pregnancy I had been watching Private Practice so I sat down to watch an episode. I listened to him for almost the whole episode and once again he went down into the 90's. I called Timmy in a panic he told me to call the office but I didn't know what to say so I got in the car to drive there. The panic that was going through my mind was too much, what if by the time I got there and they sent me to Labor and Delivery it was too late? I decided then that I would go strait to Labor and Delivery especially because I was worried that they would send me home.

I was a mess. I started crying right when I walked in, they asked me what was wrong; was I hurting, and if I had felt him move. We went into a room and they hooked me up. Venice was my  nurse, we were there for about an hour and a half and everything looked really good she went to go get the discharge paperwork but I asked if I could stay for a bit longer. She came in to tell us we were just about ready to go, and he did it again. Luckily she was in the room and watched him. She said that it could have been picking up my heart rate, but it also could have been him. She said she would call Dr. Ott. He wanted us to stay for the weekend and Dr. Chalmers would be back on Monday to decide what to do with me.

That night he had 4 decelerations, the longest was in the 40's for about 5 min. I was so scared and cried a lot. Dr. Eggert the Neonatologist came in and talked to us about how I was only 29.4 weeks along and what we could expect if our baby was born this weekend. He suggested that I take 2 doses of the betamethesone shots, but it would take 48 hours for the full effects to kick in. He also wanted me to start taking prophilactic magnesium sulfate. The betamethasone is a steroid that helps lungs develop quickly, and the magnesium is to prevent brain bleeds. The shots were the worst, they hurt more than any other shots I had at the beginning of  my pregnancy. Timmy would rub my hip where the shot was given to make it feel better. The Magnesium ran in for 12 hours and made me feel a little woosy, and burned going in. I kind of liked the feeling though because it made me calm. I tried to sleep but about every 3 hours he would have a deceleration so I would end up just starring at his strip.

Each shift I had a new doctor watching me and my strip. The first night Dr. Ott and Dr. Wong the second night it was Dr. Fagnant. At first he made me feel comfortable by answering all my questions. By the end of the night all of his statistics and studies were confusing me, he was still even mentioning the possibility of sending me home, and he wasn't making any decisions. That night when I would have a decel no one would come in and once again I was watching my strip constantly. Sunday morning I finally got a few hours of sleep . Dr. Strubble was my doctor that day, and I was so grateful.  When he came on he said he was going to call Perinatology in Salt Lake and ask them three questions. 1. When they should deliver me. 2. If they should deliver me and 3. If they should stop my contractions. When I got up to use the bathroom I felt like I was having gas and felt a little pop. I called out to my nurse Kristen and said that I thought my water had broke. Corbin decided that because no one was going to make a decision he was going to break his water. Dr. Strubble called the Perinatologists again and they said they would do my C-section if one of three things happened. 1. Owen was showing signs of infection. 2. I got a temperature or 3. If I went into labor. Almost immediately I started having stronger contractions. I had about 5 contractions and they were getting pretty uncomfortable. The one I had right before they checked me I started to cry. I was 5.5 cm, at that time they started getting me ready for surgery. Everything went really fast.

They wheeled me back and Dr. Nelson put in my spinal I will truly always be so grateful that I was able to be awake during my labor experience. He went really fast and then they layed me down. Timmy came and they started to cut. It was the weirdest feeling, it was almost hurting but it was just the tugging that felt so weird. When they pulled Owen out it seemed like forever before I heard his sweet litttle cry. I was a mom. He was actually crying. Throughout the past two days I was in fear for his life, his heart rate went down numerous times and I wasn't sure if he was going to survive or if they were going to tell me something that I had already heard once before. They let me see him only for a second and they they took my sweet little boy to the NICU, luckily daddy got to follow. A  couple minutes later they were done with the c-section and I was wheeled back to the recovery room. My mom and Dad and Tyler were there to greet me.

A little bit later I got to meet our other sweet little boy. He was perfect. I can't express the feelings I had that day. There was a spirit in the room and I knew he was there watching out for his brother. If his water wouldn't have broke that day, I don't know if Owen would have made it much longer. He passed away so his brother could grow big and strong and his water broke so that his brother could survive. I will always be grateful for that little boy. Labor and Delivery techs were able to get hand prints and foot prints, and perfect hand and foot molds. We decided to name him Corbin Russell.

A few hours later my legs were finally un-numb. Lisa came down and got me in a wheel chair so I could see my precious new baby. I am so glad that she was able to take me to see him right away. I really don't remember much but that he had his cpap, and his uvc. I wasn't really that worried about him now that I could see him breathing. Timmy and I were so happy.

The next few days are kind of a blur. We went to the NICU frequently to hold him and we learned a lot. We got to hold him every 7-10-1-4 o' clock hour. Timmy decided that he would hold him at 7 every night, that way he would get used to him putting him to bed when he got home from work. I started holding him every 10 o'clock in the morning and evening. That later changed because I started to feel disconnected from Timmy and I was starting to lose a lot of sleep. The first 10 days were really hard, I was emotionally drained from everything we went through and physically drained from having no sleep. The nurses and Timmy finally convinced me to sleep in the thurs before Corbins burial.

Now that it has been almost 2 weeks things are starting to fall into a routine. Unfortunately the house is a wreck and the time really seems to fly by. Timmy goes to see him before work. I wake up around 8 pump and shower and go to the hospital for rounds I stay until 11:30. I go home eat and pump and take an hour nap and try to organize a few things or run errands. Then I go back to the hospital at 4 until 5:50 and Timmy meets me there. Then we eat dinner and go back at 7 until 8:30 and try to sleep. Then mimi goes to visit at 10.

Yay! 29 weeks

I am 29 Weeks today and am still as nervous as ever. For the past 4 weeks nothing has changed. I am still bleeding, and randomly contracting, and my cervix is still 1.67 cm long. I stopped working about 3 weeks ago which I think is a good thing. I think that is why nothing has changed. Of course I am bored almost everyday at home doing nothing but I have found a few things to pass my time. Private Practice, and Disney movies are just a few things; I have also been sewing like a mad man. I have made his curtains, crib blanket, two other blankets and lots of burp cloths. Luckily I have friends from work that call frequently to see how I am.

Here is his crib blanket

These are the curtains (Timmy don't hate me ((vertical video))

Burp cloths

Self Binding blanket

These are awesome it is a baby wrap, I know I will love using it.

These are really special in our family, it is his Mockie.

I cannot believe that it is the end of August, I really only have about 8 weeks left, then I am full term. So far the plan is I have a regular appt every week that will consist of a cervical ultrasound, a regular ultrasound every other week, and an NST and some blood work. I will also have a second appt just for an NST. With these NST's they will be able to predict if anything is wrong with the baby and be able to get him out as soon as there are any signs of distress. Because baby A is blocking my cervix they feel it is too risky to deliver me vaginally, because of this I will be a scheduled C-section (well hopefully scheduled). They still don't think that I will make it full time, but I  hit the first benchmark at 28 weeks and I just need to get to the 32 then 36. I am almost there.

I know I look GREAT!! my hair is not done, I have no make-up on and I am getting big.

Timmy started school again, and I think he is going to have a really good class. He has hardly been home with the City pool still open and all the SEP's and back to school nights. During his "spare time" he has been putting all the nursery furniture together. He has been so worried about me and our baby. He even has a  stress twitch.

Last week I fell, it was actually kind of funny but Timmy didn't think it was at all. I was walking in to Mcdonalds to fill up my water after going through the drive through to get him dinner before his Softball Tournament. I had a really cute outfit on with some platform shoes. I was walking across the parking lot and tripped and fell right in front of the car in the drive through. I was scared at first; I was shaking, and all bruised up and I thought I was bleeding. Well I actually peed my pants because of all the pressure. I hurt for a few days after that, luckily everything was fine.

We sold America's it was kind of a sad day. We put it online on a Friday night and sold it Saturday afternoon. I had that car for 7 years longer than Timmy and I had been married. We had a lot of good memories with that car.

Just waiting for her to be taken away

They say "Time Heals all Wounds"

If I could just shut my brain off I would probably be a lot happier. I know worrying doesn't change the outcome, but it doesn't make it any easier. When I found out I wouldn't be able to have kids naturally (with a bottle of Martinellis and a box of chocolates), I was crushed. I cried for three days knowing that whatever road we would take to get kids would be a long one.

Timmy and I will be married 6 years this year. We have got to know each other inside and out. We have got to see each other grow in all aspects of our lives, and have seen each other through the good and the bad. We have never been so ready to have kids. We have traveled around the country and have done everything we have ever wanted to do. We have both graduated with our Bachelors degrees, have careers, own a house, and own three vehicles. A few years ago we even bought a dog because the kid process was taking a little too long.

I don't really know why I am writing this I guess I am just trying to convince myself that I will be a good mother, maybe I am trying to convince God that I would be a good mother. Timmy and I went to the temple the other day looking for answers the only thing I felt was claustrophobic. I have never wanted something to work out so bad in my life. I am so worried about this baby that I am carrying. I want him to live, be strong and healthy, and I want to be able to be his mom here on earth and to be able to take care of him. I want sleepless nights, a messy house, and snotty kisses; I want someone to call me mommy.

I guess I just need time to heal and more time to become a mom.

"In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disppointment and discouragement strike-and they will-you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection [see 2 Kgs. 6:6-17]. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed. --Jeffrey R. Holland

24 weeks

For the passed 24 weeks we have been trying to get our minds and house ready for two little boys, we have been offered tons of support and now we Heavenly Father has a new plan for us. For the past few days I knew something wasn't right. I started contracting a lot on Monday pretty regularly but it didn't hurt. Tuesday night it was still continuing but now it was hurting a little. I checked myself in to Labor and Delivery and they checked an FFN, it was negative and then it was the search for the babies. They spent over an hour with the monitors trying to find both babies. They found one baby really easily and then continued to search for the other. Not really sure whether they got both on they called to see if they needed an ultrasound but settling for one on the monitor and one on doppler. (Not knowing that it was the same baby).

I was hoping I would never have to do a post about something like this. I have tried to stop crying but my eyes continue to leak. Yesterday Timmy and I had our 24 week appointment. I have been so excited for this moment, where our boys would be viable for life. Our doctor was out of town so we went to see Dr. Ott. The first thing they did was weigh me and then we waited for the ultrasound, We saw our happy baby B moving all around and his measurements were great. As he moved on to baby A he looked so squished in the corner you could hardly see his body at all just his sweet face. Dr. Ott could not find a heart beat.

He sent us over to MFM to see Dr. Jackson. I really liked him and he made me feel really comfortable with all that was going on. Explained a lot and listened. They looked at our baby A and nothing really looked wrong, he was measuring about 23 weeks and 3 days, my placenta looked good and there was still a good amount of fluid. They couldn't give me a reason our sweet baby boy didn't make it. With a singleton pregnancy at this time they would have sent us to labor and delivery to get induced at we would get to say goodbyes to this little guy. They looked at baby B very closely and measured everything there was to measure. His heart, brain, everything in his belly, Afi, hands, and feet. Everything looks great they see no reason why I shouldn't deliver him at full term, November 15. They measured my cervix and it was long at 3.23 cm and it was still closed. They want me to watch closely for the next few weeks to make sure my body doesn't try to deliver baby A.

One of the most difficult things was to tell our family. I am so happy that we have such a good support system and I have my husband here to hold my hand and tell me everything is going to be okay, even though I see him hurting too. Coming home was hard, I already have two of most things. Two car seats that Timmy was so excited to install in the car; two cribs, and a double stroller.

Looking back now I realize that I haven't felt movement on the right side very often during my pregnancy. The very first ultrasound we had baby A was the crazy mover and ever since then it has been baby B that has been moving all around.

I don't know why this had to happen, I have run through my mind a million times over trying to think what I could have done differently or if they could have checked me more frequently. It is hard because I want to be happy knowing there is still a living baby inside, it is just weird because I don't really get to say goodbye to the other. It will be such a bitter sweet moment at delivery to have one alive and one passed away.

20 weeks

I am officially 20 weeks today, okay so I wrote this over a week ago. It has been so great watching my babies grow. I am getting big and I can feel them move a lot. I never know which baby it is. We had a scare last sunday and I found myself in Labor and Delivery with uterine irritability. Timmy is pretty sure that I was dehydrated so he was a good little daddy and bought me a BIG 100 oz mug from Maverik. Now anytime I go anywhere he asks me if he can fill it up. :) He is such a sweet husband he will be a great dad.

What I was the most nervous for was our big 20 week ultrasound. For some reason I get nervous before each appointment, I am not sure why I just want everything to be good. My grandma got to come to this ultrasound, she was so cute asking questions and getting so excited. They measured each little bug and baby A is 14 oz and measuring big at 21 weeks and baby B was measuring 11 oz and right on 19.5 weeks. Their brains are normal as well as their bellys, hearts and their femurs. My placentas look great and are away from my cervix, and my cervix is 3 cm long (which is right where it is suppose to be).

I am just starting to buy stuff for the nursery and in a month or so it will be finished and look so so good. Now we just need to find names. I know what I want to name them I just have to wait for the okay from Timmy.

The night after I wrote this Timmy got to feel the babies. We were so excited and I couldn't stop smiling. He loves to feel the babies move.

Early summer fun

It is time for my monthly post :). Things have been a little crazy around here. Lots of things have happened this month. At the beginning of the month I got to go to Provo to visit my best friend Brooke. She will be delivering in August and I knew we needed to get together before all these babies are born. We had so much fun, we talked a lot, and shopped a lot and even got  to go and watch What to expect. This was a funny movie, either because I am pregnant or because I work in Womens and Childrens. This picture is of Amberli, me and Brooke. We were so lucky to all get together for lunch, it is always good to see good friends when you haven't seen them in a while.

Look how funny we are all pregnant there will be one born in Aug (Brookes), Sep (Amberli's) and my babies probably in Oct. They are both having girls, so maybe my boys will have someone to date :)

All I have to say is I am definitely not the lady carrying the twins; I am a little of all of them. I have had my distress with trying for years, being on infertility treatments, and IVF. We have even thought about adopting. When I first got pregnant I thought I would love every second of my "new body" and would feel so good. Turns out that is not me, of course it could all be worse. I have been so lucky to get pregnant the first time with IVF and not be to terribly sick, I have had a few complications but over all things are great!! I love that my belly is getting bigger, and I love that I can feel these boys move, I cannot wait until my honey can feel these guys, it has made everything so real to me. For the longest time my pregnancy has not really seemed real. Now it is :)

Anyway back to visiting Brooke, basically the whole time we were talking about nurseries. Brooke is going to hers with grey furniture and purple and green fabric. Mine is going to be old school boy colors; green, blue, orange and grey, and the furniture is a pecan color.

The other thing that was exciting this month was Timmy's family reunion. It was fun seeing all the Key family again. I enjoy his dads family, we had lots of jokes and kareoke, we even went swimming at the city pool. Hopefully in the next month or so we will be going to California to the ranch for the grand opening.

2nd Trimester

Now that the 1st trimester is over, life is getting a little easier. I am not so sick and I have a little more energy. It is crazy how much life these babies suck out of me. There are so many fun things about being pregnant, here is my list.

• My boobs are getting bigger
• My belly is getting bigger
• I like knowing that I am growing two little bodies inside of me
• I finally got to buy one of those baby name book

Okay so there really aren't that many good things there are a lot more bad

• Asthma and allergies are increased
• I am so tired 
• My schedule is terrible, well I am much much lazier, and can't seem to get motivated
• All the weird crampy feelings you get; everywhere including your vagina
• My eye sight is changing
• My back hurts so bad, it keeps me up at night and hurts through-out the day
• I have zits, but even worse than when I was a teenager
• I am harry; hair grows in the weirdest spots; my belly and neck are just a few (don't worry I am just going to start waxing my whole body.)

I am lucky though a lot of things that happen to ladies that are pregnant have not happened to me. I have never been constipated, I don't have heart burn, and I have only thrown up 4 times (two of those times were just because I was coughing too much.) The weird thing is that I haven't had any cravings, mostly everything just looks gross; and you know how I used to be a treat queen well nothing sweet taste good to me now. Here are some things that do taste good.

• liquid cheese
• mexican food
• welchs raspberry and lime sparkling drink
• snow cones

I am still scared though I have a long time left and so much can happen until delivery. I hear all these things like oh I was pregnant with twins and then lost one at 17 weeks, or whatever. I would hate for something like that to happen. We are so excited though we get to find out in one week what they are. Neither one of us have any idea, and forget my maternal instinct I thought there was only one. Timmy really wants a boy and a girl but I don't really care. I would like that though just in case for some reason we can't do this again.

Every week Timmy has been so so excited to take pictures of me and he told his school on his list of things he is excited for this summer is to watch his wife get fat. He has been the cutest husband, he has never once told me I look fat, or am lazy because the house isn't clean or mad I didn't make dinner. He has just been trying to take care of me. I am so excited that Timmy and I have been able to go through all of this together. Surgery, all the medications, hormones, emotional ups and downs. He is going to be a great daddy!

Pregnant at 6 weeks and 4 days.

Each day I am pregnant is a blessing. I should have posted sooner but the passed month has been just a little stressful and very hopeful. After my three days of bed-rest I was able to go back to work. I worked the Friday and Saturday after the transfer but was still very achy and bloated. I had an appointment to get my first beta-hcg drawn on Tuesday and had this great idea that I would take a pregnancy test the day before. That was a very very bad idea. It was negative. I was so crushed. I texted my doctor and he said that it might not be accurate because it could be too early. I cried and cried and prayed until Timmy came home and he held me. I went in the next day and I was shaking all the way there and then I started crying after the blood draw. Dr. Chalmers called me an hour later to let me know that it was 71. Yeah!! I was pregnant 3 weeks and 1 day. Two days later I was able to get my beta-hcg drawn for the second time. It was 200. Dr. Chalmers just texted me this time letting me know he would like to get an ultrasound as soon as possible. Timmy and I went on a cruise the next week which was very needed. We both were able to relax and have a great time.

We got back on the 18th and the next day would be our first ultrasound. I would be 5 weeks and 4 days. Dr C asked me if I thought there were one or two sacs. I said one because the hcg levels were not too high, and I just had a feeling. Well I was wrong there were two little sacs with all their parts. He was a little worried about one of them because it was small but he was impressed about the way they looked. He said he wouldn't consider it twins because they did not have heart beats yet, and I had the possibility of vanishing twin. 

My next ultrasound would not be until the 30th of March but when I woke up this morning I was spotting. I was so worried, but had a feeling that everything would be okay. I called Dr. C and was able to get in at 11:00. We had two heart beats and everything looked perfect. I was sad Timmy was not able to come to this appointment, but I knew I had to go in to make sure everything was okay. The small one that he was worried about was just about the same size as the other. The one on the right had a heart rate of 113, and the one on the left had a heart rate of 125. He said as they get older and bigger their heart-rates will get stronger and faster. Timmy and I are both very excited and nervous. Each day is a blessing and I pray constantly that everything will work and I will get two healthy babies. There is still an 18% chance that we could miscarry, and that makes me nervous but each day I am a little more excited. I pray that everything will turn out.

10 Weeks Pregnant

It has been a while since I posted last, everything with our babies is great; however they keep scaring me. About every other week I start cramping really bad. Sometimes it is so bad that it wakes me from a dead sleep or so hard that it is difficult to stand up. Just yesterday I called the doctor because I started bleeding again, and passed a few clots. We went in for another ultrasound and everything looks great. There are still two babies, with great heartbeats. The only other weird thing is that it is hard to sleep I am very uncomfortable at night. In the next few days I will be able to stop all my other medications, and then hopefully I can try to be as normal as possible. We will have our next appt on May 11, I will then be in the second trimester; that is my next goal.

Baby "A"

Baby "B"

A few weeks ago was Easter, we were blessed to have my family here at the house for Easter dinner, and the money hunt. We had my cousin Dave and his wife and their kids, uncle Todd and Brian, My sister and her kids, and some of Steves family. It was so fun to hide all the eggs and watch the little kids go hunting. Poor little Aiden cried, I think it made him nervous hunting with all the other kids; too much pressure. Quincy of course found  the golden egg, after telling him that if he didn't he couldn't be mad and he would have to congratulate the other kid. What I really enjoyed was spending time with my sister. I guess I didn't take any pictures of the egg hunt, only video and it was long, sorry.

This week my little sister came to town. I haven't seen her since Christmas. It was good to hang out and talk and laugh. 

Retrieved, Fertilized and transferred

RETRIEVAL:
Timmy and I drove up Feb 21st and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express for an Egg retrieval on the 22nd. They gave me an instructions list for the retrieval that I followed to the T. I was instructed to use one vinegar and water douche (yes I said it) before bed and then one in the morning before the retrieval. I could not sleep at all that night. I was not totally uncomfortable and I think I was really nervous for the procedure. We checked in about 0930 and I went back to the procedure room, while Timmy completed his business in the other room. Dr. Chuck placed an IV and then gave me versed and fentanyl, this only made me relax a bit but did not cloud my judgment at all. It takes a lot to knock this red-head out. Later on Chuck stated that I was his most coherent, talkative patient. :) that would be me. After waiting for Dr. Faulk they put me to sleep and I woke up crampy, and once again very talkative. Timmy did video me waking up and asked me lots of questions, but I won't share that with you it is just 12 min of boringness. Dr. Faulk told us that he was able to retrieve 18 eggs. We were very excited about this because we thought we might only have 15. After the retrieval I started Progesterone shots Intramuscular (IM), and started two pills, one an antibiotic Doxycycline, and another hormone Medrol (I was taking this SQ but now just PO).

My sister in laws Bonnie and Christie dropped this off 

It was full of fun gift cards that have really helped us.

FERTILIZE:

The day after retrieval we were called by the lab manager to keep us informed about our embryos, she stated "Timmy's sample was tremendous." His sperm was able to fertilize all 18 eggs, however there were 5 that were degenerative, and two that were small and they were not sure if they would continue to grow. All in all we had 11 embryos that looked great. The next 2 days were very uncomfortable with cramping and bloating. I felt full all the time, not to mention I was constipated, and little did I know I had a UTI on top of all that. We were called friday the 24th with instructions to come for a Blastocyst transfer on Monday the 27th. We were so excited to have a blastocyst transfer. With a Blastocyst transfer there is a lower chance of the embryos splitting, also the pregnancy rate per transfer is higher when blastocyst embryos are transferred on day 5 to 7 than when earlier-stage embryos are transferred on day 2 or 3. The implant rate is higher when embryos progress to the blastocyst stage, fewer embryos can be transferred while achieving similar or better pregnancy rates for each transfer. 

THE TRANSFER:

Our transfer time was at 1300 we got there around 1215 and we waited for them to give me the valium. I don't really think this medication worked either. I am assuming it was suppose to help me relax but it didn't. We waited another 30 min for the doctor and when Dr. Faulk came in he gave us embryo update. He started to say that we only had 5 that had survived. He feels like the damage that was done to my tubes had damaged my ovaries as well and my eggs are not very of good quality. They would let us know the next day how many we would be able to freeze. They set me up in stirups and numbed my cervix, they told me not to talk and to completely relax my whole body. With ultrasound they were able to see exactly where they were transferring the two perfect embryos that they had picked for the transfer. After that I laid flat for 20 mins and they gave me my next set of instructions. I would be on bed-rest for the next three days. I would continue my pre-natal vitamin, my baby aspirin, as well as the progesterone shots, and would start progesterone suppositories. 

Waiting for the transfer

Here are my two little embryos transferred right into my uterine wall!

Now I have been on bedrest for 2 and a half days, I am excited to get back to normal but also a little nervous. I have done all that I am able to do. Heavenly Father is in charge now and whatever will be will be. 

My cute husband everyday packs up my cooler with snacks, sets up my pillows, sets out my medications, and gives me my shots. He is so sweet!!

Egg Retrieval scheduled

I was suppose to update this when we went up to Pleasant Grove on February 10th, but in all reality nothing really exciting happened so I waited. Up until the 10th I was taking Lupron injections.

These didn't bother me one bit, got a few small bruises nothing major and never hurt going in. Then for our appointment on Feb 10th I had an ultrasound, to look for cysts (there were none), and Timmy gave a back-up sample.

 On the 12th which was a sunday I started taking the Menopur and the Brevelle and continued taking the Lupron. These were also given subcutaneous but 1 full ml. They stung a little bit I just had to push them slow. I got a really big bruise from one of them but surprisingly that injection hurt less than the others. The only thing I didn't like about doing three shots a day is I ran out of sites. 

Then the magic started to happen. On friday the 17th I went to get my Estradiol level checked. It was 664. I continued my medications and had an ultrasound on Sunday the 19th. Dr. C counted my follicles with Timmy's help and I had 15. My smallest was something like 9x9 and the biggest was 20x18. They thought I would be getting close so they checked my Estradiol level and it was 1606. Dr. C was not sure if they would wait one more day so I waited for the phone call. They wanted me to go in for one more ultrasound and Estradiol level on Monday. After working all night long I went in around 8:30 and we counted my follicles again. The biggest now was 20x20 and the smallest was 9x13. In one day they grew so much and most of them ranged around 19mm, and my Estradiol level was 2706. I received the phone call on Monday around 4:30 pm that we would do the egg retrieval on Wednesday. 

They gave me some instructions and wanted me to follow them precisely. I took the HCG 10,000 units at 10pm. They call this the "Trigger injection" that means in 36 hours all my matured eggs will release. 

Then when I woke up this morning I took my PNV/BA and the HCG Pregnancy test. 

 Now do you see that test? I had to do a double take, it is positive....I haven't seen one on my self ever, I have been waiting to see one of these. It was a bit of a shocker when I called them with the results, and they tell you "Oh that is what it is suppose to say." I am assuming they are just measuring my HCG level from injection the night before.

Today Timmy and I are driving up the Pleasant Grove and staying in a hotel for the night because bright and early...well 9:00 we will be making our way to harvest those eggs. I will let you all know how it comes along and how many eggs we retrieve.