Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I've Been Egg-Napped

For anyone that just needs the stats, I will go over those first. For anyone that likes to read stories about these procedures I will explain it all below in my long winded, TMI way. :-)

5 follicles
E2 of 1001 - Sunday
4 eggs retrieved
3 mature
2 fertilized
64 million swimmers pre-wash and 16 million post-wash

Now I wait...transfer (provided all is well) will most likely take place Friday.

Here's the story:

I was instructed to take my Zithromax before bedtime Monday night. I did that, had an ice cream sandwich and then took my prenatal about 1 hour later when I actually went to bed. It didn't take long for my stomach to start hurting. I wasn't sure if it was nerves, the Zithromax, the prenatal or all of the above. I wasn't sure if I wanted to poo or hurl. I decided to poo. I still felt bad and now I was getting severe cramps. I tried to go to sleep but it just wasn't happening. I decided that I needed to hurl and tried to talk myself out of it because I knew I wasn't supposed to be throwing up my Zithromax. I went to the bathroom downstairs because I didn't want to wake anyone up with my loud vomiting. I know, too descriptive but sometimes I have to lay it all out there. I didn't have to hurl after all but instead poo'd again. It was definitely diarrhea so of course I thought I had caught a bug and wouldn't be able to have my procedure Tuesday. I'm such a negative thinker these days. I jumped on the Internet and looked up the side effects of Zithromax. Sure enough....stomach cramping, diarrhea, vomiting or near vomiting...it was all there. I felt better, mentally anyway. I went to bed and finally got some sleep. My alarm clock cat woke me up at 6:00 on the dot. Obviously she didn't realize I wasn't late for work and that I had another hour to sleep. All the logistics got worked out and BJ and I were on our way at 8:30. Traffic was slow and so of course I just knew all the swimmers were dying a slow and painful death in their little cup. We got there with 20 minutes left before the swimmers supposedly croak after being "expelled". We were taken back less than 5 minutes after we checked in. I had left my Nintendo DS in the truck because I thought we'd be able to leave after we dropped the specimen off and then come back in a little while. Not so. I undressed and we waited for this person and that person to come in and talk to me and collect the swimmers and take my vitals and give us papers to sign. We sat there and listened to all the couples within earshot of us get their instructions and such. The lady next to me was making me sick. All she cared to talk about was when she could get back in the gym and what kind of work out was ok to do and on and on....I wanted to tape her mouth shut. After her procedure she was laughing and reading a book and STILL talking about going to the gym. BJ said that I would be fine afterward if she was that good and ready to go. Let me break in here with my wisdom teeth story:

I got my wisdom teeth out 3 years ago and was put under for the first time in my life. When I came to, BJ said that I woke up about 5 or 6 times telling the same story and asking the same questions. The nurse walked by the room and laughed and said that I was really taking my time clearing my head and that I was recovering much slower than most of the patients. So I don't know how he got it into his head that I'd be any better this time.

I got my IV and then about 40 minutes later took my last trip to the bathroom. They came to get me and lead BJ to where he was to wait and I turned around to give him a kiss and the anesthesiologist about ripped my IV out because he was walking so fast. The nerves were really setting in now and I was tearing up because I just wanted it to go well and maybe get an extra egg out of there. He said that I'd be fuzzy for a minute and then not remember anything. He was right. I remember them asking me my SSN and sticking a probe on my arm and my BP cuff and then trying to put my leg in the stirrup thingy and then I was out. I'm guessing that they had to do my other leg without me because I have this vision that I just fell over on the table. One reason I think that is because my left leg was hurting and stiff when I woke up. Anyway...I came to as they were wheeling me back into my curtained room and said they were going to get BJ from the waiting room. I was so groggy and my ovaries were hurting, especially my left one. They gave me a hot compress and took my vitals again and here came BJ. I was so glad to see him even though I could only have see him because I couldn't keep my eyes open all the way. I told her my pain was an 8 out of 10 and she gave me something in my IV. BJ went to get my Vicodin and while he was gone my pain went down and she made me get up and walk. What is wrong with this lady? I can't keep my eyes open and the room is spinning! The only reason I didn't fall flat on my face was because I was holding my IV pole. I laid back down and they told me I only had 4 eggs out of the 5 follicles. I teared up again and BJ told me to stop crying. Great support babe, thanks. I couldn't believe the lady next to me was talking about going to the gym when I probably couldn't even tell you what a gym was at that point. It's a good thing we went over my instructions and plans beforehand because there is no way I could have remembered/understood any of it afterward.

I was in and out on the way home and I ate a cookie in the truck and we stopped for lunch and then it was home to crash. It was about 3:30 by this point. We snuggled on the couch and slept until about 5:30. I was still worn out but felt better. I took some Tylenol when we got home because I didn't know how the Vicodin would affect me. I took a half pill before bed because the pain started up again. It felt like ovulation and period cramps magnified. Not terrible, but uncomfortable enough that I wanted it to go away.

This morning I still have some twinges especially in my left ovary but other than that I'm fine. Plus, I have 2 fertilized embryos! That's the best part of this whole thing. So please pray that they make it to Friday. The next round of prayers will be for implantation, but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

2 comments:

Finn's Mom said...

Tammy, you weren't posting an update on the message boards so I had to hunt you down here! ;)

A 67% fert rate is awesome and hopefully says alot about good egg quality. I've got everything crossed for you that these 2 embies continue to thrive and look spectacular for ET on Friday!

I'll be stalking you! :)
-- Lara

TeeJay said...

Thanks Lara...I came here first, my update is on the board now. I hope you are right about the quality. The nurse told me a story about a lady (about ready to deliver) that had only 3 or 4 eggs while the others that day were getting 12, 10, 9...she was the only one to get pg. I hoping for a miracle!