Injections, Blood Draws, Medications, and Tales from the Stirrups

The first thing that they put me on to prepare my body for pregnancy was a prenatal vitamin, a baby aspirin, and a prescription dose of folic acid. They put me in touch with a fertility pharmacy and I ordered all the other drugs that I would be taking along with buckets of needles, syringes, etc. 

·         A daily shot of progesterone. It is a large amount of medication, suspended in oil. They are extremely painful.

·         A twice weekly shot of estrogen.

·         Six days before transfer, I would start a steroid and a prophylactic antibiotic.

·         Nightly progesterone suppositories. 

Once I started the medications and hormones, I had to do weekly and sometimes bi-weekly blood draws to monitor my levels. I also had two ultrasounds to measure the lining of my uterus.  All while school is still in session. I was very lucky to have supportive bosses and coworkers to help out during all my time gone.

My blood tests came back mostly good. I had to take more estrogen, but the level came up to where they wanted it after that. The ultrasounds revealed that my uterine lining was thickening properly and so all signs pointed to transfer day happening as scheduled. 

Each time I went to the hospital, one of the nurses, techs, or workers was one of the parents of one of my students. 

Every time. 

I really didn't want one of my student's fathers asking how I was doing while my feet were in the stirrups and he performed a trans-vaginal ultrasound. Really, really didn't. How do parent-teacher conferences go after that?? 

Strangest question asked while in the stirrups: "Do you want to insert this yourself?"

Uhmmm, no.  Thanks, you go right ahead.

Strangest question asked while out of the stirrups: "So, how is the lining of your uterus? Is it thickening properly?"

Best and strangest supportive statements: "Thinking thick thoughts!"        "I have pity for your butt right now."

A few days before transfer, they thawed six of our embryos. They thaw so many so that they have a good selection. Typically, not all embryos survive thaw, not all grow, and not all are of good quality. 

The embryologist called two days before transfer to give us the results of the thaw. They had all survived! They then let them grow to the blastocyst stage.

Oh, cellular division, how we pray for you to happen.