Incubator 23

Yep. That's our incubator. Sounds weird, huh? Yeah, well, it is.

Yesterday was the retrieval and it was not what I expected. It hurt more than I expected but was way faster than I expected. We got there SUPER early because we were worried about being late with the snow, and basically just hung around in our little room waiting. I was freezing, by the way.

I got all the pre-op stuff done, then they started my IV to keep me hydrated (oh, was I hungry and thirsty!) and at 11:45 on the dot (they are GOOD!) went into the room. The embryologist asked me my name and social, told me to lay back and that was that. I DO remember that the stirrups were spread VERY far apart and I think my last words were something like, "Seriously, do you know how old I am? Do you think I'm that flexible anymore?" I'm sure they were glad to put me to sleep.

Next thing I know, I have a tissue in my hand and I am crying because they told me they retrieved 13 follicles. Crying? Yep. The gal who was there in the next room earlier in the day had 23. I was a little disappointed at 13...being the overachiever I have always been. I don't even remember her telling me 13, but John says she did and I just burst into tears. *Hey, I dare anyone to spend weeks shooting themselves up with girl juice and then have the nerve to say something about bursting into tears. That's what girl juice makes one DO!* I was just thinking that with 13 retrieved, and about a 60% fertilization rate from that, and then a third of those fertilized being viable...well....that wasn't going to leave me with too much. *YES...I KNOW...it only takes ONE...I swear, the next time someone tells me that, my head will explode. I've been working with at least ONE a month for the last 10 years and we all know how THAT'S obviously been working for me....*

Anyway...so, I got home and slept. Talk about sore. That's all I'll say. Oh, that, and I'll also mention how fun the Endometrin *supplement* is. NOT.

Today my nurse called me and told me that in Incubator 23 rested our 6 embryos. 13 follicles were retrieved, 12 eggs were mature and 6 fertilized. Which is lower than the 60% statistic. If they fall to the same statistic of a third being implantable, then basically we are looking at 2. Which IS what we planned to implant. And, as John pointed out, leaves us with no decisions (though they've already been made) to make about unused embryos should this first cycle work.

So, here's to God being in control of all of this. I SO like it better that way!