Day 12 Stim Update

June 4, 2013

I have been doing four injections a day for 12 days now and going in for ultrasounds and blood work almost every day. I look like a drug addict with track marks in my arms from all of the blood work draws. To top it off my stomach looks like a nice punching bag full of bruises and red marks. I am not going to lie and say that Phase II is what I expected, because it certainly is not. From the injection freak outs to the extreme fatigue, the past couple of weeks have been a bit rough for me. Don't get me wrong some days were a cake walk and others were a nightmare, so the good days definitely got me through the bad ones.

The good news...today we received the word that we are ready for egg retrieval!! I have six follicles in sizes ranging from 12-24 mm's, a good amount considering I have diminished ovarian reserve. Tonight I triggered with HCG shot and took another injection of Gonal-F and antibiotics to prepare for the surgery. Tomorrow is my last injection! Well until the progesterone intramuscular shots come into play, but let's not think about please! The very thought of the needle increasing by three times the size is enough to make me pass out.

Thursday (June 6, 2013) morning at 6:45am my husband and I go in for the retrieval. Later that day we will know how many "good" eggs they were able to retrieve. Then each day after that we will receive a call telling us how the embryos are doing. Hopefully they make it to 5-6 days become high quality blastocysts and we can freeze them all! Then we will wait for the frozen egg transfer next month.

Through this process I have learned that I am stronger than I think. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be able to inject myself with a variety of hormones over 50 times in two weeks, I would have probably laughed at you and then kicked you! The strength that I've gained from this unfortunate circumstance is something that I am still trying to comprehend. Some mornings when I stand at the counter trying to push the needles into my stomach and I just can't find a good spot, I have to walk away for a second, shake it off and remember what I am doing this for. You never know what you are capable of until you are in a situation where you have no choice but to be strong. For this I am grateful.