21

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And just like that, we are gearing up for IVF round 2.
I spent a little time reflecting on the results of the first round.
Obviously the news was a tad shocking; we expected to get at least ONE embryo.

But in hindsight, I should have just listened to my gut.
I was trying to will something that simply wasn't going to happen.
I could tell that their slow growth meant problems, but kept trying to look past it.

And since we all know I watch our dollars closely, it wouldn't really have made financial sense if we did have a sole embryo to biopsy. The price to biopsy 1 or 8 is the same, so we would have been betting a lot of money with its success.

After the retrieval, I was put on a twice daily regime of Endometrin.
These progesterone suppositories help transition out of recovery, support my hormones accordingly, and ward off my next period until the timing was right.

But of course my body had other plans.

The original plan was to discontinue the medication today, heading into the RE for my baseline ultrasound and bloodwork Friday.

But last Wednesday I started getting cramps like I was going to get my period.
I got nervous, thinking it might be a late round of OHSS (ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome), but the next morning I noticed a bit of spotting.

I immediately emailed my nurse about what I saw, asking what side effects I should expect from Endometrin.
She said she thought I was having break-through bleeding, so if it developed fully, I need to get in to see the nurse ASAP.

Of course nothing happened that day, but the second I arrived to work Friday, all hell broke loose.

SHIT! I exclaim, in the bathroom stall....not realizing another girl was in there with me.
It's already 8:30am at this point, and I figured the entire morning would already be booked with appointments.
So I'm hanging around the bathroom sink for far too long, hoping this other girl will just LEAVE already, but she keeps going on and on about the weather in broken english, and I am doing my best to be cordial but also not overly talkative because DAMN LADY....I need to make a phone call m'kay?!

Out she goes finally so I call.
Leave a voicemail.
Send an email.
Wait.
She emails back to say I need to get in ASAP.
I try.
I can't get at the local facility until noon.
Email back nurse. Is this too late? I won't have same day blood results.
She replies, You need same day results to confirm there aren't any problems.
Crap. Call back and plead my case to the receptionist that I NEED TO GET IN BEFORE 11AM.
She tells me I can come in and they can try to squeeze me in but no guarantees that I won't be there for 2+ hours waiting for an opening.
Nurse emails me back...the Crystal Lake location has a 10:45am opening, can I make it?
YES.

I run to my boss, tell him I have an emergency, need to leave for 2 fucking hours so I can make the appointment in time, try to cram in all my work for the day in the next hour, bolt out the door, make it to the appointment, draw blood, wait for the lovely ultrasound tech to do her thing.....

and then I hear the loveliest phrase ever uttered to an infertile....

I see at least 20 little follicles, my dear.

My heart skips a beat.
Really? How can that be? The last round I think I had.....8... maybe?

She checks.
Yes, your stimulation meds must have done wonders! You have a lot more this round!

I waltz out the door on Cloud 9.

Afterward, I spoke to the nurse who confirmed there was nothing wrong with me, although the cause of my period is still a complete mystery.
I was told someone who had progesterone levels of 9 should not be getting their period.
But I did.

I continued those meds through Sunday with a follow-up baseline this morning.

And my official results?

21.

I have 21 wee little baby follicles just waiting to get pumped up and (hopefully) turned into mature eggs.

To remind folks, last cycle I had 8 follicles.
During stims, that number bumped up to 15, so I can only assume the additional 7 were immature, and upon retrieval, they grabbed 6 eggs.

The prospect that I could end up with double digit eggs in this cycle is making me giddy.
This could be our golden ticket cycle!
21 was my golden age, and sort of a lucky number in my life, so who knows?!

I start injections this Friday!
Here goes Round Two!

Thanks for reading! XO