Biopsy...

Today we had the phone call from the embryologist to tell us how the biopsy went. 7 embryos were tested!! I am so amazed that all 7 have made it to the testing!!! Praise the Lord!! 

We will have another phone call tomorrow telling us how the embryos have grown overnight and what the plans for transfer will be for Tuesday. Please keep the 7 embryos in your prayers!  

Pessaries and more embryo news...

Today at 8.00am I had my first Utrogestan pessary which can help reduce the risk of a miscarriage. This will be taken twice a day 12 hours apart. 

I have unfortunately come out in a full blown cold since my egg collection so am not feeling the best at the moment! I'm hoping I will recover from this as quickly as possible. 

At 9.30am we had a phone call from the embryologist who told us that 6 of our 7 embryos have divided and been graded as excellent. The 7th embryo has not yet divided but might well later on. So we have 6 little babies still growing strong. Please pray for health and strength for all the embryos. 

Egg Collection...

Off we went today at 6.00am for our egg collection! We woke up at 5.30am and got on the road. Arrived at Nottingham at 7.25am with 5 minutes to go! Today there was a great sense of peace resting on me (must be all them prayers!) 

We were called in to prepare for theatre and I felt perfectly calm. I dressed in my gown, fluffy socks and clogs. Filled in the form and had my blood pressure taken. I also asked for an anti-sickness drug this time that I hope will work! 

The anesthetist came in and spoke with us double-checking everything. Then before I knew where I was a nurse came to fetch me for theatre. So I walked down, what always seems like, a very long corridor to the room! I laid on the bed and the anesthetist began tapping my hand for my cannula. He attempted to insert the cannula but unfortunately my veins were too small so he tried the other hand. The cannula finally went in and before I knew it the drugs had been administered and I was out. 

This time however I did not wake up in the recovery room but began feeling a lot pain. I was vaguely aware of it until gradually I became more and more conscious of this horrific pain. I had woken up in theatre! Within a few more minutes I was wheeled into the recovery room and the nurse started to explain what had happened. Unfortunately I had bled and it was gushing so the Doctor was going to put stitches in. However he decided instead to put a pack inside and that explained why I felt such immense pressure down below. 

I was wheeled into the next room and they fetched Jason. Upon arriving the nurse told us that we have 8 eggs collected. Then the nurse said I had to remain lying down until the Doctor was ready to remove the pack. I was lying on the bed for 2 hours and the pack felt extremely uncomfortable. Though it was doing it's job! 

By 11am the doctor came back to remove the pack which was painful but then the pressure was released. I had to remain lying down for another half hour and then the nurse helped me to get up. I was checked several times that I had stopped bleeding and finally given the go ahead to get back home. 

We eventually got on the road at 1.00pm ish and got home at nearly 2.00pm. By this time I was feeling extremely queasy and nauseous as I had gone with only a ginger biscuit and a cracker for all that time. So my dinner was a plate of oven chips which really made me feel better! I still have to be careful with my stomach so plain food is the best. 

So after an extremely eventful day I am now under strict orders for complete rest and we will have regular phone calls daily to update us on the progress. Tomorrow we will know how many eggs fertilised. Keep our little babies in your prayers! 

Last injections and time of egg collection...

Just had a phone call this afternoon from the nurse at Nottingham with all the details for the next step! Tonight I will have my final Buserelin injection at an earlier time of 5.00pm to leave a nice gap for the HCG trigger injection. My HCG trigger injection will be at 8.00pm which will mature the eggs ready for collection.

My egg collection is scheduled for 8.00am on Thursday 9th October. We have to be at Nottingham for 7.30am (lovely early start!) I'm first on the list (same as in my first cycle) so I'll get it out the way with! 

Fourth scan...

Off we went this morning for our fourth scan on this wet and grey day! On the journey there I was extremely uncomfortable with pain in my right ovary and unfortunately hadn't packed any paracetamol! 

We pressed on though to arrive on time and waited for the scan! Finally we have been given the go ahead for egg collection (EC)! Sizes are really good ranging from 11mm (the smallest) - 21mm (the biggest) and we discovered why my right ovary is so painful. I have 3 large egg follicles, 21mm, 20.5mm and 18.5mm! 

So the plan of action is one more night of Menopur tonight just to give an extra boost of growth. Then tomorrow will be my trigger injection of Pregnl and I have to continue the Buserelin that night also but stop the Menopur. Then 36 hours from my trigger injection will my EC be scheduled (I will find out all the times tomorrow). On Wednesday I won't have any drugs to take so I will get a nice little break before my EC. 

So EC is Thursday and I am ready to go! Its 6 weeks since I started this third round of IVF and am really looking forward to getting this big procedure out the way with. 

Third Scan...

Today we went for our third scan at Nottingham. After two nights of 300IU of Menopur I thought perhaps this would be the last scan and had been psyching myself up for the egg collection. So after looking at my ovaries on my left ovary I have 11 follicles ranging from 9mm the smallest to 13mm the biggest and on my right ovary I have less follicles but bigger ones at 16mm. I was feeling a little disappointed when I left because I was convinced that today would be my last scan. However it is only day 11 since I started the Menopur and on my previous two cycles it took me 16 days on the first cycle and 14 days on the second cycle. 

So another scan was booked for Monday at 10.30am and I will continue taking 300IU of Menopur over the weekend. I am thankful for the all the eggs I have, I just began to feel a bit weary. Then I came across this Bible verse in the book I'm reading:
'And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint' ~Galatians 6:9

This has greatly strengthened me and the love and support from friends and family has been amazing! 

Second scan...

Today was our second scan at Nottingham. Things are moving along well, sizes are now between 7mm-15mm. The nurse has counted 16 eggs again! So it's going to be a big batch.

A third scan has been booked for Friday at 10.30am and my Menopur has been increased to 300IU (4 vials). So it definately looks like egg collection will be next week!