Retrieval aka “Fetch me some of dem eggs”

Forgive me but this post is a bit long.  I didn’t have the stomach after the egg retrieval to write what happened.  I needed an extra day to reflect and see where my heart was once I got the Day 1 update (which I will give in a separate post tonight as I am still waiting for the results call).

My retrieval was on 5/31.  It was my father-in-law’s birthday.  We had to call him up and put off our Bar-B-Que until next week. I did tell him to make an extra special wish if he had a candle to blow out.  He said, “I already did.”  Awwww shucks. 

By the time I went in for the retrieval I was feeling very full in the abdomen from the size of my huge ovaries. At last check I had 18 follicles over 10mm in size with 5 or 6 more that were smaller and tucked in for good measure.  I wasn’t in pain per se, but I was very uncomfortable.  It felt like when you have to pee to the point that your bladder aches.  Exactly like that, but on both sides rather than just in the middle.

MrBeep and I arrived at the clinic at 8:30 a.m. and were admitted to the back procedure room area.  A very nice nurse went over what was going to happen for the retrieval, answered all of our questions, and got me my warm blanket after I was gowned up.  MrBeep headed off to the “special room” to hit one out of the park.  Then Dr.C (the anesthesiologist) arrived, set up an IV in my hand (today I have no bruises or anything.  What a pro!)  He asked me about my previous response to anesthesia and I mentioned I’ve never had any problems or side effects in the past.  A nice lady in a face mask (the embryologist) came into my room to verify my name and birthdate.  She had really nice eyes and a great personality.  I felt very happy that she’d be taking care of my eggies.  MrBeep arrived back in my room and I gave him a big kiss for a job well done.  Finally, DocO came in to my room, grinning up a storm and ready to get things started.  He had a positive outlook despite my LH surge and said, “We’ll see what we can get in there.”  He wished me good luck and said he’d see me in the room. 

A few minutes later, I was in the procedure room and got a little nighty-night juice.  I don’t remember anything of the procedure at all.  I woke up back in my prep room, a little groggy but no different than if someone had woken me up in the middle of the night.  I was given some water and crackers, checked to make sure I felt fine and then the RE nurse instructed MrBeep on administering the Progesterone in Oil (PIO) shot.  It is an intramuscular shot in the buttocks.  It mostly just pinched a bit, but I was glad I couldn’t see it from my angle.  Then I was given the go ahead to get dressed.  DocO showed up a few minutes later, a lot less cheerful and said, “Well, we got 10 eggs.  We found that many of the follicles had no eggs in them.  This could have been due to the earlier surge, but we’re not sure.  We’ll call you tomorrow to let you know how many were mature and and how many fertilized.”

10.
Out of over 18 follicles.
Shit. Shit. Shit.

10 isn’t bad unless most are immature.  That is my big fear.  I’m so afraid they will call me on Monday and say that only 2 are mature or something that indicates I have some huge problem they couldn’t test or didn’t foresee.

I was really devastated. Did I ovulate a few of the eggs?  Was my dosage too high and I developed empty follicles?  My E2 level seemed plenty high.  What the fuck happened?  No one knows.  I was upset, I cried, but MrBeep got me calmed down.  He reminded me that we don’t know much just yet, that 10 isn’t a bad number and that it is likely that we’ll have to try IVF more than once.  I agreed.  I know all of this stuff, but I’m not a robot and I still have hopes and emotions and he isn’t the one who has a weeks worth of extra hormones raging through his system.  Arrrrggghhhhh. Feh.  I did slip a bit and started crying again, but my sweetie reminded me that those ten need all of the positive energy we can send their way.  We agreed to do a silly dance for them.  He had the perfect one picked out - “Cantaloop”. 

I did calm down.  I took many deep breaths.  I realized that I was very lucky compared to some.  So I pulled it together.  I made him take me out to breakfast and I had the best blueberry pancake I have ever eaten in my entire life.  We relaxed, we laughed.  By the time I got home again, I felt much better.  My ovaries were sore and I waddled around a bit, but I managed to make it through the rest of the day. I read, watched a movie and eventually made it through the night.