Relief!

Thankfully, the nurse called this morning and I can get started with this cycle! She was faxing the authorization and would then get the medications ordered, and in the meantime would call in a prescription for the birth control pills that I could pick up at a local pharmacy and start on tonight. Relief!

still in limbo

Today appears to be Day 1 of my cycle, so I called the office and talked with a nurse. She had SOME good news for me... the 2nd possible person that was in line for these embryos has decided not to use them, so I assumed, based on the doctor's email, that all should be a go for me. There is still this one person ahead of me, and NOW the concern of the office apparently is that she needs to be ready for her transfer before me. I told the nurse that from the doctor's email, this other person has already begun their medications, so surely I could begin mine without that concern. She needs to check with the head nurse and will call me back tomorrow, but if it's fine she'll get the medications all ordered, however she said this other person has JUST begun so she is not sure I should start so quickly. ARGH. I still don't understand.... even if we were BOTH ready for transfer on the same day, they could simply schedule her's first and have mine following, and if when it got to me they didn't have embryos left then I'd be out of luck.... which we all know wouldn't happen because once again there are TWELVE embryos! Ok, breathe... the protocol is to begin birth control pills the first day of your period, and 5 days later I think it is begin the injections. She said that it's fine to not begin the pills til tomorrow, so as long as they give the go ahead and call me tomorrow I can get started. If I don't hear from them by about 10am I'll be calling them!

Thankful for a new day

I heard back from the doctor already... here is his response:

The problem is we never know how many of the embryos will survive thawing. We know that overall about 95% of embryos survive thawing in our hands but we have on occasion seen a group of embryos from a single source not survive. The good news is that although there are two patients ahead of you, one is already on medication and should be done in a few weeks. The second one looks like she may drop out. If that occurs (or if we don't hear back from her) then I will let you start on medication even if we have not completed the other transfer. This is so long as you understand that you could end up taking the medications but not end up having a transfer.
SART data cannot be used to compare fresh vs frozen. The data does not take into account several important factors 1) The stage of development of the embryos when frozen 2) The quality of the embryos 3) The number transferred - this is hinted at by the "avg number transferred" but most patients fail to see that for any age group, less embryos are transferred. This will sig effect pregnancy rates. In your case, the fact that you chose to transfer one embryo definitely lowered the chance for success.

I am still frustrated but certainly feel better. At this point, when I get my period I will call and hope this second possible person has disappeared and I can start the medications.... it sounds like if she is in then I would have to wait, but if it's only the one other then I can start. At least that is how I read this.

I had also questioned him about his success rate with frozen embryo transfers.... that is what the second half of his response is about. I had read a ton of articles, etc., that stated that single embryo transfers were only about 10% less successful then double, but with this doctor's statistics it seems I need that extra 10% chance. I have a girlfriend that transferred 3 the first attempt and had 1 healthy baby. As much as the idea of twins terrifies me, I feel like I have to increase my chances.

Bottom line, it's a new day... thanks for all your kindness.

NOT PREGNANT

Most of you reading this already know via text message...
I'm over the hysteria of it (I think) and just emailed the doctor about moving forward. I'll post when I hear back from him.

tomorrow can't get here soon enough!

I strongly dislike waiting. Blood test is tomorrow, and the first 5 days post transfer went by quickly. Now I wish more than anything that I could snap my fingers and magically have it be tomorrow afternoon. I started following some other blogs/forums when I started this whole process, and another woman using donated embryos had her transfer the same day as I did, and her blood test is also tomorrow. Last night she posted that she went ahead and tested at home, and on the 4th test/attempt she got a faint positive line! Exciting for her, but oh how I wish I hadn't seen that, because at 4am I woke up needing to go to the bathroom, pulled out the one pregnancy test I still happened to have on hand, and low and behold did the test. Negative, nothing, nada. It's early.... it was a 5 day embryo and 7 days past transfer, add it together and it's like being 12-13 days past ovulation which is in the time period that home pregnancy tests are only so-so in accuracy. In other words, it doesn't really MEAN anything, so why did I do it? I know the true accurate result will not come until tomorrow's blood test...

Embryo all Snuggled in Place

As the grandmother I've been given the responsibility of guest blogger for tonight. After a night of storms and an early morning of lights flashing in the hall, fire alarms sounding and a fire truck outside we were lucky that the rains stopped and traffic was light for our trip downtown.

I think I was a little nervous. At the parking structure I stepped into the elevator, pushed the button for floor 15 and as the doors closed I realized Julie hadn't gotten in yet. She hollered to me to push the button. Hmmm What button? I traveled up the the 12th floor and picked up other people who went to 17 I think before I could go back down to fnd Julie doubled over laughing.

We had a short wait during which time I picked up a magazine but really sat there praying. When they called her in I thought I'd be waiting in the waiting room but the nurse came back for me and said I needed to suit up for surgery. Oh!! I had to step into a rubberized jumpsuit, cover my feet and hair. The Dr had me sit near her head and he adjusted the screen so I could see the ultrasound.

I felt so bad for her because it was obviously uncomfortable and took longer than expected. The Dr said he could normally do three patients in the time it took to get the catheter to the right spot. Seems he had to tug on the uterus to get the kinks out or some such. After he took the catheter out they looked under a microscope to be sure the embryo had really stayed. Yup.

Thirty minutes of rest and the Dr said she could do anything she wanted to do. Some Dr's recommend bedrest but hers said just nothing strenuous. I had planned on driving home but when I told the nurse that city driving makes me nervous he mouthed to Julie that she could drive. Less stress that way. Jimmy John's had $1 subs today so first we walked a few leisurely blocks and got one for lunch.

At home she laid down on the couch and watched a movie while I napped. (wore me out) Now she's watching the basketball game.

So far so good. We appreciate your continued prayers and good thoughts. Jene

Done with needles after tonight!

It's getting close... less than a week away! Tonight I do my last Lupron injection (after doing them every night for over a month this is pretty exciting!) and tomorrow I start progesterone three times a day. I continue the Estrace pills also but starting tomorrow the dose decreases to 2 each morning and evening. The next time I post I'll probably have an embryo in my uterus! :)