Transfer

IMHO, transfer could use some more drugs. It was invasive. It was uncomfortable (the whole full bladder thing SUCKED!) It took longer. All of which could be cured with some happy drugs flowing through an IV.

I got up early and went to acupuncture first. That appointment started out relaxing but turned into making me feel trapped. It is one thing to have needles stuck all over and be enjoying the sounds of the crashing surf. Quite another to have needles stuck all over, listening to the crashing surf and HAVE to use the bathroom. I guess that I should have asked for the sappy flute music instead.

At the clinic we were whisked away to the surgery center. And so continued the battle of the full bladder. I really think that the bladder doesn't have to be all that full (heads up to you IVF'ers that are right behind me). I peed several times and what remained was still enough to position the uterus and give a clear ultrasound picture and cause me much misery.

Hubby dawned scrubs. I dressed for the event in my lovely green gown-with tee shirt and bra on underneath this time. They told me to take my Val.ium. Dr James Taylor (because that was the music he requested be played in the surgery room) came and introduced himself. Lots of nurses came by to sign forms and check wrist bands. I continued the eternal debate of going to the bathroom.

Dr Cupcake played the role of embryologist and came by and talked to us about our embryos. We were surprised to learn that an additional egg had fertilized, bringing our fertilization count up to 11. But that the new addition had not survived and we still had our original ten. Two were picked out to transfer. I was a little foggy (remember I had already taken the Val.ium) but I believe that one was graded BD and the other BB (the BD being the one more fully expanded of the two). That left eight embryos remaining in culture. Of which half looked viable for freezing, though no one would know for sure until the next day.

Hubby and I went back to the surgery room for the actual transfer. We were warned that the room would be dark (apparently embryos don't like light. . . just like gremlins!) and cold. It was. But I had lots of warm blankets around me. Hubby was taken to the incubator and allowed to look through the microscope and see our embryos in real time. He was told by the embryologist that our smaller embryo had grown quite a bit in the last hour and was now also an offical BD. Meanwhile I enjoyed less entertaining activities of having my feet placed in the stirrups, my warm blankets rearranged, speculum inserted, cervix cleaned, and cleaned some more. Hubby came back to my side. They loaded the Cather. Inserted it. Released the embryos. Embryologist checked to make sure the Cather was clear. And then started the clock on my one hour bed rest and time before I could got to the bathroom. I was wheeled back to the recovery room.

I am so embarrassed. I couldn't make it for the hour until I could go to the restroom. I ended up using a bed pan as soon as I was allowed. The nurses were nice about it. But I still feel like I might die of shame.

After an hour laying down with a pillow under my knees, I was allowed to get up, use the rest room, get dressed, and leave. I spent the rest of the day at home on bed rest.