This journey is over!

We found out today that we are not pregnant. We are very sad, but know that in good time our time will come. Thank you all for your love and support. Who knows what will come next.

Transfer Day

Transfer day was Thursday which was day 3 after the retrieval. Dr. Hurst picked the best 2 eggs and just like snapping your fingers they were inside. Brandon was with me the whole time and got to see the process step by step. I was on valium and a little loopy so he had some fun joking with me until the doctors came in and the jokes kept going. I was there for a total of 4 hours and went right to bed when we got home and have been in and out since. I am to be on bed rest until tomorrow morning and then I am still supposed to take it easy for 4 days. I am very excited about the outcome, but if you asked me today what I wanted it would be a big breakfast outside of my house and then more and more activities planned. I know I have to take it easy so Brandon is doing a great job of keeping me busy.

So Excited!

Yesterday was retirval day and Dr. Hurst hunted and retrieved 17 eggs. All went well for the procedure. I was in some pretty good pain while in recovery so I did get some demerall and nausea medicine. Brandon and I got home at noon and I slept off and on for the rest of the day. I woke up this morning and noticed the pain was better. The only side effect was a bad headache. So I will be taking it easy for the rest of the day. I just got the call from the nurse that of the 17 eggs 13 are fertilized and doing well. They think our transfer will probably be Saturday, but it could be Thursday and they will let us know tomorrow.

Yesterday felt like my wedding day all over again. I was so excited to feel like this journey is really starting and our family is growing. Thank you to everyone for all of your love and support.

Week before Retrieval

So the week of 3-1 through 3-7 is the one where I am fertilizing my eggs with 3 different shots a day in my stomach. It really isn't too bad. On my 3-3 ultrasound things looked great. They want at least 3 follicles (1 egg sac is in each follicle) on each side to appear that it is growing in hopes to be a good healthy egg on the day of retrieval. I had 6 on the left and 5 on the right. They are hoping to see more tomorrow or that the 11 they already see are continuing to grow and be healthy. On 3-8 if everything goes as planned we will have my eggs retrieved, inseminated and placed in safe keeping to mature and then be placed back in me 3 to 5 days later.

I am so excited and have been busy as can be with Brandon out of town this whole week. As my friend Katherine said I am nesting. I have cleaned/organized the garage, hall closet, linen closet, underneath kitchen sink, underneath master bathroom sinks and so much more. Including hanging curtins, painting furniture that needed updating including one piece for the side porch that I painted and placed Brandon's rock collection from when he was a kid around the edge. I miss Brandon so much, but he is having a great time with family friend TR in Colorado snowboarding. It has been a great week for him to be out of town because I have been so productive.

The next 3 weeks will be a long waiting game, but we plan to keep busy and try and think about anything other than IF WE ARE PREGNANT.

First round of shots

I began my first round of Lupron which is a drug that shuts off Ovulation. I inject this very small needle into my stomach. It is a very easy process, but I do it at 9pm and I have been crashing around 9:30 and ready for about 10 hours of sleep. I will have 10 more different rounds of pills/shots that will add up to 2-5 different drugs a day until the end of March. For example I am on the Lupron once a day, but for over a week. Some of these will overlap and the needles do get bigger. Brandon and I are both very excited about the process. He leaves on Saturday for a week long Ski trip with family friend TR and I am looking forward to seeing some girlfriends who have offered to come by and sit with me while I am relaxing, taking care of myself and trying to create a healthy womb.

Two weeks ago a stopped drinking caffeine...it was hard (lots of headaches) but I no longer crave a Diet Coke a day. I have also gone off all of my previous perscriptions. It has been difficult, but again it is most important to create a happy place for our 2 eggs that will be implanted the second week of March. Then finally.....wait for it......I stopped drinking cold Turkey last Wed. I thought it would be hard, but it really has been nice. I had one last night with Adrianne and some bottles of wine. Since then it has been water, lemonade and every once in awhile non-alcoholic beer. By the way Brixx's has one that is very tasty.

My head is clear and I have to say all in all I am so excited about this IVF process. It is a very big step and I am confident that the outcome will be good. Being positive has been easy I am leaving the rest in the hands of my doctors. I couldn't do it without the love and support of my dear wonderful husband, loving family members and great friends.

2 Days until DRUGS

Well oddly enough I have been on birth control for the last 2 1/2 weeks. The reason for this is to improve egg quality for our IVF cycle. On Wednesday I start Lupron. This is a subcutaneous shot (small needle right under the skin) that I will take every evening for a week. The first shot of Lupron is like a checkered flag signifying the official start of an invitro-cycle. The daily injections which will begin seven days before my anticipated period and has the job of "turning off" natural ovulation. This allows my doctor to control the course of my egg development. I will be going into the doctors for my day 3 exams on March 25th which will tell them about how many follicles (1 egg is contained in each follicle sac) I have, and then along come more drugs. These drugs are fertilizers. From my day 3 test for about 8-12 days I will take daily shots, and with each passing day my eggs are getting more mature. The Dr. will be keeping a close eye on the development of the eggs with frequent blood test and sonograms. Two days before the retrieval of the eggs I will have one more shot that is a human chorionic gonadotrophin shot HCG. This shot is like pushing a button to activate ovulation. Then comes the doctor visit of retrieving eggs. The doctors are greedy they like to get between 12-18 eggs.

I am very excited about this whole process. Brandon and I went down to OKI this past long weekend for some rest and relaxation. Boy did we get it....due to snow we didn't have much options other than snow ball fights and picture taking of all the pretty houses, ocean and marsh. Brandon played golf on Friday and it was 40 degrees. I really didn't want to go ride with him for 18 holes, but I did and we had a great time. When we turned our cart in the Marshall said I was either crazy in love or just crazy. Brandon answered for me and said a little of both. Even though it was cold we took walks on the beach and played many rounds of Wii. I beat Brandon a lot. I guess being unemployed helps relax the mind.

Yes that is right Appliance Leasing is sold to a national competitor. I am happily unemployed and looking for work. The plan is to be off until April and hope that I can find work. For now I am taking care of number one and Brandon of course. Good thing Charlotte and Skippy can pretty much take care of themselves. I will be doing some volunteer work with organizations that I have worked with in the past. I am also very involved with the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association and am the 2010 Products and Service Council President. They have given me a 3 mo grace period to find a job in the same multi-family industry and still hold my position. It would be wonderful to stay on, but it is most important to find a good job with low stress so I can keep a healthy womb for the McGee baby or babies that we hope to deliver in December.

More to come once I get through the next 3 weeks.

In the Beginning.

We have decided to start the IVF process. 1-28-10 was day one of our 6-8 week long journey. Stay tuned for how the process works and our updates. We are hoping to know the size of our growing family 4-1-10. APRIL FOOLS. How appropriate. Our hope is for a healthy Christmas baby or babies.