Baseline #1 and Frostie 'relocation' photos.

Today was my first "Baseline" for FET #2.

I've gone back to the first RE I ever had back home in the Milwaukee area.  There were just too many things pissing me off at the clinic in Waukegan.  The billing department is run by a crazy lady that lies to me face. on voicemails and the phone.  I was done.  Too many charges and too many screw-ups.  (Remember them putting in the wrong embryo in 2011???)

I'm back now to the same doctor I saw to have my last two IUI's, the second which led to my first of two ectopic pregnancies.  Now no one is perfect.  While this clinic is hours closer (i.e: 20 minutes from my new house) and more than 1,000 bucks cheaper, it seems to have a couple nurses with heads up their butts.  For the last month or two one nurse has been telling me my FET transfer date would be 3-5 days later then it actually should be.  I may not have a nursing degree but I have done this a few times-- apparently they have not???  I had the dates I assumed confirmed today by the RE.

Anyways, today was my baseline.  The new clinic does things a bit differently then my old clinic.  It makes me nervous because last time worked.

These things include:

• Hardly any meds.  I take BCP, estrogen pills and Progesterone in Oil (PIO).   The last clinic was that with the addition of medrol, tetracycline, progesterone suppository, lupron, low-dose aspirin and probably something else. . . 
• This clinic does not do blood tests during the baseline u/s. 
• There is no hand written specific plan made out for me with individualized dates.  Just a generic form I could have printed off their website.  
• We have yet to have training for the PIO.  Not that we haven't done that shot a billion times, but it was 2 1/2 years ago and we could use a refresher. 
• No OTC Ovulation Predictor kits (OPK).

Between all those things and my RE almost canceling my FET this cycle, I'm a little concerned and stressed. Yep, all because he clearly never even looked at my file to see that I have a HUGE hydrosalphinx in my right fallopian tube.  He thought it was a giant cyst and declared that I'd be going back onto BCP for another month.  I asked him if he was perhaps looking at my hydro.  Yep, the u/s tech was.  DUH!!!!  He then said it could still be a problem with pregnancy.  I asked how that could be so since I had my tubes disconnected back in 2010?  

Yep, didn't see that either.  

How exactly is this supposed to make me feel more comfortable?  

It's not that I'm expecting a lot from any clinic.  I just want to feel as though I am an individual patient.  That you took TWO SECONDS to look at my file and see some SIGNIFICANT areas that should be addressed.  Especially since I just laid down $3,000 upon entering your clinic and hauled both of my embryos over 100 miles from my previous clinic to yours.  (See below). 

The boys wishing the safe journey to their fraternal "twin" embryo siblings.  Well, the container anyways.  I was on the way to pick up the frosties.  Sorry--they never sit still.

The fro sties in their mobile storage device.  Cruising with Mom along I-94N and the scenic side streets to their new home in Milwaukee.  Welcome to WI embies!

One last smooch before they leave me again to go into the deep-freeze in their new (temporary) home.

Back to the baseline Results.

Well the FET is still on for the approx. date of Oct 8th.  I will have another baseline u/s on Oct 2nd to make sure everything is a "go".  My lining looked good--and I had no cysts ;)

Perhaps he will remember me next time--or at least glance at my file before he walks in.  One can only hope. 

A day without stims. . .

10.9.10

I spent my early Saturday morning driving to the RE for the 7th day in a row. They took my blood and did an ultrasound--again. Nothing out of the normal but we knew it would be Monday or Tuesday for the ER.

On the way home Dh and finally stopped at this "pancake house" we pass each visit to the RE.

It. was. awesome.

I had raspberry compote and cream cheese stuffed french toast with bananas on top. DH had a huge veggie skillet with hash browns underneath. If the eggs don't want to be made into babies for a piece of that in their future-- I don't know what else to do. :)

After a few hours we go the call.

My test results are listed on the side bar again. But in addition to that, they told me, "You're coming in Monday." AHHH Crazy!! It is time!!!

My egg retrieval will be this Monday at 9:10am. I need to be there by 8:40am to get settled and ready so that they can get started exactly 34 hours later. Hopefully, the eggs/follies won't have release before then!

I will have IV "twilight" sedation. I will also be wearing my lucky socks, my "exchange necklace", my horseshoe necklace, my feather (honeymoon gift) necklace and anything else I can find that will be lucky. Anyone else have thoughts!!?? :)

They told me I was DONE with Lupron, Gonal-F and baby aspirin. The only shot for the night was 10,000 units of HcG at 11:10pm.

Other guidelines include:

• No "sexy-time" until the ER.
• East and drink nothing after midnight Sunday.
• NO perfume, lotions or fingernail polish.
• DH needs to be there to make his "fresh deposit" and drive me home.
• Wait for call from anesthesia office to call with info.

After the ER on Monday, they will check out the eggs and fertilize them with DH's sperm. I will have to decide tomorrow whether we are doing ICSI or not. I prefer NOT to do ICSI unless we only have very few eggs or very low quality sperm. In light of all the 'technical and medical' interventions we have had to go through so far, I'd like to at least keep the fertilizing step up to mother nature--kinda, I mean, it's still happening in a dish. But, I think you get my point. I'd prefer not to have the selection of my child chosen by some nurse I've never met. I prefer the "throw them all together and see what happens" method.

After they have fertilized the eggs-now embryos (which ever method) we wait to see how they grow and divide. They will call me by Tuesday before noon. (See: I will be freakin' out all day until I know). At that point we will have information about how many eggs were successfully fertilized, what grade the embryos are, and how many they suggest putting in (we hope for at least two). If there are only a few embryos we will most likely do a "day three transfer" which would be Thursday. If there are many to choose from that are all progressing well, we will do a "5 day transfer" also known as a "blast transfer".

I will not post again until tomorrow after the ER. I hope all goes well and that my original 43 follies turn into some great numbers tomorrow. Wish me luck-- I'll see you on the flip-side. . . probably ten pounds lighter! :)

In the middle of the last week. . .and in the middle of nowhere.

(Above: "Steve").

My DH and I are on our annual wedding anniversary camping trip. This year we celebrate being married for two years.

We camp each year because that is pretty much how we spent our honeymoon; camping across the Western U.S. This trip, we have set up camp in Peninsula State Park in good 'ol North Eastern, WI. It's awesome!
They have Lake Michigan surrounding the park, hiking and bike trails, good food, little shops, camping spots, and the people are pretty friendly around here too. Today we went kayaking across the lake, soaked up some sun, swam, and fed "Steve" the chipmunk.

And schanzy as all of this is, I just keep thinking how I have 4 more days until I can test! Or at least during the down times, that's what I think about. "Za Goat(s)" have now become "Blastocyst" and "Embryo". We talk like they are in there. . . and all we can do is hope and pray that they are.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, DH! I hope we give each other the best gift EVER!