19 weeks!

We're one week closer to the halfway point! And we also found out some exciting news on Monday. After a nearly two hour u/s appointment, we were told the genders of the babies. Looks like we're gonna be blessed with a boy AND a girl! It was exactly the news I was hoping to hear. :)

Here are some photos from that scan:

Baby A - It's a Boy!

 

 

Baby B - It's a Girl!

 Nothing much else has changed. They are growing strong and actually measured 20 weeks 2 days (about 11 days ahead of schedule). The doc said that doesn't change my due date but I have a strong feeling they'll be here before the 17th of Oct. We shall see!

18 weeks!

Today marks the start of week 18! It's been an interesting experience thus far. Over the last few months, so many things have happened. Let me just say this first - I will admit that I had no clue about the changes my body and hormones would go through. I never assumed it would be easy but I certainly did not think it would be so uncomfortable. In the first 10 weeks, my biggest complaint was the lack of energy and occasional spotting. I did not mind taking my afternoon naps...in fact, I really enjoyed them. The midwife and physicians told me that spotting was nothing to worry about so long as it did not get worse. Then around 11 weeks, the back aches were full fledged! I could barely walk in the store for 10 minutes before I started hurting (and I'd pay for it when I got home!). The only way I dealt with this issue was minimal movement or stress on my body. Fortunately, this seemed to lessen a lot by the time I hit week 15. Then it happened - I could no longer sleep on my back and was forced to become a side sleeper. Before pregnancy, I preferred to sleep on my stomach or back...sleeping on my side was rare. Now that I have to do it, I hate it. It took me several days to find the right position and get comfortable. A month later, I'm doing better but I still have my rough nights. I'm just praying I'll get use to it cause I've got about 22 weeks to go.    

As far as eating habits and morning sickness go, I don't feel like much has changed. I like to graze and eat small portions all day...seems like I'm hungry every 2-3 hours. I was fortunate enough to avoid morning sickness and only went through a little nauseous for a few days in the 1st trimester. I found removing artificial sugar from coffee made all the difference with that. I still crave salty and sugary foods, some of my favorites being McDonald's French Fries, Quaker Tomato and Basil rice cake chips topped with onion and chive cream cheese, and of course, ICE CREAM! Dairy Queen or store bought, I'm not biased. My favorite meals have been pancakes with bacon and BLT's with avocado....yum.  


The one thing I am really enjoying about the pregnancy right now are the babies movements. Every day I feel the bubbles rising in my tummy, mostly in late morning and afternoon hours. I am so ready for the day when those bubbles turn into real kicks so Erich can start experiencing it with me. :)

We've got a couple of appointments next week - the anatomy scan on Monday and then our biweekly check-up on Wednesday. This is when we'll find out what we're having! I've had dreams about having a boy and a girl, so it would be sweet if that came true. I'll post on FB and in my blog after we find out!

Crazy Coincidences

So a funny thing has been happening to me lately. Every time I go somewhere, I seem to meet someone who is a twin. When I was around 12 weeks, I had to go into Darnell's Women's Clinic for a quick check-up. The nurse called me back to take my vitals and after I told her we were expecting two, she told me that she was a twin. A few weeks later (right around 16 weeks), I had to go back to the hospital to meet with a nutritionist. After we sat down in her office, she explained to me that she was a fraternal twin - just like ours! Then today, I took a quick trip to Walmart to stock up on some stuff. While I was checking out, the cashier and I started talking about my pregnancy and she said that she was a twin. Huh....so crazy that all of a sudden I've met all of these twins and all in the same month. It makes me feel so much more comfortable with the idea of having multiples because all of these people appeared to have come out just fine. Whatever the reason, I'm happy to know that we'll get to be a part of this special baby club. :)

 

16 weeks!

Today, Wednesday May 2nd, officially starts week 16 of our pregnancy. According to one site, they are about 4 1/2 inches long and weight over 3 ounces. The crazy thing is they are supposed to double in size in the next few weeks. I'm actually pretty excited about that, tho. So far I feel like I'm barely showing (if at all), and it would be nice for people to see that I'm pregnant. 

Another new thing I've noticed are slight movements. I think that's what I've been feeling...some times it's hard to tell the difference between gas, hunger pains, and baby. It started a couple of days ago and the only way I can describe it is it felt like carbonated bubbles in my tummy. I guess I'll know for sure as I get further along. I just cannot wait for the day when I finally feel them kicking and moving. I may end up regretting that statement but I don't care. Even on the worst of days, pregnancy is amazing. 

I don't have another doctor appointment until next week but I was able to get some pictures from my last visit, which was taken at 15 weeks. Check out both their heads and one of the babies laying on its side. :)

 

Drum Roll, Please........

As some of you may already know from phone calls or Facebook posts, Erich and I are expecting!! After years of trying, hoping, and praying, we are finally pregnant. The first round of IVF was successful, so much so that both embryos attached and now we know we are having twins. :)

Here is the first u/s at 7 1/2 weeks:

 

It's hard to say how happy the both of us were the day we received that phone call from the infertility nurse. I had gone in earlier on the morning of February 13th for my pregnancy test blood draw. We tried to keep busy the rest of the morning and afternoon but after hours of waiting, still no call. I was beginning to worry that the news was going to be bad and started preparing myself for word that it did not work. Around 4pm, the nurse called and said she was still waiting to get the lab results back but would keep checking until 5pm. After I hung up with her, Erich and I talked about taking an at home test - we were both so anxious to know if I was pregnant. After some convincing, I finally went and took the test (but was too scared to look and told him we had to walk away for a few minutes just to make sure it worked correctly). Then the phone rang. Literally moments after I peed on the stick, she called back. The first words out of her mouth were, "Well, I have the results. Congratulations, you're pregnant!". I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I asked, "I'm pregnant?", and she said, "Yes, you are pregnant". I started crying as the relief of finally knowing left my mind and body. I asked her what my HCG number was (the level of the pregnant hormone that is present after conception). She said it was very high, above 3,000. Ah...relief. That is great news!

Once I hung up, Erich and I hugged. I cried some more, he was smiling from ear to ear. We were so excstatic for the next several moments that all we could do is smile and express our joy. We were finally going to be parents! 

Over the next couple of weeks, we kept the news at a hush. I felt like it was safest to wait until I was further along before we told the rest of the family and our friends. Given the fact that it was so difficult just getting pregnant, I did not want to take any chance of spreading the news before I knew all was well. Our parents and siblings were so happy for us. My grandmother told me that she was so excited that all she wanted to do is call her closest friend and siblings to share the news...but she didn't! I must admit, keeping the 'secret' was so hard because we were surrounded by family and friends those first couple of weeks. I found myself struggling a bit but knew it would be worth it in the end. Thankfully, we made it to week 11 and after a thorough check-up and ultrasound, we could not wait any longer. We got so many congrats from the people who care about us most....it was an amazing feeling. :)

Now that I am one day shy of 14 weeks (the start of my second trimester), I feel like everything is going to be okay. The babies are growing and have strong heartbeats. Even after a slight scare, they hung in there and are doing so well. My paranoia is lessening every day but I still have my moments. I guess that is to be expected after all of the ups and downs we have faced with infertility. I thank God every day that he has blessed us with this gift, the life of our babies. We have waited so long for them to come along and cannot wait to meet them. 

For anyone else who has suffered with infertility, please know that miracles can happen for you, too. Whether it happens naturally or it happens with an IUI or IVF treatment, everyone deserves to have a family if that is what they long for. I had my moments of doubt - that is a normal human response. It has not always been easy - we have cried and felt the pain of not getting pregnant for almost 3 1/2 years. But that 'one day' came around and now we are so lucky to be having two kids....how crazy is that?!?

I plan on continuing my blog throughout the pregnancy. I will post more photos and u/s shots, as well. Keep checking back for more updates!!   

The IVF process - Days 24 thru 27

It's Monday morning, the day after our embryo transfer and things are going well. Let me catch everyone up to speed by sharing what has happened up until this point. 

On Day 21, I had 11 eggs retrieved in total. Of those 11 eggs, only 1 one was found to be immature - essentially, it was not capable of being fertilized and thus no good. The remaining 10 eggs were fertilized - 5 through InVitro (sperm was directly injected into the egg) and 6 through natural means (sitting in a dish with sperm allowing them to fertilize naturally). The following images show how this process worked as well as what the eggs looked like as they began developing. 

Fertilization by injecting sperm into the center of the egg

All 11 embryo's - they are at various stages of cell division

The two embryo's that will be transferred

Of the two embryo's the doctor will transfer, one is already beginning to hatch

An image of my uterus - the bright dot in the center are the two embryos

Today marks day 27 and as per my doctor's orders, I'm on 24 hour rest. I'm not restricted to the bed but I have to take things easy. My plan is to do that for a couple of days just to make sure my body is recovering correctly. Since we are about 6 days into the process, the egg or eggs should implant around day 9 - that is on Thursday. I have to go in for blood work two more times and continue taking my progesterone shots until the pregnancy test is completed. They said that when I do get pregnant, I will have to continue with the shots. Can't say I'm too happy about that but it's well worth it!

From this point forward, I plan on keeping everything to a minimum. When we do get pregnant (and I know we will!), I want to make sure everything is ok before we make any announcements. I promise to keep family and friends in the loop as much as possible. Y'all will definitely be the first to know when we are expecting. 

Keep all of those well wishes and prayers coming our way. And thanks for all of the encouragement each of you have given us through this entire process. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful doctors, family, and friends. :)

The IVF process - Days 20 thru 23

Today marks day 23 of my IVF treatment process. On day 21 (Tuesday, January 24th), I went into the hospital around 6am to start the egg retrieval procedures. When I first arrived at the Day Surgery center, they had me undress and get into the hospital gown. About an hour later, a couple of nurses entered my room to ask some questions and begin my IV drip. That part was not as painful as I expected but the bruise it left is pretty big - I'd say about the size of a half-dollar.

Once they IV was in place, I rested for another 20 minutes or so and then two of the surgery doctors came in - one to explain the retrieval and lab process, the other to go over anesthesia. Within minutes of their departure, another nurse came into the room so we can head over to the OR. At that point, I had to kiss Erich goodbye so he could take care "of business" and I could get my part underway.

Never having surgery or anesthesia before, I was a tad nervous - the heart monitor and blood pressure machine picked up on that. The anesthesia nurse was wonderful. He comforted me, told me that was normal, and started asking me about school. The last thing I recall was staring at the clock so I would know how long I was in there once I woke up and a nurse saying, "We'll see you in a bit, Sheley". That was it. All of sudden, I'm being woken up by another nurse saying hello and wheeling me into a large room with a couple other patients. I came too fairly quick and felt little discomfort from the retrieval. 

Before we left, my doctor came into the room to discuss everything that happened. He was pleased to say that they retrieved 11 eggs (YES!) and that we were off to a good start. I was very excited to hear that news!

On day 22, I received my first call from the doctor handling the lab and fertilization process. He was happy to report that out of the 11 eggs retrieved, 8 of them were showing signs of maturity and were what he called "activated". He said they would now start looking at how well these fertilized eggs were going to divide. On day 23, I got my second phone call and again, it was positive news. Of the 8 fertilized eggs, they were starting to divide into two. He also said that two of the non-active eggs were showing signs of fertilization. He said those eggs would be slightly behind the others but as of now, we had 10 eggs to work with. 

Just to show you what those stages look like, I'll share a photo I found online (I'm in between days 2 and 3):

When he calls tomorrow, I hope to hear that all of those eggs have split again and that they will contain between 4 and 8 divisions within them. He anticipates that we will have more than enough eggs for implantation and should be able to schedule that procedure for this coming Sunday. Hopefully, we'll have plenty of extra that can be cryopreserved for future use - I'm almost positive we will! 

I am also getting daily shots of progesterone now. My doc has me injecting 1cc of the liquid into the muscle, which is never any fun. On top of that, I'm continuing to take my aspirin, prenatal vitamins, antibiotics, and another pill called dexamethasone. 

Here is what the progesterone shot looks like: 

So now we wait. I am feeling so great about everything that has happened thus far. I could not have asked for better results. I pray that one of the two embryos attaches and we are pregnant very soon. I will keep everyone posted and will share how the implantation goes after Sunday.

The IVF process - Days 18 & 19

Great news! I got a phone call from my doctor's office Friday afternoon and based on my ultrasounds, they bumped my egg retrieval up two days. Yes, I go in on Tuesday morning!! I can't believe this moment is finally here. It's like I can breathe a little better...we're getting closer to having a family of our own. What could be sweeter?!?

Starting today, I'm taking my last lupron and hMG/FSH shots. I also have to take my hCG trigger shot tonight. hCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that the body releases after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining. For my infertility purposes, the shot is suppose coincide with final maturation of my follicles.  

Here it is: 

The only downside to this shot is it has to be injected into my lower back/upper rear - that one usually hurts. But, I know the point of the process is to get pregnant so I'm willing to take these moments of pain and discomfort.





My next post will be on Wednesday. I'll share what happened with the egg retrieval then.

The IVF process - Days 13 thru 17

Well, a lot has happened since my last post. I had two ultrasound appointments this week - one on Wednesday and one today (Friday). On Wed, my doctor was very happy with the size of my follicles. In fact, he said they were growing much faster than he anticipated. They decided to lower my hMG/FSH shots to 150 iu in the morning and 75 iu in the evening. My second appointment was this morning and to my surprise, it seems like they are considering pushing up my egg retrieval. My IVF calendar has that scheduled for next Thursday, however, since one follicle is ready and several more are very close, it looks as though I'll be heading in for that by Monday or Tuesday. I'm still waiting on the phone call with their decision. 

Even though I'm feeling a little anxious about everything, I'm super excited everything is ahead of schedule. Playing the waiting game sucks and it gets harder as the month goes by. If we do the egg retrieval early next week, it is likely that my implantation could happen a couple days sooner, as well. YAY!  

The IVF process - Days 10 thru 12

Today marks day 12 of my IVF treatment process. Up until this morning, I've been taking daily injections of Lupron along with baby aspirin and prenatal vitamins. I also had two ultrasounds and so far, all looks right and my body is responding well. 

It also marks the start of my second injection, Merional a.k.a. hMG/FSH. This drug is used in infertility to help stimulate follicular development. It is a prepared mixture of hMG (human menopausal gonadotrophin) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). According to my calendar, my doctor has me taking 150 iu of Merional, which is equivalent to two boxes (shown below). The first step - draw enough saline liquid from the two viles until the needle shows 1.0 ml. The second step - fill the liquid into the first 75 iu vile of Merional. Once the medicine is dissolved, the liquid is drawn out and placed into the second 75 iu vile of Merional. After the medicine is dissolved, the injection is given into my belly. Thankfully, the needle is a 25 guage so it is short; that typically means less pain and hopefully little to no bruising. The worst part about this injection is that I have to take it twice a day - once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. Let's just say I'm not a big fan of blood or needles.

I'll continue to take all three injections over the next 9 days. Fingers crossed, they work as expected and I do not ovulate before the egg retrieval. I have my third and fourth ultrasounds later this week. I'll keep y'all posted on how those go. Wish us luck!!

The IVF process - Day 6 thru 9

Well, I just got home from my second ultrasound and all is good! The doctor is very happy with the lining and counted at least 8 follicles, 4 in my left ovary and 4 or 5 in my right ovary. He also went over some of the details regarding the egg retrieval and implantation processes. The worse case scenario: none of the follicles have viable eggs, meaning we have to wait to start over next month. The only other worse case scenario is that the procedure does not work, but I'm trying to keep that thought out of my mind so I can stay positive. It will work. 

My next ultrasounds are next week - one on Wednesday and one on Friday. I pray that all looks just as good as it did today and we can continue as planned. I have to be honest, as corny as it may sound, I really feel good about this one. I really think that we'll only have to undergo one IVF and will be pregnant by February. Whatever prayers and well-wishes y'all are sending, they seem to be doing their job ------- thank you (and keep 'em coming!). 

The IVF process - Days 2 thru 5

Today marks day 5 in my IVF treatment process. Up until this point, it has been fairly easy. I stopped taking my OCP on Saturday but continue to take my prenatal vitamins, baby aspirin, and Lupron shots. For the rest of this coming week, it'll be the same as far as my meds go. As far as my body goes, well that may not be as pleasant. I've taking OCP every day since October 19th and already I'm begining to feel major pre-period cramps. I also woke up feeling crappy because my sinuses are acting up. Thank God I do not have to leave the house for any reason until Wednesday.....here's hoping I'll be better by then.

Aside from IVF, things are going alright. I'm nearing the last two weeks of my current course. I think our Christmas/New Year's break came at the right time because I was starting to get that burnt out feeling. Now I'm ready to go and cannot wait to get going on my next class. It's crazy just thinking about the fact that I'm only a year away from graduation. When I decided to go back to school in '09, I thought it was going to take forever to finish. Time sure has flown! In a lil more than 12 months, I'll be walking away with my Bachelor's in Human Services/Management. Go me, Go me, Go me! haha :)

The IVF process - Day 1

Today officially marks the start of my IVF treatment. Leading up to this point, I've been taking prenatal vitamins and birth control pills on a daily basis. Starting this morning, I began my first round of injections. Here you can see my IVF calendar, listing each medication I have to take every day through February 14th. 

 My first injection is Lupron, the shortened name for Leuprolide. It is a drug that is used to treat all kinds of medical illnesses or ailments. For persons dealing with infertility, it is suppose to help suppress my body's LH surge (a hormone that triggers ovulation) until my follicles are mature. As one site puts it, it puts my ovaries to sleep so I do not ovulate before the doctor can retrieve my eggs. Fortunately for me, this needle is very tiny and can be injected in my belly. It barely stings and is over within seconds. 

For the next several days, I'll continue my usual combination of OCP, prenatals, baby aspirin, and Lupron injections. Starting next week, I'll begin a second round of medications - hMG/FSH. These will help stimulate follicle growth and maturation....we can get more into detail on that next time. :)

Is it wrong????

I want to know......

Is it wrong to be annoyed by people who constantly brag about their fortunes in life or complain about the dumbest crap?
Is it wrong to get frustrated with my husband when he leaves wet footprints all over the bathroom floor? 
Is it wrong that I prefer to spend more time at home with my husband than with anyone else?
Is it wrong to want everything to be perfect and by doing so, put so much pressure and stress on myself that I get flustered?
Is it wrong to have high expectations?
Is it wrong to feel this way?


I think it is just one of those days. I feel like any little thing will irritate the shit out of me. The problem is when I start venting, it just sounds like I'm doing the same thing that annoys me and that just pisses me off even more. I guess I'm just overly sensitive. I try to remember that it is wrong to feel jealousy and envy. I should be happy for my friends and family. Then again, I'm only human and I think we are allowed to let those moments come and then let them go. That will be a new personal goal for 2012 - never begrudge another person's happiness, let the small things go, and try not to beat yourself up too much. 

The first day of a new year

Happy New Year, friends and family. I hope all of you had a great time celebrating and aren't too hungover from all of the festivities. I must admit - I stopped drinking after one glass. I don't know if I drank it too quickly or too early after eating but I ended up feeling bad and decided to quit before it got worse. This only proves my theory that I am not much of a drinker and as I age, can deal with the consequences less and less. Why would anyone consume something that makes them sick? It just isn't as much fun as it use to be. 

Anyway, now that I'm done ranting about alcohol, I'd like to think my first day in 2012 went alright. I did not have to deal with school work (I'm on break!), my hubby got up early to get my newspapers and coupons (Hooray!), and all of the Christmas decorations are down and back in their crates (I rock!!!). As lazy and quiet as it was, I feel like I got a lot accomplished. 

The countdown has officially begun for my IVF treatment, as well. I start my first round of meds on Wednesday - Lupron shots. Then things really get crazy in a couple of weeks because I'll be adding more shots and pills to the mix. I just hope my body reacts well and I don't get crampy, moody, or whatever other side affects they possibly cause. If that happens, I'll just keep reminding myself about how lucky I am that I have a supportive husband who doesn't mind spending thousands of dollars just for the chance at being a parent. Thanks honey. I love you. :)