Blood Test Results

So, I was convinced that I would be getting bad news yesterday and as it turned out, I am pregnant. My beta levels were a little lower than what I'd feel comfortable with, so I'll remain cautiously optimistic, but at least we still have stake in the game. When I was pregnant with Myer, my first beta was in the 300s. Currently my beta is only 85, but I'll take that over 0 any day. I will go back on Friday to see if the number has doubled. I would really like to hear it has climbed to 200 though. That would make me feel a lot better about things. As for symptoms, I have not experienced anything other than maybe some waves of fatigue. This is very different from what I remember about Myer so I'm taking it one day at a time. However, there were a lot of different factors between the two cycles. First, Myer was a fresh day 5 blastocyst. We transfered two embyros with his cycle and I'm convinced that both took at first, but one quickly arrested. As for this cycle, I transfered two frozen day 3 embryos so the circumstances are all around different. From what I've read online (because I do that a lot these days), there really shouldn't be any difference in the way or time it takes the embryo to implant, but I've just got to think that one that is two days behind may be a little sluggish. At least that is what I'm hoping for. I guess I won't know til Friday's results though. Until then, I'm pregnant and will cherish the thought. Thank you to everyone for the positive vibes, warm wishes, and strong prayers. I really did need them this time!

The 2 Week Wait

As anyone knows that has gone through IVF, the two week wait is by far the worst part of the whole process. It seems like the daily shots, raging hormones, or financial pressures would surpass the angst of a waiting period, but these 14 days will mentally break you down. Every little twinge in your stomach or sleepy yawn could be the symptom you are ready to claim as a viable pregnancy symptom. However, most pregnant women at this stage wouldn't even know that they are pregnant so trying to link something like a keener sense of smell to pregnancy hormones is basically impossible at this point. What I've learned is that you just really do have to sit and wait for the doctor to read the blood test results to you on Day 14 because no matter how much you try to justify that it did or did not work, you will only be speculating and that is not worth your sanity. So, with that said, I sit and wait for another 8 days...but who's counting? The transfer procedure went about as perfect as it could go. Our 3 embryos all made it out of their frozen state successfully. We had 1 8 cell; 1 7 cell; and 1 6 cell. We chose to transfer the 8 and 7 cell because they were further along. However, the 6 cell embryo looked good too, but our initial plan was to transfer 2 and let the 3rd continue to grow and divide. Well that 3rd embryo kept growing and eventually made it to a stage that the doctors felt comfortable enough refreezing it. Therefore, we have one embryo in the bank left in case we need it sometime in the future. If nothing else comes from the refrozen embryo, at least it gave me encouragement for the two that we had transfered because that "poorer" quality 6 cell embryo proved that it was strong too. So, like said above, there is not much to mention during these next 8 days. It really is just a waiting game. I am still taking my progesterone shots in the muscle. Thanks to Lindsay for being my personal doctor with this. I am also on Lovenox and baby aspirin. None of this really bothers me though because I know it will all be worth it in the end. Now, I just need to make it there!