"We" Made It!

Yes, I said we, as in my two beautiful (in utero) snow babies and I!  That has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?? ;) We are home safe and sound and feeling great!

Here's what happened this morning:

Dr T spoke with my MIL and I first (she was my moral support today since my husband had to work---PTL for her!).  He let us know they thawed two embies and they both survived the freeze/thaw process beautifully.  He showed us pictures of them (we both were tickled pink to see them looking so healthy and happy! lol), and gave us "grades", or quality, of each.  One is bigger than the other because it is slightly further along in the developmental process, and it is already trying to "hatch out" of it's little shell (more on hatching later).   It gets graded as an AA.  The other is smaller (but still gorgeous!), still very healthy, but not at the same stage and needed helping hatching out (called "assisted hatching", which is done by using a laser to make a tiny hole in the shell).  It's graded with a BC.  Dr T was very pleased with our snow babies, and he thinks they both have an equally great chance of surviving once in the womb!  Yay!

So, next I was taken back to the same area where the egg retrieval was done back in June.  I had to strip down and put on that very attractive gown again (note the sarcasm, lol).  Luckily there were no IV's or anything this time, since there was no sedation, so once I was beautified, I was taken back to the operating room for the procedure.

I'll save y'all the gross details, but once "in position", the embryologist came in with our little ones and assisted Dr T in verrrrrrrrry slowly guiding the syringe through my cervix, into my uterus, and then dropping the kiddos off in the predetermined perfect spot!  They have be extremely careful not to touch my uterine wall, because any bleeding or cramping of the uterus can cause the embryos to be flushed out.  (Umm, no thank you!  I have a little time invested in those puppies; I'd like to keep them, please! lol)  But he did a fab job, and there was no bleeding or cramping---thank God!  It was AMAZING to get to see this tedious process...the precision it takes, and the care and concentration of Dr T and his crew.  They are all so wonderful!  Once they put the embies in my uterus, they had to check the syringe under a microscope to make doubly sure one didn't get left behind (it didn't, but if it did, they would just have to go back in again), and then the hard part was over!  None of this was extremely painful, except for the pinch of the speculum and when he enters the cervix, but after all the procedures we've done in the last two years, I'm used to this discomfort and hardly even flinch any more! ;)

Next, Dr T surprised me (literally, I was not expecting it AT ALL) by telling me, "Ok, I'm going to drain your bladder now with a catheter."  Now, I'm a nurse, and I have to cath people all the time, but I've never had one put in ME!  Now I know exactly what they're feeling!  Ouch!  It's not fun, that's all I'm gonna say! lol  Once my bladder was drained, which I was thankful for since it had to be full for the procedure and I was busting at the seams, I was ready to be taken back to recovery, where I stayed with my tush elevated on a wedge for thirty long minutes.

After my thirty minutes were up, I received my discharge instructions (bedrest for three days, no stress, no tub baths, no sexy time, and keep on my same medicine except start a baby aspirin tomorrow), and was free to go!

So, here I am again, inhabiting the big fluffy chair in our living room!  I have a huge stack of magazines, some Kindle books, and some shows on the DVR---I'm all set for the next three days!

Everyone's been asking how I feel, and, honestly, I feel great!  I have a small headache from having the stand on my head for thirty minutes (lol), but no pain, cramping, spotting, or anything like that!  I am completely relaxed and ready to let these embies do their thing now that they're back in familiar territory!

So, what's next??  The next two days, the embryos will continue to hatch out of their shells.  Once they do, they'll (hopefully) latch onto my uterine wall (which was nice and plush today--PTL!) and start to implant!  The implantation process takes a few days, and then when they're burrowed nice and deep into the lining, they will start to secrete the hormone HCG, which is what is detected in a pregnancy test.  I'll have my blood pregnancy test drawn eleven days from now...which means September 24th could be the day we find out if we're expecting!  Eeeek!  Technically, I could attempt a HPT before the eleven days are up, but these tests tend to only detect higher levels of HCG (think 25 mIU in the HPT as opposed to 1 mIU in a blood test), so it may be wiser for me to fight the urge to POAS and just wait for the 24th!  I can do this; I can be strong...I hope! lol

Before I get back to my couch-potato activities, can I just take a minute and praise God for all He has done and all He is doing??  The peace and comfort He gives His children, the skill and knowledge He blesses the doctors with, the miracle of conception itself...our Father never ceases to amaze me, and I know there are only more blessings to come!  It's mind-boggling, really!  All I can do is thank Him for getting us this far, keeping us strong and focused, and for allowing us to a part of something so miraculous and precious!  Man, GOD IS GOOD! :)

P.S.  Thank you all for the prayers!!!  I could honestly feel the outpouring of love in your texts, emails,  and comments, and I know God was/is answering your prayers, even as we speak!  Ahh, It's enough to make a hormonal girl cry! lol  I love you all, and I am so grateful for my little prayer warriors!

P.S.S.  New countdown: T-minus eleven days!  Yippy!!