Egg Retrieval Update

Here's what happened at Egg Retrieval today.

We got to the clinic a couple of minutes before 6:30 am.  We were the only ones there.  We waited for about 20 minutes before being called in.  A nurse went over the usual questions with us, health, drugs, etc. We found out that we were the first procedure that morning, but it was going to be a busy morning with 8 procedures lined up.  Two retrievals (including us), and 6 transfers.  When we were done, we were brought into the recovery room where I was asked to change into a gown, cap and booties.

Vicky, the nurse anesthetist came in and went over some more questions.  She walked us through the process and explained that I will be receiving a mild sedative, Propofol actually.  Yup, the same drug that Michael Jackson died from, but of course I would be closely monitored.

Then Dr. M, came in and went over my chart with us.  He asked if I had any issues retrieving eggs during my prior IVF cycle, and I said no.  Dr. M told me that based on my ultrasound scans, my right ovary was in a difficult location and there is a chance we would not be able to retrieve eggs from it.  He would have to go through the uterus to extract the eggs, and he didn't want to do that.  He wanted to leave the uterus alone.  That came as a shock to me!  Not once did any of the nurses or ultrasound techs mention anything like that to me.  Dr. M reassured me that, 80% of the time they can still retrieve the eggs by manipulating the other organs around a little, but he wanted to give us a heads up that there is a chance we may not be able to retrieve the eggs from my right ovary.

I do remember at one of ultrasound appointments at a different clinic, the tech did mention that one of my ovaries (I don't remember which one) was in a weird location, behind the uterus I thought he said.  Dr. M reminded me that IVF is not a race to get as many eggs as possible, but the goal was to get the best quality eggs.  He's experienced a time where he retrieved 30 eggs but no pregnancy, and one where he got 2 eggs and still have a successful pregnancy.  I totally understand it is all about the quality of course, but still.  When you have more eggs to work with, the odds of getting good quality eggs increases dramatically.

When we were done meeting with Dr. M, my Babe and I kissed and said good byes.   Babe was off to the Andrology lab and I was sent to Procedure room 1.  The first thing I realized was the room was warmer and more comfortable than the other rooms.  Vicky had me hop on the examination table and she covered me with a very warm blanket.  It must have come from an oven or heated cabinet because it felt really warm and comfy.  An IV was put into my vein, the sedative injected, and before I knew it, I could feel myself feeling drowsy and that was it.  I was out like a lightbulb.  I don't even remember the nurse putting on the oxygen monitor on my finger or the heart monitor stickers.

The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room with my Babe in it.  Dr. M stopped by to tell us they retrieved 8 eggs from the left ovary, none were retrieved from the right.  My body will ovulate the rest of the eggs on the right ovary.

Recovery was fine.  All I wanted to do was sleep, but the nurse gave me some water because I was so thirsty.  I was stuffed up this morning from allergies so I was given some meds to dry up my sinuses, which also made my mouth super dry I could barely talk.  Then they gave me some liquid Ty.lenol (Yuck, I hate liquid meds of any kind!) for my slight pain.  The next thing I know, they had push in a wheel chair and I was getting dressed and getting ready to leave.  The whole time, I just wanted to lay down and go back to sleep!

We were out of the clinic by 8:30 and home by 9 am.  The only thing I wanted to do was crawl back into bed.  But before that, I went into the bathroom and threw up my liquid Ty.lenol.  I felt better after that.  I brushed my teeth, took my first does of tetra.cycline, and went back to bed.  I got up at noon and had something to eat.  I took some more ty.lenol as I was feeling some soreness, plus I remembered that I had thrown up all of the tyle.nol I took in the morning.

So here I am, recovering from my egg retrieval.  I have to say that I am really disappointed with only 8 eggs retrieved.  Looking at the number of my follicles from the last ultrasound on Wednesday, I truly believe I would have been able to get an additional 8 to 10 mature eggs.

With only 8 eggs, how many will fertilize?  And how many will make it to day 5?  Will I have any embryos to freeze?

I should be getting a call on Sunday on the status of my eggs and how many fertilized.

I have to remind myself that God is in control, and He knows what is best for me.  I have been praying that He will provide the perfect number of mature eggs, the perfect number of eggs that will be fertilized, the perfect number of embryos that will make it to day 5, and the perfect number of embryos (if any) that will be frozen.

I believe and trust that everything is in God's hands.

I'm going back to bed.