Surgery Went Well

Happy Halloween, ya'll! 

I'm sitting here eating a Snick.ers candy bar as I write this.  We are not handing out candy this year, but we bought a bag of candy just in case kids showed up.  But instead of handing out candy, I'm eating them myself.  I'm only having one.  Ok maybe two.

Surgery went well this morning.  We were concerned about the heavy fog this morning but it was all cleared up by the time we left the house.  Traffic seemed to be heavier than usual though and there was an accident on the way to the hospital.  But we left early enough to get there early enough for our 8:30 am check-in with about 10 minutes to spare.

Went through the usual check-in procedure - paperwork, insurance, etc.  Then we were shown the waiting room and told that I would be called after about 15 minutes.  After waiting about 45 minutes (I should have checked with them earlier), a nurse came out to tell me that I was early and my surgery was not until 12:30.  My clinic screwed up on the timing!  I was a kinda mad, but I was too tired to do anything about it.  The good news was my doctor was possibly running early on the earlier surgeries.  So we just waited.  I told the nurse I had to pee if we were going to have to wait again, and she showed me the way to the bathroom.  While there she said she would have me produce a urine sample as well.  She asked if I had ever had my tubes tied or had a hysterectomy.  I said no.  Any chances that I could be pregnant?  I said no.  I told her I am still slightly bleeding from my period.  In fact, I had 2 periods in 10 days, I told her.  Still she wanted a urine sample.

I was finally called into the pre-op prep area.  The nurse had me change into a gown, cap and socks.  I told the nurse that I was still bleeding slightly/spotting and she gave me a pad, and one of those "super sexy grandma-ish one-size-fits-all" disposable underwear.  I was styling!  The gown was also pretty cool.  It's a special gown called "Bair Paws".  It was made of a special paper material and attached to a hose that blew in warm air into the gown.  There was even a special remove control that you can control how warm you wanted the air to be.  That was the highlight of my stay I think.  I didn't take a photo of the gown, but here's a photo of the remote control.  I did find a website about it.

The nurse asked me lots of questions including all the meds I take and when.  I told her about Lu.pron and and that I was adopting embryos and will be having a FET in November.  She had never heard of embryo adoption and thought it was so cool.  I was very happy to be able to tell her about embryo adoption.

Later, I met the anesthesiologist and we went through the usual questions again.  I mentioned how the last couple of times, I had nausea at recovery even though they gave me Zo.fran.  Plus I had also thrown up after I got home.  They decided to give me a nausea patch for motion sickness too.  A lot of times the drive home makes the nausea worse.

The nurse put in an IV line in my arm.  Later a nurse anesthesiologist came and injected some pain and meds and something to relax me in my IV line.  I said good bye to Babe, and was wheeled into the OR at noon, half an hour earlier than my original scheduled time.  I was feeling a little loopy already.  They put an oxygen mask on me, injected my anesthesia meds, and I was out.

Unlike my prior experiences, my recovery went very well.  I woke up feeling pretty good.  I was not awakened suddenly and multiple times by the painful squeezes of the BP cuff, or jarring noise of the BP machine.  No nurse yelling loudly at me asking me how I was feeling.  I was not desperate for the nurse to leave me alone and let me sleep.  I was not nauseated and feeling like I was going to throw up when the nurse raised me higher on the bed.  She did ask me a few times my pain level and gave me more pain meds as needed.  She asked me if I thought I was ready to sit up, or if I wanted some more time to rest.  I told her wanted more time, so I took another short nap.  She gave me iced water and some crackers. She was nice and I didn't feel rushed.  I felt pretty good.  

Soon it was time to sit up in a chair.   Babe came in to be with me and not long after, it was time to get ready to head home.  I went to the bathroom to pee, and put on a pad and one of those "infamous" hospital underwears.  Babe helped me get dressed, and I was wheeled out in a wheelchair armed with a plastic ziplock "puke bag" provided by the hospital.  Just in case.

I got home feeling good all the way.  No need for the puke bag.  Didn't puke when I got home either unlike the last couple of times.  I had some leftover comfort food from dinner last night and went to bed.  I napped for about 4 hours.  I started feeling some cramping so I took another dose of the pain killers.  It's important to manage to pain before it starts to become a problem.

So all in all, I had a good day.  I might even sneak in a couple more candy bars later.  And now I'm off to relax and watch a movie with Babe.  

Good night, everyone.  Hope you had a great Halloween celebration!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers!

Surgery Tomorrow AM

In less than 12 hours, I will have a hysteroscopy to remove my polyp in my uterus.  Surgery is scheduled for 10:30 am, and check-in is at 8:30 am.  The weather is forecasted to have heavy fog with about a 1/4 mile visibility.  This will make our drive to the hospital challenging.  We'll have to leave earlier to anticipate bad traffic.  I had to call my doctor's office yesterday to make sure it was OK for me to have surgery with a cough.  I had a cold about 2 weeks ago.  That went away, but then I started coughing, and it's been lingering since then.  It's gotten a lot better, but it's still here.  Doc says it's not a problem as long as I am not feeling bad and don't have a fever.

I've had two periods in 10 days.  I finally started my period on Saturday 10/19 after it was a no show (plus a little drama that included peeing on a stick) and starting BCPs.  Then I took my last BCP on Friday, 10/25.  I was fully expecting that I would not get a period this time since I had only just had my period.  But nope, my period came on Monday.  I'm still not done with my period yet, but my clinic has said it was fine if I was still bleeding during my surgery.  So, that's good.

I had my baseline ultrasound and blood work done today.  My lining was 4 mm which is good.  Katie called this afternoon and told me I am all good to go to started Es.trace tomorrow.  I take half a tablet in the morning and half in the evening.  I am to start fasting at midnight tonight (no food or drinks), but I will take a tiny sip of water to take my Es.trace in the morning.

Babe took me out for dinner tonight at my favorite Asian restaurant.  Kind of a "last supper" before the surgery.  Just kidding!  It was so that I can order enough food that we have leftovers to bring home.  I know that I will be starving and craving comfort food after the surgery.  

However, based on how my past surgeries turned out, I'll probably come home and throw up from the effects of anesthesia first.  Then I'll feel better and eat my first meal.  After that I'll probably sleep off the rest of the day.

I'll do an update tomorrow when I feel up to it.  I would also appreciate prayers for my surgery and recovery.  Thanks ya'll.

Weird Dream

I woke up to a weird dream this morning.  I will be having my surgery to remove my polyp a next Thursday.  My surgery is scheduled for 10:30 am, so I have to check in at the hospital at 8:30 am.

I dreamt that it was the morning of my surgery.  I overslept and woke up at 9.  I was frantic because there was no way I could make it to the hospital in time.  I was going to miss my surgery!   For crying out loud, now I would have to cancel my November transfer!  I don't remember if I even tried calling to hospital to work things out.  I just remember feeling frantic and angry that my transfer was going to be cancelled again.

What is the deal with my dreams?  Like Babe said, most of my dreams involve me being in frantic situations.  Why can't I just have happy dreams that I wake up with a smile on my face?

October 2013 ICLW

Hello again, ICLWers!

I'm a couple of days late on ICLW this week.  Hopefully I will be able to catch up on commenting.  Welcome, if this is the first time you are visiting.

This next month should be a pretty exciting month for me.  Before the November ICWL, I will hopefully have had my transfer of my adopted embryos.  My transfer is currently scheduled for November 20th at the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) in Knoxville, TN.  I was originally scheduled for a transfer in September, but two days before I was supposed to hop on the airplane, we found out that I have a polyp in my uterus.  So sadly that transfer was cancelled, and I am currently scheduled to have a hysteroscopy & polypectomy to remove the polyp on October 31st, yup Halloween.  After trying for almost 10 years, including multiple rounds of Clo.mid, IUIs, surgeries (this will be my 4th hysteroscopy!) and 4 rounds of IVFs, AND turning 40 in August, I have to wait yet again.  But this is best as we want to ensure that my body is in the ideal condition for the transfer.

I am excited as we have started our protocol.  I started BCPs last week after a bit of a drama, which included taking a pregnancy test.  Took the test on Thursday, started BCP the same day and my period started on Saturday.  I started "loopy Lu.pron" yesterday.  Next week, I will have my baseline ultrasound on 10/30, and my surgery on 10/31.  And if everything looks good, I will start my Es.trace on 10/31.

For those of you new to my blog or to see how I got here, swing on over to my "Our Journey So Far" page.

I Took A Pregnancy Test

Yup, you read that right.  I took a pregnancy test today.

No, let me rephrase that.  I HAD to take a pregnancy test today.

You may remember in my last post I mentioned how I was a little concerned because I am supposed to STOP taking my BCPs (birth control pills) next Friday 10/25.  But I have not even started taking them yet because I still have not gotten my period since I stopped taking Estrace on 9/18 when my September transfer was cancelled.  I had asked Katie, the NEDC IVF nurse about it last Friday when I received the protocol.  She was not worried about it and said it is fine as long as I start my BCPs when my period started.  So, a week later and still no period, so I called Katie today and asked her about it again. Since it has been a month (minus one day) since I stopped Es.trace, she told me to take a pregnancy test, just in case.  If it was negative then start the BCPs today.  Well, I'm pretty sure I am not pregnant.  I even told Babe that I'd bet $100 that I'm not and he refused to take me up on it.  Smart guy.

I had to run to Tar.get to buy myself a pregnancy test kit.  Gosh I don't even remember the last time I bought one since I have always been pretty adamant about not peeing on a stick after my IVFs.  I think I threw out the last kit I had since it had long since expired.  I bought the cheapest Tar.get brand kit I could find.  Well what do you know.......I'm not pregnant.

So I started my BCPs today.  I will be taking it for only 8 days, and then will stop.  My period is supposed to come after that, and hopefully I will not still be bleeding (if I get a period at all) when I have my surgery on the 31st, 6 days later.  So, today was kind of exciting.... me taking a home pregnancy test.  I almost forgot how to do it and had to read the instructions again.

I had an interesting day yesterday.  When I cancelled our trip out to Knoxville in September, we had to cancel our flights too.  We currently have about $550 in credit with Delta airlines for those tickets.  Someone on the Face.book embryo adoption/donation group suggested I try calling Delta to see if I can get my rebooking fee of $200 per person waived due to medical reasons.  So I called Travelocity whom I booked our travel package with to see if I could do that.  After being on hold for about 15 minutes, I spoke to "Mike", and then was transferred to "Jerry".   We all know I was neither speaking to a Mike nor a Jerry as I was quite obviously speaking to someone in India!  I asked "Jerry" if I could speak to someone about waiving my rebooking fees as I had to cancel my travel plans due to medical reason.  I explained to him my procedure was cancelled due to a medical reason, and I had to have surgery first.  He asked why I didn't tell them about it before when I cancelled back in September.  I said nobody asked me why I was canceling.  I had only heard about Delta sometimes waiving fees due to medical reasons after the fact.  Then he put me on hold and contacted Delta.

He came back and asked me to provide information about the hospital and doctor information.  I tried to ask him which information he needed, the clinic where I was supposed to go for my transfer in Knoxville, or the hospital that I will need surgery from.  I have to say I was getting pretty frustrated and annoyed because not only was I having a hard time understanding him, he kept interrupting me.  I finally gave him NEDC's info and Dr. Keenan's name and clinic information.

The next thing he said totally surprised me.  Because I said "National Embryo Donation Center" and "Southeastern Center for Fertility and Reproductive Surgery" (Dr. Keenan's practice), he said don't worry ma'am', everything will be alright.  I was taken aback for a bit.  Did he just say what I thought he said?  He said him and his wife has gone through that before and everything will be OK, whatever "that" means.  He put me on hold again and spoke to Delta on the other line.  I kept thinking, don't tell me everything is going to be alright.  You don't know that everything is going to be alright.  You don't even know what I am going through.  What did YOU go through?  IVF? Donated eggs?  Adopted embryos?  Maybe things turned out well for you, but does not mean it will for me!  I was starting to get really annoyed.

When he came back, he said he will transfer me to someone from Delta and they will waive the rebooking fees.  Again he said don't worry ma'am, everything will be alright.  I was ready to hang up on him, and was so happy to finally speak to someone from Delta instead.   I know that "Jerry" said that with good intentions, but I didn't want to hear it from him.  Especially when he knows nothing about me nor what I am going through.   I think it was unprofessional of him to say something like that.  What do you think?  Babe thinks it was no big deal, that "Jerry" could relate since he had similar experience, and was probably just trying to be helpful.  I still think it was unprofessional.  Maybe I'm being too emotional.

Well at least the good news is I now don't have to pay the $200 rebooking fees on those tickets when we are ready to use them.

And FedEx brought this today.  My 14 day Lu.pron kit.  I start on Monday.

We Have A Transfer Date!

Sorry for the silence.  Been waiting for an update from Katie the NEDC nurse with the November protocol.  I finally got it on Friday.  So here's the deal.

My transfer is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20th.

I start Lu.pron next Monday, 10/21 already.

Baseline ultrasound and Estradio lab work is only 10/30.

My hysteroscopy/polypectomy to remove my polyp is on Thursday, 10/31 (yup, on Halloween!)

Ultrasound before transfer is 11/14.

Felt like nothing was happening, and now suddenly everything is happening quickly.  I ordered my Lu.pron kit today and should be getting it on Thursday.  I picked up my BCPs at Target today. I'm supposed to start them when I get my period, which till today is still a no show.  I took my last Es.trace on 9/18, which is 27 days ago.  I'm a little concerned, but Katie said as long as I take it when my period starts I'm OK.  I'm praying it will start soon.

Based on my protocol, I'm supposed to stop my BCPs on 10/25.  I'm worried that even if my period comes anytime soon, I may only be on BCPs for a few days.  Then my period is supposed to come (I hope!) but I need to have stopped bleeding before my surgery on 10/31.  Feels like it may be cutting it close!

This cycle feels a little rushed, with trying to fit in my surgery, and my period being a no show.  Also, I am stressing out a little about our trip to Knoxville.  Flights have gone up $200 per person for November, and with our cancelled flights in September, we will have to cough up another $200 extra per person for rebooking fees with Delta.  That means we will have to pay and additional $800 just for our flights.  That is also assuming my body responds properly and my uterus lining cooperates and is thick enough for transfer.  If not, then we may have to postpone the transfer for a few days.  Meaning we may have to change our flights again.  And spend more money.

Babe is suggesting that we should drive out to Knoxville this time.  That way, if we are postponed again, we have more flexibility, not have to cancel our flights and pay another $200 rebooking fee per person.  I'm thinking maybe that is not be such a bad idea.  Except for the part where we have to drive 14 hours to Knoxville.  Each way.  A total of 28 hours on the road!

I have a bit of time yet to decide.  I may just start looking at hotels for  now.