Where do I begin?!

Wow, it has been entirely too long since I last posted.  Part of the problem is that October is probably the busiest month of the year for us, and this year even more so!!

First, an update on the A-Bies: I have had 2 ultrasounds since the last time I posted about them.  One was with the RE for a final check-in on their progress, and the second one was with the Ob!!  I finally graduated to the Ob.  See the following ultrasound pics for the most current update.  I have another ultrasound scheduled for this Thursday to check on Baby A.

I am going to split this post up, because there is just too much to recount from October!

Baby A is still lagging behind at 7weeks 6days, its sac just isn't growing quite right, but we still have hope, its heartbeat was 145!

Baby B is looking good and measuring almost right on schedule.  B's heart rate was 162bpm!! Nice and strong!

This is the ultrasound picture from my first Ob appointment.  There are definitely still concerns about Baby A, you can tell how developmentally behind it is (measuring 8 weeks 1 day).  Baby B "looks fantastic" according to the Ob and is measuring right on schedule at 9 weeks 0 days.  Both babies have good, strong heartbeats.

The exciting Part II . . .

So, as I said yesterday, last week's ultrasound showed an empty sac A and a yolk sac, fetal pole, and visible heartbeat in sac B . . .

Look what we have this week!!!!!!!

Baby A has appeared from nothing!! We now have what my parents call "The ABs (ay-bees)".

Baby A's heart rate was 121 as demonstrated here. B's was 127. They said normal is between 120 and 180, so they are on the low end of normal.

Baby B's solo debut!!

Baby A's solo debut!!

Both babies are measuring behind, but I think they are within the one week margin? We go back in for one LAST ultrasound next Tuesday. If everything looks okay, and the ABs are still growing, they will graduate me to the OB!

This is the best birthday present ever! I turn the big 3-0 this Friday, and was dreading it, but this makes it all better!

I'll be back soon with some more posts. I have a lot of photos in my camera of things that I meant to blog about, but October is the busiest month and I just haven't had time to unload the pictures!

And the results are in . . .

Sorry for the delay!  We had our ultrasound last Tuesday, and then left the next day for a wedding in Washington DC, so there was no time to scan and post photos!

Our ultrasound went pretty well.  Everything was in its right place, which was the main thing they were looking for at such an early ultrasound.  They actually found 2 sacs, as you can see from the photo!  BUT, A appeared to be empty.  B was there with a fetal pole, yolk sac, and a visible heartbeat.  However, it was too small to get a read on the heartbeat, so they scheduled another ultrasound for today (October 12th).

We also found out at that appointment that I have the Rh factor, which just means that I will have to get a Rhogam shot at 28 weeks, and after the birth if the baby/babies are Rh positive.

Baby B was measuring behind a bit, but we are hoping he/she will catch up!

Empty Sac A, and Baby B (it's hard to see that anything is in there on this ultrasound pic).

This is the picture showing the measurement of Baby B, you can barely see that anything is even there, because the measurement line is covering the fetal pole.

Exciting update to follow tomorrow . . .

2837

That's my second beta number.  We actually had to drive over to the Doctor's office to get it, because they never called us today with the results.

They gave me a thumbs up for the number, and said it was good.  But, in my head I was hoping for a higher number.  It's a doubling time of 55 hours, and they want to see between 48-72 hour doubling time.  I was hoping for closer to the 48 hour doubling time.  I'm still so eager for the ultra sound, that will tell me what I really want to know, and what I am most worried about -- whether or not it's ectopic.  They said that they couldn't tell from beta numbers, and we'll just have to wait for the ultrasound to ensure that the embryos implanted in my uterus and not my tubes.  I wish there weren't so many worry hurtles to get through!  But, at least I am supposed to go in on Tuesday for the ultrasound, so I won't have to wait another week to know what's going on inside!!

I should just be happy that I'm pregnant and that the hcg is doubling as it should!  That's all I can be for now!

Aaaaarrrrrrrrrggggh!

I have been on pins and needles all day awaiting the results of my second beta . . . I asked them to call me before 3:00.  Two-thirty rolled around and I still hadn't heard any news, and was on my way to a different work building.  I had a meeting at 3:30 and still hadn't heard from the Doctor's office at 3:30.  I got out of my meeting at 4:30, walked outside, and my phone all of a sudden decides to let me know that I have 4 new voice mails.  The doctor's office had been trying to call me all day, and my phone - never - rang!!!!!  I had had it on vibrate in my pocket all day long as I usually do, and I kept checking -- full bars.

So, the secretary at my Dr.'s office left 2 messages saying she had my results and was trying to get a hold of me (duh!) and also wanted to schedule my ob ultra sound.  BUT, she didn't' leave the results in the message!  So, now I have to drive myself crazy for another 18+ hours thinking, maybe the beta didn't double, but maybe it did, but maybe it didn't?

I HATE MY PHONE!!!!

I guess I won't be drinking pumpkin beer this Fall . . .

because I'm PREGNANT!!!

I got my beta results from the doctor yesterday!  The conversation went like this:

RE office: Hi, this is Amy from Dr. M's office, how are you?
Me: (thinking, I know who you are, get to the point) Fine.
Amy: How are you feeling?
Me: fine (okay, why stall?)
Amy: Have you been taking a lot of home pregnancy tests?
Me: No, I haven't taken any.
Amy: Well, good, cause . . . you're pregnant!!!  And I can't believe you made me wait until 3:30 to call you!
Me: OMG!

Then, I ask what the beta number is and Amy says, "Well, that's something I wanted to talk to you about.  Usually we like to see the number around 100 (so I'm thinking, great, it's a low number), but yours is at 347!  That could mean that you have an embryo with strong hormones, or, it could mean that there are two in there!"  I said that I didn't care, I was just so happy that it worked.

It was so neat to hear how happy my Dr.'s office was for me.  It seemed as if they had all been waiting on baited breath to tell me.  I know that my case was discussed often at the RE's office, because I was a "tough egg to crack".  So, I imagined that they all gathered around and congratulated their work and my success!  At least that's how I like to picture it.

So, after I got the news, I drove to Chris' work to tell him in person.  He was expecting a phone call from me, so he was quite shocked to see me show up.  He said he didn't know if I was there for good news or bad, but I finally said, "It worked!"  He didn't show much emotion, but I think he's still in shock.  He said he's trying to be cautiously optimistic, which I understand, because there are A LOT more milestones to cross before we can rest assured that this is really happening!  But, at least it WORKED!!  I've NEVER been pregnant before.  This is the farthest I've ever gotten in the fertility process.

After I met up with Chris, we drove to his parents' house, and caught them just as they were about to walk out the door.  My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were both their with their twins as well (they live with Chris' parents for now).  Chris told them the news and I think they were in a bit of disbelief at first too!  My sister-in-law started squealing and making all kinds of plans for our children to have play dates and such, which was fun.  It was so neat to hear their excitement.  They were headed out to meet Chris' grandfather at Cracker Barrel for dinner, so we decided to tag along.  It took about 4 tries to tell Chris' grandpa the news, as he had to keep turning up his hearing aid.  He asked if it was natural, and I said "no." So, he said, "oh, you're adopting then?"  And, rather than try to explain it to him we decided to go with, "no, it's natural."

My mom was coming back in town on a flight at 8:30, so we decided to go over to my parents' house to wait for them.  We parked up the street so that they wouldn't see our car, and then we let ourselves into their house to wait.  It took a while before they even noticed us sitting on the couch, but when they did, they still didn't know anything was up.  I hadn't told my mom when my beta was scheduled, so she didn't know that I knew.  I handed her a pregnancy test that I bought just before hand and said, "Happy Birthday!"  (Her birthday is today)  She said, "What is this?"  Then she threw it across the table and started squealing and stomping.  I wish I had caught it on video, but of course we were so caught up in the moment we forgot to record it.  My dad was in the background going, "What?  What?!"  They were so excited.  This will be their first grandchild/children.

So, here we go!  Hold on for the ride to baby town!  I'm keeping this baby in there no matter what.  I'm telling her/him they can't go anywhere!  They have to stick around!

Ice Ice Baby

Google Images does not have stock photos of frozen embryos -- freezer was the best I could do.

Well, I got some good news Monday!  Two of our embryos made it to freeze!  We had 1 from our previous fresh IVF cycle, so now we have 3 frozen embryos!  Probably enough to do a FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer).  But, I am hoping we don't need to do the FET until we want a 2nd child!!!!!

I am feeling much better!  I was all hunched over and not walking well last week from Wednesday until Sunday.  My ovaries were so huge, they were knocking into all of my other organs causing referred pain to my back, diaphragm, uterus, and of course the ovaries themselves were sore.  I feel some slight discomfort still in the uterus area, but at least I can walk standing up straight!

I don't have too much to report other than that!  People keep asking if I feel pregnant, but really?  I don't think that is possible.  I mean, the embryos, assuming they have become blastocysts and hatched, and are implanting as we speak, still will not be emitting enough levels of hcg for my body to react as if I'm pregnant.  So, no, I do not feel pregnant.  Although, how would I know if I did?  I have NEVER been pregnant before.  Not even a hint of pregnant.

I have been baking more lately.  I have the most delicious pumpkin bread ever waiting in my freezer.  How do I know if it's delicious if it's in the freezer?  It couldn't be because Chris and I already ate the whole loaf in a matter of days?  We ate that sucker so fast I didn't even get a picture.  So, whenever I decide to thaw the 2nd loaf (probably soon, it's calling to me), I will post about it!  Don't worry, recipe to be included!