5 week ultrasound

We saw the gestational sac, just like with G's pregnancy. It's not a very exciting ultrasound. It lasted about .5 seconds, but it was good to see what we wanted and expected to see at this point.

How far along.... 4 weeks, 6 days

How am I feeling.... I am feeling very different from last time. Mornings are good, but as the day goes on, I start to feel pretty crappy. Headaches and achy. And just yesterday, having some nausea after eating. I am very excited and happy though. Each time we get good news, I breathe a little easier. It's still so crazy to me that we know baby is a girl. I am always saying "she" and it kinda trips me out!

How is baby doing.... Well, she is teeny tiny, so not a lot to report. My hope is that she is here for the long haul and getting comfy :)

Milestones.... First ultrasound! We also shared the news with our families and close friends. We were very open on IG and FB with this whole process, but we aren't sure when we will share this news with the "whole world" yet. Maybe after we see the heartbeat? Still deciding.

Beta #3

854! Another sigh of relief. We have our first ultrasound on Friday. With G's pregnancy, we only saw the gestational sac at 5 weeks {technically 4w6d}. But it's something and we are so excited!!!

We love this baby girl so much already.

xoxo,
Megan

Beta #2

Beta #2 was today: 327. Sigh of relief! The second one always scares me the most.

I was a nervous wreck for the entire week up until my first beta. I had one symptom, the one that made me test, that was the same as last time: very sore boobs. But I felt off this time. I was having headaches, even a really bad one Friday that was on the verge of a migraine. I was achy and just blah. I definitely didn't have that with G's pregnancy, at least that I can remember. So even though headaches are normal with pregnancy, I was freaking out.

The headaches seem to come and go now, I have some mild cramps every now and then, and I'm definitely exhausted and hungry. I'm feeling a little more confident each day that passes. I am also trying to remember to enjoy every bit of every day. This is likely our last pregnancy and I remember how much I missed being pregnant last time.

Thank you all for your comments, emails, and messages. It means a lot to us. 

Happy Memorial Day!

 xoxo,

Megan

10dp6dt

I started testing at 5dp6dt, when the symptoms really started to kick in, and got a negative on my cheapie test and the digital Clear Blue Easy test. I was crushed. I decided to try my FRER test and saw a faint line! I continued testing and the line has darkened each day. Today was beta #1 and it came in at 123. It really worked!!! Our little girl made it! We are beyond happy, and just like with G's pregnancy, it's going to take a while to really sink in. I am completely in shock.

I go back Monday and Wednesday for repeat betas, and then the first ultrasound will be Friday if my beta gets over 1,000 by then. My RE does very early ultrasounds. 

xo,

M

2dp6dt

Today is two days past a 6 day embryo transfer, for those unfamiliar with that acronym ;) That's about 8 days post ovulation with a regular cycle. 

It's my last day of bed rest, WOOHOO!!!!! I go crazy just sitting around. I typically go, go, go so these past three days have been tough. But I made it and I hope it helped our embryo implant. 

It's been a super hot week, in the high 90's and 100's, so I've been sitting in the air, working and watching movies. And missing my little man so much. He cries for me and it breaks my heart. Nick has been wonderful and helping out so much. I am so thankful for him, for my parents for being so encouraging and positive and my Dad bringing me lunch, and for my sister and friends checking in on me every day to see how I'm doing. I just feel so loved and so lucky. I can't thank everyone enough.

My mind messes with me constantly. I start daydreaming about being pregnant again and then I get very emotional thinking that this isn't going to work. I'm not reading into any symptoms or feelings because I know they will just mess with me more. 

Only time will tell.

xoxo,

Megan

Here she is!

Our transfer went perfectly! Dr. A was so happy with my lining, so that put a smile on my face and gave me some hope. At least my body was doing something right!

The embryologist met with us first and went over everything. She gave us a picture of our embryo and explained that it was taken just after the thaw this morning so it looked a bit collapsed and likely didn't look like that at transfer time. She was frozen on day 6 and graded a 6BB once thawed. Here is a good explanation on grading embryos. She is a hatched blastocyst, which is great. The craziest thing was seeing that the other three embryos that had PGS done were all graded higher than our normal embryo, at least at the time they were frozen on days 5 and 6. So if we had not done genetic testing, they would have selected those based on embryo appearance and transferred the abnormal ones. We would have gone through several failed transfers if we had not done PGS - oh, how thankful I am that we did it! It was worth every penny.

I have heard of others taking Valium for the transfer so I was a little nervous, but it was the easiest part of anything we have done so far. I didn't even need a full bladder like I had heard about. It was less uncomfortable than my IUI's. I laid down for about 30 minutes afterwards and now I'm home on bed rest for 3 days, working off my laptop. And by bed rest, he just asked that I sit or lay in bed or on the couch except to go to the bathroom. He takes these first three days very seriously and I am too. After that, I am supposed to be pretty sedentary for another 3 or 4 days so taking it nice and easy. Poor Nick has his hands full with Grayson and me. And I'm going crazy. I hate just sitting here, unable to help with everything. I don't do bed rest well, but I know this time is well worth it.

Now we wait. ::big sigh:: I am so nervous. I am not sure that I can wait until beta day so I'll probably take a test before that. Please snuggle in, little one!!! We love you!

I am overwhelmed by everyone rooting for us. The texts, emails, phone calls, comments... all of it helps so much. It takes away some of the loneliness of Infertility. I am just so thankful for our amazing family and friends.

xoxo,
Megan

Shots Shots Shots

source

Boy, these progesterone shots are serious business! The actual shot is easy, and my husband does a wonderful job. It's the bruising and lumps each one leaves. And thinking of how much longer these may go on! It can be overwhelming. Nick told me it feels like he goes to sleep and wakes up giving me shots. Yep, you are honey :) I've only ever used Progesterone suppositories so this is all new to me. It's just another piece to the puzzle and something I have to do. I am looking forward to working from home on my three days of bed rest because I can plug my heating pad in and sit on it all day. 

Then add in all the pills. I can't even keep track of them, ha! I am going to buy a pill organizer today so I don't forget anything. Today I added in antibiotics and another steroid, Medrol, for the next four days. Let's see, that's a total of 10 pills to take today, not counting my prenatals.

Of course this is all worth it because it's preparing the best environment for our little embryo. I am so, so anxious for tomorrow. I wish I could just fast forward and know how this is going to turn out. Nick is off work tomorrow so we are going to breakfast and then the transfer. I'll be working from home the next three days and staying sedentary through the weekend. Beta is scheduled for May 24th.

xoxo,

Megan

Transfer is scheduled

I had another ultrasound and blood draw this morning. My lining looked perfect at 10.4 mm, so our transfer is scheduled for May 14th. My nurse gave me my first progesterone shot at the office and marked big circles on both sides of my butt/hip for Nick to continue them. I'm on 1cc of Progesterone in Oil twice a day, and if I am pregnant, I'll continue them until 11 weeks. Yeah, that's a lot of shots!

My Estrace dose is lowered to two pills twice a day, and those will also continue through the first trimester if I am pregnant. Same with the baby aspirin and of course my prenatal vitamins. On Tuesday, I will start antibiotics, a Z Pack this time, and Medrol, both for four days. Tuesday will also be my last day of the Dexamethasone.

Phew. So many medications to keep track of. I will be on bed rest the 14th, 15th and 16th, and then taking it easy that weekend. My beta is scheduled for May 24th. I doubt I have the patience to wait for the beta, so I'm sure I will test before then. I just don't know when yet.

I appreciate all of the thoughts and love. I know we will need them. I hope our little girl decides to stick around because we already love her so much.

xoxo,
Megan

FET

I started my period on April 24th and then started the medications for our FET on the 25th. I've been on 1 mg Estrace two tablets twice daily, 0.5 mg Dexamethasone once a day and 81 mg baby Aspirin once a day since then. Today I went in for an ultrasound and my lining is looking good at 7.2 mm. I added a third dosage of Estrace and I go back on Friday for another ultrasound. My nurse thinks I might be ready then to start the Progesterone - twice a day intramuscular injections, fun! - and transfer Wednesday, May 14th.

I am only feeling one thing right now: terrified. I am so, so afraid of this not working. And then trying to figure out what to do at that point. I know I need to focus on this working instead, but it's hard. I'll keep trying.

xoxo,
M

Hawaii

Wow. What an amazing trip. It was perfect timing too - some much needed "therapy" for me. We just got back from a week on the big island. My Mom rented a house on the beach for all of us, 10 in total. Our family of three, my parents, my sister and her fiance, and my Aunt and her two kids. It was perfect. Relaxing, fun, together. Beach days, zip lining, Malasadas, Volcanoes National Park, Black Sand Beach and a serious hike to Green Sand Beach. Frisbee on the sand, BBQing dinner together, s'mores and beautiful sunsets. I am missing the family time so much today. I am already thinking of our next get together. I am definitely a family person, who craves the time I have with them.

I couldn't keep this little man out of the water!!!

xoxo,
Megan