IVF#1 Did They Fertilize?

I am currently drafting a post detailing the retrieval including the good the bad and the ugly. I even have a video for you guys of me all doped up right after I got back to the room afterwards! And I am so OCD that I like doing things in chronological order so this is hard, but I just HAD to write a quick post!

We got the call at 8:30 this morning. Dr. Christensen, the embryologist, called to tell us the life changing news. Did they fertilize? Are we parents? Do we have at least one little embryo? Did neither of them fertilize? Do we have to start all over? Can we start all over…financially? Emotionally? These were all questions that immediately ran through my mind all at the same time as soon as I answered the phone. Then he said it…BOTH eggs fertilized! We have TWO embryos growing!!! He said they look to be good quality but they cannot really determine quality or grade until tomorrow morning when they see how they are dividing. He did say that one embryo did seem to be slightly better than the other regarding the placement of the nuclei but to just take that with a grain of salt since it really cannot be determined until tomorrow.
So when do we transfer? TOMORROW! We are doing a Day 2 transfer. Because we only have two embryos it is not as important to wait as long as possible for transfer to see which embryos are the best and which ones should be transferred back. We are transferring both. Fingers crossed for twins! I am so happy we are transferring tomorrow because I feel that they will given the best chance if they are put back inside me…their mom! That is so weird to say! We are officially a Mom and Dad!!

I am overcome with an odd sensation that is almost primal and instinctual. I want those embryos back inside me. I feel as though there is part of me out in the world that needs to be put back where they belong and I need to protect them. It is so surreal to think about.

Here is a picture of what our embryos most likely look like today on Day 1:

Grow, embies, grow!! Tomorrow there should be clear division or cleavage. We are praying they continue to grow and remain healthy and strong. There is always a chance that their growth will halt but we are trying not to think about that right now. We have even named them! They are Ethel and Mildred! And we imagine them to be two old ladies keeping each other company in an incubator! That might seem weird to name them but it makes it more real for us and also makes the surrealism of this entire process a little bit easier to handle. Hopefully we will get pictures of them tomorrow. And they should look something like this:

So tomorrow we transfer. I have to take a Valium at 10AM and we arrive at the clinic at 10:30AM. I am to drink lots and lots of water and have a very full bladder. I will take a second Valium while we are in the waiting room and we will most likely do the transfer around 11 or so. I am praying that it goes better than the mock transfer (also praying they don’t need to use a tenaculum! If you don’t remember that fiasco click here and here). That was difficult and unsuccessful. It is of the utmost importance that my uterus does not contract during the transfer, hence why they are doping me up with Valium. If my uterus contracts it could expel the embryos. We do NOT want that.

Thank you everyone for all your prayers! They are working so far so please keep them coming! Please pray that the embryos continue to grow and the transfer goes beautifully tomorrow. This time tomorrow we will be PUPO (Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise)!!! Sticky baby dust to everyone!!