We Have Embryos!

So I had my eggs removed yesterday. It went very well! Mike and I arrived a couple minutes before 6am to Presby Dallas Assistive Reproductive Technology Lab and they had everything ready for me. They got all my history, started my IV, made me change into a gown, beauty hairnet and booties, and nothing else.

When they were ready, they wheeled me into the OR and told me the meds were about to hit my brain. That's about all I remember until I was back in my room. I later got word that they got 8 eggs out of the follicles. They let me sleep 45 minutes or so until I got the graham crackers and Sprite. They make sure you can pee and then you can leave. Since I was still feeling pretty good and wasn't too tired, I had Mike take me to IHOP to fulfill my undying craving for their shredded hashbrowns.

Later, I started cramping and that's when I busted out the heating pad and rested on the couch (I can't take any meds because they are putting these back in me in a few days). So I went to work today but then started cramping again so I came home early.

I got a call from the embryologist who said that they were able to fertilize 7 of the 8 eggs, one was no good. 6 of them fertilized normally. Now those 6 are in an incubator and they won't look at them again until Saturday morning when I will get my next embryo report. I do know that it will be a day 5 transfer. I understand now why it was so nebulous before but apparently a day 3 transfer is reserved for those that do not have as good of quality of eggs and they need to go back in ASAP. So, the best 2 eggs will be chosen and placed back in me on Monday.

So, today I am feeling like an oompa loompa. I know that is exactly what I look like too because even my scrubs look as if the seams are hanging on for dear life. Even my rings which usually fly off in the winter are making my fingers look like little sausages. I think it is a combination of eating salty foods, taking steroids and retaining water, and high doses of hormones. But still. Time to bust out the fat pants.

All we can do now is pray that the reamaining 6 embryos will continue to divide and make 6-8 cells by Saturday morning which is what will be considered "good." The picture is what all the embryos hopefully looked like about today. Of course you can get way into the details of cells splitting, blastocysts, hatching etc. but here is the best link I have found to explain the 5 days in the most concise and informative way if you are interested: http://www.myfertilitycenter.com/tidbits/embryo-stages.php