Transfer Time!

Holy cow! Today, I have embryos in my uterus! Yes that was plural... EMBRYOS! Two to be exact! Oh my gosh! I am overjoyed, overwhelmed, over the moon, overly exhausted... pretty much any over you could think of.

It was quite the day for a transfer. The heaviest snowfall we have seen yet this year.  Luckily Austin has a huge truck, four wheel drive, and LOVES driving in the snow.  Upon arriving at the clinic we found the parking lot empty (It's Saturday) and he did not waste an opportunity to spin a kitty around the light pole.  How could he reisist such a perfectly snow covered parking lot?

I was asked to drink 24oz's of water 30minutes prior to arriving.  Ok, so that doesn't sound like much, but for me and my teensy bladder it was pure torture! We get into the clinic and we wait... we wait with my very full bladder!  They finally call our names and we are lead down a series of hallways to a part of the clinic I didn't know existed.  Our room is right off of the area that the embryologists work.  We are introduced to our embryologist, or the man that is baby sitting our embryos.  His name just happens to be Michael Myers. (Austin gets a huge kick out of this. Mike Myers, like the murderous guy from the scary Halloween movies. Perfect!) He shows us the photo of the two embryos that as of now are "leading the pack".  That was the moment we really had been waiting for. Getting to see our "littles". These could be our future baby(ies)! Ahhhh! (Then began our photo shoot)

 I don't know that I have ever experienced that level of excitement/joy in my life that I did in that moment.  Clearly. :) 

Austin loves all my picture taking!

The doctor then enters to discuss further the status of our embryos.  One is beautiful/perfect and 10 celled, the other is ok and 8 celled. ( I think you are much more than "ok" little embryo. You are wonderful!)   Again, he says that they use their grading procedure to determine which would be most likely to take, but it's not a fool proof method. He said he has had patients, with one embryo that doesn't look as good as our "ok" embryo still take and result in a pregnancy and ultimately a baby. He recommends we go ahead and transfer two. Our remaining two embryos will be watched until day 6.  If they survive that long and progress accordingly they will be frozen.

Austin and I then got to watch the entire procedure on the sonogram screen.  They locate your bladder. (Which is huge because it is so full.  They said mine was more than full and I could "release a little"... ummm.. how do you pee a little? I don't know about you, but when I have to go this bad, once the flood gates are open, they are open. No closing them.  I opted out and said let's do this.  I can endure a little more discomfort at this point) The bladder presses right up against the uterus. You can see the lining and the faint shadow of a catheter that is inserted and positioned just right.  Once the catheter is in place they call Mr. Myers :) and ask him to bring in the embryos.  They are loaded into a smaller catheter that is inserted into the already positioned catheter and pushed out.  They then do a quick check under a microscope to be sure they actually were inserted. Then I laid there for 15 minutes and was sent on my way. Wow.. that's it. There are 2 embryos in my uterus.  this is the closest to being pregnant that I have been thus far.  No special instructions other than continue the nightly boot shots.  Life goes back to normal, but how can it? I have EMBRYOs in ME!

As tempting as it is to morph into one GINORMOUS worry wart. I realize that this is definitely the point when we have medically done all that we can do and must give the rest fully up to God.  My daily devotional has been so spot on lately, it really is a little freaky. 

The day of our transfer it read, " You are on the right path. Listen more to Me, and less to your doubts.  I am leading you along the way I designed just for you. Therefore, it is a lonely way, humanly speaking.  But I go before you as well as alongside you, so you are never alone.  Do not expect anyone to understand fully my ways with you, any more than you can comprehend My dealings with others.  I am revealing to you the path of Life day by day, and moment by moment.  As I said to My Disciple  Peter, so I repeat to you; Follow Me. "

Lord, I have put on quite the brave face, but I am scared, scared of the outcome of all of this, scared our dreams of parenthood will not come true, but I know we will weather whatever life brings us, because you are leading us and supporting us.  I am doing my very best to give this struggle to you. ( I know my very best is not always perfect, but I am imperfect)  We pray for courage and strength to continue on this path.  We pray for faith and light to lead the way!