He Exaggerated The Length?!

I received a call last night around 5pm asking if I was available to come into the office today for the faux tranfer with the doctor.  (Talk about last minute notice). Luckily, I was able to swing it and scheduled the appointment.

I walked into an empty office (maybe it was lunch time?) and took a seat.  I was feeling a little nervous, which always makes me feel like I need to pee...so as I'm quietly contemplating whether to run really quickly to the bathroom (they didn't tell me to come with a full bladder) a door opens and they call my name.

Welp, I decide I really don't think I have to go (probably nerves) and follow her back. 

She's super sweet and tells me to undress from the waste down.  Luckily, I was prepared and wore a dress👏👍.  So within a minute I'm wrapped in paper with my bare bum on the napkin covered reclining bench thing that are in every OB/GYN office ever.

A moment or so later the doctor knocks and pops his head in asking if I had a full bladder.  After a quick internal status check I let him know that I do. Which was the answer he was looking for!  Apparently they forgot to instruct me to come with one.  (Okay so my bladder wasn't really full or at least didn't feel full...but again I was nervous and I don't think it was empty...so they were getting what they were getting)

Another moment or two passed and the doctor and a team of two other ladies joined me in the room.  We had one nurse with the over the top ultrasound, just like the original transfer and the other was assisting the doctor with the speculum thing.

As they were adjusting everything I made sure to say, I hope that's the longest speculum you have?  Because I was told that my vagina needed the longest one, because my canal was sooo long apparently 🫣.  I wanted to make light of it but also prepare them so I'm not being poked and prodded anymore than necessary...right?

The doctor looked up and said wow, I'm sure that's something nice to hear when you're lying on your back and shook his head looking at the nurses.  (I could tell he wasn't pleased with the comment that had been made).  I just said hey...I've had six children, I can understand things aren't exactly in tip top shape...but I have never heard that I have a long vagina before....ever.🤣 I will own it if I do...just wasn't expecting it😕.  

He was so kind and said that he has done thousands of transfers and he has had some difficult transfers, but none were due to a long vagina. Haha.  He said some ladies develop fibroids which can cause the canal to seem like it's longer...but the canal can only go so far.  He then promised to give me the good, bad, and the ugly truth during the procedure and was ready to begin!

So first of all let me start off by saying, the ultrasound wasn't uncomfortable at all this time (my bladder wasn't about to explode)...she guided him with the ultrasound and within a minute he said okay I'm in, transfer would take place here!

I looked up shocked and said, you're already in?  So what's going on in there?  He said there was absolutely no abnormalities, my vaginal canal was within average length (never thought I'd be relieved to hear I'm average 😉) and he was trying to figure out why the previous doctor had such a difficult time.

Once he was complete he suddenly asked me if my bladder was overly full on the day of transfer. (Um yes!)  It definitely was!  He said that when bladders are overly full, it can push out the catheter, which can make holding it steady difficult, but you either ask for your nurse to hold it or you get creative and hold it in with your knee...it's not using extra length though 🤷‍♀️😜!

I appreciated the update and oddly felt relieved that I don't have a long vagina.  I also am sooo happy because I will make sure that the next time I'm having this procedure performed...I'm underfilling my bladder!!  It was so quick and I didn't experience any discomfort (well any more than you'd expect with a speculum and catheter being put into your hoohaw)!

So first test done!  Next step... Mock Cycle.🥳

Testing, Testing...1...2...3

So last month (June) we left off with a negative pregnancy result and no update on whether we would be proceeding with another round.  It was nice to enjoy 4th of July without the pressure of running back home to receive a shot or being on my period (small wins)!  

My cycle began the day after the 4th, so just a few days shy of where they said it would begin and because I hadn't received an update from the clinic or my sister - I didn't have any pills to take or things to track.  It was a HEAVY few days, but luckily working from home, made it a little more bearable.  

On July10th the clinic scheduled a follow up appointment to go over the results and possible reasons that the transfer did not end with a positive result.  The doctor that has been overseeing my care, was out of town for the actual transfer, but did have the scans, lab results, and notes from the doctor who performed the transfer and felt that there should have been no reason that the embryos didn't implant. 

After looking over the results, he felt that it might be that my cycle isn't like the average woman...so perhaps my uterus was ready prior to the transfer...there is only a 24 hour window for the "magic" to happen.  Since this isn't really anything I've tracked or paid attention to, like um ever...I have no input here. 

My sister mentioned that the transfer was really uncomfortable for me...and that the doctor mentioned that he had a difficult time with the transfer (remember the comment about the "long vagina" LOL).  She asked if this had something to do with it not working.  He said nothing was said in my file or showed in the scans how my anatomy could have made the transfer difficult, so he asked if I would be willing to do a faux transfer, where he would perform the same procedure, but without an embryo inside.  This would allow him to get to know my "anatomy" and prepare for any adjustments that might need to be made when a transfer takes place.

After further discussion, the doctor recommended that instead of a transfer next month, we proceed with an endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA).  Which basically consists of doing the same things as a transfer cycle (taking estrogen and PIO shots five days before "transfer") but instead of a transfer, they take a biopsy of my uterus (similar to a pin prick and send it to an outside lab for review) so they can see if my uterus would be susceptible to a transfer during that same time frame or if they need to move it before or after.  Once they can determine timing, they will proceed with another transfer of two embryos in September.  According to the testing websites, 30% of women have different windows of implantation (WOI) so if I fall in that category, this will help to remove that as an obstacle for implantation.

I've opted to go through with both the faux tranfer this month and the mock cycle and the ERA next month...so wish me luck and let's hope we get some answers with the additional testing and the two month transfer delay is worth the wait 🤞❤️!

Coopergenomics ERA Testing Brochure

ERA Video