Second Date Update...

So it's been a whole two days since my beta HCG count, which was taken on day 10dpt.  I surpassed my expectation of having a level in the 80s with a 146.8 result!  The clinic said those were great first numbers and scheduled me for a second blood draw today.  

Today is 12dpt and for it to be considered a healthy pregnancy, we are looking for the HCG levels from Saturday, to at least double.  So I'm hoping for a solid 300🤞🏼.

My appointment was at 10:45...it was the same phlebotomist from Saturday, who remembered me and my veins😂.  She greets me and immediately says okay which one are we going with today?  I decide we better do the right one, since my left was stabbed on Saturday.  She says okay, it will be quick since your veins are awesome.  (I'm so glad I can be accommodating😜). She did her thing, a quick 2 minutes and I was done. 

I didn't have a solid breakfast this morning, so I decided grabbing some In-N-Out was in order for lunch.  I ordered my usual grilled cheese with no tomato, add raw chopped onion, and sub ketchup and mustard instead of the spread...with some light well fries.  (Fries have to be crunchy or its over🤪!)

Everything comes out great, my grilled cheese completely hits the spot and I take one bite of a fry and it's a no.  I didn't feel nauseous, it was just...nope.  😂 Hated wasting food, but I was by myself and there was no way they were going to be consumed.  😐 Can't really explain it but I remember having an aversion to french fries when I was pregnant with my first child, Brooklyn also.  

So not sure if this is going to be a permanent thing... because with Brooklyn, it was the entire 9 months.  I remember the smell of McDonald's french fries would make me ill.  😭🤢  I can do without the nausea...so if this is all I get, it's going to be a breeze! 🤞🏼😁🙏🏼

No call by 4pm, so I message the clinic...like I had to on Saturday.  (Ugh.)  I ask if my levels have been received yet...33 minutes later the clinic calls me. The woman on the phone lets me know that my levels came back at 408.4!  She said that is really good and she would like to schedule me for a third HCG test on Wednesday at 9AM.  

I end the call and then notice that while I was on the phone, I also received a message from the clinic telling me about my HCG levels and scheduling me for an 11:15 draw.  

Yay for a great HCG result...Boo for being scheduled for two appointments 😂

In either case here's where we are:

10dpt HCG-146.8

12dpt HCG-408.4

14dpt HCG... TBD 9/27 AM (Hoping at least 850🤞🏼🙏🏼)

I'm considered 4 weeks 3 days pregnant today, even though it's only been 12 days technically.  We still don't know if both babies stuck or if it's only one. HCG isn't telling that way unfortunately.  (From what I read, at around 5w5d they will schedule an ultrasound, which should tell us how many tenants I have growing, but nothing has been scheduled yet...perhaps after this next blood draw on Wednesday?🤞🏼)

The baby or babies seem to be getting comfortable and liking the "womb" so far😁🥳! (The last 6 tenants had to be evicted by induction...so I'm hopeful that the little one or ones in there now, end up feeling the same!) I'm still on levothyroxine once a day, two tabs of estrogen, three times daily, and my evening PIO shots.  

My tooshie has become pretty numb on both sides, which kind of makes it easier for me.  I can't really feel the shot or the oil as it's injected.  I don't think it makes it easier on Phil unfortunately, who still feels bad before and after every shot.🥲 The shots will continue until I'm about 12 weeks gestation, from what I understand.  So...we have about 8 weeks to go! 🥲😜🥳

3rd Time's The Charm...

3rd time is the charm...so they say?!  So it's only been a few days since I've stopped taking all my medications and boom the mother of all mother periods have already began!  I thought I'd have at least a week before this next round...and by the reaction from the clinic, I think they did too🤭.

So the process so far has been cycle day 1 notify the fertility center, cycle day 2, start taking estrogen, and cycle day 4-5, take a baseline ultrasound to ensure my lining is basically gone.

Even though everything on my ERA testing said it should have the results completed with a week or two...the fertility center said they did not have the results back yet and would need to reach out to my sister to find out if she wants to proceed without the results or wait until my next cycle.

(Internally I'm thinking...aren't there additional options?? Like what about calling to check on the results with the lab, or starting the cycle as normal and then if the test results come back as oops we needed to change something early on, then skip to next cycle.  Why waste an entire cycle if it isn't necessary??)

I reach out to my sister and share a few of my thoughts...she's also been a reaching out to the fertility center separately on a different chain....so I wait.

Day 2 I hear nothing back.  But being a little hard headed and not wanting to have the cycle delayed by not have starting estrogen day 2...I start the estrogen day 2.  (Luckily I still have plenty from my last round and am good to go, at least until they have an update for me 🤞🏼)

Day 3 I get an update from the fertility center saying that they received my results, they wanted me to start taking estrogen and then make an appointment for a baseline ultrasound and bloodwork! I was shocked they felt they could still start it on day 3? 

So no one really explained the results of my ERA to me, I just saw on the new calendar they provided, that it had literal hours on it.  (See below)

So what I read and began to interpret myself is that "stimulation" happens when I begin to administer the PIO shots.  Progesterone stimulates my uterine lining to begin to be susceptible to carry a baby.  So in my prior cycles they just said 5 days before transfer begin taking the progesterone at 9pm...this one was oddly specific in saying to take the progesterone at 10:20pm, 5 days prior to transfer.

My wall of past and present calendars and shot instructions 

I'm still not exactly sure how they know all of this or what specifically they found during my test.  I'm curious as to whether anything had to change from the first cycle to now or not?  So many questions!  But for now...I will follow my protocol and update if anything changes 😊

You're late...

 So this morning around 8:45am, I'm at work and I get a text saying, "Hi Summer, you've missed your appointment this morning for lab work, are you on your way?"

Uh, what?  I quickly look over the appointment paper that they gave me...no appointment.  Then I look over the string of messages they send on this app called Klara...nothing about an appointment. So now armed with this information, I feel confident that they are reaching out to the wrong Summer.

After a few exchanges back and forth...I guess it is me they want.  Although my last labs from Monday came back as negative for progesterone they want to check again to ensure that before I begin taking PIO shots tonight...that my levels are still very low.  (Having progesterone in my system early would mean by body could ovulate on its own, instead of allowing them to hijack it on their timeline, which is what IVF does)

Okay sure I'll let work know that there was an appointment scheduled that they forgot to notify me about and I have to go to Gilbert to complete lab work.  Ugh.  Oh well...it is what it is and luckily my job is very flexible. Whew.

My biggest concern at this point is I've been wearing long sleeve shirts because my left arm still has a major bruise from the phlebotomist royally sucking it up.  

...a few hours later I roll up, quickly get called back and low and behold it's the same phlebotomist!  Oy vey...she asks to see my right arm because it's closest today.  (I think to myself...there's no way she's gonna screw this one up too.  I'm sure it was a one off.  The funny thing is...I've been going here for months...and I don't think I've ever had the same person draw my blood.  Yet I have some how won the bad phlebotomist lottery and lucky me get her twice when my other arm still looks like a junkie 💉😬)

After a less painful draw...I leave bandaged up and scurry back to work.  After about an hour I remember I have this darn bandage on my arm!  So I pulled it off and boom...looks like she screwed up this arm too😞.  

In 100+ degree weather...I will now be wearing long sleeves for the foreseeable future thanks to Ms. Jabby Jabberson the horrible phlebotomist.

For your viewing pleasure...here's my lovely arm pokes after about two hours on both arms.  (Monday and Wednesday)

Monday (8/7) two hours post jab left arm

Wednesday (8/9) two hours post jab right arm

I didn't end up getting a photo of them both a few days after...but trust me, the people who saw them were like holy canoli keep those covered up 🥲.

Wish me luck...PIO shots start tonight.💉😲

Shots in the Wild!

Okay, so today is day 5 of the Progesterone in Oil (PIO) shots and by now we have a rhythm going on.  At home, it's an easy routine.  I have decided laying down flat on my bed, face down, works the best.

As I talked about earlier, the shots gave me a lot of anxiety, so I researched and heard a ton of horror stories, but I also got some good tips too!  My main concern was pain, of course.  Which some experienced at the time of the shot, but others seem to experience after the shot.  As the PIO is being absorbed into the muscle, it can create a knot, which becomes painful.  (After literally hundreds of personal stories, posts, websites, etc...I noticed a few common themes to avoid this.)

First, make sure you're not using the muscle that it's being shot into.  If you have to stand, bend the knee of the side you're going to inject.  I took it a step further and decided to just avoid using either muscle period, so I lie down flat to avoid any flinching ;)

Second, heat the oil up by first putting it in the crease of your arm or arm pit.  It thins the oil out just enough to make it easier to inject.

Okay so...this all plays out great when we are home and I get to lie down on my comfy bed for the shot.  We knew there was going to come an evening when we wouldn't be home...and would have to do the shots somewhere else and that day finally came.

It was father's day and also one of our girl's birthday.  She decided around 7pm that she'd like to celebrate with the family at Pop Stroke, a new mini golf place about, about 20 minutes away.

We have been there before and based on how crowded it is, it can take up to a few hours to complete the two courses they had.  I mentioned that we might have to leave early because I would need to leave around 8:40 to get home in time for my shot, which didn't sit well with the birthday girl, because that meant we wouldn't be able to finish the course and if I left, the party would be over. ( I knew she was referring to me physically taking half the party with me when I left but if course acted completely flattered that I was the glue to this party 🥳.)

So agreeing with her that the party would be lame after I left...I reluctantly agreed to bring my shot paraphernalia with me. Ugh.

Okay so fast forward a few hours, it's a Sunday evening, see the course is popping... literally packed with people.  We have only made it to the 11th hole and it's 8:55.  So Phil and I let the group know we will be back, hand our clubs to the others and head out to the packed parking lot to his car.  (If you've been to this place, you know there is no easy exit from mid course!  We were walking across greens, apologizing to parties as I was praying I wouldn't eat it.)

After we made it out of the course and into the parking lot, to our car.  I suddenly realized that laying face down in the back seat, with Phil bent over on top of me...might not be the best look out in public!  I really hadn't thought it through!

So I share my concerns with Phil and he also agrees this might be more difficult than we thought.  I could lean up against his car outside...but then again he's behind me doing something to my upper behind area...and this is only for people far away!  Let's not count the fact that if anyone was getting into their car or sitting close by, they would see us with the needle, probably looking like some weird junkies!🥴

Okay, okay...think Summer!  Where can we go, we are out of time and I have to get this shot!

I look around and behind me there's a restaurant that's closed for renovations and it has two large container sizes dumpsters outside of it.  The sides of course are open with cars able to view us, but it was darker ish and I didn't see any cameras outside or signs of life inside, so Phil offered to back the car in between these dumpsters to give me more privacy and allow me to lay down in the back seat.

(Ok imagine it being dark...with all parking spaces full...so you can visualize)

Okay so plan is in motion...I'm laying down, trying to relax.  I hear a car start up close by and suddenly I feel something crawling on my feet (because I was wearing sandals and my feet were still touching the ground ew)...Phil is still getting used to giving the shot as much as I am at receiving it and he's hesitating and triple checking he's in the right spot.  So he finally injects me, but I can't stay still any longer, my imagination has gone wild and I could be standing on an ant hill with soon to be thousands of crawly bugs all over me...so I lift up my legs (using the muscles that are supposed to be relaxed ouch).  He finishes the injection (which takes a bit, because it's thick and doesn't come out super quick) and I crawl back out of the car.  

As I stand up fixing my clothes I immediately notice the car, idling with its lights on, perpendicular to us.  (Hand to forehead) I'm sure trying to figure out what in the junky heck we were doing!

Phil's trying to find the needle cover (since I forgot my "sharps" container) and I'm inspecting my legs and feet to ensure there aren't a ton of bugs crawling on me.🥴 I was relieved to know that there didn't seem to be any bugs on me anymore...(the spazzy leg lift did the trick!)

Phil moved the car back away from the dumpsters into our original parking spot and we rejoined the others taking a route...similar to our exit.  We only missed four holes and the police were never called on us...so it was a win in my book!

Although the scenario wasn't ideal...we learned a few things and we laughed a ton.  Happy Father's Day Phil❤️.

Let's do shots...

So today's the day...the day I start the dreaded Progesterone shots.  I'll start today and will need to continue until I'm 12 weeks along.

I'm not gonna lie - the thought of having a 1.5" needle stuck into the upper part of my A$$ doesn't sound exciting.  Part of the deal was that my sister would be the one giving me the injections.  What we didn't anticipate was that she would be traveling a majority of the summer, so last minute we ordered an auto-injector, so I could give myself the shots - but unfortunately it's not in yet!  Everyone in my family has a serious needle phobia, so it took a lot of coaxing, but my husband graciously agreed to try and give me the injection tonight.

These shots are required every single day, at the same time for 12 weeks!  I have to take them at 9PM every night and cannot go over 24 hours.  So if I need to push the time back, it needs to be in 15 minute intervals.  I'm not sure if there is ever an ideal time to get a shot in your behind...

**9PM SHOT TIME**

Okay, so the alarms went off and we started to fumble through this new process.  We grabbed both needles, (the 18G for drawing the progesterone in oil out of the vial and the 22G for injecting it into my booty) the alcohol prep pads, and my tide pod container, which hence forth will be known as my 'sharps' container.

All day, I've replayed how the shot would feel, (ouch) watched the video they sent a few times, and tried to do my best about how quickly it would be over.  I used a compilation of tips...held the progesterone in oil under my arm, to warm it up and decided that my optimal position would be to lie flat on the bed, bunny side up, so there would be NO muscles in use at the time of the injection :)

Phil washed his hands and I prepped the injection needle, even tapped it to get the air bubbles out and pushed until a drop came out the top!  So satisfying...okay back to the task at hand.  I laid down, Phil prepped the location he was going to inject and then proceeded to count down from 3...about three times before he actually jabbed me! hahaha the suspense was killing me! I know he felt it worse than I did!  As soon as he stabbed it in, he started apologizing.  The greatest part was, I actually didn't even feel it go in!  He just chose some random count to use the needle, like a dart to a balloon, and inject me.

Yep - didn't feel a thing!  He was pressing on the skin around it pretty hard with his fingers, so maybe that's the trick?  Not a drop of blood, he was so excited.  It was then that he realized and shared that he was supposed to pull back on the plunger before injecting to make sure he didn't hit any blood vessels, but we both agreed at this point...it was probably fine and went back to high fiving and celebrating the first shot being completed!

A huge sigh of relief, because I really didn't feel a thing.  I mean pressure, but no twinges or stings!  After about a minute, it felt like someone had given me a small charley horse in my bum...but nothing more or worse!  

So...one down, 99(ish) more to go!  Let's hope tomorrow night goes just as smoothly!