Post Op: the Fortune Cookie

Children's laughter, so beautiful to hear, soon will be a chance to have them very near. 

Funny enough that was my fortune cookie yesterday after the retreival. The recovery so far is not so bad, just sleep and heat and Extra Strength Tylenol every 4 hours.

Yesterday I arrived at the doctors office an hour before the procedure so they could check my vitals and talk to my anesthesiologist.  I was under for the actual procedure but breathing on my own.   The last thing I remember was being hitched up on a table and my doctor talking to me while the anesthesiologist gave me a cocktail through an IV.  

When I woke up I was super groggy and laying in an exam room.  A nurse gave me Tylenol and apple juice and asked if I could stand.  I was a bit wobbly and just wanted to sleep.  I see why you need a ride home and someone to stay with you 8 hours post.  The procedure lasted less than an hour, and I was at the office two hours or so, but surgery is still surgery. 

Four hours later I woke up in my own bed much less disoriented.  My doctor had emailed me and said everything went stellar.  I also actually had an appetite - always a good sign.  We ordered Chinese food for dinner, hence the ironic fortune cookie.  Kids in my future?  Guess my frozen egg baby insurance policy was a good idea after all.

Egg Retreival

Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby.

Ain't nothing like the real thing. ~ Marvin Gaye

Today is the day.   Finally.  I'm slightly nervous but moreso ready for this to be over.  The trigger shot took me under. (Pro-tip: numb the area with an ice pack first) The shot itself stung more than the other medications and I've been drowsy for the past 36 hours.  Where before I felt bloating, with the trigger I feel pressure.  Not painful, but not comfortable.

Simple instructions - comfortable clothes, no eating or drinking starting at midnight last night, no chewing gum or smoking, and no perfumes.  The procedure should last 2-3 hours, and someone needs to give you a ride home and be with you 8 hours after.

I'll report back after!  Six weeks of my life in slo-mo.  All for my little egg babies.  Solidifies my decision that I'm not quite yet ready for the real thing.

Injection Demo

It's been seven days of shots so far.  It's amazing how easily it becomes routine.  It's still not pleasant, but not horrible either.  I'm lucky - I've been sticking pretty closely to a plant-based, whole grain, no alcohol diet and haven't experienced any weight gain.  I've also been bullish on sleep.  One of the major side effects of the medication is insomnia, and while falling asleep has been easy, staying asleep is difficult some nights.  For me drinking herbal tea and reading a book/magazine, rather than grabbing my iPhone helps.

Since the doctor's appointments have remained the same (ultrasound and blood test every 3-4 days), there's not much new to report.  Instead I filmed the injection routine that I do every evening.  It takes about 10 minutes total - 5 vials, 2 medications, 1 shot.

Doctor Visit #6: Being Tea Bright

I watched Being Mary Jane last night.  She's freezing her eggs on the show.  If you haven't watched the show, Mary Jane is a journalist and for the live taping of one of her newscasts, they filmed a doctors visit where she found out she only had 4 follicles and wasn't a good candidate for retrieval.  It was clearly dramatized lol.  As many Doctors appointments/ultrasounds I have (every few days) I'm not going to be shocked to find out much of anything!  I definitely know what's going on.  I'm getting closer to the finish line, thank goodness - my little egg babies are finally growing close to optimal size - there are a lot of them so I'm starting to feel a serious bloat.  I also started a new medication (two shots now - ughhh).  My doc said that curbing sugar (including white bread, pasta, and potatoes) would help the bloating.  Considering I was planning to start a low sugar diet soon for bikini season, no better time than the present.

Just a little pin prick

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon ~Pink Floyd

I expected worse.  The needle sank into my skin, the metal tip melting, disappearing, as if my belly didn't mind being penetrated.  The wince on my face wasn't warranted until I felt the sting of the liquid pouring in as I pushed the syringe and counted slowly to 10.  And then it was over.  If it wasn't for the one drop of blood that slowly bubbled up, I wouldn't have known exactly where I'd pricked.  

The prep work took the longest - 15 minutes of measuring and screwing and disolving the 1 vial of water and 4 vials of powder into a single dosage of hormones.

I'm resting now.  I'm not super moody, just lethargic.  My appetite is also waning.  I just feel kinda blah and bloated and PMSey.  I'm sure it affects everyone differently, but so far totally tolerable.

Doctor Visit #3: To Destroy or Not to Destroy

This visit I was supposed to come armed with my notarized consent forms (eggs are serious business) as well as my medication.  The medication weathered literal storms and arrived on my doorstep at 8pm the night before the appointment.  I waived the signature to make sure they'd leave it on my doorstep but had I known how expensive it was...the copay wasn't terrible but apparently it's $4K worth of drugs!

Prior to the appointment I had to sign documents that determine the fate of my eggs in the event of my demise (or non storage payment).  There's donation to a couple, donation to research, or just destroying them altogether.  Something to think about.

The appointment was normal - I'm getting rather used to them.  Ultrasound, blood test, and a call in the afternoon with a green light.  Rinse, lather, repeat.  The main difference this time was a demo on the shots.  I honestly don't mind needles much if someone else is sticking me.  But the thought of self-inflicted pain weirds me out.  The practice was sort of fun - almost like a science project or Episode of Breaking Bad.  Mixing vials of chemicals and injecting them into a rubber sphere that mimics belly fat.  But actually shooting myself up...eeekk! 

The Calendar

If you are the kind of person who is waiting for the 'right' thing to happen, you might wait for a long time. It's like waiting for all the traffic lights to be green for five miles before starting the trip. ~Robert Kiyosaki 

My doc gave me my calendar, so I've scrubbed the deets and provided you with a sample of what to expect. I'm in pill mode for awhile.  Comment below with questions!