2IVF.7

Sorry for the abrupt silence, my bloggy friends, but I am not really free to talk.

Writing blog entries from my father-in-law's computer is a bit like climbing Everest- it can be done but not without risk of exposure. Also, don't forget to tip the sherpas.

Fortunately you did not miss much. Shots and outings, shots and outings... pretty much the IVF vacation in a nutshell. I had egg retrieval yesterday and things got a bit lively when I woke up from the anesthesia, groggy but less suicidal than last time. Last egg retrieval I was in enormous pain but this time I was merely "uncomfortable." So that was good. Then the nurse toodled over and told me that they had only gotten 17 eggs and I was all bummed. I know I should not build assumptions upon previous events but I did, therefore I was disappointed. In January, you see, they saw 21 follicles and retrieved 23 eggs. This time they saw 21 follicles and only got a lousy 17. Like I said, I was disappointed. Then Steve told me that the embryologist had told him that they would do ICSI. And I said, "What? Why?" And he said, "Because we are listed as having male infertility." So I sat up suddenly and the room spun around and I lunged at all six of him and shouted "And did you tell them that this so-called male infertility was a balanced translocation?" And he said, "No." Steve accuses me, frequently, of being a wee bit controlling but really, I ask you, if a girl cannot be unconscious for ten goddamned minutes without people failing to fully read charts and other people failing to rectify that failure then clearly it is good that someone more detail-oriented is usually directing things, am I right?

ICSI, my sweet normals, is when they eenie-meenie-minie-moe and catch a sperm by his toe and then drill a hole in the egg and cram the sperm in there and glue it shut. Or something. It has nothing to do with genetic issues and costs another $1500 and my RE specifically said it was not indicated for us.

So I rang for the RE who was there that day and she said any number of increasingly silly things and I felt all woogy and finally just decided oh to hell with it, go ahead and ICSI the damn things.

I have been really nervous all morning because last time 23 eggs became 15 embryos became two at transfer. I was afraid that 17 eggs would be fewer initial embryos etc. BUT, huzzah, the nurse just called and all 17 eggs fertilized. One was polyspermic (more than one sperm fertilized a single egg. the scientific term for this is "all kinds of fucked up" and last time we had a whopping 6 poly'd mutants) and another one keeled over right away, still leaving a very respectable 15 embryos, all doing very well so far.

I am very pleased. I am also, apparently, incredibly incoherent but every time I hear a car drive by I leap in the air like a gaffed salmon, expecting it to be Steve's dad. So I just wanted to give you an update and get the hell out of here.

Mission accomplished.

We move to a new location tomorrow and I will write again. Possibly something interesting. No promises. Hope you are all well.

Comments

[Heather]

Woo hoo! That is a great number of eggs and they all fertilized! Can't wait for the updates.

[Liz]

Thank you for the covert update! Wishing lots of luck to the 15 little balls of cells. Divide! Divide!

Good wishes,

Liz

[Karen]

Eggcellent, my dear Julia! Am hoping for more good news. *Smooch*

[Libby]

Most fabulous news Jules! Keep up the good work!

[B. Mare]

Yay! Well done. Can I ask a stoopid question? With ICSI, when does the PGD happen? I am assuming it will? I think you should be there when it does, with a lab coat and Playdough.

And I hope at least Tenzing Norgay helps out with the luggage when you move. I am missing you. May the next computer offers less covert blogging ops.

[Christine]

Wait, I'm confused. If they ICSI'ed, did they accidently shove two sperm in there?

Am currently knitting 15 little embryo blankets for you.

[Lisa]

Just out of curiosity: How can you have polyspermic embryos with ICSI? Don't they only inject one sperm into the egg? I'm glad to hear that all is well!

[Lisa]

Oops ... Christine's and my posts must have crossed somehow. I guess that makes the question twice as important!

[chi Zit]

You guys are going to rival JS Bach - and not musically. Although, I wonder if Steve's sperm know any good cantatas?

[Dead Bug]

Whoa, Nellie! 15 embryos still a-chugging along sounds superb. Hoping for the very best.

--Bugs

[Cathy]

So nice of you to climb Everest... for US! Great news on your retrieval, too. Keeping my fingers crossed for you (otherwise, I would be knitting embryo blankets for you like Christine --I'm so jealous she thought of that and I didn't!)

[Suz]

Congratulations, Julia! 15 embryos is excellent!

[Sheridan]

Huzzah indeed! 15 embryos is fantastic.

I third the query on the ICSI mutants - how did that happen, I wonder?

Another one here hoping for the best for you!

[Lisa P]

Yea, Julia!! Sounds great so far! Here's hoping for more and better news in the future!

LISA

[ManhattanAnne]

Well and hanging onto your every word, coherent or not. (Although you mostly sound pretty coherent to me. It must be all that lit fic you'r reading.) Go embies go.

[Scully]

Go 15 go!

I feel woogy all the time. Does that mean anything?

[Toni]

Between your site and Grrl's, I've been hitting the refresh button an awful lot lately.

Glad to hear that you have 15...a great number. Maybe the ICSI reduced the poly ones???

Crossing my fingers they they get the good ones this time :)

[Amber]

not too shabby!

[Ninotchka]

I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Julia!

[Lala]

How can you be so damn funny and incoherent at the same time, it's not fair! "gaffed salmon" - just wild. Best of luck and serendipity to you darlin'. I still have a pair of PJ bottoms with your name on 'em. Trouble is I'm wearing them now so your name is hard to see.

[Jenn]

15! Sounds promising!

[Nadia]

I have been checking in here for only a week or so. I usually just lurk but had to comment. I have a balanced translocation between 4 & 16. We discovered this after they analyzed my second mc. After 3 years of IF procedures and no pg we decided to use donor egg. I had my son in March.

I wanted to use PGD but live far from clinic and have to pay for IVF out of pocket.

[Heather]

15 is wonderful - although I too have the same question re: the polyspermic deal? WTF?

[Mollie]

Now I feel woogy too.

Hope a whole buncha those juicy embryos pass the PGD smell test.

Thinking of you, and hoping nothing weird happens the next time you are unconscious for ten minutes.

xoxoxo

[Emily]

15 is awesome. Stalking, I mean 'refreshing' waiting for updates.

[kaykota]

hooray 15 times over! Sounds great to me. Thinking of you.

KarynB

[swissmiss]

Those numbers sound great!(Though I'm confused about that polyspermic deal with ICSI, too). Are you going with 2, 3 or 5-day transfer? Or whatever the RE suggests?

And if it's not too late for a book suggestion, The Crimson Pedal and the White was a guilty pleasure of mine about a year ago. Quite guilty...

[MistressMary]

It sounds good! Keeping fingers crossed for you over here in Silver Spring.

[tracy]

Add me to those saying yay, fertilization! And WTF, polyspermic? And don't forget to erase the history on your FIL's computer.

[julia]

Wow, you have me riveted. And you are so funny ... I totally know that hyper-alert feeling of blogging or looking up something on the web, sure you are about to be discovered. My father has a freaking FIT if I touch his computer (yes, I am 34) and I constantly feel that way when I check his box for my email.

Good luck! Good luck! I'm so excited to see what happens next.

[julia]

Wow, you have me riveted. And you are so funny ... I totally know that hyper-alert feeling of blogging or looking up something on the web, sure you are about to be discovered. My father has a freaking FIT if I touch his computer (yes, I am 34) and I constantly feel that way when I check his box for my email.

Good luck! Good luck! I'm so excited to see what happens next.

[karla]

Thinking of you and the fab 15. All things crossed.

[Aimee]

Thinking of you and those fertilized eggs!

[shelli]

woo-freakin-hoo! Go embies, go embies, go, go, go embies!

[Thalia]

Your post reads like that of a refugee on the run, needing to hurtle from computer to computer, constantly risking detection and expulsion...you could market this as the "Da Vinci Code" of the infertile world!

Hoping for all your eggs to grow and multiply, and for the docs to get a clue this time with the PGD.

[denise]

Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

[elisabeth]

I hope you kicked all 6 of Steve's asses. Did you use the line "God, do I have to do EVERYTHING myself?" with these people? I love that line :-)

I'm off to the country, there damn well better be news when I get home on Sunday. Can't stand the suspense.....

[Sarah]

Your controlling nature warms my heart. I too am the keeper of all things pertinent. good luck with the embies!

[Tracey]

Sounds like great results ! I'm so happy for you. Here's to a fabulous transfer.