Monday, May 11, 2009

Transfer report from the petri dish: surprise!

I spent the morning apprehensively working on my dissertation, fearing everytime the phone rang that it would be my RE, telling me he was sorry but the transfer was off because both embryos had arrested. As the morning crept into early afternoon and no call came, I started to relax a little. Looked like we were going to make it to transfer after all, thankfully.

Around 2pm, Will and I arrived at the IVF surgical suite, a mixture of relieved that the transfer hadn't been canceled and a little hangdog that we only had two embryos (at most) to transfer.

I sat in my hospital pajamas trying to distract myself, but not doing a very good job. I kept wondering is it one? is it two? one? two? how fragmented? and on and on. I reminded myself of a couple of stories I know where someone transferred only one and got a baby out of it, and I thought of some of your awesome comments, sharing stories of transferring two and getting pregnant. Thank you for those.

When I got called into the transfer room, my RE was nonchalantly talking about the embryos with his back to me. "All three are looking pretty good," he said, as I looked around behind me to see who else he might have been talking to.

"Three?"

We went round and round. There were definitely three. He didn't know if one fertilized late or if I was just given the wrong information before. I joked that maybe they'd decided to throw in one of somebody else's, just to cut me a break already. No one seemed to find that funny but me.

So there are three - that's 50% more than we were expecting! And the three are now transferred out of their cozy coculture medium and into the real deal - a veritable sea of uterine tissue, not just a few of my cells lining a dish. (One of the RE's described the scale between the embryo and the uterine lining to me as a tennis ball in a football field, which I thought was kind of cool).

My RE said that among these embryos is one that is grade 1 - the highest grade - and that the other two are grade 2. He says I have never produced a grade 1 embryo before. Ever.

Huh.

So without further ado, here they are, all three of them, in their glory: a 9 cell, an 8 cell, and a 7 cell.


Amazing how much different if feels to have three instead of two. I am so grateful. And although I don't want to get ahead of myself after having been disappointed so many times, I am even a little bit hopeful.

Fingers crossed. The two week wait starts now.

Mo

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54 comments:

  1. I've been dying to see your post! I am so happy for you that you had 3 to transfer and they look so good. Mine never looked that great even with coculture. I hope the wait doesn't seem too long and the dissertation stress is a low as it possibly can get (when is your defense? do you have a public and private oral defense?). good luck!

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  2. CONGRATULATIONS on your transfer-- Love the fact that somehow there are 3. And I love the image of the tennis ball in the football field, it sure does give it scale that way.
    Wishing you success in every way, including a quick and uneventful 2 week wait, at which point I would like it to become VERY eventful with a beautiful positive. Thinking of you,
    Kate

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  3. Good luck! We are all here in the 2WW with our fingers crossed for you! I hope hope hope that you will get some good news in a couple of weeks!

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  4. Good luck! I wish you lots of good news in 2 weeks!

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  5. So happy for your good news! I'll be keeping everything crossed for you for the next 2 weeks.

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  6. Awwww. YAY! They look great! So happy about this...now let the agonizing wait begin....waiting with you!

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  7. Congratulations on your three! What a wonderful little miracle.

    Sending good vibes your way as your tennis balls nestle into their nice, soft football field. What a great image!

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  8. Beautiful looking embryos! Sending so many positive BFP vibes, it isn't even funny!

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  9. Congrats! I hope they are nestling in nicely!!! Sending so many positive thoughts your way!!!

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  10. I knew it! I just *knew* your embies were going to do great and to have a third one, amazing! I've been stalking your blog all day waiting for this fantastic news. I am sending every possible positive thought and prayer to you and your maybe babies.

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  11. I am keeping positive thoughts for you both, those three look amazing.

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  12. I look fwd to this blog turning into one of those "against the odds, but wow we did it" posts you see all over IVF land. Its your turn to get off this roller coaster

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  13. WOOHOO! THey look beautiful - and I am so excited that they're doing so well!

    Hang in there, guys!

    Fingers crossed for all five of you...

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  14. Congratulations!! I'm so happy for you ...see? Perhaps there is a reason for the early trigger after all ...I'm glad there's three. But I still say you need just one good one. Like a Grade I?

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  15. Awesome!!! I'm so excited for you and keeping everything crossed! I only transferred two this time, so I had no doubt before that it could work but now I'm even more excited!

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  16. What a lovely surprise to have three. I'll be following your story.

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  17. wowow!!! that sounds amazing and promising - congrats. I am keeping it all crossed and for f's sake, this better work, please let it work

    I am really pulling for you.

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  18. YAY! I'm glad you got 3 :)

    Can't wait to hear the results of the 2ww.

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  19. Yeeeehah!

    I thought your "throwing in someone else's" comment VERY funny:).

    Good luck!

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  20. What a wonderful transfer day!Beautiful embies!!! GL!

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  21. YAAA, this is awesome news. My fingers are blue from crossing them so hard for you but they will stay that way until you hear even better news. Stay positive, relax and if you can seriously stay in bed for like 3 or 4 days and just let your husband take care of you that would be wonderful.

    That's what we did. We had only 3 to transfer back as well and and 1 lucky little one made it through the process and here we are 14 weeks to the day and still going strong.

    You can do it. This can work I just know it. You are in our prayers. Can't wait to hear all the updates to come :) YAAAAA Happy dance

    Sending LOTS of BABY DUST your way :)

    Hang in there.

    Take care and take it easy over there.
    Tracy

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  22. OMG that is so awesome. It sounds like quality over quantity may have worked!!!

    Good luck!

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  23. Wow, Mo congrats! This is by far the best news I've heard all day! All 3 of those embryos look absolutely beautiful! Congrats! :)

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  24. Its so awesome that you had 3!!!! Congrats on the transfer....hope these 2 weeks fly by for you.

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  25. Amazing, amazing news! I hope you can take some time off in the next few days to relax.

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  26. I just found your blog today thru LFCA. Oh boy, how quickly you have me pulling for you with every fiber of my being. I'm so happy you were able to upgrade from the Dynamic Duo to the Three Amigos. I'll be following your story, keep posting often! ;)

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  27. I am so happy for you. What terrific news! Whoo hooo!

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  28. Mo! Will! Great news, congrats on the embies and the transfer (grade 1's and 2's!!). take care.

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  29. What a wonderful surprise!! I've had a hell of a day, and your news makes me feel so much better. Those are some beautiful embryos!!! So happy for you!

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  30. What a great surprise. I am so happy for you and looking forward to hearing about your progress. And a bonus blast. Can't complain about that! Good luck!!

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  31. Awesome, awesome news. I'm keeping every finger and toe crossed for you guys.

    Oh yeah, and your comment about throwing in the extra one...hilarious. I guess you just have to be in the trenches to find that funny!

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  32. WHOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! if only for getting a nice suprise for once! I'm rooting for all of you.

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  33. ohmigosh - i can hardly stand it - not only do you have 3, but one is the best grade ever. i love it when there is something noticeably different about a cycle - in this case, the grade.. it gives me so much hope that the result will also be different - a baby or babies!!!

    so excited for you! congratulations on your transfer.. i can't wait to hear news of the beta tests!

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  34. That is great news! How nice to get a good surprise. I am keeping fingers cross that this will be your time! You deserve the best!

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  35. this is such great news. ...wonder where that third one came from? ;)

    thinking tons of great thoughts over here...they look fantastic and are now home in the football field where they belong!

    xoxo

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  36. So happy to hear your recap of the transfer! Awesome to have three! Just three embryos (total) worked for me, too! I have everything crossed that one of these little sweeties will be making it! :)

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  37. that was a truly a happy surprise! Sending you and your embryos much love and growing sticking thoughts!

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  38. Oh, hopeful is definitely good! That's fantastic news. What a great surprise. :)

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  39. I was so happy to read your post! It's about time you were given some great news. I got pregnant on a transfer of 2 embryos, a 6 cell and 4 cell both with fragmentation so your 3 sound amazing to me. I'll keep everything crossed for you and I really hope this works out for you.

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  40. I was so happy to read your post! It's about time you were given some great news. I got pregnant on a transfer of 2 embryos, a 6 cell and 4 cell both with fragmentation so your 3 sound amazing to me. I'll keep everything crossed for you and I really hope this works out for you.

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  41. Yay! - you guys are so due for good news. Here's hoping it's the beginning of a string...

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  42. GREAT news. Keep us posted. Crossing fingers for you.
    ~~HUGS~~

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  43. Yay! That's fantastic news! And they all look so pretty! I'm sending all the best wishes in the world to you.

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  44. Mo - my heart just pounded when I read you had 3! I'm so happy for you - and to have such good quality ones. I guess you really are "on the ride" again; darn that hope! But this could be it, I am sending the best thoughts your way.

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  45. Yay for three beautiful embryos! I am so glad that it was such good news! Keeping my fingers crossed for you guys!

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  46. This is so exciting!! My fingers are crossed - your embryos are beautiful!!

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  47. congratulations on your transfer, I'm sending you loads of sticky vibes. I hope the 2ww flies by for you.

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  48. I have a good feeling about this! My twins are from a 9 cell and an 8 cell... :)

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  49. I am a little late in the game but wanted to send my best wishes.

    I believe your stars are aligning. Who shows up for transferred with more than they were expecting?

    May this be it for you.

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  50. This is definitely a good kind of surprise! Am very excited for you -- sending positive vibes for your wait & test.

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  51. Ohh that little one on the bottom left looks like it is definitely THE one! Fingers and toes crossed for you both!

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  52. What a wonderful surprise! We just never know what is around the corner in this life, do we? Best of luck getting through the 2 WW and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

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  53. Sorry I'm so late on sending you congrats and well wishes. But better late than never, right? :)

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