Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Hello from Alaska!!! Or not (with update)



Thank you for all of your thoughts. As several of you suggested, because I am still on the menopur, I am not quite coasting, just way down regulated.

It is so, so hard to let go and just let these folks do their jobs without questioning their decisions. To not get all bunched up and desperate feeling. Our desire for this to work out is so strong (I know you understand this), that's it is tough to just lie back and relax about it. Your words and thoughts helped, as did speaking more in depth with my nurse today. So thank you.

Largest follicle is now measuring at 20 mm and they are counting 18 of the suckers total. Tentative trigger date is tomorrow, with tentative retrieval on Friday...but we'll see. Haven't heard from the IVF nurse yet and things seem to change frequently around here, so expect an update later today/tonight on the status of things.

Because I don't have so much vacation time, I arranged to "work remotely" while I'm here. I'm the telemedicine expert in my department, so I'm able to beam myself into meetings, etc., as needed. Only one colleague knows where I am and why I am here. The rest, including the boss, are in the dark (I told my boss I could give her more info if she needed it and she said she didn't need to know and was ok with me working away from the office for the week. Fine by me.) I attended two videoconference meetings with folks in my department today and people were sort of asking where I am. Where am I? Well, colleagues, I am working remotely! (said in friendly but nonsharing voice) Period. One of them said it looked like there was a glacier behind me on the video monitor. That must be it - I'm in Alaska! No, dear colleague, it's just the white wall of my hotel room.

The cold I had weeks and weeks ago seems to have developed into some kind of chronic cough reactive upper airway disturbance thingy magingy. As in, my airway has been increasingly spasming and I am slightly short of breath, even at rest. I've been cleared by the Denver clinic to go on inhaled steroids and an albuterol inhaler to try to get things a little better in the breathing department before the egg retrieval. Since I'm in the mile-high city, this little breathing snafu has me more short of breath than I was in NYC, wheezing and coughing my way through my day. Today is day two of the inhaled steroid, so hopefully things will calm down soon.

That's about it here, for now. Expecting a call shortly from the IVF nurse with my estrogen level and medication instructions for tonight.

And then tonight? Off to an awesome restaurant called Root Down. We went there during our last IVF cycle and it was absolutely delish. Look forward to getting to dine there again.

Mo

Update: My estrogen level is up to 5,600...even with no gonal-f. So I had to go in to the Denver clinic to get a Centrotide shot and am now officially completely coasting. No gonal-f. No menopur. And Root Down was just as good as we remembered. Yum!


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17 comments:

  1. 18!! Good lord - your ovaries really are rock stars.

    Sorry you're still suffering from the cold. Even sorrier because I suspect it's the cold the Boy gave you at dinner.

    Hoping dinner is fantastic, and that retrieval is the best ever. One of those hopes is obviously a little more important to me than the other...

    Thinking of you.

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  2. Chiming in to let you know I am cheering you on. I hope those ovaries cough up a couple of golden perfect eggs.

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  3. So glad you are taking some time to enjoy Denver. I hope it's beautiful and not too hot yet!

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  4. Not the same cold you had when I met you? Unbelievable! 18 is a glorious number (and a very lucky one in Jewish tradition, for whatever that's worth). Holding good thoughts for you for this cycle and beyond.

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  5. Holy estrogen!!! I hope all goes well with the retrieval and there are some winners in the bunch! 18 is a great number!

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  6. Hope today's news is good and you have a fantastic retrieval.

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  7. It sounds like you've got a great number of follicles in there. I hope retrieval goes very smoothly.

    The restaurant sounds yummy, thanks for mentioning it. R and I may have to try it the next time we're there. If you're in the mood for fish and chips while you're there, I highly recommend GB Fish and Chips. It's not particularly close to the clinic (more in the middle of Denver), but worth the drive.

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  8. Rooting for you as always! Grow little eggies!

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  9. THinking of you Mo, and really really really hoping things go well from now on. xxx

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  10. Following closely from Ohio...

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  11. 18 is awesome!! Hope the inhaler helps and you're feeling better soon.

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  12. I am choosing to focus on this: 18

    18
    18
    18
    18
    18


    Sending love to you Mo-- hang in there, your body is doing its thang quite amazingly as always.
    Xoxo
    Kate

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  13. I'm pulling for you -- I hope that these 18 hold the keys to success!
    Good luck!

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  14. Wow - that's a good crop you got there! Much luck for the coasting! I had to do that on my first IVF when I had 19 follicles and worried it would affect the quality. My embryos weren't stellar, but the 2nd IVF they were worse and that was without coasting. The donor egg cycle proved that the embryo quality was nothing to with coasting and everything to do with the fact that my eggs were rubbish! I know a few folk who've coasted who've had good results. Much luck!

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  15. 18! That is so great! Fingers still crossed for you - it makes typing hard ;)

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  16. Wow Mo, 18 is a great number! Good luck!!!

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