Egg collection and fertilisation

Have been AWOL, I had egg collection on Wednesday and yesterday (Thursday) I had a massive row with my husband. I won't go into great detail on this blog as I think that it's been resolved and I don't want to dwell.

In my last post I mentioned that I was ready for egg collection. On Monday at midnight (36 hours before egg collection was due) I took Ovitrelle- my trigger shot. It contains hCG so would lead to a false positive on a pregnancy test if I were to take one. That was my last injection of the cycle. I felt that we should have had a ceremony or something.

On Wednesday we got to the clinic at 11:30 as instructed (freezing cold we were as the train was cancelled and we were stood on a train platform [all train platforms are colder than an Arctic winter] for half an hour). The receptionist gave my husband a plastic sample container then spoke to me and told us to go to room 15 and (confusingly) gave us the key with a 1 on the key-ring. We got to room 15 and it became apparent that it was not a pre-op room as, rather amusingly, there was a sign on the door that said Production Room. I told him to go in and get on with the business (he says it was a grim empty room with porn mags- oh how cliche) and I went back to the reception to rather awkwardly ask where I was supposed to go. Then she explained, I should go down the corridor and round the corner, tick my initials off on the board and take a seat. I was told that my husband should keep the sample in his pocket for the time being. I sat down and wondered why I hadn't been told all of this when we arrived. I am not psychic.

The husband did his bit and we waited to be collected. And we waited. Then we waited some more. I realised it was 12:15 and then flipped out. I could feel ovulation cramps and was convinced I was going to ovulate. I sent my husband off to find the receptionist to ask what was going on. A nurse came and reassured me that I wouldn't ovulate and that the trigger lasts for 40 hours. Again, why didn't they tell me? It would have saved me a lot of stress!

We got called in and spoke to the consultant and he took us through to theatre. No prep, no gown, no hat no nothing all we had to do was take our shoes off. Was rather surprised! How does one have an operation without a hospital gown and cap? I was wearing a jumper dress and tights, I undressed from the waist down (keeping the dress on), put my feet in the infamous stirrups and had a cannula inserted into the back of my hand. The doctor injected a painkiller and sedative, I felt sleepy and lay down. I don't remember anything being inserted or the CD being put on so I think I was asleep for a couple of minutes. The rich voice of Sam Cooke drifted into my head (our CD of choice was the Best of Sam Cooke) and I was aware of cramping- rather like period pains. I could hear the embryologists calling out numbers- it was the number eggs they were finding in the follicles. It only took about 20 minutes. They took me to the recovery room which had what looked like a dentist's chair and a plastic chair next to that. I sat in the scary looking dentists chair and started to feel less woozy. My husband said how during the op there was a screen in the theatre showing the eggs that the embryologists were counting.

A nurse came in and said that the collected 14 eggs and that the hubby's sperm was great so we could have IVF rather than ICSI. So we were sent off home and told we would get called the following day with fertlisation results.

The following morning I got the call and was told that we have 8 embies, which I am very happy with (especially considering that I thought I only had 5 viable follies). I called up my husband and he was very happy. Then he told me his brother was coming to stay at ours that night. I totally flipped out. Rather than calm me down he told me that I was selfish and intolerant.That's what caused the row. He was inconsiderate and I overreacted. I apologised this morning and explained why I acted that way. He said that he is worried about the fact that we have had some massive rows, I tried to explain that IVF puts a lot of pressure and stress.

Anyway, I am worrying a little bit that the rows and stress will effect our chances. I hope not.

Good news for once

Well, I had my scan and was so nervous. I felt no cramps or anything around the ovaries so thought that the follies had stopped growing.

As soon as they started scanning me I knew there would be good news as even I could see the follies on my ovaries. They looked like a bunch of grapes.

The 5 large ones had grown to the size that they should be 2 days before egg collection (16mm or above) there were lots of other follies but these were smaller. Some were not too much smaller so am hoping that they will grow to the right size. My womb lining was described as "beautiful" (!) as it was triple layered and 13mm (well above the minimum).

I am absolutely delighted, was so convinced that we would have to cancel. I have now forgotten all about being a bit annoyed I didn't get 12 or more follies, I am just grateful to be ready!

It's all systems go now for egg collection- it will be in 2 days. No more Gonal F or Buserelin injections! I have to take the hCG Ovitrelle trigger at midnight tonight and my collection will be on Wednesday at 12:00noon. I am supposed to take my pain killer up the bum 1 hour before egg collection. I tried really hard not to laugh when the nurse told me to insert it up my "back passage". I am a child, I couldn't stop smirking.