For those of you following Jaxon's blog, this is a repeat post. I thought I'd include it here as well.

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Jaxon & I went to two reunions this weekend which kept us pretty busy. I'd already planned to attend my mothers family reunion when I found out that the fertility clinic was holding the first baby reunion. Luckily, Mom & I were able to work it out to attend both.

Saturday morning we headed over to the fertility clinic and thought we were in the wrong place at first. It looked deserted as we rounded the corner to the clinic, but they had blocked off the whole parking lot for the event. I heard they had around 300 people show up! I've never seen so many strollers in one place. We were welcomed by staff and stopped by several vendor tables. Then we registered for the door prizes before going under the deck to chat & get food. I got a chance to quickly speak to both of the doctors that helped us and walk around looking at all the lovely little babies! There were mostly singleton babes like Jax but there were plenty of twins and pregnant women plus a couple sets of triplets! There were some fun things for the older kids like a moonbounce and a train. The event was catered so we had burgers and hotdogs. Best of all, I won one of the door prizes! A $100 Visa giftcard!! More pics here

Huge Beta

I called the clinic as soon as they opened this morning and was able to get an appt before 10AM thankfully. I was dying to find out what my beta levels were and get our pregnancy confirmed by the doc! I showed up early but thankfully they never make me wait, even if I'm early. They called me right back and took my blood. She said since this was the first test, they would do both hcg (what I keep referring to as the beta) and progesterone. Progesterone is a necessary hormone during pregnancy, esp in the early stages to maintain the pregnancy (thus why I was prescribed prog. suppositories as part of fertility treatment).

So finally Dr Meyer called me back and confirmed that I am indeed pregnant. Yay!! He said my beta was 1100 (my reaction was 'woah, really?!'). That's a pretty high number which I knew from my internet obsessions. Here's a beta chart that you can look at to get a general idea (look at day 16, today is 16 days past ovulation for me). Notice there are two charts, one shows values for single pregnancies (one baby) and the other is for multiple pregnancies (twins or more). As you will see from the chart, 1100 is high even on the multiples chart.

Dr Meyer said that beta is high enough that it may be TWINS!! (as I was just alluding to) but that it's too early to tell. I don't even have to go back for a second beta as expected since it was so high. He said my progesterone looked good (I didn't ask the exact number). So I'll finish up the progesterone I have (just a few more days) but then do not need to refill it. He also confirmed my expectation that I no longer need Avandia or Glucophage (for my PCOS) while pregnant. So other than prenatal vitamins, I am going to be drug-free for the first time in two years! I setup an appt for two weeks from now (9/18) for our first ultrasound where we'll hopefully learn more.

Now off to tell our families...

Two Pink Lines

I'm Pregnant!!! This morning we did our home test and it was positive! The second pink line was very very faint at first & I almost threw it away thinking it was negative again. Once I noticed, I called Jack out of bed to look at it. As we pulled out the directions to compare, the line got a little darker. Yay! After two years of treatment, IUI (with superovulation) worked!

Of course I sat right down & figured out a due date online! May 12th if there is one baby. (Remember I had 4 follicles, so we're at risk for multiples). Of course it's a holiday weekend, so I have to wait until Tues to call the doc & get a beta test to confirm it.

We are SOO EXCITED! I'm dying to tell everyone I know, but Jack is being the rational one. He's convinced me that I need to wait until Dr. Meyer confirms it before I tell the whole world. So keep us in your prayers that everything continues to progress well!

Multiple Risk

My scan today showed still 4 follies that were mature. On my right ovary, had some big ones, I think the two were between 18-20mm, the large one may have even been bigger. I've already forgotten the exact measurements. The left had smaller ones, one larger than the other. RE thought the smallest one of the left was a 'maybe' on whether it had a mature egg or not.

Because of all those follicles, my RE & I had a nice little chat about the risk of multiples that he had mentioned on Wednesday. He wanted me to be aware that I'd likely have to go for 'reduction' if I got pregnant with trips or quads. So we discussed the possibilities and there was a way to reduce the risk. Instead of doing an IUI, we could finish the cycle by trying at home. If this had been only my 2nd or 3rd try, he would have strongly recommended that option. However, being my 5th IUI and already having done IVF once, he left it up to us. DH & I decided to stick with IUI as it has the best chance of a pregnancy. Even though trying at home limits the risk of multiples, it also reduces the chances of a pregnancy at all. Right now we just want the best chances we can get, and can worry about multiples & reduction if we get there. You know, cross that bridge when we come to it. He didn't bother taking my e2 as it would not change either option. If this doesn't work, it will be the last IUI. RE said IVF would be the next step. That was another deciding factor but not a surprise.

So with all that in mind, we scheduled an IUI for Sunday. (Going to have to get up at the crack of dawn! Our appts are at 6:30 & 7:30 in Raleigh). So I'll take my trigger shot tonight at 6 which will have me ready for Sunday morning. Really the timing worked out well. I'm co-hosting a bridal shower tomorrow and need to shop tonight. So I'm glad we don't have the IUI until Sunday.

4 Follies

My RE said I was close to ready. He found four follicles that were almost the right size. My right ovary had a 15mm & 13mm, the left had two 10s. So, he's upped my follistim to 75IUs (from 50) and added a shot of antagon (ganirelix acetate) tonight & tomorrow night. Then return on Friday for another scan with expectation that IUI will be Sunday. Of course he did say I'm at risk for multiples due to the number of follicles. But I'm not too concerned about that right now, since my body has not been in a hurry for just a single.

What's in a name?

Amy. Alex. Apple. There are so many names for parents to shuffle through when they are about to have a child.

Last night, at my sorority alumnae dinner club, the conversation turned to babies as it inevitably does for girls our age that are married, engaged and/or pregnant. Neither of my two pregnant sisters that were at dinner have chosen a baby name yet, or even narrowed it down. I couldn't help but think about how we've already 'named' our first born boy and are pretty close on girls names. I don't know if this is normal for those going through infertility.. but last year, when I was obsessing about my infertility and treatments, I had taken to writing down all the possible baby names (including first & middle combinations) that I would possible want to name a child (or twins or triplets... always keeping in mind the possibility of multiples with fertility drugs). My favorites were discussed now & then with my husband, but most were just for my own entertainment and distraction.

As I was driving home from dinner, it struck me as kinda funny that I'd gone through all that months & months ago. Long before either of these two sisters were pregnant. I've barely even thought of it since then, because in my mind it's almost a done deal. I just need to get pregnant and find out if it's a boy or girl. :)

IUI progressing nicely

I'm on day 10 of my cycle today (IUI try #3) and had an US & e2. The US looked good, I had a couple of 12-13mm follicles and the others were smaller. RE is trying to get just one or two to develop ahead of the others (this would limit my chances of high order multiples. With IUI, we don't want to see as many follicles as we did in IVF). The nurse just called me back with the e2 results. My estradiol was 55.9 which shocked me. In IVF, my level was never anywhere near that low, but that is a good thing! So they want me to continue on the low dose of follistim (37.5) through Sunday night. My next appt is Monday morning.