Beta results and Symptom chceck

Last week I went in for my beta draw on Wednesday just after 8am. The lab slip say stat - so because labcorp doesn't offer stat - they had to run the blood draw through UAB instead. I didn't realize this because no one explained it. Anyway I wainted all day and got no results. Thankfully I'd already had the test done that morning that showed the must desired two lines. Never heard back from the fertility clinic so on Friday morning I just reprinted the lab slip and went to do another draw. The woman who drew the blood said it would be done in about an hour. Again a day of waiting with no results. I contacted teh clinic and they said they didn't have them. So I called the lab here and she said they were faxed over and that it went through. She couldn't give me the results over the phone but if the nurse or dr called in she could relay the results to them. So I passed that info along to the clinic and they called to get me the results.

So Wednesday - November 26th Beta HCG was 45 (8dp5dt) (13 dpo)

Friday - November 28th Beta HCG was 136 (10dp5dt) (15dpo?)

Even though my tests were not any different in darkness - it indeed did more than double at the 48 hour mark. 

I reach out to the clinic again asking if I need to do any more bloodwork or if they are good with just that. No response. They did however tell me to schedule an ultrasound for December 9th - which I chose the 10th because it works better for my schedule. Again the person I deal with forgets that I am not a local patient and was trying to schedule me to come in there. I don't understand why she can't remember that I am not a local patient. I also requested that she send in another script for the progesterone because I was almost out. I told her in the email I had no refills left - she tells me to contact the pharmacy to get refills. I had to contact her again and explain I am out of refills and that I need a new prescription sent in. I don't understand why she is so confused. So anyway she sent in another the way I wanted it - to get two vials at a time so I am not having to call in every week for more. 

Shots are going ok - not as smooth as when we first began but still ok. I've only had one big bruise on the shot sight. They do hurt a bit more when I poke the needle through the skin. Its just tender and so lumpy right now. Its also incredibly itchy where I inject as well as down the outside of my thigh. When I do the injection it feels like its running down my leg for a bit. I can live with the itchiness though. A few times the injection sight has bled quite a bit when I withdrawal the needle - not a big deal though. I have tried the bandaids they sent but its really hard to do by myself. I also get a nasty itchy red spot from the bandaids so I try to avoid them when I can. 

This morning I decided to go get my blood drawn myself again just so I can see how the numbers are doing. I will go again Friday just to see how they are doubling at that 48 hour mark as well. This time however I chose to just go through labcorp and skip the stat order on the slip so that I can check the numbers myself from home. 

Lastly lets do a symptom check. I am 4w4d based on lmp and 4w6d based on an IVF due date calculator. So close enough. I like the lmp one so that my new week lands on a Saturday each week making it easier to calculate. Anyway. 

So no real symptoms as of yet. I am using the bathroom a lot - but I don't know if its more that normal yet. When I first returned from California from the transfer I was really bloated for about a week, but I feel like thats subsided. I've had a couple instances of heartburn and nausea - but not enough that I could say for sure that its from the pregnancy. I did gag brushing my teeth this morning which was a first. I was tired when I woke up, but when am I not? I thought my boobs would be hurting some by now but I haven't noticed anything which was one of the reasons I wanted more bloodwork. Overall I don't feel pregnant even a little bit yet. 

I'm still praying for these little embies and praying hard. I know its Gods plan whatever happens. I will say I have more peace over this pregnancy than I have in any precious pregnancy. Its honestly really strange. I remember with Leiland how deep down I felt like everything was ok - and pregnancy wise had no concerns or issues - but I still was so scared and disconnected for so long. The fear was so present in his pregnancy. Then with Owen there were some things we had to keep an eye on at the end - and again I didn't really feel any bonding with him till towards then end. This time there is just complete peace over it all. It just feels so different. 

Camping day 4 - Dollywood

Today we all slept in a bit. I woke up and the kids were playing nicely in their cots with their stuffed animals and listening to a tonie. I didn’t rush but we took out time to slowly wake up. We ate cereal (the kids down by the river) and got dressed in our shirts I made for them. We decided it was a beautiful weather day and to do Dollywood. We got a much later start than I would have liked. We didn’t get there till after 12 and had to park at the water park. We took the tram over to the park and got started. The kids handled the lines pretty well. Owen got a bit upset because he couldn’t rid some rides he wanted to and some because Ellie wasn’t big enough. We did a few rides which really got him smiling and then we had lunch. He ordered Mac and cheese with chocolate milk and they were out of both. So they gave him a cheeseburger instead. He loved it thankfully and ate the whole thing. Ellie and I shared a chicken tender meal and Leiland had a cheeseburger too. WE took the extra fries with us in an empty cup and the meal really helped moods lift. We decided to try out the new coaster at the park called big bear mountain. Everyone was tall enough and it was a really fun looking ride. The line showed about a 45 min wait but thankfully they had a lot of shaded spots and fans cranked and really working well. While waiting something happened and they announced it was delayed. We were thankful to be under the shaded area and so we all just sat down together. It wasn’t too long and it was moving again. We got on the ride  and off we went. Ellie squeeze my hand the entire time and screamed. She did not love it. I think it was bigger than she expected. It really was an intense coaster for her. When we got off the boys were both a little shook from it as well. Oops. Who knew? So we did a bathroom break and another ride that was a bird swing sort of thing. You could steer the bird while it spun. 

I decided we needed to walk and see more of the park. We had barely seen much at all. We stopped in some of the gift shops and Owen and Ellie wanted to spend their money on light up noisy swords. Owen cracked his pretty quick from putting it in his shirt. Ellie’s stopped lighting up the middle. We enjoyed all the flowers and decorations, and we found the church. The kids all loved seeing the eagles and then we headed for a train ride. We arrived just in time to catch a ride before they closed the gates. The kids were not impressed. Leiland complained it was boring and Ellie kept saying it needed to go faster. It was nice to sit and rest for a few minutes. At the end of the train ride we saw a swing ride with almost no riders so he headed that way. First we did a ride that goes up and drops down. Not at cool as the one he wanted but they all rode together and loved it. Then we made way to the swings. I finally got to go one this ride I’ve wanted to try for many years. We rode twice. 

We then went to walk through the main part of the park at the start. We missed this when we arrived. Kids were wanting ice cream so we stopped and got a thing crust pizza and pretzel sticks for dinner to share. We explored the main entrance stuff then headed back to do more coasters. We rode the first coaster once more. Then we headed for one we wanted to try but had missed. We got dippin dots on the way and they ate it in line. We enjoyed the dance party music while waiting in line and unfortunately we missed the fireworks and drone light show. We caught just a few glimpses of it peeking through the ceiling and gates but that was it. Then it was our turn to ride. This one was so much better than I expected. It even went upside down and Ellie loved every minute of it. We got to ride during the dark, while fireworks went off, and loved every minute of it. On the exit path we stopped to watch the rest of the firework show. 

Then it was time to head to the exit. I held Owen and Ellie’s hands and Leiland held my backpack strap. I don’t like the chaos when I’m alone with the kids in the dark but this worked really well to get us all to the exit together. We got up their bathroom one last time before the long drive. We went to the tram and because of the bathroom break we didn’t have to wait long at all for the tram ride. We got to the truck and everyone was still all smiles raving about the day. We put on some music but it took the kids till almost 1120 to stop chatting and wind down to fall asleep. 

I drove the winding dark roads through the park to get back to the campground and we got to the tent right at 12:34am. Kids got ready and back to bed so quickly. I’m glad they had such a fun day and behaved so well. Overall it was another great day for the books. I know tomorrow they will be exhausted and much more irritable and touchy.  It that’s ok. 

One thing that shocked me was how sore my legs were walking all day because of the horse trail ride we did yesterday. So sore. 

Ivf cycle 5

Long story short - we did it again. 

Last year over Christmas Tim and I talked about trying ivf one more time. We talked about timing and whatnot. We planned for October but wound up pushing to November because of a conflict next summer for Leiland. 

Here we are and it was transfer day today. 

So to rewind a bit. Two cycles ago in September it was the weirdest cycle ever. I had no clots, no cramps, no need for Motrin, and no heating pad. I only bled for 3ish days then some light spotting. Bizarre. Then on 9/25 I have a hysterscopy procedure with my Alabama OB. All went well and all the dr could really say was my “tubes were tubing”. So that happened early in my cycle and so then come October I had nothing. Not even spotting. Again beyond weird. 

Now at this point I’ve noticed my normal mid cycle aches and pains have eased up some. Not gone but definitely less. 

So moving forward. Dr. Q was all good to move forward. My period was due to start on my birthday but after the previous two cycles who really knows when things will happen. If I start on my birthday that puts ovulation/ transfer right at Thanksgiving week. So we had a tentative transfer date two days prior to Thanksgiving. 

Well per usual my period did its own thing and began on November 1st. Now I was already slotted to begin my Lupron injections starting November 1st and so that’s what we did. I was also instructed to go to Labcorp as soon as I could once I started. And of course I started on a Saturday and not a one lab was open until Monday. So again we have a wrench in the plans. I go Monday for the labs and it’s no biggie. 

So because my period was early that means we are slotted for a transfer the week prior to Thanksgiving - the 18-21st. 

So Tim and I made the plans to have me fly out with Ellie for the week. We flew in on Sunday and go home next Sunday. Transfer was today - Tuesday. There were a handful of hiccups but we got there and transferred two 5 day blasts. It was a little uncomfortable but bearable. I had a little bleeding and have been cramping ever since. After we left the transfer Ellie and I went to dinner at black angus and then watched a movie at the hotel room. 

Praying for a healthy little bean to finish off our family. 

This is go #5. 

Of 4 cycles we have transferred 8 embryos that resulted in two healthy boys. 

I’m very nervous but also know it’s in Gods hands. If it’s his plan then I know it will all work out. 

Testing day

Today is the day I get my first bloodwork done. We did the transfer on Tuesday the 18th and today is Wednesday the 26th. So I believe that means today is 8 days past a 5 day transfer (8dp5dt). There was no way I was waiting until Friday to possibly get a number though. Learned that with the first ivf cycle and I’ve always just tested myself since. 

So there’s a second line - we are indeed pregnant. I’m really excited to hear what the number is and to test again and know how it climbs. I tried comparing the line darkness to the boys cycles but they weren’t comparable as far as the dates I took them in relation to the transfer.