The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Hello dear ones...when I say adventure, I don't mean last week, I mean last night!

Literally, almost immediately after I hit "publish" for the blog and signed off to go to bed my abdomen started screaming at me.  I went to the bathroom, still having a lot of pain.  Popped some Extra Strength Tylenol.  Laid down.  Pillow between my knees.  And finally fetal position.  Felt 10% better, yes that says ten percent better.  J was nice enough to rub my back a bit and I think that's why I finally dropped off to sleep, only to be awakened at midnight with more extreme pain.  I would say "excruciating" however I would say that that feels like being shot, and I don't think it was that bad.  However, the pain was so intense that the following thoughts ran through my head:
"do I wake J?"

"do I call Holly and wake her up?"

"do we need to go to the hospital?"

I was in serious pain.  It felt like someone squeezing the life out of whatever was left in my ovaries.  After hanging out in the bathroom for what seemed like an eternity weighing my options, I opted to try to go back to sleep and if I couldn't in an hour or so I'd start waking people up.  Thankfully, I was able to go back to sleep, but only in the fetal position with a pillow between my knees.

I had intended to go back to the gym this morning and just walk on the treadmill, but after the events of last night, when my alarm went off that thought went out the window and staying as still as possible and as comfortable as possible won.  I did decide that I needed to call Holly though.  I had been fine all weekend, why was now any different?

Showered and dressed, gingerly, ensuring that my outfit didn't press on my belly at all and even ALMOST opted to wear completely flat shoes to work, but didn't.  (For those of you who don't know me in person, this is a H-U-G-E deal!  I wear some kind of heels everywhere!)  Got downstairs to the cell phone and called Holly's cell phone (of course I have this number) and left her a message about the events of last night, saying that I would be close to the office in about 20 minutes if they wanted me to stop in for an ultrasound.  About 10 minutes later in the car, I decided I should actually call the office and maybe catch her there.  No dice, but at least my buddies at the front desk knew the deal too.  As I almost reached my office, Holly called me back and told me to head to Dr. H's office.  So quick U-turn and back 10 minutes to the office to wait about 45 minutes to be seen by Dr. H. They had to slip me in between appointments, and after they told me to get on the table sans skirt, decided they needed to weigh me.  Waddled down the empty hall in my sheet for a quick jump on the scale and opted not to tell them that we'd been indulging all weekend.  Back on the table and in comes Dr. H and Nurse Pamela.

He tells me to lay back while he measures my belly and as is so very natural, the minute he slipped that measuring tape around my middle, I sucked everything I could in!  Then realized that probably wasn't doing any good and said, "sucking it in probably isn't what you are going for here huh? Natural reaction!"  Let loose (a bit) and he seemed okay with whatever reading he got.  Then we did an ultrasound outside the belly...I think my first ever.  Gel and everything!  He liked what he saw there and now it's time for my date with Wandy again.  Everything looked the exact same as the last time I saw down there, still a bunch of follicles hanging out and big!  I asked how big my ovaries were now, figuring golf balls down from baseballs and he said, "yeah no...it's about the size of a handball" which he showed me to be about 2 inches in diameter.  Lovely!  He also found some liquid in my belly which he said was normal.  So after a lot of poking, prodding, question asking and discussion, he determined that I probably twisted an ovary last night and it may have twisted back or still be moving around.  It's not anything he did or I did, just the fact that the ovaries are figuring out how to get back to their normal resting places, and not quite sure how to do this.  What can we do?  No exercise (not even walking slowly on the treadmill).  No carbs (dang it!).  Pee every chance you get because that is what will help (and according to Dr. H, even if you are in bed and don't want to move, just pee yourself.  He actually said that! But I doubt that will happen!).  Dr. H said that my bladder should be bone dry all day.  Which means many trips to el bano...great!  And no sex (sorry J).  Just need to wait til AF shows up and clears the area.  Great.

Dressed and back outside where I run into Holly and we discuss his verdict.  She thinks I ruptured a cyst because her experience matches the way I explained the pain, and because of the liquid Dr. H found in my belly.  Holly explained that sometimes the follicles keep expanding and grow into a cyst.  Then with no where to go, they burst.  I believe I experienced this back when we started trying to get pregnant in 2007 when I had some severe pain and was thinking a hospital would be where I would be spending my Thanksgiving, but never did.  So not really sure what it was, but either way I'm still in the process of healing and need to treat myself like that.

Before Holly left my side, I asked how our embryos were doing.  She jetted off to find the embryologist and came back to tell me that all SEVEN embryos had become Blastocysts and would be frozen today!  Discussed AF and how the next cycle would work and learned Holly would be out of the office for all of July!  All of July?!  How can I do this without Holly?  I've sucked up to her, I'll have to start all over again!!!  Well, at least it won't be as ingrained as this cycle, but still.  I need my Holly!

Finally, time to pay.  Surprise, surprise...there's no charge.  This is part of the monitoring process...making sure I survive and recover.  YAY!  First break!  Now time for work.  And breakfast!

To the office to relay some of the details to the girls, then finally down to it.  Good for most of the day.  Definitely noticed when I needed to visit the little girls' room and paid more attention, but not terrible pain until about 5 pm when my body was giving out.  Dr. H had wanted me to ditch work yet again, but I just couldn't.  Needed to get things done and not use up all my PTO!

At one point when I was scrounging for what to have for lunch, I emailed Holly to verify what I could eat...meat, fruit, veggies and beans?  She approved beans and then told me about the grading of our embryos.

"Total of 7 embryos frozen.  d5 cryo of 2x5AA, d6 cryo of 2x5AA, 1x4AA,  2x3BB in individual straws.  Remaining embryos did not reach quality blastocyst stage and were discarded."

Now what does all that jibberish mean?  Each blastocyst is graded with a number and 2 letters.  So... 

2x5AA means we have 2 blastocysts (actually 4 since we have 2 sets of this) that are 5AA quality.  5 means the fluid filling the blastocyst is fully expanded (great).  The first A means the inner cell mass that will become the baby is a "good distinct cell mass."  And the second A means the outer cells that will become the membranes are continues and consistent cell coverage of the sphere.  All in all, EXCELLENT!

1 blastocyst at 4AA means all the same as above except instead of fully expanded, the blast is simply "expanded."

The last 2 are 3BB quality meaning: 3 - the expansion has a small cavity in the blastocyst. B - cell mass is present but not as organized as A. And B - good cell coverage, some gaps in the sphere.  All in all, probably Good. 

Holly's verdict was "Very good news! We will start with transfer of one of the 5AA embryos. You have excellent embryos!" 

Great news! 

And there's my 7!  Seven embryos became 7 blastocsysts and 7 frozen. 777!  Then randomly, later tonight, Ms. T emailed me and told me I needed to go check out this website about "Angel Numbers" where 777 is described as "777 — The angels applaud you… “congratulations, you’re on a roll! Keep up the good work and know your wish is coming true.” This is an extremely positive sign and you should also expect more miracles to occur."  I'm gonna take that as awesome!  Thanks for the heads up Ms. T!

I'll take $9k on lucky number 7 please! Night folks.  This belly is aching...and belly-aching!