A 5 Day What?

I shouldn't have gone into work yesterday.  I really shouldn't have.  The recovery from this retrieval has been a lot longer than my past retrievals.  Believe me, I have no martyr complex. But I do take my job rather seriously.  Well, more like I'm such a narcissist.  I think my classroom will fall apart if I'm not there. 

 My venture into work yesterday had less to do with fears of classroom chaos and more to do with my student teacher.  She's been struggling. In fact, I worry that only 3 weeks into her practicum that she's plateaued.  Lately her planning has been shoddy. Her delivery of the lesson has been dry. Her clarity of instructing has been confusing.  I knew that her faculty advisor was coming in to give her a "notice of concern."  Essentially she needs to improve over the next week or she'll be removed from the class and have to take additional courses.  I really didn't want to go into work but I knew she would need some support after her meeting.  And I was right.  After the tears were shed, the two of us sat down and planned a lesson together. I wanted her to see my thinking when it comes to planning a lesson. How to scaffold skills. How to provide feedback in an instant.  When we were done, I *think* she got it.  Hopefully this week she'll find her stride.

For me, yesterday was uncomfortable. Walking down the halls, the stairs, I could feel every twinge.  I decided to take the rest of the week off.  While I know it's for the best, I feel so much guilt about not being in my classroom. 

This morning I received the call from the embryologist. The embryos are progressing well - "very good" were her words.  As a result, they're pushing my transfer to day 5.  What?! I've never had a day 5 transfer.  Needless to say, I'm in shock.   To be honest, I half expected a day 2 transfer and assumed it would be a day 3.  Perhaps all those supplements really did help? 

Different ranges?

I am obsessing.  I know that I'm obsessing.  


Dr. Goo.gle has both been a shining light and a dismal corridor when it comes to researching betas.  What I wonder about is why the huge difference in HCG ranges?  


The lab that did my test has the following for their point of reference.


0 - 1 Week: 5-50 
1 - 2 Weeks: 40-300
2 - 3 Weeks: 100-10003 - 4 Weeks: 500-6000


Now, is this according to the last menstrual period or ovulation?  It does not specify.  If it's post ovulation, then I would fall in the 1-2 week range.  If it's according to my cycle, then my beta is far too low to be considered viable.          


Then I found the BC Biomedical Reference guide for all their tests.  Currently I'm about 4 weeks from my last menstrual period (LMP).  


Here are their ranges. 



Time after LMP Expected Range
3rd week (6-71)
4th week (10-750)
5th week (217-7138)


I don't get it.  Why such a difference?    


I hope to God that I can get a second beta on Saturday.  It sucks being in limbo.  

Hope Springs Eternal

True be told, I've had a bit of a sh*tty day.  Our provincial government has decided to legislate a contract on teachers which essentially strips any class size legislation, autonomy regarding professional development, seniority....and more.  So crappy.  On days like this, I honestly question why I'm a teacher.  But that's not what this post is about.  On to better news.  

Image courtesy of Google Images.

I had my quicky appointment with Dr. R today.  While I appreciated Dr. C., Dr. R. was a breath of fresh air.  He looked over my file and essentially came up with a plan of attack.  There are four things we're going to do differently for my FET.  First off, I have to get my thyroid checked.  It's been checked in the past but since I have a family history of hypothyroidism in my family plus after my first IVF cycle, my thyroid levels were out of whack.  Second, I have to get a sonohysterogram at some point this week.  Third, he wants to perform a full uterine biopsy or as he said it "a four corner scrape".  Dr. C. did one but he didn't do the full biopsy.  When Dr. C did it, it hurt like a son-of-a-gun and that was only a partial scrape.  What's this one going to feel like?  Ouch!  Lastly, the day of the transfer, I will be given an injection which will prevent my uterus from contracting.  He reassured me that the fact that I only have a day of flow isn't an issue.  Apparently, the more important factor is the length of my cycle.  When that changes, then there are complicates.  Thankfully, I'm still like clockwork when it comes to AF.  I also mentioned that I'm concerned about my age.  He rebutted with "You're not old.  You're a project."  Normally, I wouldn't take it too kindly to be called "a project" but when he said those words, I almost burst into tears in his office.  Like many who have been on this horrible, depressing path, I've been feeling pretty hopeless about TTC.  This meeting with Dr. R has given me hope.  I haven't had that in a while.  

Keeping myself busy

Last Sunday, I had my second FET.  It was incredibly routine, nothing out of the ordinary.  The RE was wonderful.  Before this transfer, I hadn't met her in my year at the clinic.  At the day 14 ultrasound, she remarked that I had a beautiful uterus and that my follicles looked good - that I had 6.  I guess that's pretty good?  I don't know.  On the day of the transfer, she was so incredibly thorough when doing the transfer that it took longer than previous ones.  Nothing wrong with being meticulous when you have such precious cargo.  

 As I was being wheeled into the recovery room to relax, the embryologist said, "You're lucky that you had Dr. W.  She's an excellent surgeon."  So here's hoping that Dr. W had the magic touch and one of my 3 little guys has implanted.  

Though everything seemed okay, I was a little concerned that there was some cell loss with two of the embryos.  All three were 3 day 8 cell embryos - 1 was grade 1 and 2 were grade 2.  After thawing, one was still perfect, but the other two experienced loss.  One went from 8 cells to 4 and the other to 2.  The embryologist indicated that they were recovering though so hopefully they continued to split and grow. 

I've been keeping myself pretty busy in the meantime.  In the past I would have taken a couple days off after the transfer to relax but while my body would have been relaxing, my mind would have been stressing out about what was going on at school.  So I made the decision to just relax the day of the transfer and then go back to work.  I think that was the best decision I made. Other than changing patches and putting prometrium up my who ha, I honestly haven't been thinking too much about it.  I'm just trying to go about my day as if nothing had happened.  

Actually it's been so off my mind that there were two mishaps.  The night of the transfer was quite cold.  I turned on the heating pad and put it on my feet.  Sometime, in the middle of the night, I had pulled the heating pad on my torso.  When I woke up I had a mild freak out thinking that I had cooked my embryos.  I didn't feel overheated so I'm crossing my fingers.  Further, the other night I was watching a tv program when it hit me that I hadn't changed my patches that day.  Argh!  I zoomed up the stairs and quickly replaced my patches.  Not much I can do now about it, so I'm trying not to stress.

My beta is on Halloween.  Here's hoping I get a nice treat that day and not another soul deadening trick.     

"As smooth as it gets"

I didn't sleep well last night.  I tossed and turned thinking about my little embryo.  This morning I called the lab 3 times to find out if it survived.  My last call was a message stating that we were on the road and that I would appreciate it if she called to let me know that it didn't make it.  Well, about 5mins into our drive, the phone ran and our hearts sunk.  It didn't make it.  On the other end of the line, the embryologist apologised for not calling sooner.  She had been with another patient.  She was pleased to report that our embryo had made it!  I nearly drove off the road!  "It survived?!" My husband couldn't believe it either.  He was convinced that it wouldn't make it.  Needless to say, the drive into the city was full of excitement and anticipation.  

The good news didn't stop there.  Once we got to the clinic, I saw that it was Dr. R., my favourite doctor, who would be performing the transfer.  He is so charming and his bedside manner immediately puts anyone at ease.  After it was all done, he stated that the transfer was "as smooth as it gets."  Hopefully it works and in 9 months I'll have a little one in my arms.