Ch. 14 - The Egg Retrieval

Ch. 14 - The Egg Retrieval

On November 1, 2007, I began taking the antibiotics that my doctor prescribed in preparation for the procedure. I have to take the medication twice daily, Doxycycline 100 mg. This was a good exchange, 2 pills in the place of 3 injections and 1 pill. NO MORE SHOTS!!!

I worked all day at my job on Thursday, the day before the retrieval. During the course of the day, everyone told me "good luck" and gave me all the best wishes along with hugs all day long. I have such supportive people in my life!! I also received a phone call back from my oncologist, Dr. Zhang today and gave me my first chemotherapy date, Tuesday, November 6, 2007. I am nervous, but also ready to get things started so that I can hopedully close this chapter in my life. Another important thing that happened today is that we finally figured out how the egg retrieval work, simply because Clayton has been working at the American Film Market who does not allow time off, so it has been challenging to figure out how to get sperm from him while he is at work?!?! But today, it all came together. Since my procedure is so early in the morning, he will take me, give his donation, and then leave me with Dr. Evans for the procedure. He will go to work and my friend Barbara will arrive at 7:00 am to take me home. She will also stay with me until I am feeling like I can be left alone.

So... this is it, as the say at the circus, "the moment we have all been waiting for". Friday, November 2, 2007, had arrived. We woke up early, I dressed for surgery (comfy clothes) and Clayton dressed for work. We arrived at the office at 5:00 am. By 5:30 am, I was on the operating table, and Clayton was giving his sample. The anesthesiologist, Dr. Smith (my maiden name), put me to sleep, and Dr. Evans performed her magic. We I woke up, she told be that she was able to retrieve 11 EGGS!!! I was so excited. I called Clayton as soon as I could focus enough to dial his number to let him know that I was okay and to tell him the good news, it had worked, and... we have the potential for 11 embryos!!! He was excited and glad to hear that everything had gone so well. He said it had been hard leaving me there in the office. This was the first time he would not be with me during a procedure. But, we made it. Barbara arrived and took me home. Dr. Evans told me that she would call me on Saturday to let me know how many embryos we were able to get, this would be the number that would be frozen on Monday, they allow 72 hours of growth time before freezing, if I understood her correctly.

Once I got home, I felt great... until the pain medication wore off that was given to me along with the anesthesia. By this time, Barbara had gone home to her family, and I was by myself. The cramps were terrible. I used a heating pad, deep breathing, hot water, relaxation, anything I could think of to help the cramps go away!! I finally had to call the office and they called me in some pain meds to the local pharmacy, Fairoaks Pharmacy, in Pasadena. After several hours passed, the cramps eased up enough to allow me to drive and pick up the pain medicine. I was supposed to take the medication with food, put I bought an orange juice on my way out and popped a pill with it. In about 45 minutes, the cramps were a little better. Thank goodness for good medicine when you need it. Clayton later arrived home from work, AFM, and we ate dinner together. He then helped me get ready for bed and off to sleep we went.

Well, I guess you call it sleep. I tossed and turned all night long. I think I saw every hour go by on the clock. It was so hard to get comfortable due to the cramps. But I made it. When Clayton got up for work the next morning, I got up to take another pain pill. The pill helped the cramping once again. Later this morning, November 3, 2007, Cynthia from HRC called me to tell me that out of the 11 eggs, they were able to prepare 8 embryos for freezing. WHAT GOOD NEWS!!! She told me that if I needed anything else from them, just to give them a call. She wished me the best of luck during my treatment and said that they would take good care of "our babies". This is very exciting and releiving!! I cannot wait to tell Clayton. So, now I am just taking it easy, taking to you guys and waiting for Clayton to come home. I don't know what we have planned, but it probably includes just taking it easy!!!

On Monday, I went to my follow-up visit with Dr. Evans for blood work and an ultrasound. I was very uncomfortable and having pain in my lower abdomen. On ultrasound, she showed me how big my follicles were which is the reason I am uncomfortable. She told me that after the retrieval, the follicle collapses, but then refills with blood. This blood can take 1-2 months to be fully reabsorbed by the body, GREAT!! And, she measured my follicle sizes, and they averaged 26 mm, much larger than they were upon retrieval!!! But, at least I now know why I am still so uncomfortable. At this visit, she also told me the final results of my embryo freezing, we have 8 in all. Four of them are 8 cell (the best), 2 of them are 5 cell, and 2 of them are 4 cell. It is very exciting to have this part of the process behind us.

She did later call me and tell me that my estrogen level remains high, at 631, so I am to resume the Letrozole and return to her office on Friday, November 9, 2007 at 7:30 am. I will keep you posted!!