What a week. Last Thursday I woke up and had a bit of a pain in my left ribs. I thought I'd slept in a weird position as my boobs have been hurting so I couldn't sleep in my usual position. I just took a panadol and went on with work. I did notice my hands were a little shaky when I was doing some marking but put it down to not eating properly and having low blood sugar.
Saturday morning the pain in my ribs was still there but I felt good! We went for a walk down the street to have a late breakfast and then when we got home I napped on the couch. But by around 9pm the pain was getting worse. I couldn't find a comfy position on the couch so I sat at my husbands desk and just watched some youtube.
I woke up at 3am and the pain was worse. I grabbed a heatpack and took a panadeine (paracetamol with codeine, my nurse had said they were fine to take for migraines) and eventually went back to sleep.
But I woke up again at 6am and was gasping for breath. It was so frightening. I couldn't breathe deeply without intense pain, I was short of breath and moving was excruciating. I woke Tony up and asked him to take me down to A&E at the hospital my FS works at. I was scared it was blood clot.
We got there and they ran some tests. Three failed IV attempts, two attempts at an xray and the A&E Dr arguing with the radiologist because he refused to xray me even though the on call FS had said it was fine as long as they put the lead apron on me. Eventually the blood work came back and I got the xray done and I was diagnosed me with Pneumonia.
I'd had none of the normal symptoms, just the pain and shortness of breath. It was scary how suddenly this came on. The respiratory Dr thinks that my immune system is lower because I am pregnant and I'd picked it up from one of the kids at work. My shaking hands were more than likely a sign of a low grade fever.
My FS came and saw me on Monday and was a bit concerned. He reassured me that the medications and xray were completely safe but he'd like me to come into his office once I was released from hospital.
Finally on Tuesday at lunch time I was able to go home, my birthday was Wednesday and I desperately wanted to wake up in my own bed on my birthday. My FS was in his office all day so we walked next door and he fitted us in between appointments to do a early scan. I was only 6w1d on Tuesday and I knew that we probably wouldn't be able to see a heartbeat.
My FS explained that he wanted to confirm the location of the pregnancy and measure the pregnancy to make sure it's on track. I knew they were a bit worried about an ectopic pregnancy at the start when my HCG levels weren't rising as fast as they should've been. But there on the screen at the very top of my uterus, exactly where he had transfered the embryo was a perfect gestational sack. Inside was one tiny baby measuring spot on at 6w1d.
And even better was the faint flicker of a very early heartbeat. It looked like a little line flashing on the screen. He took two shots and printed them out for us. Best early birthday present I've ever gotten. I have to go back in three weeks time for a second confirmation scan just to make sure that everything is still on track.
It's been a rough few days, I got sick so quickly and I'm still so weak and run down. I'm on antibiotics for a week and then have to go to my GP for a check up. I'm feeling a bit better today, I've done some washing and the dishes but even those two tasks made me want to take a nap. There's only another week left of term so I'm making myself unavailable until the new term starts after the holidays.
I hope that the rest of my pregnancy is normal and boring.
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Beta #3
I left work just a few minutes after 3pm on Monday, I wanted to drive into town where I have phone service and talk to a nurse at my clinic.
Luckily, my nurse was working and I got to talk to her. She looked over Saturdays results and wasn't happy that we'd been told they weren't doubling in 48 hours. She explained that doubling in 48 hours is a bit outdated and they like to see the numbers increase by 66% within 48 hours. My numbers were just under that but she wasn't too concerned. I asked if she was working Wednesday and she said she'd keep an eye out for me in the waiting room.
I slept horribly last night. My deputy principal had asked me to take the class for the rest of the week and I was feeling guilty that I'd be leaving them with their fourth relief teacher in 3 weeks. I know it's just one day but these kids don't cope well with change. I'm back there Thursday and Friday but I was still worried about how they'd go.
And I was worried about my HCG level. I think it's worse, because the teacher I'm replacing did an ivf cycle a few weeks ahead of me, but is having complications. So every day I'm hearing updates about how she's going and how things aren't looking good. I know that she's just 3 weeks ahead of me and is facing all these challenges and it makes me think "that could be me".
After my blood test this morning I had to run a few errands, Tony got a flat tyre on our car last night so I had to go to the tyre place and get that all sorted out. Then I was going shopping for some new shoes to wear to work, I haven't bought work shoes in ages and I can't wear my current ones another day. I'm on my feet all day and by the end of the day my feet are killing me. That kept me busy and occupied for most of the morning.
I'd just started planning a few lessons for the rest of this week when my nurse called me. My HCG had risen from 660 to 2994! What a relief. I'd decided I'd be happy if they were over 1700 but to see that they're nearly at 3000 is wonderful.
My progesterone is sky high and over 500, my nurse said they're happy to see it around 70 so for it to be this high is great. And it means I can start weaning off the progesterone pessaries. Now it's just one pessary every third night. Hopefully that'll calm down some of the cramps I've been having.
I have another beta next Wednesday just to make sure everything is still on track. Then on the 31st is my 7 week scan with my FS, I'll be exactly 7 weeks.
Luckily, my nurse was working and I got to talk to her. She looked over Saturdays results and wasn't happy that we'd been told they weren't doubling in 48 hours. She explained that doubling in 48 hours is a bit outdated and they like to see the numbers increase by 66% within 48 hours. My numbers were just under that but she wasn't too concerned. I asked if she was working Wednesday and she said she'd keep an eye out for me in the waiting room.
I slept horribly last night. My deputy principal had asked me to take the class for the rest of the week and I was feeling guilty that I'd be leaving them with their fourth relief teacher in 3 weeks. I know it's just one day but these kids don't cope well with change. I'm back there Thursday and Friday but I was still worried about how they'd go.
And I was worried about my HCG level. I think it's worse, because the teacher I'm replacing did an ivf cycle a few weeks ahead of me, but is having complications. So every day I'm hearing updates about how she's going and how things aren't looking good. I know that she's just 3 weeks ahead of me and is facing all these challenges and it makes me think "that could be me".
After my blood test this morning I had to run a few errands, Tony got a flat tyre on our car last night so I had to go to the tyre place and get that all sorted out. Then I was going shopping for some new shoes to wear to work, I haven't bought work shoes in ages and I can't wear my current ones another day. I'm on my feet all day and by the end of the day my feet are killing me. That kept me busy and occupied for most of the morning.
I'd just started planning a few lessons for the rest of this week when my nurse called me. My HCG had risen from 660 to 2994! What a relief. I'd decided I'd be happy if they were over 1700 but to see that they're nearly at 3000 is wonderful.
My progesterone is sky high and over 500, my nurse said they're happy to see it around 70 so for it to be this high is great. And it means I can start weaning off the progesterone pessaries. Now it's just one pessary every third night. Hopefully that'll calm down some of the cramps I've been having.
I have another beta next Wednesday just to make sure everything is still on track. Then on the 31st is my 7 week scan with my FS, I'll be exactly 7 weeks.
Sunday, 16 March 2014
Beta results
I did do a hpt and test early, at 6dp4dt I got a super faint positive. So faint that I wasn't sure the line was there. But the next morning, it was darker.
My first beta wasn't scheduled until 10 days past transfer, but I got offered week long contract so I went in for my beta at 9 days past. And my hcg was a perfect 220!
Because I'd be working at the same school as my sister in law, Tony told his family that we'd had a positive result but it was still very early days. I rang my mum and told her the same thing, but made sure to tell her that she can't tell anyone else just yet. I also let my brother and his girlfriend know.
Last week was crazy busy with work. I was under a huge amount of pressure, this is a class I've worked with quite a lot so I do know the kids. But their teacher had been off for nearly two weeks and they'd had other relief teachers in that time (it was during the time I was having my egg pick up and transfer which is why I couldn't take the class). It was a rough start and it took me a few days to get them settled.
My repeat beta was due to be done this Monday, but my contract was extended until Tuesday and this school is so far away from my clinic I can't get in there before work. And I also don't have any mobile phone coverage out at work, so I got Tony to call the clinic and see if I could go in a few days early for my repeat beta.
Yesterday (Saturday) I got up and went in. I hadn't met this nurse before, but she was lovely. She did the blood work, handed me the "congratulations, you're pregnant!" letter with my due date (17th November!) and the goodie bag with information, booklets, pens, sample packs of prenatals and morning sickness relief vitamins.
Around lunch time we were on the way a family barbecue when my phone rang with the results of the
my repeat beta. My numbers had only risen to 660, which means they're doubling every 76 hours. They're not doubling as fast as they should be.
I don't know what this means for us. I know that my clinic likes to see the numbers double every 48 hours and they start to be concerned when it's takes more than 60 hours. Google has told me good stories about it taking even 72 hours for hcg numbers to double.
After the phone call the nurse sent me a text message, she'd been in contact with my FS and he wants me to rest and do another beta on Wednesday.
It's a roller coaster. Every time I think we're at a point where we can relax or that something has finally gone our way something like this happens. Mondays beta was great and my progesterone levels were that high that they started to wean me down, I went from Crinone twice a day to once a day. And then this happens.
It's just a waiting game again. I thought we were past all of that.
My first beta wasn't scheduled until 10 days past transfer, but I got offered week long contract so I went in for my beta at 9 days past. And my hcg was a perfect 220!
Because I'd be working at the same school as my sister in law, Tony told his family that we'd had a positive result but it was still very early days. I rang my mum and told her the same thing, but made sure to tell her that she can't tell anyone else just yet. I also let my brother and his girlfriend know.
Last week was crazy busy with work. I was under a huge amount of pressure, this is a class I've worked with quite a lot so I do know the kids. But their teacher had been off for nearly two weeks and they'd had other relief teachers in that time (it was during the time I was having my egg pick up and transfer which is why I couldn't take the class). It was a rough start and it took me a few days to get them settled.
My repeat beta was due to be done this Monday, but my contract was extended until Tuesday and this school is so far away from my clinic I can't get in there before work. And I also don't have any mobile phone coverage out at work, so I got Tony to call the clinic and see if I could go in a few days early for my repeat beta.
Yesterday (Saturday) I got up and went in. I hadn't met this nurse before, but she was lovely. She did the blood work, handed me the "congratulations, you're pregnant!" letter with my due date (17th November!) and the goodie bag with information, booklets, pens, sample packs of prenatals and morning sickness relief vitamins.
Around lunch time we were on the way a family barbecue when my phone rang with the results of the
my repeat beta. My numbers had only risen to 660, which means they're doubling every 76 hours. They're not doubling as fast as they should be.
I don't know what this means for us. I know that my clinic likes to see the numbers double every 48 hours and they start to be concerned when it's takes more than 60 hours. Google has told me good stories about it taking even 72 hours for hcg numbers to double.
After the phone call the nurse sent me a text message, she'd been in contact with my FS and he wants me to rest and do another beta on Wednesday.
It's a roller coaster. Every time I think we're at a point where we can relax or that something has finally gone our way something like this happens. Mondays beta was great and my progesterone levels were that high that they started to wean me down, I went from Crinone twice a day to once a day. And then this happens.
It's just a waiting game again. I thought we were past all of that.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Transfer and embryo update
Transfer day was on Friday. We had one great quality compacting morula transfered. (Dr S called it a star performer).
When we got to the fertility clinic the embryologist came in and talked to us about the quality of the embryo they were transfering and gave us a picture of it. She also talked about the two that they were still watching. One was at 10 cells and growing slowly, the other was ahead and a cavitating morula but was poor quality. She was lovely and explained that they'd continue to grow and monitor the last two embryos and give me a call on Sunday to let us know if they'd been able to freeze either of them.
Transfer was so much easier than the two previous IUIs. I found the IUIs incredibly painful, getting the catheter through my cervix was not easy either time and took multiple attempts. Because I struggled with the IUIs and my Dr had noted on my chart that I could have a valium before hand. As soon as the nurse offered it to me I said yes. Actually, I think Tony said yes before I did, but he'd had to listen to me babble and talk non stop about my anxieties since the day before.
I'm not sure if it was the valium or if it was the different exam table and the higher footrests that made a difference. But the transfer was painless. There was also a clock above my head and I just watched the second hand the whole time.
We got the all clear from the embryologist that the pipette was empty and the embryo had been transferred, waited for 5 minutes then I got up and got dressed. On the way out I got the receipt to take in to medicare and our health insurance and picked up another box of crinone. I'd been on it once a day since egg pick up but was now to do it twice a day.
And that was it. Pretty easy, no where near as bad as I'd been expecting. Afterwards we went out to lunch and then Tony worked from home while I napped and watched tv.
But today was Sunday and I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. I was waiting from the call from the clinic to let me know how the other two embryos were going. Around 11.30am my phone rang and I knew from the tone in the embryologists voice it wasn't good news. She had been so upbeat and positive on Friday it was contagious, but today she was quiet and serious.
The 10 cell embryo hadn't developed any further. The poor quality one had made it to blastocyst but it had no inner mass cells. Those are the cells which will turn into a fetus and then a baby, without inner mass cells if it did implant, it wouldn't progress and would wind up in a miscarriage.
I had kind of been expecting we wouldn't have any to freeze but I was still gutted. I got off the phone and broke the news to Tony. I was fine until I sat back down on the couch a few minutes later and then it hit me. I had a little bit of a teary moment and then pulled myself together.
Now it's just a waiting game. I go in for my beta on the 11th and I'm staying busy and positive until then.
When we got to the fertility clinic the embryologist came in and talked to us about the quality of the embryo they were transfering and gave us a picture of it. She also talked about the two that they were still watching. One was at 10 cells and growing slowly, the other was ahead and a cavitating morula but was poor quality. She was lovely and explained that they'd continue to grow and monitor the last two embryos and give me a call on Sunday to let us know if they'd been able to freeze either of them.
Transfer was so much easier than the two previous IUIs. I found the IUIs incredibly painful, getting the catheter through my cervix was not easy either time and took multiple attempts. Because I struggled with the IUIs and my Dr had noted on my chart that I could have a valium before hand. As soon as the nurse offered it to me I said yes. Actually, I think Tony said yes before I did, but he'd had to listen to me babble and talk non stop about my anxieties since the day before.
I'm not sure if it was the valium or if it was the different exam table and the higher footrests that made a difference. But the transfer was painless. There was also a clock above my head and I just watched the second hand the whole time.
We got the all clear from the embryologist that the pipette was empty and the embryo had been transferred, waited for 5 minutes then I got up and got dressed. On the way out I got the receipt to take in to medicare and our health insurance and picked up another box of crinone. I'd been on it once a day since egg pick up but was now to do it twice a day.
And that was it. Pretty easy, no where near as bad as I'd been expecting. Afterwards we went out to lunch and then Tony worked from home while I napped and watched tv.
But today was Sunday and I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. I was waiting from the call from the clinic to let me know how the other two embryos were going. Around 11.30am my phone rang and I knew from the tone in the embryologists voice it wasn't good news. She had been so upbeat and positive on Friday it was contagious, but today she was quiet and serious.
The 10 cell embryo hadn't developed any further. The poor quality one had made it to blastocyst but it had no inner mass cells. Those are the cells which will turn into a fetus and then a baby, without inner mass cells if it did implant, it wouldn't progress and would wind up in a miscarriage.
I had kind of been expecting we wouldn't have any to freeze but I was still gutted. I got off the phone and broke the news to Tony. I was fine until I sat back down on the couch a few minutes later and then it hit me. I had a little bit of a teary moment and then pulled myself together.
Now it's just a waiting game. I go in for my beta on the 11th and I'm staying busy and positive until then.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)