Happy Dance, Happy Dance!!

I am totally doing the happy dance.  Today was a fantastic day.  I went by the clinic for the 2nd Beta blood draw on my way into work.  I'm so happy that they open at 7:30am, that way I can still make it to work by 8am.  I got there a little before 7:30, so actually had to wait for them to open.  There were several other people there too.  I always wonder what they are there for.  First consult, ultrasound, blood work, etc. and figure they may be wondering the same thing.  I didn't have to wait long and then went back for the blood draw.  Left around 7:40am and headed to the office.  Now, to wait for the results.  Here's the test from this morning, yesterday and the one from the morning of the first Beta too.

Now we just wait for the results.  Today they would be testing the HcG, E2 and P4 to make sure the hormone levels are good for that too.  I texted C when I was done to let her know. 

I was glad I had to work today, because I knew that would help keep me busy while waiting for results.  It was a pretty busy day, so didn't really worry about it until a little after lunch.  At a little after 3pm, I texted C to let her know that I hadn't heard anything, but had sent our NC a "reminder" email.  At close to 4pm, still hadn't heard results, but at least got an email back saying, "Still waiting!!!!" from our NC, so I least we knew she had it on her radar.  I will say that she has definitely been more prompt this time around, which has made things so much less stressful.  I asked if she wanted me to the monitoring clinic and around 4:30pm, I got an email saying that she was on the phone with them.  Yea!!  Almost got 'em.  At 4:37pm, I got the call with the results......Hcg was now at 483!!!  Woohoo!!  That is an awesome #.  Over double, which is great.  We were hoping for at least 66%, which would've been 330 and double would've been 398.  Our NC was so excited for us too.  She said that she and Dr. M were crying they were so happy and that she was not going to leave the office until she had those results for us.  She said that we would probably have the E2 and P4 back in the next day or two and would let me know as soon as those are back too.  She said the next appointment will be the ultrasound and we can do that in Houston or here in FW and would be Monday, 7/29.  I explained that Monday's are really tough for me, so she said anytime that week would be fine.  I told her I would talk to C & W and decide if they want to do it here or in Houston and let her know.

I couldn't wait to call C, so as soon as I hung up the phone with our NC, I called her.  I told her the number and explained the doubling.  Now they can start telling their families.  I can only imagine how hard it's been keeping it a secret.  The estimated due date based on the transfer will be 3/23/14.  I sent C a calendar that will calculate it for you and she said that W's birthday is 3/24.  What a fabulous birthday present this little baby is going to make!

1st Beta Day!!!

Well, I had an option to go to Houston for the first Beta, but I would've needed to spend the night there because they only do them before 7:30am.  They were also flexible to me doing it here, which I opted for.  I thought I was going to have to go to the local clinic on Monday morning because they aren't open on Sundays, but luckily, I called a local hospital that is only about a 5 minute drive from my house and they could do it and have results in about 20 minutes.  Awesome!  I had emailed the NC on Friday to let her know where I would be going on Sunday and she said she would let the weekend nurse know.

I got up at 6am (yes on a Sunday), gave myself my PIO injection, took a shower, got dressed and headed out.  Of course the rest of the entire house was still asleep.  My littles did get up when I was in the shower, but we instructed them to go back to bed because it was SO early.

I got to the hospital at around 10 after 7.  I haven't ever been to this hospital before, as it is brand new, so I asked the desk where the lab was.  They asked me for my paperwork, which I gave them and then they proceeded to get me "registered".  This whole process took a good 30 minutes.  I was starting to worry that we wouldn't have the results in time to get them back to the clinic.  I wasn't sure how long they would have staff there.  Finally at about 10 'til 8, I got to go back and the lab person came and did the blood draw.  He said that he would let me know as soon as the results were back and confirmed it would take about 20 minutes.  I wanted to hurry and get there, so I hadn't eaten breakfast and of course, I was hungry.  I headed to the cafeteria because the Starbucks in the hospital is closed on Sunday.  I grabbed some oatmeal and played on my phone during my wait.  It was so quiet in there.  It was kind of nice.  I headed back downstairs after 20 minutes just to be told that they couldn't release the results to the patient.  They said they did fax them to the clinic though, so figured I'd give the clinic a little bit of time and see if they called.  : (  Well, guess it was worth a shot.  I texted C to let her know that the blood draw was complete and now we had to wait for the results. 

At around 10:30am, I texted C to tell her that I still hadn't heard anything and she hadn't either.  I decided I would go ahead and call the clinic because I didn't know how long they would be in on Sunday.  I had to leave a message for the on call nurse.  At close to 11am, I finally got a call and she said that she wasn't expecting any results for me today.  I explained to her that I told our NC on Friday that I would be going and she had told me she would leave a note for the weekend nurse (who I assume is who I was talking to).  She was so nice and said that she would go up and see if there were any results.  I texted C to let her know and she told me that she was on her way into an engagement party, so wouldn't be able to talk until after.  I told her I would send her a text. 

The weekend nurse called me back at 11:36am and said, "Well, you're very pregnant"  Best news!  I was so excited and she told me the number was 199, which is great for a first number.  I texted C as soon as I got off the phone with the nurse and gave her the number.  I knew she was still at the party since it hadn't been very long and just texted her to call me when she finished up and had a chance.

We had already made plans to go see Despicable Me 2 with my mom and nephews at 1:50pm, so we were already in the theatre when C called me.  Luckily, the previews were just starting, so I stepped out so I could talk to her.  She sounded so excited too and I was so happy for her.  I explained what the nurse had said and that I would continue all meds and then go back on Tuesday morning for the next test.  They will also test my progesterone and estrogen level with the next Beta as well.  We want the Beta number to rise by at least 66% and would love for it to double.  They are still going to wait on telling their families until the 2nd Beta is in and I completely understand that.  I'm sure it's gotta be hard since they already know. 

The test on the bottom is from this morning.

Yep, Negatives SUCK!

Well, just in case you can't tell by the title of this post.  We had our 3rd BETA today and got the results late this afternoon.  They were negative this time.  No hcg.  Although we were all hopeful, we knew that this was most likely the outcome.  At this point, I will stop all meds, wait for AF (which should be in the next couple of weeks) and then start over.  I talked to C after work and it was really good to hear her voice.  I know that she is disappointed, but we are all optimistic for the next try.  We are all glad that there is another little embryo waiting for a home and the fact that this one didn't work out actually increases the odds a bit that the next one will.  We are all still sad that this one didn't work, but understand that it's part of the process and truly out of our hands.  We did everything we possibly could.  Dr. M is going to set up a time to meet with them this week or next to "close out the cycle" and go over everything and I assume that will include an estimated time line for the next cycle.  I'm thinking we are looking at June, probably between the 3rd and 17th depending on how my lining reacts this time.  I'm kind of hoping they go ahead and have me do the patches and stay on the one Estrace vaginally to start with since we know that's what worked the last time.

I will say that I was much happier with our NC this time.  She told me after the last results that she put a note up to remind her about the results for today.  I sent her an email this morning at a little after 9am, letting her know I had my blood drawn at 7:50am.  She emailed me back at a little before 10am, saying that she would watch for the report.  At 2:47pm, I got an email from her that said, "Checking -- still no result yet".  I thanked her for the follow up and got another email just before 3pm that said she was faxing the clinic here to request the results.  Got the final email at a little after 4pm with the results. 

2nd BETA Results

Finally got an email a little before 8am and again, not great news.  The levels were exactly the same.  Still a 5.  This is the oddest thing ever.  I would think it should've moved somewhat in either direction.  This time, I will be staying on meds and I will go back again on Monday to see what happens.  I went and changed my patches out as soon as I got the results.  We were all so confident that this transfer would work because everything looked so good.  My uterus looked great and the embryo looked great.  So hard to just wait.  I am trying so hard to stay optimistic and hopeful, but still preparing for the possibility of a chemical pregnancy at this point.  Still praying for a rise with the next results.  This is completely new for me, so it's definitely something to learn and grow from.

2nd BETA....still waiting

Today was our 2nd BETA and we STILL don't have results.  I'm really frustrated with our clinic and I'm sure C&W are a little bit too.  Emailed them at 9am to let our NC know that the blood draw was complete at 7:45am and received an email back at 11:37am letting me know she would contact me as soon as she knew.  3 o'clock came and went.  C & I started texting a little before 4pm, because we knew it was getting late.  Neither of us had received any communication since this morning.  Seriously?!  Given the unique situation, they should've totally been on top of this.  At around 4:30pm, we had still not received any communication.  C decided to call and leave a message and I sent a gentle email reminder.  A little after 5 and STILL nothing!  Ugh!!!  At this point, we were pretty sure she was already gone for the day.  You know, if the first BETA had been normal, I wouldn't have minded waiting an extra day for results, but our first was a 5 and this one was crucial to what happens next with the cycle, plus I'm scheduled to change patches in the morning, but if the results are lower, I don't want to waste them.  Meds are expensive and even though IP's plan for these expenses, it's not respectful of the clinics to assume that the funds are unlimited and I feel that they're being so nonchalant about it.

A little after 6pm, C & I discussed calling the after hours nurse and shortly after I left a message with the service, the on call nurse called me back.  She said that she wasn't able to access the records, but that she would be in at 7:30am and she would leave a note for our NC.  Lovely.  I texted C to let her know.  Nothing else we can do at this point and hopefully we are all able to sleep tonight while we wait.  I'm just going to take my patches with me to work tomorrow in hopes of good news.  Miracles happen all the time and this could still be one of those times.

BETA Day!!!

Today was our first BETA.  We were so excited to see what our number was.  The waiting is always the hardest part.  I'm so glad I have been super busy at work, so that I didn't have all day to obsess about it. 

Got an email from the clinic a little after 3pm that said they had just gotten the results and needed to call C first.  C called me as soon as she got off the phone with our NC and sadly, it wasn't what we were hoping to hear.  Hcg was only a 5.  : (  Typically, they like to see this number closer to 50 (or even more in some cases).  There have been cases where numbers are low and still double appropriately, so that is what we are hoping and praying for at this time.  Maybe this little embryo was slow to implant or grow.  I will go back for a second blood draw on Wed and hopefully, we will see it double.  I think we are all just a bit in shock.