Mom and I made it to Victoria in record time on Thursday. I was feeling pretty anxious to get out here so I think I may have gone over the speed limit just a little :) After leaving Calgary at 5:30 am, we almost made the 3:00 pm ferry from Vancouver - short by just 4 cars! Luckily since it's summer and a long weekend, the boats were running on the hour and before we knew it we were leaving for Vancouver Island and on our way to Kim & Carl's.
My anxiousness didn't seem to subside until Mom and I were having breakfast at a funky Victoria cafe after my first appointment at VFC where I got to meet the nurses and doctor I had been communicating with by phone and email for the past 6 months. As Kim has mentioned (post 4mm), both her and I are progressing slowly. We were both feeling low with the news to date but once we filled each other in on the latest, were quick to joke that at least we're on the same page!
The good news is that now the docs are pleased with my progress. This morning I had my second appointment (blood work & ultrasound) and my follicles grew by 50% in 3 days. They are now at 11 & 12 in diameter vs. 7 & 8 on Friday. I've been told that the retrieval will likely take place this weekend. I can only hope that there are a few good eggs in the 7 follicles I've got going in my ovaries - fingers crossed!
If people are wondering what this preparation process has been like for me how about I start with a needle count...in the past 10 days I've had a total of 24 needles to administer meds, plus 4 blood tests. All of the needles are subcutaneous and Joel's been giving them to me in my abdomen (one on each side). Yesterday I started up a third needle that prevents my ovaries from releasing eggs. This one I've been putting in my upper thigh because my belly is starting to look like a pin cushion! I started feeling a side effect yesterday evening when I noticed that I constantly felt bloated or cramp-like in my lower abdomen. When I told that to the doc today he said that that's a good thing. It truly is because it's a sign that my ovaries are expanding in size due to all the follicles that are there growing at the same rate and having none of them release. Feeling even more like that today :)
Here are the needles that are part of my routine these days:
There is a risk of over stimulation of the ovaries and Joel was a little worried about this because I've been on the highest possible doses of meds possible because of my lagging progress. Today I think he felt at ease when the doctor said that they are concerned when a single ovary has closer to 15 follicles growing. Maybe I'm glad that I've only got 4 follicles in one and three in the other. I should mention that a large reason for my body responding slowly to the needles is the fact that my ovaries have half the blood supply of those who possess a uterus. I often think of how lucky I am that I have this opportunity now because who knows how much longer my poor lonely ovaries will be productive.
Tomorrow it's Kim's turn for an update with an appointment first thing in the morning. There will be more to tell I'm sure! Thank you everyone who's thinking of us and following with us on this journey to create a life - love to all!!
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