FET #1

For frozen embryo transfers (FET) a baseline ultrasound is not necessary, so once my cycle starts I am able to jump right into estrogen pills to help grow my lining.  So when I started my period on September 14, 2016 we called the office to hear what the plan was for our medications.  Our medication/ultrasound schedule is as follows...

Sept 15-17: Estrogen 4mg pill
Sept 18-20: Estrogen 6mg pill
Sept 21-Oct 8: Estrogen 8 mg pill
Sept 26: Ultrasound to check lining, start progersterone shots 1mL nightly
Sept 26-Oct 8: Progesterone 1mL IM

Progesterone nightly shot

Ultrasound for lining check 

On Friday Sept 30th we were to arrive at 10AM to have my labs drawn and to go back into the surgery patient rooms.  When we pulled into the parking lot I was instructed to take one Valium tab, Valium helps to relax my body along with my uterus which will keep it from becoming irritable from manipulation.

Earlier that morning around 5AM the embryologist along with the help of Dr. Maud pick out one of our best looking embryos to thaw.  They carefully handle and thaw it over a few hours.  We get a call around 8AM with an update saying that our embryo has thawed well and that we are on track for the transfer.

FET#1 5 day blastocyst

Once we get settled and changed into our scrubs/gown we are wheeled back into the OR where they view our beautiful embryo on the TV and pull it up into a catheter and then while I have a very full bladder (this helps to push my uterus into the perfect spot) they insert the catheter and with ultrasound view see the catheter enter my uterus and deposit the embryo.  Afterwards we go back to the surgery patient room and wait flat for one hour.  I laid flat the whole drive back to Lincoln in the back of Derrick's truck, and then stayed on the couch all afternoon/evening.  We had Burger King, super yummy and the same food that I had after my transfer with Jackson.

We then had to wait that dreaded period of time, before we could test.  Throughout my wait I had all of the pregnancy symptoms of vivid dreams, cramping, sore breasts, increase sense of smell.... sadly all of these symptoms can also be a symptoms of the progesterone shots.  MEAN MEAN MEAN.

Our beta hcg test was due to happen the morning of October 8th at Bryan Hospital, however I was also scheduled to work this day.  I didn't want to work and find out either good or bad news that day.  If it was good I wanted to celebrate, if it was bad I didn't want to be surrounded by happy families that just had their own newborns.  So I decided to test early...

I tested Friday October 7th, I laid in bed until I heard the garage door shut and I jumped out of bed once I knew Derrick had gone to work.  I pee'd on the stick and waited to see the beautiful two pink lines... The only thing is the second line never appeared.  I broke down.  Laid in a ball on the floor of our master bathroom in a puddle of tears.  I was in shock, we were so sure that this baby was going to take, but for some reason baby didn't stick.  I called Derrick and gave him the news and updated my parents.

I ended up taking the next day off of work to take my blood hcg test that the office wanted me to take, to verify.  Yet again negative.. HCG <1.

We spoke with the nurse and discussed why the embryo possibly didn't implant, Dr. Maud's opinion was that it was a chromosomal abnormality, that this was a possibility out of all of our embryos that a few could be chromosomal abnormal.  Knowing this, we felt a sense of peace knowing that God wouldn't give us something we couldn't handle, and that maybe this negative although it seemed devastating maybe it was our answered prayer in that if something was seriously wrong with the embryo that it was mean to be with God and not us.  So picked ourselves back up and prepared to move on.

FET costs: Ultrasound $78, FET $4190, Labs $30, Medication $34 (These costs were out of pocket after insurance deductible was met, Insurance doesn't cover the actual FET procedure)