Final Ultrasound!

Before I begin with the most recent updates, I thought I would mention that it officially feels like fall here in ABQ.  It's 75 degrees and I feel like I will have to get out sweaters and sweatshirts soon.  Also with it feeling like fall, I am sad because Starbucks has their pumpkin spice lattes out and I CAN'T have one! I have not been able to have any caffeine since starting my injections. : ( No coffee, no teas, and no COKE!  Can't wait till I can enjoy one these beverages again.
So that's my "poor me" pity party for the day, on with the updates. : )

I have still been going to the Dr. every day for ultrasounds and blood work. My arms look more like a heroin addict everyday. I have really great bruises. The lab people even feel bad poking me now.
Since Sunday my follicles have grown to the 17mm-19mm range (there are a few smaller ones, so not sure those will be any good but we will see) and there are still bunches out them! Upwards of 15 follicles still.
I have been giving smaller doses of the medications and have been doing the 3rd injections which prevents ovulation.  But a couple of times now my estrogen levels have been high so I have been skipping my nightly injections.  Not complaining about that! : )
With the smaller doses of meds, my headaches have almost disappeared.  However, the bloated belly and pressure has only gotten bigger and occasionally worse. I was informed today that these symptoms will get worse before they get better, once I have the egg retrieval. yay.....

Egg retrieval is scheduled! Thursday is the big day!  Follicles have seemed to max out in growth and there's a lot, so Dr. said Thursday will be the day. So today, I will be giving myself super low doses of the usual injections but will be adding the dreaded HCG Injection.  This one is dreaded because Greg has to give it to me in the lower back/upper butt area with a needle that is 1.5 inches long, (has to go in the muscle).   Not excited about this at all!  HCG is suppose to trigger the follicles to be ready to be "released". This injection has to be given at a very specific time and that time happens to be 11:45 tonight. another yay......
No shots tomorrow though, unless I happen to need more HCG, which means I to have to get more blood drawn tomorrow to check those levels. But no Dr. visit tomorrow.

Thursday is the all important day! The general procedure for Thursday will be that early in the morning Greg will go the Dr. office to provide a sample of his swimmers,so they can be all ready for the eggs.
Greg will then take me to the Dr. office where the retrieval will take place.  I will be placed under anesthesia and the Dr. will use the internal ultrasound to guide a needle through the uterus wall and into the ovary and suck out all the eggs he can. Repeat for both ovaries.
Behind the scenes, the embryologist, will the hand pick one swimmer for each egg retrieved and fertilize them. He will let each embryo then grow for 6 days, then biopsy any that have made it and grown to the 6 day stage. At that point embryos will then be frozen.
After I recover and such, we will be told how eggs they were able to retrieve. And then the next day I can call to see how many fertilized. And then 5 more days we will know how many grew large enough to be biopsied for the genetic tests and frozen. It will then be 3 weeks until we know the results of the genetic tests and then begin the process of getting ready for the transferring of an embryo.
Hopefully there will be enough good embryos that I will not have to go through this whole retrieval process again!

So wish us lots of luck that everything will go smoothly!
More updates after Thursday!