Part 8 - Embryo Transfer Day

Note: This is Christi writing this...Daniel is not qualified to write Part 8 of this saga. First, he was barely involved; and second, he was not the one that had to endure the embarrassment you are about to witness.

Here we go, please keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times… it’s for your own protection.

The eggs and sperm were combined and we were informed we had 6 really good looking embryos. Actually, the doctors said they had a hard time picking the best two because they all looked so great! It was time to put the best two in the oven (a process called The Embryo Transfer). I warn you now… The Embryo Transfer has to be the worst thing I have ever been through. No pain but a TERRIBLE experience…

It started out much like the egg extraction although this time I didn’t have an IV, so no needles (so far…so good). The nurse gave me a Valium to help me relax (even better). Then I put on my PJs and waited in bed. This time Daniel was going to get to join me in the surgical room and was given a complete surgical outfit. I don’t know how Daniel even manages to dress himself in the morning. He started by putting the gown on backwards (thank goodness he kept his jeans on) and he put the shoe cover on his head. It took me a while to straighten Corky out but we did it quickly before the doctors arrived.

When they were ready for me, the nurse walked us into to the operating room with about nine doctors and nurses standing around the room. It was nothing short of a freezer in there. I’m positive I could see my breath. I would much rather have been put to sleep than be awake through what happened next. The table was solid steel and covered by a sheet. I lay down on the table; they separated my legs, put them in stirrups, and STRAPPED THEM IN. Why in the hell did my legs need to be strapped in? Were they afraid I would get up and leave, jump, kick them? I really wish I weren’t wearing earrings because my knees were getting all scratched up from the backs of my ear. Oh, it gets much worse…Then they moved my gown up so my hoo-ha was exposed and then they turned the 3’ X 3’ (that’s feet not inches) light towards me so that ALL NINE people in the room could get a good, clear look at my private parts! You ever hold a flashlight against your hand in the dark and it looks like your fingers glow? That light was so bright my ears were doing the same thing.

The doctor asked us questions to make sure we were who they thought we were, we knew what was getting ready to happen, and we still wanted to do this. We gave the okay, although the thought did run through my mind to run away and regain my dignity. The doctor called the lab and told them we were ready; so I was thinking this was getting ready to be over soon, OH NO. We had to wait and wait and WAit and WAIt and WAIT, I swear my thingy was spotlighted for 30 minutes before the lab “team” arrived. You head me… TEAM. I turned to Daniel to tell him how embarrassed I was and with a calm smile he said “nobody is looking”. Was he kidding? I could see those 24 eyes ALL looking at me and they weren’t looking at my eyes. The embryologist came in with our “soon-to-be” babies in a syringe with a long tube. More questions to verify everything and then ALL TWENTY-FOUR eyes moved in, in unison... for a closer look!!!! The doctor moved very slow as he explained each step. Through the sonogram monitor we could see the insertion of the tiny tube into my uterus. Daniel was fascinated, I was not.

After the embryos were inserted we were told to sit and relax in the freezing room for a few minutes in hopes the embryos would start to move to their new home. The doctors left for a few minutes and returned with a new bed. Dr Vaughn was very specific, “We will move you, don’t help, don’t move a muscle.” They moved me to the new bed by slowly moving up the sheet with me in it. We were moved to a room and told to relax for the next hour or so.

The next step was to go home and do as little as possible for the next three days. The goal was to have the embryo attached to the uterus wall. Things look great!

Number 9... Number 9... Number 9... Number 9... Number 9...