The Retrieval

Up until the retrieval day, things with IVF cycle #2 were going extremely well.  In my book, almost too well.  As if I was just waiting for one of the proverbial balls to fall.  And yet, there they were, still balancing perfectly in the air.

So on Tuesday, October 8th, we woke up super early because that's how my RE rolls, and headed to the office.

Tired, and yes, scary looking, but we were excited...we had never gotten this far before!!!

We then were taken to our waiting and recovery room, where I was dressed in the oh-so-flattering gown (now I know why so many celebrities bring their own gowns to the hospital when they have the baby!!).

I then got my IV and asked about fifteen questions about what medications the anesthesiologist was giving, dosages, timeframes, etc.  I REALLY wanted to make sure that he knew if he pushed the fentanyl too rapidly I could get rigid chest, but I refrained.  I may be a crazy APN patient, but I know my boundaries!  After I got my answers I was able to relax a little. 

Or at least pretend to relax for a picture, because really, I was nervous!  Nervous a little bit about the anesthesia.  Nervous a whole lot about what would be happening once I was asleep.  Mostly just nervous about what would be retrieved, and all the steps after that. 

 

And the rest of the day is pretty much a blur. 

 

I was walked over to the retrieval room where I remember laying on the table and putting my legs up in the stirrups.  I remember the anesthesiologist saying the doctor would come in and say hi, but I probably wouldn't remember anything after that.  But I don't even remember the doctor coming in, and I certainly don't remember saying hi.  I guess I'm a lightweight when it comes to fentanyl, versed and propofol! 

 

The next thing I knew, I was back in the room where I started, with a bit more pain than I was expecting.  I felt as if a very large needle was jabbed through my hoo-ha and into my ovaries multiple times...and then realized that was precisely what had happened!

 

So I was given a spot more of fentanyl which put me back in sleepy land for a bit.  Once I woke up, I was given some animal crackers and ginger ale (which I'm pretty sure Jon ate and drank more of), and was sent on our way to rest for the remainder of the day.

 

And rest I did! I slept almost 9 hours that day, waking only to take some more tylenol (gotta love that it's the only approved pain med, fertility pain medicaion of champions I tell ya!).

 

Over the next couple of days, I was able to take it easy, be served by my loving and amazing husband, eat his amazing spicy chicken noodle soup several times, and recooperate.  Aside from cramping and discomfort, the only other sign of retrieval was a belly so bloated that I could have passed for a 6 month pregnant lady!  No joke...thank goodness there are no pictures of that!  But I wasn't pregnant yet....that would have to wait until the Transfer.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...