Introducing ... my blasts!

Here they are. At the time they were frozen (back in February), one was a 4AA and the other a 5AA. This handy informational explained that rating essentially means that one was starting to hatch by freezing (the 5AA) and the other hadn't (the 4AA). By the time this photo was taken, however, they were both on their way out, as you can see. This photo was taken a bit before transfer. By transfer time, they were WELL on their way out, even almost out, so even further than this photo shows. So, by transfer time, we had two 5AA blasts!

The transfer was relatively easy. The catheter went in easier than last time (it was easy last time, but took a few minutes). But it hurt a little more this time than I remember the last two transfers hurting. Just a quick ouchie, nothing serious. I was on valium again and slept a fair amount yesterday afternoon when we got back to our hotel. And, just to update, my progesterone level was at 37.8 on Monday; they like to see anything over 20. Phew.

Out hotel was amazing. We stayed at Hotel 1000. It was expensive, but we have always figured "hell, we're spending the bank on the treatment, what's an extra bit on a hotel." We probably could find somewhere much cheaper for about $150 a night, but we wanted close to the clinic, quiet, and chose a water view this time for hubby. For $300 a night (whoa!) we had one of the nicest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in. And did we love it or what! We relaxed and giggled and talked. It was a really nice night. I'd recommend a water view in that hotel. We've also stayed at (1) Silver Cloud, (2) Pan Pacific and (3) Kimpton's Hotel Monaco. They were all nice, but this one just took the cake.

I got a little freaked out because one of the blasts was a day-6 blast. The embryologist explained that meant that on day 5, it looked like it might become a blast, so they waited. And, on day 6, it was a blast so they froze it. The other was a day-5 blast. I worried that it meant my embryo was a slow developer or that it meant doom and gloom for the cycle. I did some internet research and found an Oxford study about day-5 versus day-6 blasts. I tried to interpret it, but couldn't so I sent it to two MD friends I have made through my resolve group. They each responded, not seeing the other's response, that their reading of the study was very different: that there is NO difference between day-5 and day-6 blasts provided the same measuring units are used to determine them as blasts. That it matters more on a fresh cycle because of the woman's lining, but doesn't matter at all on a frozen cycle. I was so relieved to hear than and then fell right asleep!

We got back to the room about 4 and I fell asleep rather instantly. Hubby used the hotel's gym facilities and came back just as I was waking up at 5:30. He then went to get us some dinner at a delicious vegetarian restaurant we've gone to before: Cafe Flora. SO YUMMY! I ordered him a beer through room service and and when he got back, the beer had just arrived and we feasted in the room. Then we snuggled into bed and turned a movie on. It was about a good a night as we could have hoped for.

I'm home now, on a self-imposed bed rest. My clinic doesn't do bed rest. They told me to "just take it easy" but gave me permission even to go out for dinner last night. Their success rates are great so I can only believe that the bed rest doesn't make a lick of a difference. That said, my Portland clinic does a 2 day bed rest, so I am trained that way. Therefore, I am on my own kind of bed rest, the kind that allows me to get up for food or to wander around the garden. I might even take our dog for a slow walk in the morning! I don't go back to work until Friday and am going to enjoy lying around the house thinking about my beautiful embryos.

I feel really calm (so far) in this 2ww. I'm not sure if it's a degree of "just don't give a fuck" which is a defense mechanism. It's probably also some "been there, done that." I had, in fact, decided NOT to test early and to just wait for my beta on 4/12. But my naturopath, who is treating my natural killer cells, wants me to test early so she can test my NK cells after a pregnancy starts and make sure the numbers haven't escalated. So, I will test early on Monday, I think.



My boobs have been HUGE and full and sore for a while now from all the estrogen, so I can't take that as a symptom obviously! And I am cramping now from the procedure (and possibly from implantation). I'll just have to wait and see, but for now, I am as content as I could be with my kitty, Emma, snuggled up right next to me in bed.