How many will make it to the finish line?

Yesterday was our big egg retrieval day and everything went great!!!   At 8:45am I took 1 Valium pill and headed to Dr. Schnell's office for my 9am appointment.  When we arrived, they immediately took Sean back to retrieve his "contribution" to the procedure and then took me back to prepare me for the anesthesia.  I went back in one room with a nurse who asked me how I was feeling and if the Valium was working.  Oh let me tell you it was!!!  I had taken that pill 15 minutes before and I was feeling no pain and ready for serious sleep.  According to the nurse, I am a total light weight.  She was making fun of how relaxed I was so quickly.  It hit me pretty fast I guess for a 1st timer! I was having a hard time standing up straight and keeping my balance to undress and put the hospital gown on.  hee!hee!   They took me back to the procedure room and there were people everywhere...so it seemed anyway.  I remember them "seat belting" me to the table, many doctors and nurses coming in and introducing themselves and I remember the nurse putting in my IV.  The last thing I remember was the retrieval doctor Todd, introducing himself and me saying, "I want lots and lots of eggs.  Big ones...the biggest ones you can get."  And he replied with a big smile, "I will do my best."  Then I was out!!!  When I woke up, I was in the recovery room with Sean sitting next to my bedside.  I remember asking him about his contribution and how he did.  He said, "I guess I did okay because they did your procedure.  If it would not have been okay, they would not have taken you back."  I stayed in recovery for about an hour.  Before checking out, we spoke to my nurse and she said that I did great.  I had no reaction to the anesthesia  and they retrieved a dozen eggs!  YIPPEE!!!  We were very excited to hear that!  I was told to only have liquids, soup  and protein shakes for the first 24 hour period and of course I have a handful of meds to continue taking through the process.  They told us we had to come back Wednesday morning to start the study medication and would find out then if we were picked for the Progesterone gel or ring.   After they released us, Sean got me dressed and they wheeled me out at about 12:30 and we went home.  Let me tell you what an amazing husband I have.  Sean put me to bed and I was out for the rest of the afternoon.  I woke up around 4:30 and he took such good care of me the rest of the evening.  Poor thing, I had him running to the store and constantly getting me something to drink, helping me out of bed and running back and forth to the kitchen.  He did such a great job taking care of me.  I love you Sean!!!  That afternoon we had a message from the retrieval doctor telling us that 9 eggs survived and they would let us know tomorrow how many matured overnight.   After staying awake for a little bit and visiting with a few visitors, Mom and my neighbor Jenna, I finally went back to be.  I slept off and on all night, having to pee every hour I think.  It must have been all of the Gatorade and the water I had been drinking.    I was very sore in my stomach from the retrieval and sore on my bum from the hCG I had on Sunday.  So 6:30am came pretty early.

At 7:15am, this morning, we received a call from Todd the retrieval doctor that 8 eggs had matured overnight!  Very exciting!!!!  They will fertilize them today and watch them produce their cells.  He said that he wants them to be at 2 cells or 4 cells by tomorrow.  He will call us in the morning and let us know if they are growing like they are supposed to.  As of this morning, the retrieval will be on Sunday, the 13th!!  YIPPEE!!!  At 7:45am, we had an appointment to get our fertility study meds and we were randomly picked for the Progesterone gel.  We are pleased with gel, but particularly did not care either way.  The gel is already FDA approved, so it is fine by us that we were picked for the gel.  Please say lots of prayers for us in the coming weeks.  

Particular things to pray for:

- fertilization of the eggs

- all 8 eggs to fertilize and divide into embryos

- the transfer will still be on Sunday

- patience for the 2 of us for the next few weeks!!!

Thanks for all of your prayers, thoughts, phone calls, visits and checking our blog.  Check out the Gulley and Frazier blogs to see the wonderful things they have posted about us during this process.  Thanks Laura and Tammy for sharing our story with your many friends and prayer warriors!!  We love you!

So....we have 8 eggs...how many will make it to the finish line?????