The Sisterhood of the Blue Stilettos

[tinaO]

Hello sistas! Well, things are looking pretty good for me so far I suppose. We went to the doctor on Thanksgiving morning (7:45 a.m. - ugghhh!) and we had 16 follies with the largest being a "12" so they are thinking we will go in for ER on Tues or Wed. I am feeling pretty nervous about it all. I guess I just wonder how many eggs I will truly end up with and how many will fertilize! We go back Sunday morning at 7:45 a.m. and I suppose at that point we will know for sure when ER will be and when we trigger.

So, these progesterone needles about scared the crap out of me and DH. What the h-ll???? They are HUGE!!! Talk to me about these. Are they as bad as they seem? How big a needle did they give you and where did you have to take the shots? I am totally wigged out about them. Do you have to take them every day? And for the whole 1st trimester if you get a BFP??? Oh Lord - I just did not see that issue coming. My DH thought they must have accidentally sent those size needles and called them "horse needles". Help!!

Angie - Hang in there as it sounds like you are doing awesome! But I agree that you need to scam a scan and not have to wait 4 weeks!! I mean, 4 weeks seems like forever doesn't it? I believe the creative sistas on here need to come up with some ideas for you from their past experience. In fact, I think we need a contest to see who has the most creative one...jazz up this thread a little! So, come on sistas....what say you???

Vicky - Sounds like you are hanging in there! I know it will be such a relief when you and Angie make it to the 12 week mark. At least then you can hopefully relax a little, huh?

Meg - how are you? Even Texas finally got some cold weather. I would be pleased only now they are expecting sleet tomorrow and we have plans for my birthday to go out with some friends for dinner. When you live in South Texas and you get ice and sleet, you pretty much stay home. We can't drive in that mess. We are pathetic.

Sassy - I know exactly what you mean about emotions all over the place. This is the MOST emotionally challenging thing I have ever been through! I have gotten teary eyed over some really stupid crap lately. I actually cried when Jennie Garth got voted off Dancing with the Stars the other night. What the h-ll? Are you kidding me? This is getting ridiculous. I am starting to get on my own nerves.

Jenn - where are you? Hope all is well!

Fee - It is important that you show us pictures SOON and we need the name!!!

Take care all!

Tina

[Angie65]

Tina - that number of follies sounds just perfect to me - I am sure you will get a good number of eggs.

Sorry can't help with the progesterone Q - I have always had pessaries or gel (v messy but no needles). The US treatment just seems to have more needles all round - needles to down reg, needles for prog and you even have more blood tests to check for the results! Aussie girls must be woosie as we don't get all those needles. But I'm sure the girls will have some tips once they have finished eating their turkey.

Now the queen of scan scammers is Fee but she is MIM (Missing in Motherhood).

Look forward to your trigger update - that's a fun needle too! Have a great weekend.

[vicky77]

Hey Tina!!!.....16 follies sound great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, that's a lot!!, I am sure you will have tons of eggies/embryos there!!. About the needles, they seem huge, but you will see that they don't hurt as much. Imagine you are going through the muscle and fat in your butt, so it doesn't really hurt. I felt that some of the stim injections that were subQ hurt more than the progesterone one. So don't worry about it. It is important to have a good technique, have your DH study the technique well and you will be fine. If you have any questions let me know, I am a pro already! . Good luck with your next scan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tinaO]

Angie/Vicky - thanks for the info! We just got back from the clinic and there are 19 follies in total, although many that are not mature enough yet. They are thinking they will most likely get 9-10 mature eggs. Is that good? I was hoping for a few more. I go back again tomrorow and then ER will be Wed. I am nervous!! I don't know why - I am just feeling a mixture of emotions. I am sure that is normal! I appreciate all of your words of wisdom and encouragement. I could use them right now!

Thanks girls!

[Angie65]

You sound right on track to me Tina. That will be a great number and you still have a few more days so may get some more anyway. Even if you don't, 9 or 10 is a great number and no chance of OHSS either, which is what I ended up with first time round - not fun!

Take it easy until ER and rest up afterwards - we'll be waiting for your egg count!

[tinaO]

Thanks, Angie! I know I am over-analyzing too much. And you are right - I have been so afraid of OHSS, so I am sure my RE is trying to watch that very closely with it being somewhat common for women with the polycystic ovaries. Oh well - I guess it is mainly out of my control now! I just really pray this all works out. Hopefully tomorrow morning a few more will have reached maturity! Thanks for all the support!!!

Tina

[jenn]

Hey girls!

We were out of town for the week last week. Hope you all had a great turkey day. I am happy to be home and will be here until Christmas. The longest stretch ever I think!

Tina- the shots aren't too bad. I agree with Vicky- you need to get your technique down and you'll be fine. Yes- the needles are big! I stuck an ice pack in my pants and then made up the shot. By the time DH gave it to me I was numb and didn't feel a thing. If you do that though, get a really hot washcloth to put on it afterb/c if the PIO gets cold it will get hard like little rocks. That never happened to me but the nurse told me to put a hot compress on the injection site to avoid it. They aren't bad at first, but after the couple weeks when both sides are tired and sometimes bruised from the shots it gets a little not fun! Sounds like you have a great number of eggs!! The most I ever got was 6. My egg maker is lazy! good luck and let us know how it goes. Retrieval is easy, don't be scared.

Ok- be back later, I have mounds of laundry and I a house to clean. Being out of town is fun, but a lot of work upon return! I stupidly scheduled a luncheon at my house tomorrow. What was I thinking??

[FionaA]

OK I think I'm gonna have a tantrum!

Nogs is asleep at last (it is 3.00am and he is in his pram next to me).

I had just done a long message with personals to all and then some how deleted it! Bloody hell! Oh well off we go again.

Sorry for my long absence, I'm living on 3 hours sleep a night as Nogs and I get accustomed to each other. His name is Rio but I can't stop calling him Nogs. Tina, Nogs is short for Noggin, a name DH gave him after seeing his huge head on the ultrasound....

O no, Nogs is awake and shrieking I will have to come back.

Sorry sisters I will try to be back soon...

Fee

[meg12]

Fee--Oh man, am I glad to be past the first month! It's incredible, but so hard. Rio is a great name (although he'll always be Nogs to me, too!) Get back whenever you can, we understand!

Tina--I think it sounds like you are producing eggs like a chicken. Cheesy, sorry. Er is a snap. Wishing you good luck! The progesterone shots are kinda scary, huh? Just make sure your DH is quick and doesn't "stab" it--it can bruise more easily if you don't watch it.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving (for those that celebrate). I myself gained 5 lbs, I ate SO FRIGGING MUCH! Oh well. I have 4 weeks to lose it before Christmas when I do it all over again!

[vicky77]

Fee!!!!!!!!!!, so glad to hear from you!!, Rio is a beautiful name, maybe you know, but in spanish it means "river", so I think it is beautiful, peaceful........although right now it is probably not peaceful at all for you since you are only sleeping 3hs!!!!, but hang in there, Nogs/Rio will soon sleep longer

Jenn....long time no see!!!, where did you go?. Hope you are doing great!

Tina.....good luck with ER tomorrow!!!!!!, I am sure everything will be ok, and ER is easy, they just put you to sleep and when you come back, bam!, all the eggies are already meeting dad's swimmers . Keep us posted!!

Meg....I am with you on the weight gain in the holidays!!. I am sooo hungry lately (the good thing is I get full easier, but it doesn't last long ). I am supposed to gain 2-5lbs in the first trimester, and I think I already gained about 6-7 lbs, oops!!!!! ......oh well, who cares!!!!!

[tinaO]

Hello!!! Thanks for all the positive vibes for tomorrow. I am still nervous, but your experience sharing is helping me feel more relaxed. I hoping they get at least 10-12....but who knows. Guess it is out of my hands now!

And uh - shouldn't someone have warned me about that trigger shot? Oh wow - that thing SUCKED!! My poor little butt/hip is killing me today. Wow. Not fun. Angie, I think you tried to warn me in a very subtle way - probably so as to not freak me out. My poor DH was more nervous than I was though. Bless his heart. Did I mention that the shot SUCKED???

Fee - Love the name Rio! It is very hip!! Can't wait for pics!

Meg - yes, I do feel a bit like a chicken right now. A large, miserable chicken. My stomach is really bloated. I guess I will feel better tomorrow after the ER.

Jenn - thanks for the advice on the shots. I think my husband might have hit it a little hard so that might explain the pain I feel today. Oh well - what can you do?

Vicky - You just eat to your heart's desire, girl!! You have waited a long time for this. Screw it - just enjoy!!! And thanks for the words of wisdom on ER. They really help me to feel better.

Take care ladies!!! I will let you know how ER goes!

Tina

[jenn]

Well POOP! I just lost a post. Here we go again...

Vicky- I say you eat it up this holiday season!! You won't have any time next year you'll be chasing a little one around! Besides nobody cares when you eat a lot when you are pregnant. Pregnancy is a free pass to do whatever you want in the food department! How are you feeling? Any sickness? I didn't have much, I was lucky!

Angie- How are you feeling? We need to creat nicknames for you and Vicky's little ones! Do you have a name for yours yet?
We have been calling ours by her name, or her initials AC. Then we'll be out in public and I'll say "the A.C. is moving again", and people look at me like i'm crazy.

Tina- GOOD LUCK ON ER!! GO GET EM GIRL!!! Let us know how you feel and how many you get, and how many fert. Can't wait to hear. You'll do great with the shots! It's all worth it!

Fee- so glad to hear from you! I hope Nogs (Rio) starts sleeping better soon!! Get your rest whenever you can, and check in with us when you can!

Where is Sassy? On holiday somewhere fantastic I hope!

Well girls, yesterday I finished my baby shower thank you cards. I Hate writing thank yous!! The shower was great though, I got to see people I haven't seen in a while since we moved. We got all of our big stuff. The stroller, carseat, swing, highchair. That was GREAT!! I also got clothes for her and some really cute burp cloths that say things like "spit happens", "got milk?" , "iPood" (you know like iPod?) "Princess Anna Claire", "does this diaper make my butt look big?". We loved it! We got passies with her name on them, a bouncer, monitors, everything! We had a lot to be thankful for!!

Gotta run talk to you all later!

AHH! I just saw my ticker. I got to get moving and sign up for classes at the hospital and go take the tour, and find a pediatrition... EEK!!

[FionaA]

Hellooo, It's 1.15am and Nogs has been screaming the house down. I've had to resort to using a dummy. At least he's quiet now but is looking very lively, I don't think sleep will be an option for a while. Man I'm tired!

OK now I'm gonna try and do my personals and not lose my post again...

Vicky so glad to hear that all is well with you. Sorry I couldnt provide entertainment for you on your bedrest...are you up and about yet??? I chose the name Rio partly because of it's meaning in spanish. I must admit that I am copping a bit of flak for the name and some people (who will remain nameless) are trying to get me to change it....I'm going to have a good think about it over the next week or so. I will try to post pics soon but have major technical deficiences so bear with me...

Tina, good luck for ER tomorrow, you will be fine, sounds like you are bang on target for your follicle numbers. Look forward to hearing your reports over the next few days...As far as the bloating goes, I swelled up very nicely before ER. Had to go to a wedding looking like a watermelon, very uncomfortable.

Angie, great to hear that wombat is progressing nicely. Sounds like Dr J is just the ticket for a fresh start for you. We are also having a major baby boom in Perth. It is apparently very difficult to find an OB these days and alot of people with private insurance can't get a bed in the private hospitals. Hope your upcoming move goes smoothly, I don't envy you, I was knackered in the first trimester!

Sass, hope you are doing well. Thanks for the BIL update, seems like he is still up to his manipulative ways. I wonder if he will ever see the light??? Have you come to a decision about when you will be doing the big thaw? Is the Vietnam trip going to go ahead???

Jenn you are very organised! I am still writing my baby shower thank you cards. Sounds like you had a great time and got lots of lovely presents. I can't believe you are 29 weeks, that has gone ridiculously fast!!!

Mego, did you ever get to the shops to get your new outfits??? If not I'm guessing the tasteful nudes will be the order of the day for the Xmas cards. It is quite hard to get out of the house these days...I'm booked in for a hair do on Friday and have lined up my mum to babysit. I really don't want to leave Nogs but I'm going to have to get used to it sooner or later...I'll probably phone my mum every 5 minutes from the hairdresser.

Hello to all the other sisters what are you all doing out there????

Fee

[meg12]

Good to read ya, Fee. What's a dummy? I think we have a language difference there! It's hard leaving for the first time--even if the baby is with someone you trust. Heck, I barely leave her alone with my DH and he is a great parent. The just aren't you, ya know? And yes, I did get clothes for the pics so everyone will be spared seeing us naked. Try not to be too disappointed.

Oops, gots to go.

Tina--good luck with ER!

[tinaO]

Ok, I sahould have listened to the sistas! ER was a breeze. I think I was so entertained by my DH having to give his little "you know what" sample there at the office for the first time (the others we have done at home) that I pretty much could not stop laughing. When he came back so quickly after providing the sample, I said in front of the nurses, "WOW - you go baby!". Needless to say, he shot me a look that said, "No more comments. I mean it". Well, that just made me laugh more. Excuse me, but am I the only one that thinks they need a little torment through this process considering what we go through??? He was so great though and so sweet to me before and after.

Anyway, we got 13 eggs. I guess that is pretty good, huh? I was hoping for 12, so when we got 13, I was excited. Our clinic tends to err on the side of caution when stimming, so I am pretty pleased to have that many. I find out tomorrow morning how many fertilized!! That is my next thing to stress about.....

Thanks for all your support!! I will post more later after I have had some more sleep. Sorry Fee - I have been sleeping most of the day!!