The Sisterhood of the Blue Stilettos

[Angie65]

Tina - well done you. 13 eggs is great . I remember my DH coming back after doing his bit really quickly too, I was like "what's wrong, couldn't you find where to go, I told you over there, go to that desk." And he is muttering "it's done, it's done, shut up will you!"

Meg - on behalf of Fee, I will reply in case she is catching up on some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's. I think you call a dummy a comforter? Rubber thing that goes in baby's mouth to keep them quiet!

Jenn - sounds like a very successful baby shower - must be so exciting to see all the gifts.

Fee - good to hear from you. I think the name Rio is cool and if I remember correctly, DH is Spanish so it's highly appropriate. Tell the people giving your grief to mind their own business or something more rude if you prefer.

Vicky - see you on the preg thread - hope all is well.

Well I am so tired today and have taken a sickie - I'm really struggling to work a full week at the moment and I did a 12 hour day on Tuesday due to a student event I was running. SO figured I deserved a day off. Will have to go to the dr's to get a sick note. How on earth I am going to organise the house move I do not know - DH is still painting and sanding and goodness knows what else in the new house, so the move is all down to me. Oh well - I am booking some annual leave so hopefully we'll get through.

Hi to all the other sistas.

[FionaA]

Hello Ladies, well I'm back here after Nogs deigned to give me three hours sleep last night. He finally went to sleep at 3.30am and woke at 6.30am. I had a big chat with him about his behaviour and I was hoping he would reflect on that overnight, unfortunately he is acting like nothing has happened, typical bloke. I think Nogs and I are engaged in a protracted power struggle and he is kicking my ass.

Tina congrats on the eggs, I am all for clinics being a bit cautious in order to prevent the dreaded OHSS, glad to see that you are in good hands. Cracked up about the sample stories of you and Angie. I agree, a little humiliation for the blokes is definatley in order, how can they even compare that to what we go through??? My DH has no freaking idea, he was spinning out when the Dr gave me an internal exam during labour. He clearly hasn't given much thought to the whole IVF dildo process etc....My DH was spared having to do his sample at the clinic as they did not have a room to do it in. Instead he did it at home and then rushed it to the hospital while keeping the sample warm in his pocket. Enjoy your sleep, have a couple of hours for me...

Mego Angie is correct in her explanation of dummy, it is a pacifier. The paediatrician said I could use one if it would save my sanity....I'm giving it a go. Glad to hear you managed to rustle up some clothes for your Xmas pics...after all it is damned cold over there at Xmas time is it not???

Angie, enjoy the sickie. I have reviewed the TV guide for the day and have noted a tearjerker movie on at noon on channel seven, If Nogs allows it I will be watching that...Any chance you can go part time at work if you are struggling?? Having said that you should notice a pretty dramatic improvement once you get out of the first trimester. I know I did and was fine to work full time until the end (apart from anemia related fatigue!)...thanks for your comments on Rio I may end up telling people to P*** off.

Well I'd better be off, I think I may try going out for a walk with Nogs, he is looking far to bright eyed at the moment so I think a morning nap (for me) is off the agenda.

Fee

[meg12]

Tina--Congrats on your bakers dozen. Excellent job. I'll be anxious to hear the fert report.

Fee--Ah, the pacifier! I call it the "binkie". I am a big fan. Lucy loves hers and I bought a bunch in different colors so I always have one to match her outfit:)

Angie--You definitely deserved to chuck a sickie! Oh, wait you really were sick so it wasn't chucking it, huh? Oh well, I tried. I agree with Fee in that I also felt much better after the first 12 weeks. Hopefully you will too. Although I'm sorry to say you never will feel like yourself again. Or at least, I haven't yet.

Well, we're going to try to watch a movie now. Shrek the third if Luce will let us!

[Angie65]

I got a bit confused there I think - is a comforter something you put on the bed?! Anyway glad we have sorted out the Aus to US translations and everyone is clear. And Meg, matching pacifiers to match the outfits eh? I would expect nothing less of little sista Lucy.

I am starting to get a bit paranoid - I am convinced the abdomen cramps/twinges are getting stronger but I am also feeling queasy and tired. So I am trying to isolate the sensation and ask myself do I feel more queasy or crampy. I am trying to stop myself phoning Dr J but I would so like a scan before 3 weeks time.

Enjoy your walk Fee - I might pop up to the shops myself. Perhaps a gentle walk will do me good. Ihave just watced Oprah - all about the memopause and more women's problems - rather depressing actually.

Right , must pull myself together.

[tinaO]

Hello sistas! I just got the call from the clinic on the fertilization!!!

We had 13 eggs, one was not mature enough, so that left us with 12. Looks like 10 eggs were good out of the 12 and 10 fertilized normally! Wow - I am thrilled!!! We transfer on Saturday!!!

I will send personals later, but wanted to give you the update! Whew....now I can start worrying abotu cell division and fragmentation! How many eggs do you typically lose between day 1-day 3? Curious what you guys have all experienced.

Tina

[jenn]

Hey girls-

Tina- great fert report!! Transfer will go great there is nothing to it. All of my eggs made it to transfer once they fertilized. Some looked better than others in my first cycle. In my second they all made it to day 5 looking great and one was a day ahead. We put the go getter in with another that looked good. I like to think my little one that attached was the go getter! She has measured a week ahead this whole time.

Meg- How was Shrek? DH wants to see it, was it any good?

Angie- I had cramping feelings pretty much the whole first trimester. I was told it was my uterus stretching. They were scary, and sometimes not very pleasant, but try to not focus on them. Your little one just needs more room!! When do you get another scan or heartbeat check? Yep a comforter is a bedspread. We call pacifiers noonie's or passies in our family. I think everyone has there own nickname!

I am decorating for Christmas today in my house. I need to go shopping. I'm not liking any of our usual decorations.

[vicky77]

Hey there!!

Tina.....great fert report!!!, I don't think you are going to have any problems at all getting all or almost all your embies doing great for ET, so don't worry about that (I know, easier said than done....). Keep us posted!!!

Jenn....ohh, I would love to decorate my house, but still in bedrest, so I guess once I can decorate it will be new year already!!!!

Fee....so apparently Nogs has a very strong personality and is winning all the discussions between you two! . About those who talk about the name, don't pay attention to them, they have nothing to do giving their opinion about it, it's your son not theirs, so ignore them

Angie....talking about symptoms, today I am going nuts!!!, I woke up queasiness free and you can imagine how I am freaking out about it!!!. I want my queasiness back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my first OB appointment today, as a regular patient, and let me tell you I didn't like it at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!, apparently I am a very spoiled girl and I want tons of attention and, not to mention, tons of ultrasounds!!! . This chick had the nerve to tell me that my next scan was going to be on week 20, needless to say I gave her a horrified look and started thinking and telling her quickly all the reasons why I should have an U/S sooner and I got it!!!!!!! (I'm good!! ), so my next scan will be on Monday!!.........but I am out of excuses for the next scan.......come on Angie we have to think together!!!!!!

[jenn]

Yes Vicky, I agree the no U/S thing till 20 weeks sucks! Once I went to the OB I didn't get one until 20 weeks. Then she said I wouldn't get another one unless something was wrong. I ended up getting one at like 25 weeks b/c I had some random bleeding. We are so spoiled at the RE!! I didn't know you were still on bedrest! You poor thing! At least everything is ok right? How long will this last??

I just signed us up for Baby Boot Camp. We go for one day all day and they cover childbirth, lamaze, breastfeeding, and infant care. I'm sure we will be overwhelmed!!

[sassynlv]

Oh girls...
I can't believe it has been over a week since I have checked in... how time flies! I only have a few minutes so I will be quick...

Tina: congrats on your great ER and "fart" report! Good luck on transfer for Sunday (I will try to be a better sista and look in on you this weekend, so give us the scoop! ) As for the PIO, the first several days weren't bad for me... it is after my hips were bruised and sore that they were painful. I used a heating pad and massaged the area after each injection and that seemed to help me.

Fee: lordy Nogs sure is giving you a run for your money. How did it go being away for a while getting your hair done? Was it hard? I sure hope Nogs starts sleeping better soon...

Angie: I can only imagine I will be trying to wrangle extra US when preg. Considering the frequency we have them during IVF, isn't it a bit cruel to cut someone off cold turkey. Are you getting the shakes? Acute Ultrasound Withdrawl. Sounds like a good enough reason to have another US

Vicky: WHAT? They wanted you to wait all the way to 20 weeks? That would have been torture. Good on ya' for talking them into a sooner US.

Jenn: Baby boot camp? Sounds fabulous. Kind of like one-stop-shopping! When do you start?

Meg: Well of course you had outfit coordinating binkies... isn't that what all the sisterhood are wearing this year? Is she growing like a weed? More importantly, is she sleeping better at night?

So my emotions have all evened out, thank heavens! One of my SILs delivered her baby last Tuesday night and after being discharged from the hospital Thursday morning, decided to spend the rest of Thanksgiving Day over at our house with the family. Fabulous. Actually it went pretty well, 'cuz I stayed busy in the kitchen.

Now that my IVF obsession came to a sudden end... I have replaced it with an exercise obsession. I hired a personal trainer and have been working out 1-2 hours 6 days a week. I would like to drop some weight, but more importantly build muscle mass and get rid of some fat before getting pregnant in a few months (like my use of positive thinking? Watch out, pretty soon I may be spreading the dreaded babydust around. Ok, not really ) Anyway, I have missed working out so hard that sweat drips off my chin and I can't lift anymore weight due to muscle failure. It feels great!

Have a good weekend everyone!

[Angie65]

good to hear from you Sassy - oh super fit, toned and healthy one! You will certainly be in fine shape for your BFP, unlike yours truly who didn't manage to shed the excesses of the US trip before hers (Ben & Jerrys addiction combined with several New York cocktails and too much Mexican food!) I did manage a little tootle on my bike today but that is all.

So February it is then ? Good to have a plan . Cannot believe you have 32 forsties - that is amazing! what does 2 pns mean?

Hi to all the other sistas - 10pm Sat night here - time for bed for me. All alone as poor old DH is feverishly painting our new house - when he finally agreed that we needed some help, we found all the professional painters are booked up until after CHristmas! grrrr!

[tinaO]

Hello Sistas!

I am typing you from bed where they want me to spend the next couple of days. We did ET today. We ended up with 7 embies left (out of the 10) and they put in 1 Grade A - 8 cell and 1 Grade B - 8 cell, although they said the B was really more like an A-. So shocker - they said their pregnancy rates with this good of a transfer are actually 70%!! So, I am pretty excited now!!

I will type more later. Sounds like everyone is doing great!

[Angie65]

That's great Tina. I hope the 2ww goes quickly for you - make sure you think of lots of things to do to keep your mind off things. Sounds like everything has gone very smoothly for you. Keep us posted.

[jenn]

Good Job Tina! Now the exciting wait begins. Try not to overanalyze every little ache and pain you have. It will only drive you crazy!! When is your test date?

We finished putting everything together today. I still need little things to decorate her room and the walls are blank except for one thing hanging over her crib. Any ideas?

Good to hear from you Sassy- I wish I wanted to work out like that! I told Dh that if I gained a ton of weight it would be ok for him to get me a trainer for my birthday. We'll see how good I am at getting it off after the baby. Hopefully breastfeeding will help.

Meg, Fee- hope you are getting sleep!

Vicky are you still on bedrest?

[sassynlv]

Tina: congrats! Glad to hear you had 2 for transfer. When do you hear if you have some to freeze?

Jenn: Are you into painting? You could paint stripes, or put up a chair rail or something. What colors are you using in the nursery?

So, VERY annoyed this morning. In the last week I have eaten VERY well... almost no refined carbos, got all my veggies and fruits in, etc. I burned >2000 calories just in cardio, plus two weight lifting sessions. And instead of losing weight... I gained 1.5 lb. WHAT???? I'm just hoping my body is wonky and retaining fluid or something. I definately haven't gained enough muscle to account for the scale. Whatever. I am trying to remind myself that I am doing this to become more healthy... not necessarily to lose weight. But still....

[vicky77]

Hi sistas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sassy.....I know how annoying it is when you start a diet/excercise plan and after working your butt off you end up gaining weight . But I am almost sure it must be your muscles all swollen and retaining fluids due to the excercise . Let us know how it goes.....

Jenn...I think I would put a nice warm color and then add some kind of (how do you guys call that narrow piece of wall paper that you normally put on top of the wall or in the middle.........I'm at a lost of words right now ).........anyway, hope you understood what I meant

Tina.....congratulations!!!!!!!, everything seems to be going great!!, but Jenn is right, try as much as you can not to overanalyze every twinge because you are going to go crazy......I guess I am not the most indicated to tell you this anyway . When is your test date??

Angie....how are things going with the new house??, did poor DH finish painting yet?. When are you moving?

Well girls, I had my eighthousanth scan today , and everything is right on track!!!, the baby is looking more like a baby now and less like a shrimp, he/she was even moving!!, it was wonderful!!. So that was a huge relief. I am not telling anybody until my 13th week anyway which, believe it or not, is on December 25!! (well my parents and brother are the only ones who know, but I mean the rest of the people......).........ohh, and I'm off bed rest!!!!!!!!!!! woohoooooooooooo!!!