EC was done today.

It was a fairly uneventful day I think – in terms of things happening.
But emotionally it was a fantastic roller coaster day – I am very excited still.

We stayed overnight at Oxford and so had all of a minute and forty seconds journey to the clinic 🙂
I think I was asleep even before my head came to settle on my pillows.

I had to have a “delightful” pain killer suppository which I needed an hour before EC to manage the pain from EC. And like clockwork, as soon as I had “taken” the suppository my tummy went “I NEED THE BATHROOM NOW!!”  Sorry TMI but it is the truth 🙂

Got to the clinic, was checked in and seen pretty straight away.
We were first on the procedure list – saw a nurse when we walked in and then the doctor performing the procedure at 8am.
We had the usual mantra of name, date of birth and address.

I changed into the “lovely” hospital gown and we proceeded to wait for the nurse.

I was taken into the theatre (procedure room) by my nurse and introduced to my anesthetist.
I missed my male anesthetist – it was a woman today. Where was my eye candy?!
But she turned out to be ok 🙂
I also met my embryologist – who I think I would settle for in the stead of my male anesthetist.
Anesthetist and embryologist both went through their procedures and what I was to expect.

There is a hatch in the theatre which opens to the lab, through which the collected fluid from the follicles are passed through to the lab. Here the eggs are then separated and counted.

Anesthetist put my sedation cocktail into my veins and off I went to merry way when the sedation hit my head.

I came to in the recovery room with the nurse/doctor asking how I felt. And MDH was sitting right next to me. At least I think that is what happened – I cannot quite remember the sequence thereafter.

Someone told us we had 8 eggs collected – I cannot remember who it was.
There was water, hot chocolate, coffee and biscuits – not sure when or who brought it to the room.
Took a drink of water, some chocolate and had some biscuits. And felt a little more awake.

While I was having oocytes collected, MDH provided his sample. I bet his went without a hitch 😉

The embryologist came to visit and told us what how many eggs had been collected, what would happen next etc etc. We had 8 oocytes!!!

We were told here that MDH sample was borderline interms of count and they would therefore recommend ICSI instead of natural fertilisation as they did not want to take chances – and we agreed.

So now we wait to see whether any or if all the oocytes have turned to embryos i.e. whether they have fertilised. If fertilised, they will keep an eye on them and let us know if it will be a day 3 transfer or a day 5 transfer. If day 3, they will be looking at putting two back and if day five potentially 1 if it is a good quality embryo.

I also start pessaries tomorrow, twice daily – morning and evening about 12 hours apart – this is to ensure that there is enough progesterone in my body to maintain my uterus lining until the transfer and pregnancy is confirmed.

Waiting now till the call tomorrow to let us know how many embryos we have.
I cannot wait.

MDH made a comment this evening which rings so true – “it feels weird that we are at home and the beginnings of our child is in a lab in Oxford”. And I agree with that statement and identify with it too.
But at the same time I feel as if I should be there watching them grow and protecting them.
It feels like our family has expanded already to included those potential embryos.

At this moment, it also feels a little like Schroeder’s cat – we both have embryos and we do not, at the same time. And this is because we have not opened the box of being told. Come tomorrow morning, all that will of course change.
Or if you like as there is potential that we live in a multi dimension universe, let us assume that we are both home and at the Oxford lab looking after our embryos right now.

Thank you for reading and see you tomorrow when I have some good news – I hope.
xxx