Ovulation Trigger - February 20

Well, this is it. Tonight we do the last injection. The one to trigger ovulation. We have to do it at exactly 9:00, which is bedtime for us, so I figure I should blog before.

For an IVF transfer, you don't use the full amount you would during an IUI attempt. That's because you don't want the eggs to actually make their way down the tubes. You just want the follicles to release them and to give them one final boost before they are sucked out.

I'll be mostly sedated for the procedure. It's an anesthetic that apparently will make me not remember anything, but it's not a full sedative to where I would need a breathing tube and an anesthesiologist. I've had some interesting experiences with sedation. I fear the dentist so they have to sedate me to do anything other than cleaning and the aftermath from some of the cavities I've had filled have been pretty amusing.

So, since I probably won't be in any fit state to write about the procedure on Wednesday, here's what I know now. My doctor uses the method where the needle goes through the vaginal wall internally instead of through the stomach. After they knock me out, they'll put in the ultrasound wand, but with a needle attached to the end. I think they do an ultrasound on my abdomen as well and guide the needle to the ovaries. They suck the fluid from the follicles and the egg comes with it. They'll suck out as many as they can from the ovary and then switch to the other side and do the same. The doctor said today that I have more on my left side. The whole procedure shouldn't take more than 30 minutes and looks something like this:

After the eggs are sucked out, they embryologist takes them and then they do their thing in the lab in the back. They said they would call us Thursday to tell us how many were fertilized and to set the final date for transfer. Quantity wasn't my problem; I know I have a lot of eggs. I just hope a lot of them are viable and they don't find out that there's some weird issue where my eggs reject sperm or explode upon fertilization or something.

My doctor also said that I should start eating meat now. I've been a vegetarian since I was about 13, but I decided a while ago that I would eat chicken and fish during pregnancy and probably breastfeeding. I am aware that I can get comparable protein from beans and such, but I'm also a very picky eater and I hate beans. Yeah. Today I had a spicy chicken cup o' noodles and it was OK. My stomach feels a little funny, but I expected that. I'm going to try some of the chicken stuff from Taco Bell because I love Taco Bell so I figure working meat into something familiar and enjoyable would be a good way to transition. After that, there's a bunch of stuff I want to try once I get used to eating meat regularly. I became vegetarian before hot wings got popular and I love spicy food so I figure that's something I'll enjoy too.

I'm pretty nervous. But my girlfriend was able to arrange it so she can come with me after all. That makes me feel better, but just thinking that everything we've been working for comes down to this, it's scary. I hope everything turns out well. Tomorrow I go for bloodwork again to make sure the HCG is in my system and I also start the regimen of antibiotics so I don't get an infection. One of them is likely to make me very sick, so there's that to look forward to. But after that, it's game time!