Retrieval... CHECK!

It's going on 7 p.m. and I'm finally up and around and able to give you guys a quick update about the retrieval today.

I was scheduled for 9 a.m., and asked to be there for 8 a.m., and hubby's procedure (PESA, aka sperm aspiration) was scheduled for about 10 a.m. So we were up at 4:30, and out the door by about 5:15, and we arrived in Montreal by 7:40 and parked the car before going up to the 6th floor at the Royal Victoria Hospital to the IVF nurses' station.

We sat there for a little bit before we were ushered into a prep area and I changed into my super cute hospital gown and "sexy" fuzzy pink socks. And we waited. And waited. And waited some more. I was so nervous and my lower back was just killing me... I assumed either I didn't sleep well or it hurt because of the fact that I had more than one or two follies that were finally letting go.

I tried to keep my arms warm (for the IV) and I gave it my best shot at relaxing by sitting quietly with my MP3 player; the music I have loaded onto it often helps.

Eventually a couple of nurses came to talk to me and we discussed the general anaesthetic possibility and my extreme phobia about having an IV. Like I explained to them, "If you are going to give me something akin to Lorazepam in the IV, then why not give me a Lorazepam straight up now, to help me relax enough for the IV to go in easier... for both YOU and ME?" They saw some logic in that and gave me a Lorazepam to dissolve under my tongue and that helped to relax me. IMMENSELY. They let me sit there a bit, as it took effect and they never took me in until closer to 10 a.m. instead.

Mind you, when it came time for the IV, I was still nervous and it hurt like bloody hell. They permitted hubby to be there with me during the entire procedure and I tried to focus on him and his voice instead. Luckily, the anaesthesiologist realized my fears right off the bat and they were RIGHT READY with the drugs to knock me out. Hubby says I cried for a few minutes, and I remember saying to him, "Jesus, it hurts, take it out, take it out!" and burying my face in his arm. After that... nada.

Hubby stayed to watch. Apparently they retrieved 8 eggs, and we got the report before we left the hospital that 6 of the 8 were mature. Certainly not the double digits that I was hoping for, now is it? And considering they are hoping to transfer 3 or 4 embryos (if we get to transfer that is), then I'll be crossing my fingers that all of them get somewhere on the scale, although I know that isn't realistic.

The good news from today: they found viable, GOOD sperm from my hubby's procedures! He tells me that they aspirated from four different locations, two on each testicle, and that they looked at each sample right away. The right side seemed to have the better sperm, with regards to both count and motility at first glance and they expect they won't have a problem using it, rather than the donor sperm for ICSI. And we were told that when it comes time to transfer, they'll be doing Assisted Hatching as well for us. Hey, whatever it takes... right?

So tonight, hubby and I are resting. I had a fair bit of bleeding post-procedure and hubby is rather sore and, well, let's say he's walking carefully! We did take a few pics; I'll post them later. But for now, that's your update. And we just wait for the embryology lab to keep us in the loop now, with a possible transfer set for Friday.

Ha ha... and they've set my Beta for December 18. Now THAT'S funny!

Thinking of you Shlomit and I'm still hoping that things go better for you this time sweetie! *hugs*