ET, Make yourself at home...

Today was our big ET (short for embryo transfer, not extra terrestrial)! My approach to today has been to be an archivist. I wanted to photograph and take mental snapshot memories of the day. I also want to remember how I feel right now. I want to be able to tell our child-to-be about this day as they grow older.

No big surprise, but I woke up bright and early around 5:00am unable to continue sleeping. I think my posterior knows it's time to wake up and take it's punishment before the rest of me is ready to crawl out of bed. We got up and I took my 2 PIO shots like a champ and my 20 units of HCG. After my required injection site massaging, pacing around the house and sitting on a heating pad, I actually fell back to sleep for another hour. When I woke up and started getting ready for the day, I prayed a lot.  I prayed that the transfer would go smoothly.  I prayed that we would have at least one amazing embryo waiting for us. I prayed that my uterus will make a safe home for implantation.  I also prayed that I wouldn't pee on the table, because sometimes you really need to focus on the practical matters.

I decided I would wear my happy socks Ken bought me for Christmas 2 years ago because they have smiley faces and they say Life is Good, which it truly is. Ken took me out to breakfast for my all time favorite, Huevos con Chorizo from El Dorado and it did not disappoint. With a full belly and quite a bit of nervous energy, we began the drive to the clinic. 

During the drive I was instructed to drink 32 ounces of water at least one hour before my transfer since a full bladder makes it easier for the doctor to transfer the embryo to the uterus.  Upon downing all this water you then have to wait until transfer time, plus an additional ten minutes afterwards before you can use the precious potty, hence my earlier prayer about not peeing on the table. :) Being the good patient (and over-achiever) that I am, I drank 34 ounces while Ken astutely observed that most women just have to drink a margarita that big to get pregnant!

We arrived at the clinic and were taken back to the embryology department to a private room to await our embryologist and the news of how those 16 fertilized eggs had progressed. This is me being patient while Ken is making me laugh at random nonsense.  Not the nicest thing to do to your wife when she has to pee! The embryologist joined us with some fantastic news.  We have NINE beautiful day 5 blatocyst embryos! He told us they were all strong embryos, but they picked the "rockstar" for us to transfer today.  So, without further ado, I introduce you to Embry (I decided this beautiful little one deserves a name). We were told that the largest sac in the embryo (between 2 and 3 o'clock in the picture) is actually the baby part of the embryo, that the placental structure was already beginning to form and that the embryo was beginning to break free of it's shell. I'm not sure what you would call miraculous, but I have a feeling it looks like this image. 

Ken and I got suited up, him in protective covering for his body, head and feet and me in a gown and foot covers, to head into the transfer room. And this is where things got REALLY cool. The embryology lab is just on the other side of the wall of the transfer room.  The room is equipped with a large flat screen monitor and cameras that connect to the lab.  Our embryologist brought out our embryo in it's petri dish labeled "GAGE" and held it up to the camera. We gave the thumbs up that we were in fact the Gage's as verified on my wristband. Then we got to watch on the screen as the embryologist drew up this tiny little embryo into a catheter and very carefully carried it through the door into our doctor. 

We were able to watch on the ultrasound monitor as he skillfully threaded the catheter into my uterus and could see the embryo release! Our doctor was thrilled with the placement and congratulated us.  The sonographer gave us print outs of the image to use in our baby book. I added the arrow, because if she hadn't pointed out the embryo I would have had no idea what I was looking at! I of course cried because I was so happy and this has been such a long journey. Ken lovingly held by hand and has doted on me all day while I've been on bed rest.

So welcome Embry. Stay cozy. We're really happy you're here.