The Alsmans

My embryo transfer is scheduled for tomorrow!  We need to be at the downtown office at 9:20.  The nurse said that all 6 embryos are still going strong but there is some fragmentation :( That just means that the quality isn't awesome.  But, people can get pregnant on less than perfect embryos.  So, we are hoping it can still work!!!

Ugh, these progesterone shots are killing me and it's only been two days.  Thank goodness for my heating pad and ice packs!

We'll see how many embryos they want to put in, I am hoping it is no more than 2.

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 8:24 PM 0 comments

I heard from FCI this morning.  Of the 16 retrieved, 13 were ICSI'd and 6 have fertilized!  We will know more about the quality, etc tomorrow.  I haven't been feeling good, I took a 3 hour nap today and am ready for bed already tonight.  I wish I could stick a pin in my belly and deflate it, haha!  I just feel so full, I could barely eat anything today (which is rare for me). 

I started my lovely progesterone shots tonight :(  These are the worst shots by far.  I will continue with these shots until the pregnancy test and then until I am 10 weeks pregnant (if all goes well).  They are awful but I will do whatever it takes!  I also started the baby aspirin again tonight, which makes me nervous for acupuncture tomorrow.  Last cycle, my head would bleed at the end of every acupuncture session.  It wasn't a big deal but it freaked me out.  I hate seeing my own blood. 

Hoping all 6 embryos are still going strong tomorrow!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 9:26 PM 0 comments

Everything went well this morning and we are leaving FCI now. They retrieved 16 eggs and we will know how many fertilized tomorrow when they call us. Let's hope I don't hyper stimulate now. My transfer will be Wednesday.

I am planning on taking a nap later and resting until Wednesday. We are now on our way to Prentice to meet Laurie and Drew's new son, Kyler, who was born on Friday.

Will update with more results tomorrow!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 10:04 AM 0 comments

I got the call from my nurse and my egg retrieval is scheduled for Sunday!!  We have to be at the downtown FCI office at 7 am.  I can't believe we are actually going to make it to retrieval!!  But, now I am nervous about hyperstimulation (it's always something!).  My nurse said I have 9 follicles on the right measuring at 15 or bigger and 8 on the left measuring 15 or bigger and I also have some smaller ones.  She said to start following the hyperstimulation precautions, which include: staying hydrated with drinks that have electrolytes, eating salty foods and watching for excessive bloating or pain in the abdomen.  I already have the bloating for sure!  I was looking at older posts on this blog a few days ago and came across my belly pics from when I was preggo with Caitlin.  My belly right now looks the same as I did when I was about 4 or 5 months pregnant.  CRAZY!

So, tonight I do my trigger (HCG) shot at exactly 8:20.  Everything has to be timed just right!  I will start my Z Pack tomorrow night (2 pills after dinner).  I can't eat or drink anything after midnight on Saturday night.  This is the hardest part for me because even though we have to be at the clinic at 7 am, my retrieval probably won't be until 8:20ish.  If you know me, you know I love to eat, so waiting that long is so hard!  But, again, not that big of a deal!!!

I am assuming my transfer will then be next Wednesday! 

So thankful to have wonderful parents and in-laws who will be helping us over the next week and a half with Caitlin while we get through this process!  Even though we are making it this far, there are still no guarantees that this cycle will work.  But, we are crossing our fingers and toes and praying for great news!!!!!

Thanks for your continued support!

Will update more after the procedure! 

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 2:12 PM 0 comments

I was just about to go to bed and realized I forgot to update the blog! Things continue to look good and I think I counted 16 follicles during the ultrasound. The u/s tech said the biggest was at 20. I also had a 19,18,17 and 17. She stopped there! I had to do one more night of shots, 3 again. I am hoping I had my last menopur shot ever tonight because that one never gets easier, hurts every time :( My belly looks awful but we made it pretty by using some of Caitlin's strawberry shortcake band aids, haha!! Actually we ran out of the normal ones!

So I go back tomorrow for the 4th time this week, I am sick of going to the doctor. Between that and acupuncture, I have been to the doctor 7 times in 7 days. So ready for this to be over!

The nurse did say my retrieval will probably be on Sunday, which means my transfer will be Wednesday. My doctor wants to do a 3 day transfer no matter how the embryos are looking. I can't believe we may actually make it to retrieval. I thought for sure our IVF journey was going to be over and we were going to have to hope for a miracle. I am just praying it works!

We are very excited that we get to go to Lake Geneva for a night. It will be great to see everyone and will be a nice distraction tomorrow night and Saturday! Wish I wasn't feeling so awful though :(

Have a good night!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 10:36 PM 0 comments

I just heard from my nurse and she said my doctor said this is an "ok stimulation." Whatever that means?? I am always reading into what she says, so annoying! It seems things are still going in the right direction. They didn't up my meds so I will continue the same 3 shots and doses and head back tomorrow morning. Wow, trip #3 this week to their office! At this point, the earliest my retrieval could be is Saturday. If they think I need another night of shots tomorrow, then my retrieval would be on Sunday. We will see what tomorrow brings!!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 2:26 PM 0 comments

I heard from my nurse about an hour ago. Everything is looking good! Let me tell you, I can feel it! Ugh, so uncomfortable, but I am not going to complain if it means we make it to retrieval! Here are the stats: 7 follicles on the left and 5 on the right ranging in size from 15.4-10!! Yay! Bad news, 3 shots tonight: 75 follistim, 300 menopur and ganirelex. Again, I don't care how many shots Grant has to give me, just so it's working! I am still not getting my hopes up, I just can't be disappointed again. I go back on Wednesday morning for my next check. My nurse thinks it will be 3-4 more days, so it looks like retrieval could be Saturday, Sunday or Monday (with transfer being 3 day after that). So, Lake Geneva might be out for us :( It makes me so sad but I want this journey to have a happy ending and just need to focus on this right now. We are hoping we can get up there for a day!! Thanks for all the supportive texts and emails! We have the best family and friends! Until Wednesday...

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 4:44 PM 0 comments

Grant went with me to the downtown office this morning. We got there at 6:45 so we could get in and out! It worked because we were back in the car by 7:15!! It still seemed that I didn't have many follicles but the u/s tech seemed like things were going in the right direction. My nurse happened to be working downtown today so it was nice to know someone was there who is familiar with my case. She called us around 2:00 to say that I now have 8 follicles: 5 on one side ( sizes: 11,10,9,9,8) and 3 on the other side ( all 8s), I know the numbers don't mean much to all of you but it's my way of tracking this cycle in writing!! My estrogen went to 270, which I think is the biggest reason we are still on track. The follicles are growing slowly but my estrogen is going up so things look good!! I am not getting too excited because you never know what the next two days could bring. I have definitely been feeling the side effects and have had horrible headaches the last few days. I was so tired today, I took a nap when Caitlin slept (I never do that!). I will take any side effects thrown at me just so I know this cycle is working. I just want to make it to retrieval and then hope for a positive outcome! So, from here, I do the same dose for the next two nights and head back in on Monday. I will probably have to go back again on Wednesday. It seems that this protocol is just causing me to respond slower. We asked why they aren't increasing my dose and they said they are worried I will over respond (like I did during one of my earlier cycles). Hoping they continue to grow!!!

We were able to go fishing with Caitlin this morning and she had fun! It was so funny to see Grant fishing with her pink Barbie pole. I think he was more determined to catch a fish than Caitlin!

Grant and I went with Randy and Cheryl to Next Sicily last night. It was so nice to get out and enjoy some AMAZING Italian food. Thanks to Gigi, Aunt "Nette," and Uncle Bill for watching Caitlin for us. Grant and i were talking about how we have been to Next 3 times since last July and each time I had to have a shot (this time we had to go in the bathroom together at the end of the meal-don't even want to know what others were probably thinking, haha!!). Still can't believe this journey has been over a year :(

We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who are so supportive during this time. This cycle by far has been the most stressful one yet. It's hard to concentrate on anything else when you are constantly waiting for a phone and preparing yourself for bad news. I have to tell myself that the last canceled cycle was just a fluke but it's hard to keep getting my hopes up and then having them crushed month after month. Caitlin is in love with every baby she sees and it breaks my heart every time I see how cute and loving she is with each and every one of them. She will make a great big sister some day and I hope we can give that to her!!

Grow, grow, grow follies!!!!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 3:43 PM 0 comments

My nurse left me a message a little while ago.  I was right, only 3 measurable follicles and my estrogen is now at 52.  She said there wasn't a lot going on but we won't know more until Saturday (when I have to go in again).  This sucks because I have to go to the downtown office which is always INSANELY busy on the weekends.  I am so bummed because there is a little fishing derby in CH at 8 Saturday morning and Caitlin is all excited to go.  We bought her a pink fishing pole and she was practicing all night last night.  I really want to see her go fishing for the first time.  But, it looks like I will have to miss it :(  I am so sick of all of this ruining all these fun activities in our lives. I know, life could be worse, but right now this is no fun :(  It just seems that this cycle is going to end up being canceled so why delay the inevitable??  I am just so frustrated right now.  I need to try to stay positive but that is just about impossible right now.  Praying for these follicles to grow, grow, grow...

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 2:15 PM 0 comments

Ugh, I can't wait to hear the news today :(  I don't have a good feeling about this cycle.  The u/s tech only measured 3 follicles today.  I know I am not the tech or the doctor, but that doesn't seem like enough.  I have done this enough to know there should have been more follicles.  I am so down and can't imagine getting through 4 clients, another doctor appointment and acupuncture today.  I wish I could just pick Caitlin up from daycare and spend the day doing something fun with her.  I don't think I can take any more bad news.  This just sucks, keep praying though!!!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 8:38 AM 0 comments

A different nurse called today and gave me lots of information.  She said I am responding slowly :(  I only had two measurable follicles: one on the right was 7.4 mm and one on the left for 7.5 mm.  I guess there were 18 others that were smaller.  She said they expect to see them grow more!  My estrogen level was still under 20 which makes sense b/c it won't go up until the follicles get bigger.  I have to continue 300 of Menopur and go back on Thursday morning. 

I did ask if I was responding a little better than the last canceled cycle and she said the two I had then measured at 6.2 and 7.  So hopefully this time will be different. 

I will be able to start on the Ganirelex once my follicles reach 14.  I am praying this will happen.

Other than that, I have to go to acupuncture twice this week and twice next week.  My retrieval will be some time next week if all goes well!

Poor Caitlin was at the doctor tonight because she told us her ear "was sleeping and woke up."  haha, don't know where she came up with that.  She was crying when I picked her up at daycare and cried for 45 minutes.  She didn't want to go to the pool, which is when we knew something was up.  She then just laid in our bed for an hour.  Turns out, she has an ear infection :(  We are going to try ear drops before doing the antibiotic.  I am hoping she feels better tomorrow.  I swear it is always something around here.

Still praying...

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 9:52 PM 0 comments

I start my stim meds again tonight.  I am only doing 300 of Menopur so only 1 shot!  Unfortunately, it is the one that hurts the most :( I will go back to the doctor on Tuesday.  I am so nervous about this cycle because if my body doesn't respond again, then I am not too sure where we go from here.  So, prayers are greatly appreciated for the next two weeks!  Will update again on Tuesday!

Posted by Grant, Jennie & Caitlin Alsman at 1:07 PM 0 comments