And they're off! (please oh please)

You remember how I was supposed to be getting more continuity of care? You remember how Dr Candour said that Dr Casual would be around and would make a special effort to scan me, do the retrieval etc.? Well, this morning we got in to an unusually quiet clinic at 0710, only for Dr Condescending (yes, she is back from maternity leave) to come up and let me know that Dr Casual would be away for this week and part of next week. Huh? How come he didn't mention that to us when I spoke to him on Friday? I don't want to be too negative about him, I do like my doctors to stay on their respective pedestals, so I'm thinking that perhaps it's a family emergency, although Dr Condescending's manner didn't really indicate that. She was wearing some extraordinary fuck-me red patent leather high heels. Now she always wears high heels - she says she's small and she does it to feel confident - but red patent leather? At 7am in an infertility clinic? And she doesn't half stomp in those shoes.

Anyway, she was very nice - in the way that she is nice although still remaining condescending - and asked if I was happy to get scanned by her instead. Which I was as actually she gives good scan, not to mention being a cracking egg retriever. And the alternative was Dr ICU. Nuff said. Oh the relief when she said - "I'll just show you what's going on - it's good news - before I measure the follicles." So it is good news. Two 10s and two 11s on the right, two 12s, two 10s and a 16 (where on earth did that come from??) on the left. Sounds like we will get fewer eggs than last time (we got 9, but only 5 fertilised) and I'm trying not to freak out too much about that, but just keep on hoping that we have 2 good ones to put back. I do want this cycle to give us at least the same chance of getting pregnant as we had last time.

The slightly less good news is that E2 is only 725 (203 American). Gaah. It's not accurate given the protocol, but it's an indication. It was only 247 on Sunday, so at least it's climbing, but still. Dr Condescending thinks it will be retrieval next Tuesday. Perhaps I'm just getting harder to stim as I get older? The docs aren't worried, and I'm not really worried, I'm just irritated. It would be so nice to be an IVF superstar and get 20 follicles, be able to do blastocyst transfer and have lovely frosties. But I guess that's like saying it would be nice to win the lottery and not have to do this job any more and be able to pay off the mortgage. Just.not.going.to.happen.

Two embryos please. Just two, lovely, symmetrical four cells with fragmentation below 5%. That's not too much to ask, right? That's just like asking for the bus to come along in the next few minutes rather than when you've been waiting for 20 minutes. Or that you look into the fridge and magically find that your husband went to the supermarket and remembered to buy blueberries. Not a miracle, and not a lot to ask. Just a little ask. Please?

Comments

[Pamplemousse]

Red patent leather? How very 80's! Is that in again? Not in my world.

Great news about the follicles. Less is more, as they say.

[StellaNova]

Those follicles sound very promising. I hope they are good and healthy at retreival time.

Those shoes, on the other hand ... what was she thinking?? Dubious at the best of times, but 7am?

Good news Thalia. I'm hoping for you.
Can I ask you a question? Why does symmetrical development matter. I was told that the clinic wouldn't put back a six cell on 2dpr because it was 'growing too fast'. but i had a five in there amongst the fours and they seemed to think that was ok.
Anyway. If you know the answer, would like to hear it.
And once more....good news on the follicle front. That's a relief.

[MoMo]

Thalia--
Red patent leather shoes?!?

Yes, please 2 nice looking embryos for transfer. I will be thinking of you and crossing my fingers and toes. Good luck!

[DD]

I get so jealous when other ladies say they "only" got 15 follicles. I have no idea what that feels like.

It sounds like what you have are evenly developing and that's a great hurdle to have instead of a couple at 18 and then a couple at 10. Things sound very good.

[Nico]

I'm so happy that you're seeing some oomph in your follicles! I don't think you should worry too much about the e2 level - if your lining is looking good (which I assume it is given it was already 8mm on Sunday), and you have all those follicles, I think that everything will line up nicely in the end. I'm a little surprised that Dr. Condescending thinks retrieval won't be until next Tuesday - do the follicles grow less than the standard 2mm per day on this protocol?

[Cali]

wait- I'm wearing red patent leather heels right now- is that so very wrong?
I kid. Actually my grandmother wears red mary janes & I am fine with that. But an RE? In red, eff me pumps? weird mixed message there...
TOTAL high five on those follies you've got brewing in there.
xo

[katty]

Hey, it was me asking about the symetrical embryos. Seem to have forgotten to put my name down...

[mm]

Hooray for good news. Come on E2!!! I'm rooting for you big time over here.

[statia]

Ew, red patent leather? Hi 1985 called, they want their look back.

Glad that you're moving along. Sorry it's slower than you'd like, but maybe this is a good thing. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Cricket]

Congrats on being relatively on target. I'm sure that's a relief.

However, I find it odd that she asked if you like being wanded by her.

[beagle]

I agree, think quality, not quanitity. Red FM shoes in the early am?? Hmmm . . . interesting choice really.

I'm glad the follies woke up and jumped into action. We're here cheering you on from across the Atlantic (or the Big Pond as my relatives like to say).

[Kay/Hanazono]

So glad to hear that things are on track. What a relief! Thinking of you and keeping everything crossed over here.

[hopefulmother]

The follies sound good - I hope this continues and that you have 2 great blasts to transfer and a few to freeze.

Definitely odd with the red leather pumps - and the question about being wanded by her...?

Wishing you all the best. I won't be here to read your retrieval post so I will send you good wishes from across the English Channel - we will be in Germany around that time...

[amanda]

This is great news. I'm so glad those follicles of yours have taken off. Let the good news continue.

[Sarah]

I have everything crossed that you will have at least 2 good blasts to transfer!! Good luck.

[Summer]

Good Job, Follies! Sounds like things are moving along nicely. Glad to hear it!

[susan]

confidence-inspiring or not, red leather do-me pumps sound totally inappropriate in this setting. but that is just my opinion which she clearly doesn't share.

i have my fingers crossed for your embies thalia!!

[Lut C.]

Red pumps? Short skirt too? Fish-net stockings?
No?
All right then, Chanel suit?

I'm glad your follicles aren't condescending, but enthousiasticly growing. Good luck.

[Serenity]

I am v. glad your follicles have jumped into the fray, Thalia!

I'm sorry, but red FM heels at 7am would be a little much for me. At least she gives a good wanding though.

Hoping for you, really really REALLY hoping.

[pixi]

Well, if you don't win the lottery, I still hope you win the baby jackpot...

Totally cracking up over the slutty red shoes!

[lindy]

Yes, please please. It does suck not to be an IVF superstar. But plenty of us have gotten pregnant with less than superstar initial monitoring.

[soralis]

Red leather in a fertility clinic? Does she 'help' out in the SA lab too?

Wishing you wonderful follies!

Take care and good luck

[just another jenny]

Not to much to ask, not at all. Even the blueberry's sounds reasonable. I am glad to hear that your follicles are growing and things are on track.

p.s. - I agree, 7am is wayyyy to early for red heels.

[Simone]

Please.
Please.
Please!

[zarqa]

Yay on those numbers. And yay on conscending docs who "give good scan". (I love that!)
One could say I was an ivf superstar and we all know where I landed. You don't have to be superstar to be in this show.:)

[Elizabeth]

Thalia, I am so happy you received good news today! I will keep my fingers crossed for you for the retrieval!

[Hoping]

So glad you got good news, pulling for you!

[PBfish]

Yay to good news! Still crossing my fingers for you.
mmm...blueberries...

[Mary Ellen]

I am glad that things are looking up Thalia. I hope that those follies continue to grow and the e2 continues to climb.

[Zee]

Hoping for two for you! Good luck!

[Sube]

Just two, just two. I'm right there with you on that one. I've long since given up the dream of being a super responder with frosties to spare. Just give me my two.

I'm so hoping you get yours. Glad to hear the news is improving.

[Kath]

Dear Thalia, I'm so glad your ovaries are getting the message now. Joining you in hoping for that little thing that means everything.

Dr. Condescending sounds like she did a good job yesterday, her taste in shoes notwithstanding. "Gives good scan" made my day.

[Liana]

Hell, Thalia, everything gets more difficult as we get older!

I wish you and your follicles luck.

And speaking as the resident shoe whore, patent leather is back in again. I just ordered some cranberry Via Spiga pumps to go with my black Miu Mius. And yes, I wear red shoes all day.

Could you tell us what the logic would be for imagining a retrieval as distant as next Tuesday? It seems as though your clinic has you trigger later than many (where trigger is determined by size of lead follicle); this was also the case last time. I am simply curious, and assume you have some knowledge and stance.

[Betty M]

Does Dr Condescending still accessorise the FM shoes with the teeny tiny skirts? Always thought it was off attire for any doc let alone an IF one. Still, she totally overprescribed meds on the NHS for me my funded cycle so I had lots left over for my 1st self-funded one so I decided I could live with the shoes. Glad things are getting going as they should with you and hope it continues on in the same way.

[Erin]

Sounds like the follicles are coming along very nicely! Good luck, I'm thinking of you!

Maybe Dr C moonlights as a prostitute during lunchbreaks? Or she didn't sleep at home last night and wore what she was wearing on her date knowwhatimean knowwhatimean...