I Am Chicken, Hear Me Roar (A Retrieval Story)

Retrieval went well. We had the first appointment so didn't have to bite our nails in the waiting room too long. Since my veins are notoriously uncooperative, they didn't miss an opportunity to give me grief. The nurse anesthetist, put the IV in my left hand, then said the vein wasn't good (hurt like a bugger) and she made an attempt to put it in my inner elbow. After taking a painfully long minute to ponder the problem, the nurse put the IV in my right hand.

All the while, I was naked from the waist down, my legs stirruped high in the air, all my goods hanging out, as another nurse prepped me for the upcoming procedure. Nurse B, (as in between my legs) was trying to empower me and said something like, "this is your procedure, you're in charge" I told her it was hard to be brave and powerful with your cooch on display. Mercifully, she threw a sheet over me.

The best part of the morning was when my friend came to visit me in my holding cell, I mean my waiting room. I met L and her delightful family through infertility channels. It was a huge coincidence that she had a retrieval on the same day as me, in the same office. In true female-unity, we talked on the phone the night before and agreed to meet up and wear the same outfit- a slinky little number that tied in the back. L and her DH came to my room to chat as they waited for their turn with the needle. The DH's discussed man-stuff while L and I pondered egg count, egg quality, miscarriage and IVs. We must have looked quite funny socializing as if we were sitting in a quaint French bistro. Those of us struggling with infertility know that we'll take any port in a storm. Please keep L and her family in your thoughts and prayers. She has helped me immensely through this craziness.

Now, the numbers: 8 eggs were retrieved this morning. Currently, they are probably in the laboratory doing a dance with DH's sperm. Hopefully, it's a nice tango that will result in an embryo tomorrow. I'll get a fertilization report Friday afternoon. Last time, out of 9 eggs, 4 were mature and 2 fertilized. If you are the praying kind, please send one up for my eggs and also L's, I'd be much obliged.

Not sure when I'll post tomorrow. It's definitely going to be nail-biter until I know if any of the eggs fertilized. Time to batten down the hatches. Am getting scared, but trying to remain positive and powerful. I am chicken, hear me roar.