Best Valentine's Day Date - Dr. Corona & Nurses @ BFC

Our egg transfer day was also Valentine’s Day. There is probably a more romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day, but I doubt a more memorable way than doing an egg collection. I was really nervous for this part of the process because I just could not wrap my mind around what to expect. When I did my dye test about two years ago I was told it should not be very painful, well for me it was downright awful. So, I prepared for this to be very similar. I had read stories of other women’s experience during egg collection and pain levels and much like the dye test it differed for each person.

When we got to the clinic at 7:30am, everyone was so chipper. There was one lady who was telling everyone “Happy Valentine’s” in what sounded like a British accent - which I just LOVE. I smiled every time she said it. We pretty much went straight back and with the help of one of the nurses was able to gain some more insight on what was to come and what to expect. I undressed put on the famous blue gown, foot and hat covers then waited for the nurse to come back when it was time. In the meantime we got to meet the embryologist as well - a quick hello and introduction. This whole process was pretty quick the nurse let my husband know I would be OUT when I was done and they would come get him. At this point we say our “see ya laters” and I head to the treatment room with the nurse. I walk myself to the treatment room and hop on the table, place my calves in the stirrups and remind myself to breathe! The nurse who escorted me back was telling me how her daughter who is 20 years old was born around this time. I appreciate her story so much because it totally gives me a much needed distraction! Dr. Corona enters and gives me some information and then very easily slips the IV into my arm. I was very concerned about the IV prior...whether it would be in my hand or arm, but it was in my arm and she made it as close to painless as you can get. She told me to have a nice sleep, I got a weird taste in my mouth, took a big breath and I was out.

**BIG 10**

During the procedure I did feel pain for a slight second, heard some talking, something about the #4. I remember trying to say it hurt, but it was literally just a few seconds and I was back out. I do not remember leaving the treatment room or getting from one table to the other. I woke up back where I first started that morning behind the curtain and with CJ sitting beside me. At this point, I have no sense of time, but lay there for a little as I try to wake up. During this time, CJ said I looked at him with this pissed off look and told him to “stop snoring”... in my defense this is a pretty typical occurrence as we go to sleep. However it was not him snoring it was the woman in the curtain beside us - haha whoops!

Once I was up another nurse came back and checked on us. She made sure I wasn’t feeling nauseous and moved us to where I could sit up in a comfy chair with my feet propped while we waited on our taxi and more information. We found out that 10 eggs were retrieved which we were ecstatic about. I had prepared for the worst, which honestly helped once things went better than anticipated. The nurse said she was going to check to see if Dr. Corona needed to speak with us and then we would be set. She came back to let us know it would be a few moments before Dr. Corona would be out, but that she did want to speak to us. This worried me because I felt if she needed to speak to us maybe everything wasn’t routine or something was wrong. I was not sure what, but just had that uneasy feeling.

When Dr. Corona came to speak to us we learned that during the egg collection they found some pretty severe Endometriosis, hence the fluid in my scan where we feared I may have ovulated early. Because of the medicine for the IVF treatment it caused a flare up of the Endometriosis which makes a not so ideal setting for a fresh transfer. Since I was still half out of it, Dr. Corona made sure she was speaking to CJ mostly and also warned me that I would probably be in a good bit of pain due to the Endometriosis finding. I was relieved to have a diagnosis and some clarity, but being kind of out of it still it was hard for me to gather all the information and process it that day, so I didn’t try.

Once we got back to our apartment I slept all day pretty much, deep, puddles of drool type sleep. I was very fortunate because I had very minor pain that I think would qualify more as discomfort than pain. I kept waiting for the pain Dr. Corona warned me about, but luckily it never came. CJ and I took a very slow walk on the boardwalk that night just so I could get out of the apartment. It was the best way to end the day and talk about what happened. We were so anxious to get the call the next day about how our embryos were doing.

IVF is a roller-coaster. The type of roller-coaster, like the ones at the county fairs where they just go in a loop, sometimes forwards - sometimes backwards, and then stop at the top to let you dangle hold your breath and wonder when it will go again and will it be forwards or backwards. Getting a diagnosis was definitely moving forward for us, we had our suspicions about Endo prior, but it was nice to finally know exactly what the issue was. It removes a bit of the grey area we found ourselves in before.

The next step felt like dangling at the top of the roller-coaster; holding our breath as we waited for the call each day of how our embryos were progressing.

P.S. I hate that I did not get all of the nurses names, they all were beyond fantastic and deserve recognition for what an amazing job they do making you feel comfortable and taken care of. A BIG thank you to all of them at BFC!