This Ship Is Approaching Land

Not sure where that analogy came from, but in short, things are actually working in this IVF cycle. Hopefully the island in sight is populated by fertile people and healthy infants and not the land of the childfree. But like anything else, I won't know where I am until I get there.

After two weeks of taking both ovulation suppression drug Lupron and follicle stimulation drug Gonal-F, and four different blood and ultrasounds over the past week, my ovaries have actually grown four follicles on each side that are considered the right size. The left one has follicles ranging from 14 to 20.5 mm, while the right has four ranging from 13-17 mm. The target number is "more than 18."

This means that tonight (yikes! In an hour, actually), I'm officially taking my trigger shot, which will tell the follicles it's time to give up some eggs. The Lupron and Gonal-F are over for this cycle.

It's odd to know that my body has actually done what it is supposed to. Oh sure, it took some pricey drugs, several early-morning visits to be ultrasounded downstairs, and months of doctor's visits. But like the diabetes, with a little outside pharmaceutical help and needles, things appear to be working correctly inside.

This means that on Tuesday at 7 am (and yes, I think I'm first because of my diabetes), I'm headed to the fertility clinic for the egg retrieval. They tell me that the follicles can continue to grow between tonight's trigger shot and Tuesday's retrieval, so I'm hoping things look good once I'm knocked out (because let me be clear; IVF is surgery and I'm getting anesthesia) and someone's scoping around inside to see how many eggs there will be. And please, please, let's pray things go well on Tuesday and there's something to retrieve and I handle the procedure beautifully.

Mr. Lyrehca and I have been doing assorted rounds of "Woo, Woo, Go Lupron" or "Woo, Woo, Go Gonie" for good luck. At this point, we're trying to be as positive as possible.

I know it's still way too early to know how anything might transpire. But I'm actually trying to feel cautiously hopeful.

And for whatever reason, my blood sugars have been just dandy.

Oh, Tuesday actually corresponds with yet another eye doc's appointment, but I'll be rescheduling. Retinopathy, schmetinopathy. This week's R condition is all about egg Retrieval and possible Reproduction.