Well, I won't actually call this cycle, our last cycle ever, a success until I'm holding a plump, healthy baby in my arms, but as of right now, this moment, I'm cautiously optimistic.
Our journey to here has been a long and winding road of medicated cycles, IUIs, IVF, pregnancies resulting from no intervention whatsoever, miscarriages, a DVT and a near cervical cancer diagnosis. There have been many smiles, laughs and yes, many worries and tears along the way.
After our IVF cycle in 2008, we had one embryo frozen. Over the years I've taken to calling it Frosty. Little frosty stayed frozen for a little over six years, in which time, I had four more pregnancies and two live births. Going into this cycle I had very mixed emotions. I knew this was our last chance and didn't want to get my hopes up too high for fear we wouldn't even make it to the transfer and I would be devastated. I also am nervous about what life with five kids will look like. My pregnancy at age 40, while working full-time and with three kids at home was hard and this time around I will be 43, working full-time with four kids at home. Our house is on the smaller side, the husband's car is definitely on the smaller side, our bank accounts are on the smaller side and just how does one find enough time for each of five kids along with their spouse? But, I think I we are up for the challenge.
So with that, here are the details. This cycle began on August 1st and I began taking 2mg of estrogen three times a day along with doing injections of 40mg of Lovenox every morning and evening. I had a lining check on the 11th, did a trigger shot of hcg on the 12th and also began injections of 2ml of progesterone in oil that same night. Our transfer was on the 18th and my first beta was today. At what is equal to 14dpo, my beta came back as 110. My next beta isn't for a full week which I'm sure will leave me wondering, but at the same time, I'm hopeful that it will keep me from obsession too much over numbers I know ultimately mean very little.
Making his internet debut, here's Frosty:
And no, we don't know that it's a boy, I'm just using the universal "he."