Reflecting back on my Egg Retrieval

Reflecting back on my Egg Retrieval

Darin and I arrived at our clinic at 8:30 a.m on June 30th, my retrieval was scheduled for 9 a.m. My mom accompanied us because Darin needed to head to work after my procedure. The nurse set me up with a paper gown and hat and prepped me for surgery. Just before surgery I had to go to the bathroom to empty my bladder. I said goodbye to my mom and Darin and was wheeled into the operating room. The operating room was small and just had one door and a window that attached to the IVF lab. I was transferred over to the operating table to get started. There were two nurses, the Embryologist, the anesthesiologist and Dr. Ryan (my reproductive embryologist – the one taking my eggs from my body) in the operating room. The nurse had a very difficult time finding a vein for my IV. This always happens to me, I have invisible veins. Most nurses try several needles on me and then end up using a butterfly needle (the ones made for babies) because they can’t find a big vein. A few minutes after the nurse got the IV in my anesthesiologist gave me some sedation drugs and I was out. I only remember how bad the sedation drug stung going all the way up my arm and into my chest.
When I woke up in the recovery area I was very groggy but anxious to hear how many eggs my doctor was able to retrieve. Darin came in and told me the great news…we got 17 eggs!!! My doctor was very optimistic about the maturity of my eggs and thought that most of them would fertilize. The nurse came in to offer me crackers and Gatorade. I was starving because I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything after 8:00 p.m the night before so drank an entire bottle of Gatorade and stuffed the crackers in my mouth as quickly as possible. I still felt very bloated and huge, doctor Ryan said it would take a few days for all the swelling to go down and for my ovaries to return to their normal sizes. It was such a relief to have my part done and to know that my eggs were out and being fertilized with Darin’s sperm! After my retrieval I went home with my mom and Darin went to work. I had to stay with my mom until Darin could come pick me up. When I wasn’t sleeping I was chugging Gatorade and peeing…peeing a lot. I had to flush my system out.
Darin picked me up that night after work and we reflected on my retrieval and the whole experience that day. He told me all about his experience too. He had to give a fresh sample at the same time my eggs were being retrieved. From Darin's description of the room I'd say that the movies have this aspect of IVF correct, the room was fully equipped with movies and magazines. Darin also let me know that PFC (our IVF clinic) really needs to change the layout of their facility because the special man room is placed right next to the waiting room. Apparently my mom was in the waiting room talking very loudly. Poor Darin had to perform under some serious pressure. Thankfully he was able to block my mom out and focus.
Just before we left that day Dr. Ryan said that the clinic would call everyday before our transfer to give us our fertilization report so we anxiously waited for our phone call.
It's amazing to think that Hannah, Olivia and our twins were all created that day...June 30, 2004.