And then there was that time I got OHSS
Ya know what, OHSS?
I had my egg retrieval on the Wednesday morning of 6/12 around 10am. They gave me a wonderful anesthesia induced nap(once they finally got my IV in…grr…3 tries…) and I woke up to my hubby telling me that they had retrieved 13 beautiful eggs. It was less than I was wanting or expecting since we had seen 15/16 follicles, but we’ll take what we can get and 13 ain’t bad.
I took it super easy the day of retrieval. Lots of rest, water, hydrocodone(oh yes) and bready easy to eat goodness. So hoping it was enough to stave off the OHSS. I felt pretty good the day of retrieval. A bit tired, a little crampy, but overall, not too shabby.
On Thursday morning, we got our very first fertilization report! Of the 13 eggies, 9 received ICSI, and 8 fertilized normally. They said they were now going to leave my babies undisturbed to grow for a few days and then contact me with more results.
On Thursday I continued to take it easy. Total bed rest, except trips to the bathroom EVERY hour. Loads of water. Healthy food. Plenty of naps.
And then it hit. I woke up from a nap on Thursday afternoon and much to my surprise and chagrin, the OHSS had started to set in. I woke up with the most taut and uncomfortable belly. Filled with water. Round and very pregnant looking…except I’m certainly not pregnant.
In an effort to maintain full disclosure and keepin it real up here on the blog, allow me to show you what my poor belly looked like. And don’t say, “Oh! That’s nothing!” or “That’s not that big!” Because those of you who know me, know what I typically look like(and if you don’t, look back a few posts because I guarantee there are some pictures that can show you what I normally look like)
This is one day after retrieval. When I woke up and thought to myself, “Oh CRAP”
This is 2 days after retrieval. UGH.
So ridiculous. Bonus in this picture is you can still see some residual bruising from my stomach injections! Fun!
Thursday night I hardly slept. I couldn’t lay any way that was comfortable. I was in the bathroom every hour. I was just absolutely miserable. So, on Friday morning I called my Dr. and they agreed that I should come in and be seen.
While I waited for-freaking-ever to be seen by my Dr, pantless, on an uncomfortable hospital table, I decided to let the wide world of Instagram know what I thought about my OHSS.
As I kept waiting, a couple in the room right next to me was getting to have their very first ultrasound and hear the heartbeats of their twins for the very first time. Dagger. In. My. Heart.
When they finally got to check me out it was confirmed that I definitely had OHSS, albeit a mild to moderate case of it. I certainly realized that it could be worse, but it was Friday. I wanted to be seen by my Dr. on Friday instead of racing to the ER over the weekend. They told me to drop my prenatal vitamin and my aspirin, take Milk Of Magnesia(bleh), up my cabergoline to 2x a day, tons of water or gatorade, keep up the pain pills, and rest, rest, rest.
We had to decide at that point that there was no way I’d be capable of doing a 5 day transfer on Monday. Heartbreaking. Once again, my body failed. Once again, we are canceled. Thankfully, the hard part is past. I made the eggs. They are growing. And that is wonderful and amazing. But to not get to take them home in me. To spend even more money. To wait even more time. All because my body didn’t handle it well- it’s just hard to bear.
On a lighter note, I have had THE best care takers one could hope for. Jim came back up to help, even though it wasn’t part of the original plan. Grandparents and an amazing Aunt have taken care of Abigail 100% for me. I’ve had water refills(over and over and over) and food delivered and blankets and pillows adjusted(over and over and over) and I’m just so thankful that I’m lucky enough to have such a wonderful family who is willing to selflessly and cheerfully take such excellent care of me while I have been SO sick.
When I got home from the Dr. on Friday my wonderful mother in law had left me a list of some verses she thought would be encouraging to me. Boy, were they ever. They left me a blubbering mess of thankfulness in the midst of one of the hardest circumstances I’ve ever had to go through. Let me share a few of them with y’all.
“Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light aflliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled; nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” Psalm 73: 25-26
We are expecting another fertilization report tomorrow. It may be our final one before they freeze all of our babies. I’ll certainly update again when I have all of that information. Please keep praying for us!
I am saying a prayer for you right now. I haven't gone through the same treatments as you – at least not yet – but I know the financial struggle, pain and disappointment very well. Yesterday was my disappointment when a period showed up instead of having to take a pregnancy test.
I'm blubbering with you over the scriptures – thank you for sharing!
~RB
I am so sorry you're dealing with another failed cycle. It's just the absolute worst and I'm so sorry that you have to experience it once again.
I'm glad that the bible verses could be an encouragement to you- they have certainly blessed me over the past few days.
I continue to think of and pray for you. Praying you received a good fertilization report and for your body's healing. Thank you for documenting your experience as it blesses so many who read.
Thank you, Marla!