Post 98: Retrieval is Here

Today’s the day! Retrieval day! Unfortunately, it didn’t go quite as planned. We checked in to the hospital at 8AM, as requested, and they took me right back into the minor procedure area. The news was playing in the waiting room, and there was a story about a child being rescued from a home, after it was found that the mother was feeding him brewed marijuana in his bottle. These people can have babies easily and naturally, but here we are, waiting for surgery, in hopes of becoming parents. Sorry for the tangent, but it felt important to include for some reason. 

By 8:15, I was in my gown in bed, waiting my turn. They started an IV, gave me fluids, asked all sorts of questions, reviewed the procedure, discussed the potential follicles, and fell in love with Easter photos of Julie. They were expecting to retrieve 7 eggs on the right and 5 on the left, based on follicle size. I had 18 measurable follicles, but the nurse explained that any follicle under 15mm likely wasn’t mature. The 12 follicles she listed we’re all good sized, and well over the 15mm mark! Around 9:30, they came to get me for surgery. They had me stop by the bathroom and empty my bladder, then a nurse and the anesthesiologist walked me to the operating room. I laid down on the table, and talked about grant writing with doctors as they put my arms in soft restraints, and administered versed. I was out like a light within minutes. 

An hour later, I started walking up. The nurse had told me she would write the number of eggs retrieved on my hand, so I could see for myself when I woke up. It took everything in me to focus on it, but there in my hand, was the number 9. It took a while, but I finally gained consciousness. They brought me some Tylenol, graham crackers, and ginger ale, and I got to talk with Shaun. I slept through the doctor’s report, so I was anxious to hear what happened. 

Shaun explained that the surgery didn’t go quite as planned. My left ovary was adhered to the scar tissue from my c-section. They weren’t able to safely get to the ovary to retrieve the eggs. They had to abandon at least 3 large follicles, since the risks outweighed the benefits. The doctor that operated on me, Dr. Berta, was someone I’d never met. I had no trust in her judgment, but I know that what should have been a 15 minute procedure took an hour. She definitely attempted to retrieve the eggs, but I’ll always wonder if she gave up, instead of seeking help. 

I was disappointed, but also lucky they retrieved so many. Nine is a good starting point, especially if they’re all mature. We won’t know how many turn to embryos until tomorrow though. By noon, we’d been released from the hospital, and were headed home. We stopped in Wytheville and picked up Japanese, my first meal since dinner the night before, then went home to rest. We dropped of a bowl of clear soup to Randi on our way home, because good friends deserve good soup when they’re feeling worn down, and she’d had a hard day in court, but still managed to check on me. I truly am blessed with her friendship.