Homecoming

Ok, so what is this about pineapple I need to know. Please enlighten me, women! I am in the dark. I have never been anywhere remotely in the neighborhood of pregnant. And now I'm PUPO!!!!!!! So, if I need to be eating bucket-loads of pineapple or do some tango or any sort of crazy shit like that, please let me know.  I depend on you.

Today, I wore my lucky owl underwear. I brought little Hoot that Pumpkin gave to me, just so the kids would know there would be toys in their future. I started the day with yoga. I took some deep breaths. My friend SJ was able to come with me. I kissed Mr. A goodbye and told him we'd be back soon. I did all that I could today to make this successful. Now it is not in my hands anymore. This is a kind of lottery or God's will or whatever tickles your fancy. I just know I don't get to decide. I just get to go along for the ride.

The transfer happened as planned this morning. It was scheduled for 10:45, but didn't happen until an hour later. I needed to go with a full bladder, and having planned that for 10:45, it became almost unbearable by 11:26. I almost started to cry in order to evacuate some fluid from my body. The nurse who told Sattva and I we were cute on Tuesday just told me to go. I promptly drank a bottle of water afterward, but my timing still stank. They called me right away.

The nurse's name was the same as Sattva's name. I told her so and we both felt that was lucky. The lab biologist (I didn't ask for her title and I don't feel like calling her a lab technician. She was infinitely more than that to me.) came in and told me my skirt (hospital sheet) was very becoming, especially with my striped socks. I liked her right away. She said there were 2 beautiful embies awaiting. One embryo had reached the 7-cell stage and, in the doctor's words, was as good as we could hope for. The other one was still at 4-cells but still growing. She put them up on a screen so I could look at them while having the procedure, and she also made me a take-home picture (will scan and post soon). She said the other 2 didn't make it. And it that moment, it didn't feel like it mattered. We were all lined up for a great transfer in the here and now.

The doctor was not my usual RE, but I liked him too. He couldn't visualize my uterus from the abdominal ultrasound (my bad), but he wasn't bent out of shape about it. He did a transvaginal u/s instead and took measurements. He got everything ready, and then the lovely biologist poked her head through the little window between the procedure room and the lab. "The babysitter is getting antsy" is what the doc said. The procedure was fairly quick. We talked about my dose of estr.ace and prom.etrium, and they sent me on my way, with earnest hope-filled wishes.

I cried only once I got in the car with my friend SJ. I looked at the picture and just couldn't fucking believe it. Pardon the French, but that was necessary under those circumstances.

They're in! Welcome home embryos.

After the procedure, the doc said "and now it will be the longest 2 weeks of your life", to which I responded that my Ph.D. defense should keep me distracted. He smiled.

Mr. A did make it in to see the doctor again this afternoon. They are querying pneumonia but he was unable to get an x-ray, given that it was Friday afternoon and we live in a fairly small college town. He seemed a little better this afternoon. He kissed my belly and seemed excited about the homecoming.