May 19th, 2021: Welp, I had an estrogen day yesterday. That’s what I’ve started calling hard days. I will also say I’m having a hormone moment. It helps me remember that this is not a permanent feeling and that the hormones are making me a little extra crazy, hormonal, emotional…all the things. Anyway, I am now on my fifth day of estrogen, both oral and the patch, and I’m starting to feel the side effects. Terrible headaches. Crazy bloating. Constantly feeling the urge to cry. One of the hardest parts for me is the bloating and weight gain. I had JUST started to feel like I was losing a little of the weight I had gained from these drugs when I started them back up. It sucks. I had Jake push on my belly last night and he couldn’t believe the fluid build-up. It’s crazy to see. I am just constantly reminding myself that this is temporary. I have days that are harder than others and yesterday was definitely one of those days. I usually feel better after a good cry and a hug from Jake. I am trying to be nice to myself and find things to focus on other than IVF and our transfer, which as of today, should be in two weeks or less! I can’t believe it. Baby Bradley, we’re coming for you!!
As we get closer to our transfer, it’s all I can think about. I was able to kind of put things out of my mind during our egg retrievals and the mock transfer, but this round it’s so real and I’m feeling that every single day. I don’t know that I have a 10-minute span go by without thinking about our transfer. It’s definitely all consuming, but I love thinking about our babies on ice. It’s so crazy to me that I will be pregnant in two weeks. TWO. WEEKS. I can’t wrap my mind around that.
This picture doesn’t do the bloating justice, but the second I eat a meal, my stomach explodes. I am currently living in yoga pants and anything stretchy. Tight things really hurt my stomach and give me terrible gas right now. There’s your TMI for the day! ; )
May 24th, 2021: I had my mid-cycle appointment this morning! I had SO much anxiety leading up to this appointment. At this appointment, they were checking my lining thickness and drawing blood. I’ve been comparing everything to my mock transfer, which we did in April, since I did all of the same meds and had all of the same appointments. At this appointment for my mock, my lining was not thick enough – it was 7.5 and they want at least 8, so they upped all my meds. I figured the same thing would happen this time around, too. The second the ultrasound tech told me my lining was 8.15 I almost started crying. I was SO relieved. Now we are just waiting to hear about my blood draw. Our clinic hadn’t gotten results yet by the time they closed for the evening, so I’m hoping we hear tomorrow.
I have become VERY well acquainted with this vaginal ultrasound wand. I will be thankful when I never have to have another transvaginal ultrasound!
The hot flashes at night are REAL. I was in my office interviewing a participant and had to strip down to my sports bra and throw up my hair. I was so thankful my interview was over the phone. I was drenched in sweat.
It is so hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that we will be transferring in ONE WEEK (plus a day or two). I cannot believe it. We are almost at a year of IVF. A whole year! That blows my mind.