The embryo transfer

Because our appointment was scheduled at 9:45, we were worried about getting stuck in the morning rush hour traffic. We’re staying with Mike’s parents in Layton, so we have to get from Davis County to the east side of Salt Lake City, and the traffic starts getting thick at about 7:00 am. We left quite early – about 6:45 am. Luckily, the traffic was thick but steadily moving.

We made great time, and by the time we got near UCRM, Mike and I had two hours to kill. We stopped for breakfast at a Village Inn, and took our time watching the news and perusing the internet. We even ordered hot chocolate (in July!). Then we drove just a little past UCRM to This Is the Place State Park and looked around at the statues and monuments. It was incredibly windy! The wind was cool, and it felt wonderful after so many hot, summer days. But when we got back in the car, I had to spend a few minutes running my fingers through my knotted hair.

Mike and I arrived at UCRM at 9:25 am and signed in. We got comfy, thinking that we’d have a bit of a wait, but we were called right back. The first thing Dr. Link showed us is a photo of our largest, most promising embryo! It was classified “EB2,” meaning “early blastocyst, size 2.” A blastocyst is larger than an embryo, and a size 2 is average. The cells on the right are the blastocyst cells, while the cells on the left will become the placenta.

I can’t begin to explain how excited I was to see this picture! After trying to conceive a child for over 13 years, it was amazing to see these cells that are a combination of me and Mike. These little cells could become our child, a perfect mixture of the two of us!

Mike and I had spent the last few days discussing how many embryos to transfer. I was still in favor of one, while Mike wanted to consider two so we’d be more likely to have at least one develop into a child. We still really hadn’t come to a decision, but Dr. Link explained that EB2 was the only embryo ready for transferring. That was the easiest decision ever! Of the remaining nine embryos, seven were still growing, but too small for transferring today. Unfortunately, one embryo had arrested development, and one embryo had started breaking down. The seven healthy embryos will be given a day or two more to develop before being frozen.

Next, Dr. Link explained how the transfer would occur, and then we got to business! No waiting until 10:45! I got situated in the same seat with stirrups that we used for the egg retrieval, and then a tech put nice, warm goop on my belly for an ultrasound. For the first time in this process, it was an external ultrasound! To help with the visualization, I had a full bladder and even pressed on my own abdomen.

  

The embryologist removed the embryo from the incubator (through the door behind me in the photo above). He allowed us to double-check that the names on the label were ours, then he showed us the actual embryo on the screen. Then he used a very small suction device to pick up the embryo and its fluid and passed it off to Dr. Link.

As the embryologist was getting the embryo ready, Dr. Link was getting me ready. She inserted a speculum and a catheter, and she did a little disinfecting inside. Then, using the picture on the ultrasound, she inserted the embryo into my uterus through the catheter. Dr. Link showed us on the screen just where the embryo was and that it was in just the place it should be. Then she removed the speculum and catheter . . . and we were done!

After the inconvenient ultrasounds and the downright painful IUIs and sonograms, I was pleasantly surprised that the transfer was so easy. I didn’t feel a thing!

A nurse helped me clean up the ultrasound goop and gave me another shot of Lupron in the abdomen. And then I was free to use the restroom. That felt good.

On the way out, Mike and I met with Lee Cherie to get an order for a pregnancy test. They’d already make an appointment to have the blood drawn at UCRM, but they forget that we live in St. George. The order is for a test at InstaCare next Friday (Aug. 10), and to repeat every 48 hours until three times. Lee Cherie was very insistent that I make sure the lab performs the test and sends the results to her on the same day. I would imagine that if one of the tests comes back positive, I won’t need the other tests.

No one told us that I needed to relax or limit my activities for the day, but we decided I needed to anyway. After we got back to Mike’s parents’ house, I took a nap for a couple of hours. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching TV and talking with family. And talking to my abdomen, urging that little embryo to “stick and grow,” as Lee Cherie said.