Good News & Bad News

I am so sorry about not posting in a timely manner this week! I have been out in the field at work & have had no computer access except when I come home for lunch. Thanks Mika Beth for filling everyone in yesterday! You explained it perfectly!! What a week...what a week!!!

Lets start with the good news. My embryos are looking great! Today I have four grade 4, three grade 3, one grade 2.5, and one grade 2. I talked with my embryologist just before lunch & he said that only one (grade 2) has fragmentation & all the rest have none. Thats great! He said they are looking wonderful! I was also curious about the 5 immature eggs. Last cycle, 50% of my eggs had vascules (holes) in them. The embryologist said that none of the immature ones this cycle had vascules. That makes me feel better about the quality of my eggs!!

Okay, now on to the maybe not so great news. I could possibly be hyperstimulating. I am going in tomorrow for an ultrasound to make sure & hopefully they can do something before Friday. Monday my stomach was extremly distended & tender. My nurse & I played phone tag all day & I never talked with her. On Tuesday, I was feeling a little better. Tuesday night I became really uncomfortable. I couldn't sit down comfortably or lay on my stomach. They want me to come in in the morning because if I come in Friday & I am hyperstimulated they won't be able to do the transfer. They would have to freeze my embryos & do a FET (frozen embryo transfer) next month. Let's pray that this doesn't happen. Thank you all for the thoughts & prayers here lately!!

Good News...

*this is Mika Beth posting for Mary Kate*

They got a good report today. I hope I explain this correctly. The doctors rate the embryos like this: 1-4, 4 being the best. She has four grade 4 embryos and four grade 3 embryos. One has yet to divide. She will post more on this later. Keep praying!!!

Shots.....

Just a little pic of what I will be receiving every night for a while now!!

Fishing with the Edwards girls

This past weekend Michael & I invited my nieces over to go fishing in our pond! They had been talking about it for a while...well, we finally had a free day with nice weather! They were a hoot & I think they all had a blast!!

Here are a few of TG's first fish:

A few of Addison's catches:

And Little Miss Sophie won the prize with the most fish & the biggest fish! She caught this catfish on a worm, but wouldn't get too close!!! I don't blame her!

Sissy loves you girls...we will have to have another fishing tournament soon!!

Embryo-Day 1

As of this morning, we have 9 fertilized embryos!!! ICSI was performed. That is all I know as of now...I will update in the morning when they grade each embryo.

Egg Retrieval 4-27-08

14 EGGS!!!!! I am so excited! Thank you for all your prayers this morning...my procedure went very well. Other than being stuck 4 times for the darn IV, it wasn't bad at all!! We won't know until in the morning how many eggs were mature & how many of those fertilized. Last cycle, they retrieved 8 eggs & only 4 were mature & of those 4, only 3 fertilized. Hopefully, we will have more than 3 fertilized embryos this time. They had actually told us to be there at 9:45 this morning & we had actually left a little early to get there by 9:30. At about 9:10, they called wondering where we were. My nurse had messed up & told me the wrong time to be there. Needless to say, as soon as I walked in the door, they whisked me back to get started. I felt so rushed, but that was probably a blessing from God so I wouldn't sit there & ponder what they were getting ready to do to me! Thanks again for you thoughts & prayers! I am back to bed...still feeling really groggy!!

Stimulation Day 9

GREAT NEWS!!! I had the best appointment yet this morning....so many things are running through my head! Let's get to the good stuff first...MY ER IS THIS SUNDAY (April 27th)!!! I am so excited!! I saw Dr. Blackwell this morning & it took her nearly 15 minutes to measure all my follicles....she just kept going & going & going!! When she was through, she looked at me & said that my follicles are looking AWESOME!! She did say that my endometrium lining was a little thin, but since my estrogen level was so high that she thought things would be okay. By the way, my estrogen level was 4241!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!! She said that I was almost at the level of hyperstimulating, but they will start me on some meds on Sunday that should keep that from happening! So, with all that being said, I am triggering tonight at 11:45 pm & have to be in Tulsa at 9:45 on Sunday morning! I can't believe that the time is already here again!! I am trying not to get overly excited, but this cycle has been so much better than the last! I am so thankful!! Please pray that Sunday procedure goes smoothly & we get lots of little embryos!!! The embryo transfer will either be on Wednesday (30th) or Friday (1st) depending on how many & the quality of the embryos. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I know I am going to!!! Happy Friday!!

Stimulation Day 7

Quick update on my appointment this morning!

I saw Dr. Prough for the first time this cycle. He was very pleased with the way I am reacting to the higher dosage of drugs this cycle. Both of my ovaries looked like a bunch of grapes...there were too many follicle to count!! My estrogen level was 1961 compared to 558 on Day 7 of cycle #1. He set a tenative date for my ER for next Tuesday April 29th. That means I will have 3 more days of shots (Thurs-Sat) and take my Trigger shot on Sunday, nothing on Monday, & ER on Tuesday. Embryo Transfer will either be on Friday (Day 3 for embryos) or Sunday (Day 5). However, this could all change...I will know more hopefully this Friday when I go back to Tulsa! Sorry for the short update...I have been extremely busy at work this afternoon!!

Stimulation Day 5

Today was my Day 5 appointment. Other than being extremely bloated, I am feeling great! Days 1-4 I have been taking 2 shots a day-in the morning 150 IUIs of Follistim & in the evening 100 IUIs of Follistim. This morning I had 11 follicles on my right ovary & 6 on my left. I was given the okay to start another drug called Ganirelix tonight, which is just one shot a day. I am also to decrease my Follistim to 125 IUIs in the morning & 50 IUIs in the evening. So from here on out, I will be taking 3 shots a day until my ER which should be no later than May 1st, possibly sooner depending on how I react. My estrogen level was 1079 this morning. I go back on Wednesday morning for more bloodwork & another lovely ultrasound!!

NOTE: I just looked back at Cycle #1 Day 5 & my estrogen level was 301. This cycle it is 1079!!! Wow...would you say I am responding a little better to the higher dosage of shots???

What God meant when he gave me infertility

He meant for my husband & I to grow closer, become stronger, & love deeper. He meant for us to find the fortitude within ourselves to get up everytime infertility knocks us down. He meant for our medical community to discover medicines, invent medical equipment, & create procedures & protocols to eventually find a cure for infertility.

God never meant for me not to have children. That is not my destiny...it's just a fork in the road I am on. I have been placed on the road less traveled, & like it or not, I am a better person for it! Clearly, God meant for me to develop more compassion, deeper courage, and a greater inner strength on this journey & I haven't let him down.

Truth be known, I think God has singled me out for a special treatment. I think God meant for me to build a thirst for a child so strong & so deep that when that baby is finally placed in my arms, it will be the longest, coolest, most refreshing feeling I have ever known.

This was given to me by a high school friend who is struggling with infertility also. Thanks Lindsey...I read this daily for encouragement & strength!! Best wishes to you & Matt!!!

Today was my first round of shots...nothing to it!! I return to Tulsa on Monday morning!

Remembering Papa

Ten years ago today, my grandfather, Papa went to be with the Lord. It seems like yesterday...I vividly remember April 16, 1998. I was a senior at SHS & was called to the office. I knew something had happened when I saw my dad standing in the hallway outside the office. He was there to tell me Papa had passed away.

Papa was so sweet, so caring, & so loving to everyone around him. He was a wonderful husband, Dad, & Papa! I miss him with all my heart!! When I was younger, I would go stay a week in the summertime with Papa & Pogee. Pogee would take me shopping to buy me whatever I wanted! When we got home, I would have to model every piece of clothing I got for Papa. With everything I tried on he would say, "anything looks good on a good lookin' woman". Oh how I wish I could spend one more minute...one more hour...one more day with him!!

I love you Papa...you will always be remembered!!

My trips to North Little Rock & Tulsa

I had a wonderful weekend in North Little Rock visiting my grandmother, Pogee, & my brother & his family!! I love going to Pogee's house this time of the year because we always sit out on her screened in porch, visit with each other, & enjoy this:

I also get to spend some time with my nephew, Drew, & my niece, Miss Annie Kate. Here are a few pics from this weekend!!

This morning Michael & I had to go to Tulsa for my 2nd baseline ultrasound & bloodwork. We got a little better news than last week. My estrogen level was back down in the range to start my shots. So on Thursday, it is back to THIS....

Please keep us in your prayers this next month. No matter how hard things might seem...I know that HE is always in control!!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

After my appointment this morning, Michael & I decided to eat breakfast in a little cafe in Uttica Square before heading back to Fort Smith. This is what was right outside the cafe! Is that not beautiful???

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

Pushed back at least another week!

I just hate Mondays!! Let me back up a few weeks & explain some things...I started my last period on March 10 & called the fertility clinic, just like I was instructed to, as soon as I started my March period. During IVF cycles, the Drs & nurses are on call 7 days a week due to the precise timing of egg retrieval (ER) & embryo transfer (ET). Therefore, there aren't IVF cycles every month... that is why we had to wait until April to start with cycle #2. They have certain dates set out to start BCP so that your ER & ET fall within their 'on-call' dates. When I called on March 10, I was told I was too early to start BCP & they could either have me wait a week or two to start BCP or not take BCP this month & start with my next cycle. My nurse talked with my Dr. & decided on the first option & for me to start taking my BCP on March 21st. I took my BCP through April 3rd & went in last Friday, April 4th for my baseline ultrasound & bloodwork. As you might have read in my last post, my ultrasound showed a big follicle on one of my ovaries, but didn't get my estrogen resulted due to a broken machine.

I got a call today from my fertility clinic telling me that I had actually ovulated this month & that my estrogen level was too high to start my shots right now. That could be why I had a big follicle on my ovary, right?!?! I have to continue my BCP through Sunday the 13th & report back to Tulsa on the 14th. I am just so frustrated...why can't my body do what it is supposed to do???

I really hope I didn't confuse all of you because that was pretty difficult to explain!!

Baseline Appt & Prayer Request

I had my first appointment today for cycle #2 of IVF. I have been on BCP for two weeks now & today's appointment was to make sure my body wasn't producing estrogen & to make sure I didn't have any follicles on my ovaries. I did have one rather large follicle on one of my ovaries, but the nurse said that if it wasn't producing estrogen, I would be okay to continue on. However, one of the machines in the lab that tests the estrogen was broken today so they couldn't get my results. I was told to continue the BCP through Sunday & to call in on Monday & find out what to do next. I kind of felt like today was a wasted trip to Tulsa! Oh well, we will just be set back a couple of day...I guess it could be worse!!!

Secondly, I wanted to ask everyone out there to pray for this little guy Ethan!! He is in desperate need of our prayers tonight!! This little guy has been fighting luekemia his whole life!! I have been checking up on him daily for the last year & it just breaks my heart.

TAG...Your It!!

10 years ago: In 1998, I was a senior in high school at Southside High School. I was so ready for graduation & college. Michael & I had been dating for 3 1/2 years & had both gotten scholarships to Southern Arkansas University! I played volleyball & basketball throughout high school & had one a state championship ring in both sports that year!! Michael & I went to prom with Amber Collyge & Chris Minton, & Ben Lewis & Kathy Curry!! What fun memories...I didn't realize back then how wonderful & easy life was!!!

Things on my to-do-list: Tomorrow morning before work, I must 'pick up' the house for my maid to come...does anyone else do that?? I have to pick up the drycleaning sometime tomorrow. Then I am having lunch with my friend Cindy, & then I once I get back to work I have a IT meeting. Once I get home, I am making Poppyseed Chicken for dinner & get ready to leave for Tulsa bright & early on Friday morning!!!

What I would do if I suddenly became a billionaire: Pay off some loans & my house & car payments, pay off any of my families debt, travel...I want to go to Europe, Alaska, & Australia, give more money to my church & lots of charities, set aside money for my future children's college funds, & never work again!!

My bad habits: biting my fingernails, hitting my snooze button 5 times every morning, eating too much & not excersing enough.

Five jobs I have had:
*Accounting Analyst at a Natural Gas Company
*Waitress at my roommates seafood restaurant, MELS, in El Dorado, AR
*Resident Assistant in my dorm at college
*Athletic Trainers Assistant in college
*Summer help at Webb Energy Resources

Things people might not know about me:
*I cannot stand to see lightening strike...I don't mind hearing thunder, but don't like lightening!!
*I love to garden & work in the yard
*I absolutely refuse to clean toilets (I hate cleaning period!)
*No one can surprise me...I always figure things out! I should have been a detective!!
*I have recently fell in love with Paula Deen... recipes are so simple & so delicious!!

I tag Mika Beth, Jessica, Hillary, Becca, & Jennifer!!

Our new backyard!!

Here is the finished product!! What do you guys think??