The anticipation was INCREDIBLE!!!

 

This bag of meds came on Tuesday with a few other things in the package.  I was given instructions to take Birth Control Pills until Tuesday night.  Get blood work and ultrasound on Thursday then wait for results for instructions to start injections.  

The ultrasound was unremarkable (and that is a good thing!)  My lining was 8mm because I had not started my period to shed my lining yet.  8 is a bit thick for a baseline ultrasound but I will likely shed some lining since I stopped taking BCPs on Tuesday.  At baseline ultrasounds, they are looking for ovaries that have no cysts, no lead follicles that might kick out a mature egg, also to make sure the lining/uterine walls look smooth without any obvious polyps or large fibroids.  

This is what my ultrasound looked like on my uterus/endometrial lining.  

The darker 'circular' area is the uterus and the bright white inside the circle inside the uterus is the lining.  

 Here are the measurements-- they are in cm so that means that .8cm for my lining means that it is 8mm (mm is how they usually measure -- or the more recognized across the surrogacy boards).  Also she measured every one of my follicles which none were mature-- mature is 20mm and mine were all around 5-7.  This just means my ovarian reserves are good.  Other measurements are included... 

Also I had bloodwork drawn -- Quant Beta (This test is the blood pregnancy test-- they give it to ensure no accidental pregnancy has happened prior to starting hormone medication) -- That was negative of course.  Also a baseline Estrogen and Progesterone level was drawn.  I am unsure what the results were but they were within the range that they expected. 

Next up was starting medications.  So I got that big package of meds-- I was fine with them when I saw them.  Then I pulled out the 12 page instructions from the clinic about how to administer medication.  I have medical training, I have given many injections.  Then I read the part about sticking the needle into the muscle all the way to the plastic part.  I get ill... Like 'What the heck did I sign up for?'  My palms got sweaty.  I go in and draw it up.  And the needle is somehow even longer than I remembered.  Seriously look at this needle-- it is HUGE!  

Let this sink in-- I will be doing one shot a day for 12 weeks and another shot every 3rd day in the same small area.  So I pull the instructions out to show my husband.  We took a little 'class' at the clinic, but that was back in November and this is March and he may have forgotten, and besides it was my butt he was putting a needle into.  My palms were still sweaty.  "Do you see this picture?  It needs to be on the X'"  He assured me that he had it and called me a Sally and told me to just turn around and let him do his job.  My last words were "Don't hurt me!"

So there I was, following instructions, heart pounding, sweating.  And it was over.  I barely felt it.  I was a wreck for what?  Easy peasy.  But this is only .15ml and not thick like the 1ml progesterone that is known for causing lumps!  Next injection won't be until Monday I think-- I haven't committed the schedule to memory but it is hanging out on my bathroom mirror and reminders in my phone! 

So far so good!  And go ahead, call me a pansy-- But something about the build up that makes us nervous then we realize "that wasn't so bad!"