Not this time...

Beta was just 2.5 .

Beta #2 in progress

Did another test this morning, results will be ready at the usual 11:00pm. And yes i do physically go there to pick up report, i know its crazy, the times doctors/labs work here. They are 5 miunutes from my house so its all good.

Anyway, i am prepared for the worst, am hoping for the best, but "sort of ready" if the numbers didn't do their magic.

After 7 attempts at this the excitement level is dwindling. I still long and hope for that BFP with good numbers don't get me wrong, but i think after so many letdowns, maybe its just normal to be bummed but prepared at the same time to deal with it. I don't know?

So I don't sound like the normal, positive outlook Wishing4One do i? I still am, but I really wish that my numbers have at least doubled this time! Please God...

If not, don't fear we will hit this IVF b*tch again, take a month off, get a new RE and try again.

Thank you to all of you for your awesome comments, words of encouragement and prayers- you don't know how much they soothe me really, you all are awesome!

Don't Know

Beta came in at just 24.

Called my doctor and he told me, the references for pregnancy depend on the lab, i.e. this lab references pregnancies like this:

1 week: 5-50 mIU/ml
1-2 weeks: 50-500 mIU/ml
2-3 weeks: 100 - 5000 mIU/ml and on and on.

My numbers should be at least in the 1-2 week range I think. I am 13 days post transfer.

Anyway doctor said he has seen successful pregnancies at my stage with first beta from 7 - 25. Thanks Dr. K, i feel better. He means well really.

I am not giving up hope though, not quite yet.

I will retest on Saturday, Friday if the lab is open. ( Fridays here are like a weekend, some places are closed.)

Who knows huh?

Beta values

One of my favorite bloggers, good friend and mother to beautiful Lizzy, Fiddle1 over at It's Stork Season and I've Bagged My Limit sent me two of THE most valuable links regarding Beta values online.

These are definite bookmarks!

Beta Values Main Chart

and

Master Beta Break Down List (this one lists examples based on days past transfer)

Thanks a million Fiddle you are soooo awesome!

Its now 8:20PM here in Cairo, so just 2 hours and 40 minutes to go until I pick up my Beta results....

Beta in progress

Went to do blood test, beta will be ready at 11PM Cairo time.

Today is 13dp5dt. (13 days post 5 day blastocyst transfer)

Its now 3:20PM, its going to be a long day...

Isn't a lab a lab?

All labs are not alike... apparently not here in Cairo anyway.

So I go to a lab here where we live earlier, the test is a weak positive. Um, what does that mean?

She showed me the lines, one dark, one faint (she gave that thing above to take home, gee thanks). I thought these types of tests were used at home, not in labs? She said if she did the numbers (quantitative test) they would be low, that I should I come back in a week... yeah right lady, like I am waiting another week.

So I called Dr. K he told me to go to a specific lab in Cairo, latest technology and equipment and test again. Getting a quantitative (beta) test as well. We will do that tomorrow.

Dr. K also told me that I am pregnant. I told him I sure hope you are right man. He talked to Super S too, he's like a friend actually very very good man.

So I guess I will cautiously say I am maybe pregnant?

LOL, nothing here is ever easy. I guess I should not be surprised that I have to go through this just to see if I am indeed pregnant, I should be used to the ways of the Cairenes by now. ( I will never be used to some of them actually, i love it here but some things are insane sometimes) What a great story we will be able to tell our kid(s) about getting to know if they were even "there" huh?

Until tomorrow..... xoxoxoxoxox

Cat Breakaway Collars Really Work

What a way to start out my day. Its just after 6:00 am here in Cairo.

I woke up and let Florenzo inside. He ate, lounged around a bit and then I didn't see him for awhile.

I was on the second floor and heard his bell jingling alot, like he was running. But running where?

I ran downtairs calling him and still heard his frantic bell. I ran upstairs, passed second floor as I knew he was not there and when i got to third floor, there he was with his head and his collar caught in the stair railings. I bent down to release his collar but just before I did he let out a squeal and the breakaway collar snapped right off.

See that little piece to the left, it snapped right off.

Needless to say I was frantic and am still a bit shaken up, that little man really gave me a scare.

So cat breakaway collars do what they say, they will not allow your cat to be choked, and do release if they get caught on something. Brilliant invention man, brilliant!

Just 7 hours or so until beta...

Beta countdown

Just two more days until beta and let me tell you I am so ready. This 2ww has actually passed rather quickly. At first it never seems like it will end, but as time goes on, time flies really.

I think it will be positive and a high number. I am pregnant this time. I just know it.

Lets see if my positive thinking, prayers and supplications helped make it positive this time around. As always though, I am prepared either way. Just more prepared this time for a positive.

Welcome to those of you who got here via IComLeavWe, i am playing this time around and have left my quota for today! There are some really neat bloggers listed and some are new to me, so I look forward to getting to know some of you by visiting your blogs.

Anyway two more days guys, just two.

Penned-In Egyptians Find Peace in City’s Din

I understand the chaos now, and this sums it up...

“Here, if people became disciplined, they would die. It is a kind of escape. The constraints they face in their daily lives are already enough.”

Read the entire NYT article here....

Thanks Blogger

Thank you blogger.

I did what you said, I removed completely the wonderful FOLLOWERS widget you created and I seem not to get Operation Aborted error message anymore.

Thanks for creating that cool widget that we cannot use.

In other news... Its 5 days since my transfer. This 2ww is the hardest one yet. I try not to think about it and keep busy but am so anxious for the 23rd to get here. Our anniversary, 13 years, is in that same week, so i am hoping for a great gift to give Super S. Thank you all for all your well wishes always, you guys are awesome!

Come on Blogger i don't want to abort!

Maybe some of you have been experiencing this annoying error message "Operation Aborted" when trying to view a blogger blog from internet explorer.

I have many, many times now and I am lucky to be able to get in to post this. It seems i can post but when i go to VIEW BLOG or VIEW COMMENTS i get this annoying error. The issue seems to be stemming from the Followers widget, sweet. They say to remove completely or move to it lower in the sidebar, neither of which I have done yet.

This is not only happening on my blog, rather on some of yours too.

The blogger known issues blog lists this information:

Some users are seeing an 'Operation Aborted' error message when trying to load their blogs from Internet Explorer. We're looking into this and will update this message when we have a fix.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Update (May 26): We are still working on resolving this bug. This only affects viewers using IE to view the blog; for right now, blog owners can either move the Followers gadget lower in their sidebar, or remove it altogether. Either action will eliminate the pop-up dialog box in IE.

So, i am hoping they will resolve this, but for now should i do what they say and try moving the FOLLOWERS widget down some? I do not want to remove completely, what should I do?

Have you experienced this as well? I know Lisa has...

So i'm pregnant

Transfered one grade 1 blastocyst and 1 very good morula yesterday.

Everything went well, but cleaning of my cervix this time was so uncomfrotable. Not like the other times have been a pleasure, but this time more annoying than usual.

Anyway doctor said test Tuesday, June 23rd, 12 days after transfer.

According to the amazing FET 5 day due date calculator my baby (babies) will arrive as follows:

Singleton Due Date: February 26, 2010

Twins By Ave Gestation: February 04, 2010 (they say that the official due date is same as singleton, but avergae due date for twins is usally 3 weeks earlier)

Triplets By Ave Gestation: January 08, 2010

Quads By Ave Gestation: January 01, 2010

The special thing about doing our FET on June 11, it is one month to the day of...

1. My mother's birthday
2. The last time we saw Super S's little brother, we didn't know it would be the last time unfortunately.

So maybe these two special days will bring some good karma for our baby. My dad says i will have a boy.

Center at 2pm

Just talked to Dr.K he said come to the center at 2pm. So i think this is it... Its now 11:30am here.

Will update later as to how many transfered and how transfer went.

Keep the thoughts, prayers, offerings coming. You guys are all awesome, I luv ya! xoxoxoxo

Day 4 Morula baybaaaaay

Talked with Dr. K today, he said 3 of our 4 embryos are growing baby!

One is at morula stage and the other 2 are almost to morula stage.

I panicked a little as I know morula stage is usually seen on Day 4, it can be seen on Day 5 too but usually day 4.

So I asked him, when did you start to defrost, he said on Sunday.

So today is actually Day 4. I thought it was Day 5 and they had started thawing on Saturday. (sounds like I am talking about a steak LOL)

Will call him tomorrow at 11am to see about transfer.

Very exciting.....

Blast blast baby

20 minutes ago via cell phone.....

"AsSalamo aleikum, hello Wishing4One this is Dr. K, i have some very good news for you"

me: "really?"

"Yes, you have four very very good embryos and we will culture to blastocyst transferring on Wednesday or Thursday. Call me after 1pm on Wednesday..."

I miss his smile

I will call the center tomorrow after 1pm to see how our babies are coming along.

Transfer will be tomorrow, day 3 or after depending on how the little ones are dividing and coming along. I am hoping for day 5 or 6 blastocyst, we'll see.

Its kind of strange this time. Super S is still really shocked by the death of his youngest brother, each day is better, but this will take so long to heal. The circumstances (private) are what make this so hard to deal with. I am hoping this FET will help to ease his mind a bit, he is always optimistic, each time that it will work for us.

We went to the club tonight, did two rounds of walking (800 meter track) and i made a joke to Super S and he smiled and laughed! He hasn't smiled much lately. How i miss his sweet smile...

So i approach this transfer with so much hope and optimism, maybe this time it will bring us the baby(ies) we have waited for for so very long. Maybe it will bring some happiness to Super S, help to ease some of his pain... I want nothing more than that right now, really.

You know after 3 IVF cycles, including 3 fresh transfers, 3 frozen transfers and now another frozen transfer making a total of 7 FET's, i am so ready for it to be successful you know?

Defrost begins Saturday

Just talked to Dr. Polite. He said they will begin to unfreeze our embabies on Saturday. I will call embryologist on Monday to see how progress is going. (yes I have his mobile number) Then depending on what they see, transfer on Monday or a few days later at blastocyst stage.

The very cool thing is my beta should be right around our wedding anniversary, 13 years. How cool would a BFP be for Super S as a gift?

He is still dealing with the loss of his youngest brother, very very hard. He is not himself and I this good news would help soothe his soul a bit. I pray to God that this time will be it.

Tardiness and President Obama in Cairo

So last night our appointment was at 9PM to see Dr. Polite. We got in at 10:45pm. I have got used to late night apppointments, but can not get used to how long we have to wait, always. Those of you who have been around here awhile know how always, always without fail an appointment is never on time.

Anyway, my lining was 10mm on its way to getting thicker in next few days. He will call for center to defrost our babies today and will do a 3 or 5 day transfer depending on they look in next days.

Hey i am tweeting President Obamas visit here in Cairo on Twitter as I see it on Egyptian TV here. I do love this Twitter man.

Estradiol and Me

Okay so I am so not new to this protocol of taking these little blue tablets twice a day. Here in Cairo they are sold under the name Trisequens (not marketed in the USA, hmm wonder why?) and they are Estradiol 2mg (as hemihydrate- what exactly does that mean?). They come from Switzerland. Anyway...

Since yesterday I have had a continuous headache, my 'girls' hurt and I am TIRED. I mean like take a nap tired, which I never do. Told Super S yesterday wake me up in 30 minutes, 3 hours later i got up.

So i searched side effects for this little wonder pill Estradiol and they are fun let me tell you.

We will go see Dr. Polite tomorrow to see how thangs are going. Then I expect not too long from now we will transfer our last remaining frosties. We have four so I hope at least a few of our precious babies will grow strong and stay in place this time.

Anyway I'm off to bed in a few and oh Twitter is fun, i like it already. But let me ask you are all the famous names really the famous people???

Twitter man

Ok i finally did it. I am on Twitter. Lets see if its as addicting and cool as everyone says.

I think i need to follow some people, do I want to follow you? Probably so huh? Leave a comment with your info and follow me too. You know how fun my life is here, you read my blog. Imagine short teasers from me all day long, what could be better?

Peace and tweets.

*update* I guess once you follow me I can follow you right? No need to leave info in comment, LOL, i'll get it.