Results of the Egg Retrieval

Yesterday I had my egg retrieval.  We got 8 eggs.  A significant improvement over the 2 eggs we got during the last egg retrieval.  I am very happy....and very sore.  The doctor said he would be using a saline wash technique to retrieve the eggs. I don't remember that information the last time.  It was a different doctor, so perhaps their preferred methods are different. 

I am surprised at how sore I am.  I am actually writing this at 3:30 in the morning because I was so uncomfortable I couldn't sleep.  This is a significant difference from my last retrieval in which I had minimal pain and recovery.  Of course, there were more follicles this time, so perhaps that is part of the reason for the soreness.  I also researched the saline flush method and found that operating time and pain afterwards was increased...ahhh, that explains it.  There are mixed reviews on whether the flushing method works.  Most studies show that it doesn't increase pregnancy rates. However, there is some indication that in poor responders, like me, more eggs can be found this way.  I am just glad we got the 8 eggs and I will take the soreness-it's really not a big deal.  We will hear from the lab later today to see how many are mature and how many fertilized. I have read all the data and I know the odds.  I also know that last time we defied all odds by having both eggs make it to "good quality" embryos ready for implantation on day three and then resulting in pregnancy.  By all accounts, that never should have happened.  Therefore, I won't get too caught up in data. I would like more eggs so that we can hopefully select the best quality eggs and minimize the chance of yet another miscarriage-but then again, miscarriage is an unknown and there isn't much use wasting time trying to strategize against it. I will instead pray (and I would love anyone else's prayers as well), relax, do yoga, meditate, visualize good things, and hope for the best.  I will update later on the results from the lab.

Update: Well, you know it isn't good when the doctor calls and not the nurse.  Of the 8 eggs retrieved, 6 were mature and two were immature.  They injected the sperm into each of the mature eggs, and only one of the six fertilized.  The two eggs that were immature matured and sperm have now been injected into those. We will have to wait until tomorrow to see if they took.  It looks like a Thursday transfer if any of the eggs make it.  The doctor said the embryologist said that some of the eggs didn't look like they were good quality.  Well, okay then.  That tells me all I need to know.  I can't do anything else to improve egg quality.  I have taken every pill, herb, and supplement.  I have eaten organic, cut out alcohol, done yoga, positive visualization, and omitted most stress.  If they are poor quality, it is simply that my eggs are old-and I can't fix that.  I think the writing is on the wall that I am just too old to have another baby.

Here is my struggle.  I spend so much time in positive visualization that I feel a bit foolish when I get the bad news.  All morning, I have been wondering what would happen if four to six embryos were created-what if four were implanted and they all took.  All morning, I have been thinking about having too many eggs-and too many babies.  Silly me.