Assisted Conception and Deli Counter

The Day 3 appointment went just dandy, though not without the obligatory moment of minor suspense.

First things first- off with the knickers and into the stirrups. During the rummaging around my innards, the обезьяна палочки* pointed out that I had what looked like two smallish follicles in the right ovary and four little ones in the left.

"Mmmm," she said, "Interesting."

"What are they doing there?" I asked. "I haven't even sent out the invitations yet!"

"Well," she mused, executing a sharp right jab with the wand, "it might be that they are always there, just sort of hanging out...but not doing anything. We'll be taking some blood to check your estrogen levels to make sure you are properly suppressed before you start the stimming injections. But it might mean that you'll be a good responder."

"Um, what happens if the estrogen levels aren't down?" I asked.

"Oh, you'll have to wait to start stims, carry on snorting the Synarel for another five days, dangling perilously over the abyss of insanity and then come back in for another baseline scan and repeat blood test."

Ah, super.

By the time we finished with the wanding action, we had lost our space in the consultation room and I was sent back out to the waiting area. It was so busy there were no seats left, so I stood leaning against the wall avoiding eye contact with the other patients. Two minutes later I was summoned back in, and sent back down to the scan room for the blood draw.

"It seems quite busy," I commented, as I plunked myself down in the seat and stuck out my arm.

"Here, hold this," the nurse said, wrapping the tourniquet around my limb and giving me an end to hold while she readied the needle. "Yes, it's very busy," she went on to say, "Sometimes I think we should have one of those ticket machines, where you take a little number. You know, like at the deli counter."

Now, there's an image for you. Yes, I'd like a quarter pound of smoked gouda, three packs of Gonal-f pens, a half pound of embryos, and oh what the heck, throw in some of those spare ribs while you are it.

The bloodletting concluded, we had a brief tutorial in how best to ram the Gonal-f needle into my flesh, before I was dispatched home with an extremely expensive bag of drugs.

"You didn't by chance bring a cool bag with you?" the nurse asked as she loaded the goods into a plastic carrier bag. "Because the pens should stay refrigerated until you start using them."

No. No, I did not bring the fucking cool bag (even though I have one, as you know) because nobody told me to and I forgot. No matter, nothing like a frantic sprint back to the flat in the ongoing heat to get the blood moving.

"Call in about five hours and we'll tell you the results of the E2 test and whether you can start the injections," the nurse said on my way out.

So I spent a very uneasy afternoon worrying that somehow the suppression via the nasal spray simply was not working- to the point where my ovaries were staging an impromptu uprising, creating armies of small follicles in protest, shouting "Viva la Revolution! Up with Estrogen!"

But no. Everything was "fine", or so they said. Like a dumbass, I forgot to ask the E2 number, which no doubt is going to put a crimp in this afternoon's Googling. Oh well, roll on stims. Yay. I'm doing the first shot in a couple of hours, a thought filling me with sweaty palmed anticipation.

*Russian for "wand monkey"

Comments

[PJ]

Don't be jealous but my clinic actually gives out deli-style numbers for blood draws and ultrasounds. They are plastic and re-usable, but they are still deli-numbers.

Italian for wand monkey is still my favorite.

Glad your E2 was where it was supposed to be. You've learned a valuable lesson today, always ask for the number.

[Suz]

I've always had several pinpoint follicles on both ovaries before the start of stims; my clinic has said that they're a good sign of ovarian reserve and nothing to worry about (although that's never stopped me).

Good luck with stims!

[MM]

Glad you got the go ahead. Good luck!

[Amanda]

Antral follicles seen at baseline are a good thing. Good luck with stims!

[Anna H.]

So glad to hear that the jack-booted thugs of Searle were able to contain those uppity follicles of yours; a little facism can go a long way, can't it? And you look cute in your little brown shirt!

Here's to you bringing out the big guns, er pens, dear Mare...

Much love to you.

xxoo

[LEB]

yey! Good to hear everything is co-operating.

I'm a week or so behind you - I must get a cool bag.

[Tiffanni]

good luck with your shot.

[Thalia]

You could be like Dermot O'Leary and use a different language for "wand monkey" every time. That would be entertaining.

Glad things are sounding ok. Keeping fingers crossed.

[InSpring]

So I guess that means you're going to be a great responder! Fantastic glad you're off and running having jumped over that E2 steeple safely!

[Cathy]

Good luck with everything, Mare! And I could so relate to avoiding eye contact in the waiting room. And then laughing at myself the few times that I would talk with someone in the elevator or something and how we just couldn't shut up we had so much to share/ask/say. Glad you got the cool bag when you did. It sounds like it will play an important part in this cycle.

[OvaGirl]

NUMBER 32 YOUR OLIVES ARE WRAPPED!

Yay mare! Happy injecting and that fucking cool/cooler/chilly bag...can it be surgically attached for duration of treatment?

[Molly]

Hooray! Needles + warm, quivering flesh = let's get this show on the road!

[Menita]

hahahahahahaha Russian for wand monkey hahahahahahaha!!!
Sounds like things are off to a good start.

[Em]

In London hopsitals we get given the deli counter ticket as well. Weird.

[Amocca]

We have the deli counter ticket system here as well for all bloodwork....