The news we received today was not the news we were expecting, but it wasn’t bad news either.

If you remember, I have stubborn ovaries that like to play hide-n-seek with the ultrasound probe.

Today we couldn’t really see any follicles. (Dr. L did find and measure one follicle that was 8mm.)

As I was beginning to panic, Dr. L calmed me down by saying that it is still early in the stimulation process (today is day 5) and I shouldn’t be upset. Dr. L said he would be worried if he saw a huge follicle measuring 20mm because that would signal that there is a dominant follicle and the ovaries are not responding in the way they need to for an IVF cycle. He said we need more time to allow what’s there to grow and once the follicles grow, it will be easier to pick them up on the ultrasound.

Dr. L also said that follicles grow at different rates. Some women are ready for retrieval after only 8 days of stims, whereas others need 12 or so days. That makes sense to me because if you remember, when I did the IUIs my trigger date was always later than the predicted date on my calendar.

So, like I said, not what I wanted to hear today, but not bad news either.

Dr. L also wanted my blood drawn to measure my estrogen levels. My estrogen level will give a good indication on what is going on in there as well.

Getting the blood drawn was a fiasco today.

I sat down in the chair I’ve sat in countless times before to have blood drawn. My veins looked really good in my right arm so the nurse pricked and then I heard, “On no!” I always look away when they are drawing blood but I couldn’t help but look when I heard, “On no!”. I looked for only a second because there was a stream of blood running down my arm with a small puddle on the table. EKKKK! I had to turn away and quickly focus on something else or I knew I would get queasy thinking about blood pulsating out of my arm.

The plan worked and I held it all together while she tried again (same arm). This time, blood wouldn’t flow at all. Lovely! So she moved to the left arm. And finally, with no drama involved, she got what she needed.

So now I am waiting to get a call from my IVF nurse, L. She will call me later today with my estrogen level and doctor’s orders for what dosage of Follistim and Menopur I need to be on now.

I equate the events of this first IVF ultrasound to God lining things up just right so I will have to just trust that He is in control of what is going on in those ovaries. I have to just trust that God has placed Dr. L as my IVF doctor and Dr. L knows what he’s doing. Dr. L says not to worry, so I need to pray and not worry and trust things are going okay.

Mama went with me to this ultrasound and I was so glad she was there. We sat in my car after leaving the office and there I knew I had to just keep my focus straight on God. Mama reminded me that the devil will use the events of that appointment to plant seeds of worry and anxiety, but I do not have to give in to them if I keep my eyes on the Lord and the knowledge that He is in control here. Mama prayed with her hand over my ovaries that the follicles will GROW and then we left.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray that LOTS of follicles WILL GROW and show themselves at the next ultrasound!

Pray that God will grant Dr. L the wisdom he need to be able to know the exact dosage of meds that will be best for me.

- Elaine