Egg Retrieval - "12 is my new favorite number"

Okay, so first things first.  How many eggs did they retrieve?  12.  A perfect number for eggs as they typically come in a dozen!  J was the one who told me how many eggs they retrieved and I guess I have seen so many large numbers from other girls that I thought 12 was low but the two Dr.'s who did the retrieval seemed genuinely excited with this number.  When J told me they retrieved 12 I was just waking up and I apologized the number was so low but after J told me what he researched regarding ER numbers, I feel at peace with the number 12.  12 eggs on the 12th of May as J said.  Perfect.  I just hope they are healthy and mature.

Our morning started early.  We were due at the Dr. at 6:45 AM but a huge storm came through St. Louis and woke us up at around 3:00.  J and I got up and prepared for the day and talked a little bit about what was in store.  He had ER questions so I showed him a couple of blogs and I think that helped.  So we finally left for the Dr. and arrived right on time.  We were there before the office opened so we had to ring a buzzer.  We were greeted promptly by a nice lady from the OR and taken back to our room and I was told to get dressed in a gown, hat and booties.  Another nice nurse came in and told us what to expect for today and the next few days and then Dr. C and Dr. K came in and shared more information.  I felt at ease knowing I was in good hands.  Anesthesia came in and drew blood for a study I am participating in and started an IV, a kiss good bye to Jamie and I was walked to the Operating room.  I was in there two minutes tops and I remember feeling the effects of the drugs while my feet were placed in stirrups.  I vaguely remember being told to scoot over to another bed after the retrieval was over and then I woke up in my room.  The whole procedure was about an hour.  I was back in my room at 8:40.  A nurse came to check on me and told me she was going to get my husband.  He came in a few minutes later and gave me a thumbs down sign...this wasn't in reference to the eggs but rather in reference to the "collection room".  We had come up with a plan earlier that he would give me a thumbs up or thumbs down first thing indicating whether the room was nice or not.  He did very well though and the nurse said his specimen looked good.

I had some apple juice and a Graham cracker and after an hour and a half in recovery we left.  I took it easy on the sofa for most of the day and had a nap around noon.  J was so nice as to get me lunch complete with flowers and a card.  Love that guy.  His mother, Nancy, came over later and brought a card and a beautiful bracelet too.  The card read "12 is my new favorite number" on the inside and the bracelet said "dream".  It was so nice and it turns out I have been dreaming today.  I've been day-dreaming about my eggs and J's sperm in the petri dish.  Hoping they are playing nice and even visualizing a sperm penetrating one of the eggs as I drifted off to sleep this afternoon.  I hope that is what's happening.  A perfect egg and a perfect sperm playing nice and making a perfect baby.

First fertilization report comes tomorrow.  There will be either a three or five day transfer.  So Saturday or Monday is what we can expect.  I am sore and crampy today but I am headed back to work tomorrow to save my payed time off for next week when I will really want to be home and rest provided there is a transfer.  I will close with a couple of pictures.  Me after the surgery and J on a business call working from the hospital.