Egg Retrieval Update 3-29-09

Yay!!!! What a good report! But first let us just say thank you for your continued prayers throughout the whole day. AMAZING! It is the most incredible thing to literally feel lifted up before our Gracious Father - we cannot express how much we appreciate each of you and your intercession.

The Egg Retrieval went great! The embryologist gave us a report after I woke up and said that they got 20 eggs! We were very excited to hear this. We had anticipated much more due to our previous ultrasounds, but we weren't going to expose even 20 to sperm anyway, so we were grateful for this number. (we're not sure if there were more slightly smaller follicles possibly containing eggs that they did not harvest, since the ultrasounds indicated more, but either way this is great). The remainder of the follicles they aspirated to try to decrease the hyperstimulation risk (I indicated in the last e-mail that they 'remove' the rest of the follicles but technically, from what we understand, they aspirate the fluid from within the follicle (just like they aspirate the eggs contained within the cumulus cells within the follicles) -- so it takes a while for the remaining follicular membranes (that fill some with blood) to reabsorb and go away. Hence the importance of no hyperstimulation b/c you would not want these bad boys to turn into cysts!

The little precious eggs were exposed to Brad's sperm immediately and literally as we speak, the ones that fertilize are already forming and growing - isn't it incredible how instantly the hair color, sex, etc. is set? We will find out tomorrow how many actually fertilized!

Since my estradiol levels dropped some last Friday, and I have been doing so well, and the surgery went so good, there now looks to be a pretty fair chance that we could get to do the fresh transfer. If we get to, it will be this Friday ("Day 5 Transfer").

Overall the surgery and recovery has gone wonderfully. Thank You Jesus!!!! The laparoscopy was good prep, b/c I went in expecting more of that kind of recovery ;) and this, while rough, is quite a different story (SO grateful!)

Thank ya'll again for ALL of your prayers, love, and support. I'm sure we'll just have to update again tomorrow with how many fertilized. :) Please continue praying for this!

Oh and I put in our last update that Brad would get to watch it - my bad - he gets to watch the transfer not the retrieval. But he, of course, was there through everything - just not back in the OR.

A wise woman was reminding me of an awesome Scripture that she likened to our prayer warrior team. I love this:

"So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword." Exodus 17:10-13

Thank you all for being our 'Aaron's and Hur's'! This is what the body of Christ is about! May we continue lifting up our hands in praise, and when one cannot do it alone, may we be there to step in and stand in the gap. How beatiful!