I am finally sharing the third part of this *journey*, the transfer on what happens to be the week of the 1 year mark of our second loss and the bursting of the ectopic pregnancy and cyst that was the first domino of the past year. But for this post, I am keeping it positive because I am so thankful we had a successful transfer!
So, to back up. You do your retrieval, get the final embryo count, possibly do testing (we did), and have the absolute number of healthy transferable embryos. From there we went straight into a transfer cycle, aka new meds to prep the body. These meds include estrogen and progesterone (and others I am blanking on) in form of shots, pills, patches, and vaginal suppositories. Yes, vaginal suppositories. Your mix and amount of these will vary and change throughout the month and let me just say this because I really don’t think any men are here……stock up on panty liners, hell stock up on pads – trust me, it’s not cute. For the shots, they are in your bum and for me personally didn’t hurt too bad but everyone is different!
You start these meds a few weeks leading up to the transfer and continue them until 10 weeks pregnant. Now for the actual transfer, it is WILD. At our clinic, they rolled in an incubator that had a petri dish with the embryo for us to look at, it was again, WILD. The Dr. picks it up with some tool and you watch on the screen as he pops it into your uterus. The entire thing took I want to say 15 minutes and then you go home and wait. That is when for me, it got weird. Did it work? Am I pregnant? They have you wait about a week before coming in for a blood test to see if the transfer stuck and if you are indeed pregnant. In that time, some people do take an at-home test, but I did not…despite by every-other-day asking Mike if I could. It starts to eat at you but (in my opinion) there is no win in doing so, the possibility of it being negative but in fact, it’s just too early is high, and then if it says yes but between then and the blood test something could happen…so I wouldn’t. On the day of the blood test, we really thought they would call on the earlier side of the day so Mike worked from home and of course they did not call until 3ish but the news was good, I was pregnant!!!! Here is the lowdown on the schedule from there:
November 29th: Transfer
December 8th: Blood Pregnancy Test
December 12th: Blood Work (make sure everything is trending where it should)
December 28th: First Ultrasound (around 6-7 weeks pregnant)
January 4th: Ultrasound (I had subchorionic hemorrhages, they are what I like to call little bruises from the implantation that do not affect the pregnancy at all but the pockets of blood do release which is alarming. They are fairly common but this ultrasound was an extra one as I was nervous about them)
January 12th: Graduation from IVF clinic at 9 weeks! You have a final ultrasound with the Dr. and they send you off to begin routine care with your OB.
After “graduation” we went and got ice cream and ran into the OB who did my second surgery which was kismet and was amazing to tell her the good news!
That was a lot of information but I hope informative and helpful for those interested! Let me know if I forgot anything or if there are questions…you know I am an open book!!
Who Needs Tubes?!
So my last, and first post about our journey to become parents ended with these points: I had one tube removed in March and the other doesn’t look great but we’re gonna test it and you don’t even need tubes to do IVF so it’s OK if I have to get the other removed.
Now fast forward to June. I got the HSG test on the first which showed that my left tube was not in working condition. We knew these results were a huge possibility so there wasn’t much shock there. I got an apt on the books with my IVF Dr. to discuss next steps (if it should be removed or not) later in the month and began packing for my 10 day east coast trip in the middle of the month. The plan was to start in New York for a friend from colleges wedding then visit my in-laws in CT during the week and then go visit a friend in New Jersey for the weekend. This was all kicking off on a Thursday and the Wednesday night before Mike and I went to dinner and I had 2 cocktails. 2. That night I woke up and felt like it was freshman year of college and I had just gone to my first date party….aka rough. The next morning I felt hungover and flu-ish which was odd considering I had 2 drinks – not hangover worthy. I thought maybe I had a stomach bug or just ate something that wasn’t sitting right (had negative covid tests) and that I could make it to NY and sleep it off on the plane…..lol. I was at the airport just long enough for Mike to get home and play 1 video game before I called and said “I am changing my flight to tomorrow, please come get me!” Again, no big deal – I would take the Friday flight and it would all be fine.
Jokes on me. That night along with the flu-ish symptoms I got terrible lower abdominal pain and was up the entire night. Around 5am I woke up Mike and we decided to go to the ER – I knew in my gut something wasn’t right and I was right. We beat the morning rush and were quickly admitted and the tests began. All of the symptoms turned out to be from an infection in my lone tube. My Dr. believes the infection was caused by bacteria that got in the tube during the HSG test, but because the tube was closed off it stayed in there versus moving through and my body naturally killing it off. Once there was a plan in place, she even sweetly laughed and said “ok enough weird medical issues with your tubes, you’re done and I don’t want you back here unless it’s to have a baby”.
5 nights and 5.5 days in the hospital later I was discharged. In that time I was on antibiotics online to bring down the infection, cried a lot, became besties with nurses, watched a lot of TV, made a morphine fueled Tik Tok and had my left tube removed. The two big silver linings? My IVF Dr. wanted me to have the tube removed anyways (just maybe not in this dramatic fashion) and post-surgery, by the grace of god, we were placed on the nicest floor of the building. Our IVF Dr. was thrilled to hear the tube was removed because it meant in a month, once I am fully healed, we are going to begin the 3-month IVF process!!!!!! Not gonna lie, it is a weird feeling knowing my body no longer has the “parts” to get pregnant naturally but I know that will dissipate once I am carrying!
Moral of the story – LISTEN to your body, you know it best. Oh and, don’t get on the flight. But truly, I cannot believe I almost got on the flight, like got it changed 20 minutes before boarding began. If this had gone down in New York, in my poor friends apartment….OY is all I can type.
Hopefully my next blog post is about hormones and shots!
xx
p.s if you’re wondering how Mike was…. snoring and sleeping away, unphased by the 2am and 4am nurse check-ins and blood draws.
Weekly Favorites
Infertility Awareness Week
It has been a minute since I have even been on this website but I have been having the itch to share / write down what has happened in the last few months. And I still can’t decide if this is premature or too much but with everything, I have no chill so here I am.
The start to me and Mike’s journey to trying to become parents has had a rocky start. In December 2021 I found out I got pregnant on my IUD (insane I know, my doctor was shook but I hope I’m not scaring anyone), it didn’t stick (we think I was around 4 weeks) but it made us realize we were ready to start trying.
Soon there after, in March 2022, I got pregnant again and was so excited! At week 7 I had what we thought was a miscarriage, Mike was out of town (he never is) and it was an incredibly hard week but I was so thankful I had told a few friends who were able to be there for me. That Friday, I went to dry bar for a pick me up and left rushed in terrible pain. After talking to my Dr. I had a friend take me to the ER and my mom met me there. Hours upon hours later I was admitted to the hospital with a plan to have exploratory surgery in the morning because something was not normal . Thankfully Mike arrived the next morning right after I was out of surgery – a surgery that ended up being more than exploratory. While in that yellow dry bar chair trying to get my groove back, a ectopic pregnancy and a small cyst both burst 🤯 and they had to remove 1 of my fallopian tubes and the other 1 didn’t look so hot. Even reading that back is wild and honestly comical – after grieving the miscarriage I was getting some energy back and was trying to feel myself again and BAM I am one tube down and in pain. Also, clearly I am a ‘if you don’t laugh you’ll cry’ type person and am OK which is why I am able to share and say this with a bit of humor.
The thing keeping me from crying or worrying an exorbitant amount? Reading all the amazing infertility week stories of successful IVF babies. We are starting the next chapter of this journey next month and are feeling excited and hopeful.
Say hello back to the blog because I’ll be sharing the journey here. How many times have I said journey 🤦🏼♀️.
Oh wait, one last thing. There is a lot of stigma / conversation around telling people before 12 weeks that you are pregnant and I get it, I do but I also know I could not have gotten through the IUD pregnancy or everything in March without my girlfriends. I am [clearly] a sharer and so sharing the news is what felt most natural to me. So with all of that said and done, if you feel the desire to share with your people, share!
Wedding Planning Pt.1!
Well this is a wild blog post to write considering I have had this blog since 2012 and have probably talked about a few different boyfriends on here!! Gotta kiss a lot of frogs right…? Quick summary of the proposal, Mike and I had a week long Jackson Hole trip planned for a few months and I really thought he was going to propose there. Two nights before I was in a terrible mood all day and kept saying “we are going to walk off this bad mood, let’s go!” and I really tried to get out of it. A few blocks in I got the pep back in my step- he knows me well. So, prior to leaving Mike put on real clothes, khaki shorts and a non graphic tee – I asked him why he was getting so dressed up and he said he had to change the ju-ju for the Yankees game. Mike is a huge Yankees fan so I didn’t think twice. So we get to the mid-point of our walk, which is the prettiest area in our neighborhood, and he goes “the reason I got so dressed up is….” and got down on one knee! He had Bailey hiding behind a tree snapping photos, it was so perfect!
We left two days later (on his birthday) for our trip and it was PERFECT. Any men reading this – propose BEFORE the trip not during. The entire week was a dream and the stress was off both of us.
Now, if you know me you know I have zero chill or patience so the wedding was practically planned in the next few days. We decided on April 2021 for a few reasons one being, we don’t know what the future holds and want to begin our lives together. We understand it is beyond a tricky time and many people will not attend and that is okay with us….and on a lighter note I have always wanted to get married in April! Now that all that business is out of the way, let’s move onto the fun stuff!!
We are getting married in April at our favorite place, Tiny Boxwoods! I am truly giddy just typing that – eek! As you can tell from the mood board, it is going to be a giant garden party! Will do more on vendors, bridesmaids, engagement photos, how we made decisions next!
Below is all of the advice people shared on Instagram:
- Register for China people say its outdated but it’s the best – I have been excited to register for China since I was like 14 years old. We did this past week and I am obsessed with what we picked out!!
- Invest in Biologique Reschere skincare – done and done just ordered a few new items!
- When figuring out your guest list, imagine who you want/hope to be in your life 20 years from now – I used to always joke I don’t want a wedding that is a reunion!
- Regular Facials starting now!!
- Zola F-ing sucks, take the time to register at individual stores – this made me lol, we did a local store and a big box!
- Sk-II Sheet mask – 2 people said this, the second said everyday the week leading up!
- Go on your honeymoon the next day – its the best feeling!
- Don’t hesitate to try on an unexpected dress or one you would have never considered – got my dress 4 days after getting engaged online and I am IN LOVE!!
- Don’t overthink things, make a decision and move on!
- Heart shaped sparklers make for exciting photos! – Saw this on TikTok the other day too!
Mexico City Guide
In mid-December, I told my friend Katie (RIP Daily Crush) that I wanted to get my boyfriend a trip over a physical gift. She was not only supportive but it quickly turned into a couples trip that she surprised her fiance with. Fast forward just a few weeks, MLK weekend is here and the lists from friends were still rolling in with Mexico City recommendations. We made a curated list from all the lists I had received based on vibes, IG feeds and neighborhoods. We didn’t make any reservations and decided to semi wing it, try to get into places on the list but also pop into places that looked cute on the way. Below is a diary of each day, and a list of everywhere I went. I LOVE chatting so please comment or message me any questions you may have!
Tips:
– Mexico City doesn’t do bars as we do in America. Everything is sit down service and restaurants do not have bars you can wait at. With that- make reservations if there is a place you are dying to go to. That goes for both restaurants and bars- there were a few bars I was sad we couldn’t get into.
– You will not look like a tourist in chic sneakers. Mexican style revolves around a good sneaker and layers.
– Tipping options usually max at 15%, with 5-10% being average.
– Sharing is caring, we did a lot of ordering and sharing then re-ordering of our favorite things.
– The city is 10 times more lush and green than I ever expected! Beautiful, huge parks that have a very rainforest-y feel.
– The most expensive meal we had was about $50/person and it was at the nicest place we went. Everything else was very cheap, talking $5 for two coffees and a pastry.
Friday: We got in around 2pm and had a 30ish minute uber to our AirBnB which was in the Condesa. We found an adorable little taco place- Departamento PB– that ended up being on one of our lists. It was filled with lots of mid-century modern furniture, and the best short rib tacos! From there we had dinner at Rosetta, which was on every list out there and there is a reason. The decor is so serene and romantic alongside delicious Italian food. The wait was about two hours (we forget to make reservations) so we walked to a bar and waited- no ‘text when your table is ready’ so wear your watch. We ended the night with a sweets nightcap at El Moro churros. I accidentally ordered hot chocolate instead of dipping chocolate but it was even better!
Saturday: Kicked off the day at an adorable coffee shop, Chiquitto in Condesa, before hitting the markets. We took an uber to Coyoacan and San Angel to explore the markets and neighborhood. They are both beautiful areas with so much color and history. For lunch, we went to el Parnita which had a long wait but was totally worth it. It opens right into the sidewalk where everyone is drinking, waiting for their table. Felt like one of the most local dining spots we went to- amazing people watching! We had a super late lunch so kinda skipped dinner and went right into checking out a salsa club a little early.
Tuna Tostada – Contromar
Sunday: Probably my favorite day because it was beautiful, I loved my outfit (haha) and we finally had a good understanding of the lay of the land. Mike and I stumbled into a bakery that made me giddy. Ballarò is half restaurant and half bakery with outdoor seating. When entering the bakery you pick up a cafeteria tray and a pair of tongs to pick out all the pastries and bread your heart desires from the walls. It seems so minor but it was such a fun experience. From there we went to lunch at one of the places we were all 4 equally excited about – Contromar. Mike and I got there right at 12:05 (they open at noon) to get us a table and there was already a handful taken. The place got packed with both locals and Americans within minutes. The way the employees turned tables and hustled was insanely impressive. Okay now to the food….when 4 people tell you to order the tuna tostada – you ordered it twice haha! But seriously the food was amazing! From there we headed deeper into Condessa and explored a few shops including Void Vintage which is probably one of the most beautiful stores I have ever been in. Right, when we walked in Mike spotted a vintage Ohio State tee shirt and I knew it was going to be a good day. Katie and I toyed a lot with staying in either in Airbnb or hotel so we had to check out Condesa df and their amazing rooftop. Highly recommend going and having a few drinks on the rooftop and exploring the hotel. After a very trendy day it was time for a little Mexican tradition- dinner at Cafe de Tacuba which has been around since 1912!
Monday: Short and sweet send-off at Cafe Nin which I would go to every day if I could!
Coffee/Breakfast:
– Panderia (Roma Norte): One of the top places I was recommended to go. An adorable little bakery that is owned by the same people who run Rosetta. One of the best chocolate croissants I have ever had.
– Chiquitto (Condessa) – tasty coffee, modern vibes!
– La Valise (roma norte) – I am kicking myself because I can no longer find the exact place but there is a coffee shop in front of the La Valise Hotel that is SO cute! Stumbled upon it because of the cute building and insta-grammable plants outside and am just not realizing its a very popular hotel in both Mexico City and Tulum!
– Cafe Nin (Juarez) One of my favorite spots hands down- beyond charming and delicious!
– Ballarò – all the pastries!
Food:
– Departamento PB – dinner – amazing tacos.
– Rosetta – dinner – the nicest meal we had in terms of $$, Italian food.
– el Partina – lunch – super fun and very local aka great people watching!
– Contromar – lunch or dinner – seafood, so delicious- order the tuna tostada!
– el Moro – churros
– *Lalo! – breakfast – still sad I didn’t get to go
In terms of drink spots, I am sorry to say I didn’t take note of them that much! As I mentioned it was a little harder to get into some of the places we wanted to go so we popped in and out of spots that look cute. This route was actually a little more fun if you ask me!
2019
I have never really set ‘goals’ before, sure I say “yeah yeah I am going to work out more this year or be a healthy person” but do I actually follow through with it….of course not! The root of that is for my therapist, not TLoS haha but this year I am switching it up. I set out a few semi-cheesy goals last week but then on drunkenly on NYE I sent Cat an Instagram of someone being fabulous and said: “my 2019 goal is to be my most fabulous self and not care what other people think!”. Kinda ridiculous? Sure but is it my goal? 100%. Not saying I am now going to wear hot pink fur and embellished clothing every day but I am going to work at not stopping myself from being my most true self. Stop not doing something because I worry about what someone will think. Doing whatever I want to do because I want to!
I am on a Rachel Hollis kick right now, specifically her RISE podcast. She talked about how we are living our lives based on what we THINK other peoples opinions will be or are- hypothetical opinions not real ones. That is ridiculous and I am so guilty of this “I don’t know if I should post that photo or try that pose because what if Sally Jane sees it and is like who does Emily think she is?!” Well, ya know what, I have NO clue if friends or strangers will think that and if they do who cares? I am aware this is 5000% easier said than done but it is something I am truly going to try and work on. I was writing this blog post while listening to her podcast and how she ended it made me tear up a little- don’t laugh! The quote above was what got me and I double highly recommend you turn her on.
Back to fashion and beauty now, thanks for reading!
