4 May 2013 TCM Session 2

Went to the TCM again; this time with my husband.

Both of us received acupuncture and I continued the glass bottle treatment for my upper back (spine) that is still aching..

She introduced us a $200 medicine to improve hubby's condition.. but the pocket is tighter now that I am not working... :( so we have decided not to buy it yet... we will eat more meat.

I was given medicine to unblock all the "knots and bruises" in my body since I had so many falls before... sigh...

next sat session 3... expensive treatment... 1st session $70 for me I thought it was manageable..but 2nd session $155... wah.... every week around this price...

The introduction of TCM

I went to Tanjong Pagar Plaza #02-47 Theresa Koo's TCM last Monday. This a a word of mouth recommendation that she helped couples conceive although western Doctors say that the couples are infertile/ their IVF failed.

Hope this would help..

She did accupuncture on me for my back/spine that hurts. and "ba guan" on the entire back-it left ugly bruises that slowly disappear after a week.

I was also given medicine to drink and tablets to eat. She claimed that my blood circulation is not good and the medication is suppose to help me. It seems that the medicine allows me to clear my bowels easily everyday.

She advised no heaty/fried food, no chilli... BBT (Body Basal Temperature) to be taken every morning 1st thing I wake up.

My stomach is still bloated. sigh... is it because I am fat? or is it because of the IVF hormone jabs? or what????!!!
=(

Day 30 of IVF (17 April 2013) Day 17 of 2 week wait

Went for a blood test this morning 8am. Nurse called at 1pm plus to inform that it is negative and the next doctor's appointment is on 11 May 2013. She also informed that if we would like to do round 2 of IVF, it might be in june.

Embryo summary shows that there were 3 embryos extracted. The 2 transplanted were of Grade 4 (of 5) and the third frozen is of Grade 3.

grr.... at the crossroad again....

IVF Day 27 (14 April 2013 Sunday) - Day 14th on the 2 weeks wait

feeling?
not sure..
should be sad and crying? not allowing myself too? no need to cry?

had dark discharge in the afternoon when I was at a wedding function. I feel a tinge of disappointment immediately.

it became bright red blood discharge.. my pad was filled with it just now.

I spoke to my friend's friend who went through IVF and I thought that it might be natural to have this sympton..

but i think it is useless to make myself feel better... the fact is my menstruation has started. sad but true.

IVF Day 23 (10 April 2013)

*nervous* 7 more days to pregnancy blood test.

Am I pregnant? I hope so! Breasts are sore for weeks and very sleepy these 2 afternoons..

The 4th of 4 Pregnyl jabs completed! yeah!!! Hope there are no more jabs...

zzz...

IVF Day 19 (6 April 2013)

*happy*!

I am having the company of my dear friend staying overnight. great chats on-going.


I had a BBQ party yesterday!! Think I am addicted to food as well as huge company. It just makes me pass my time fast and happily.

IVF Day 17 (4 April 2013) Thursday

more jabs? yapz....

did i mention 4 more Pregnyl to protect the uterus lining during the 17days of wait?

today is the 2nd dosage of 0.2ml.

There was a choice of inserting 17 x 3 pills and doing 4 jabs. Oh well, what is 4 more jabs?


What do I keep myself occupied with? My gardening continues...

I got a great advice from a good friend about coming up with a 'to do' list. Why not? Since it has always been fulfiling doing one while I worked, it should work for such situation too. And it did! It is important to keep myself really occupied during these 17 days!! I thought I do not need to do anything about it since I have been on no-pay-leave since mid October last year. but trust me, more distractions really helps! I cried twice on Day 1 because I got emotional with words and bad memories of words spoken to me.

A typical schedule look like this:
9am wake up, brush teeth, water and watch plants
9.30am cook breakfast, eat breakfast
10.30am read (not my usual habit)
11am walk & marketing
12noon lunch
PM - meet up with friends
dinner
TV
sleep!

The trick? It does not matter whether time is adhere too. I did not want to be too hard myself. Every single small task is checked when done. Every small step is a big leap to have a fulfiling day.

FRIENDS
I cannot leave without them! They are the ones who will meet me for lunch and dinner. Go KTV with me. Go shopping. Just chat. Come my place eat dinner I cook: be guinea pigs. Usually they like the dinner - ha ha!

Constantly checking in with me. What do I do without them?...

Side effects?
Since Day 1 of jabbing puregon and subsequently ganirelix, slight nausea. bloatedness-i kept farting!
Check out my current state.... I look like I am at least 3 months pregnant.... No wonder someone offered me a seat when I was in the bus. Oops...

Some blood after ovum pick up day.
Some oily discharge from the painkiller inserted into my butt.
Kept urinating.

I have been feeling some aches in the right lower abdominal. Thought it would go away after the ovum pick up day but it did not. Think I better call the IVF Centre tomorrow...

IVF Day 14 (1 April 2013) Monday

Embryo Implant Day!!!

Nervous? Of course I am! How many of the 3 eggs turned into embryos?

This time round, I will not be on sedation. I am only required on food fast; can only drink plain water. I am supposed to drink enough water so that I enter the room with a full bladder. With a full bladder, it will be easier to see the x-ray of my womb.

This time my queue number is 2001; means that I am first in the queue! *nervous*

As I waited, I need to clear my bowels again! I tried to clear it without pee-ing but it was totally not possible!... Urgh! I need to drink more water... Feel like I need to puke already... Finally, they called me into the room. And gosh... Doctor is still engaged in a meeting... *groan* I feel my tide getting higher.. Doctor please come quick..

Syed was there to see the operations and he tried to distract me. The nurse also tried to distract me with conversations. I laid there feeling cold and uncomfortable.

Finally the Doctor Tan Heng Hao appeared and apologised for making me wait. He is kind-hearted and polite the 2 times we meet him.

"As expected, there are 7 eggs; 3 were extracted and all 3 were fertilised and turned into good embryos." said the doctor.
"quality embryos" said Syed.
That made us laughed happily.

THE MOMENT!! It is the moment I am always afraid of... when the doctor insert the appartus into the opening of my virg***. GOSH!! It was PAINFUL!!! I felt the apparatus inserted and adjusted.
=(
It did not help reminding the doctor to be gentle.
=(
And I had a full bladder... It was so difficult that I had to scream out. I covered my face and endured the pain.

"Is it going to be over soon?" I asked. I wondered how long I had to bear.
"They are showing you the embryo on the screen", said the nurse.
I endured the pain and looked up at the screen. There are two circles on the screen; showing the two embryos they are going to insert. There were also some communication from the room next day; through some mics placed in our room. The doctor used a tube to suck in the two embryos. I covered my eyes again knowing that he is going to insert the tools into me again.

The staffs had some discussion and were peering into my varg***. Embarassment? Think discomfort overrule!!!

I looked at the screen again. There was another abdominal ultrasound screen of my womb. The embryo was inserted and that's it! Doctor told me to rest and wait a while to make sure that the embryos are in.

Ok. done. but I need to rest a little while more. And we received a gift. It is a photo of the two embryos.

When it was time to get up, I stood up carefully so as not to move my full bladder. I dashed for the toilet! What a relief....

For now... I will have to wait for 17 days. Meanwhile, hope that the two embryos will attach to the uterus lining and we will have twins! Options of Pregnyl insertion or injection; injection choosen so 4 jabs instead of 3X17 pills to insert.

17 April.... The day....

Day 12 IVF (30 March 2013) Saturday

Ovum Pick Up day!! hurray!!!!

anxiety, worry, nervousness... give me more adjectives please!!

It was a nice morning walk to the bus stop with my hubby though... Once I reach IVF centre, I dashed for the toilets. butterflies in the stomach... bowels and bladder went crazy... By the time I settled my business, my hubby was at the reception. After a few confirmation statements, we "went on separate ways". My hubby went to collect sperm and I headed for the operating threatre (OT).

After another run to the toilet, I was ready in the operation robe. The staff were friendly and he could sense my anxiety; he kept assuring me.

The needle for the drip is huge!

The OT was intimidating. Fortunately, I only had the chance to ask,"Is this sedation?" and I knocked out completely. By the time, I woke up, everything was done and I was lying in the resting room.

I gain consciousness fast but my blood pressure was low so the nurse did not allow me to leave.

3 follicles were taken. I hope that all 3 will be fertilised.

Next up? Monday - to put back the fertilised eggs.

*pray doubly hard*

IVF Day 11 (29 March 2013) Friday

Yeah! It is Good Friday and no jabs for the day!

I will start fasting past midnight. Tomorrow is "Ovum pick up day". Hope I will many many many egss that are suitable for fertilisation.

*Pray hard*

Day 10 IVF (28 March 2013) Thursday

I did my last jab of Ganarelix in the morning by 9am as instructed by the nurse.

Went for blood test in the morning.

A calming session of counselling; an outlet for me. The counsellor speaks gently and it was nice chatting with her.

I returned at 9pm for the Pregnyl jab; this will give the final boost to ripen the eggs so that they are ready for collection on Saturday night.

IVF Day 8 (26 March 2013) Tuesday

4th ultrasound. Do I still feel discomfort? of course!

Doctor instructed to take more jabs of hormone-Puregon. I have taken 9 dosages of 600mg so far.. and for Ganarelix 6 dosages of 0.25mg. Between Day 1 to Day 9 of IVF.

I am to return 2 days later on Thursday.

Hope this is one of the last jabs I have to take... :(

IVF Day 7 (Monday) 25 March 2013

Good news! There are 7 follicles and they are growing well! Doctor asked me to return tomorrow and we will decide whethere to extract the eggs on Thurs of Sat. Oh yeah! Another step further.
=D

Today, my ex-colleague did the scan for me again! She also did the scan for me last Friday. So small world... My ex-student is also there. She did the recording for me today and last Tuesday. and so funny my ex-colleague.. she said that since I know 3 people there, they must get me pregnant! lolz!

Blood test done last Friday (IVF Day 4); which mean that I had a total of 4 jabs last Friday. phew!! 2 jabs for the Puregon because they wanted to combine the remaining medicine to get 300mg. In addition, an additional drug, Ganirelix is given to me. Ganirelix will prevent the follicles from ovulating so that they can be ready for collection. As a result, I got addition injection bruises. Check it out...

That is a total of 7 jabs of Puregon and 4 jabs of Ganirelix. 1 last jab of Ganirelix tomorrow; which makes the grand total of 12! Hopefully the eggs can be retrieved by Thurday else I might need more jabs...
=(
Well, the jabs are not painful, just like ant-bites but still.... rather not  have them! oh well.. it will soon be over...

The 5 jabs of Ganirelix costs about $335.70 and 7 jabs of Puregon costs about $3,114.65. How glad am I that the government is co-funding and it is deductible from MediShield!!!

IVF Day 4

21 March 2013

I finish the 3rd jab of hormone medication. The container of needles is filling up. haha!..

I will be going back to get more hormone jabs, do another scan and see the doctor.


What did I do today? COOK! Check out the braised duck... looking yummy isn't it?

 

 

Came back from Back Message. Got cracked a few bits..scary... but also a bit paiseh cos I had to wear the sarong and it was a male therapist.

..|||

 

IVF Hormone Jabs

Day 3 (20 March 2013)

Breakfast is accompanied with folic acid as well as a jab of hormones. Inserting the needle is not painful. The injection of liquid hurt more than yesterday. I think I did not insert at the portion that is fatter. I will choose the fatter portion tomorrow.

HUSBAND, FAMILY & FRIENDS SUPPORT
During this IVF, or in fact as always, the support of the closed ones are very important. I have always urged my hubby to be by my side as much as he can although he always think that I can manage it myself. How glad and fortunate I am that he as able to attend the 1st session with me yesterday. I really needed him to be around.

Family? My mum returned to her old self -  brewing chinese medicine for me. =D
I love the attention. haha!

Friends? Defintely! I think I am a person who will die without friends.

That was one of the damages done on the Day1 night of the IVF. Thanks to my dear friend. She accompanined me to buy a pair of shoes, shimmering eye liner that I wanna try using, 3rd bottle of nail polish.. heheh.. happy purchases. and not forgetting the sumptuous Korean dinner! yummy!

Tuesday also not lonely. Went for high tea with ex-colleagues; more sharings about my IVF; think it helps me relax when I share with others that I have going through IVF.
Night time? party with the regular four-Meiji Strawberry Sisters! the party ended close to 2am! haha... enjoy while it last.

Plans for today? - Rot. maybe buy some household items.

IVF starts!

Kept praying that I will get pregnant and I would not need to start IVF!
Not to our favour though...

Spotted as usual for 2 days.. urgh! hated the anxiety of waiting for menses to come. I have always hoped that the spotting meant that I am pregnant and the embryo is burrowing into my uterus. FAT hope!

Menses came on Sunday, 17 March 2013- It is considered as Day 0.
Anxious.. Cannot sleep well.. woked up in the middle of the  night and asked "Why must it be to go through IVF? Why can't I conceive like normal being?" Tried to shake of the thoughts then more came "My hubby will not be around at night for the entire week! I have to self-administer the jabs and I will be alone at home *frown*" Shake off bad thoughts - ok, sleep!

Day 1 (18 Mar 2013, Monday)
- called KKH IVF Centre. Kind-sounding nurse. Seriously, ever since I transferred from NUH, I have never regretted! KKH is really a class of it's own! The staff are experience and very polite. Very professional! She returned my call and told me to go for scan between 8am to 10an the following day.

not exactly a good sleep for the night...

Day 2 (19 Mar 2013, Tuesday)
- woke up really early to take a bus to KKH. reached at 7.30am to meet you with my hubby who travelled from work. Had tasty vending machine toasted sandwich.

We waited till 8am for the scan. Meanwhile, anxiety stroke; I had a few runs to the toilet. I am really anxious whenever it comes to the virginal scan since I had a bad experience with the previous pregnant doctor who was rough when she did the pap smear test. Not only was she rough, she was very unkind with her words. =(

When we entered IVF centre, we were shocked as the room was packed! "Wah, so many people here already!" We should had entered at 7.30am and just waited inside the clinic..... Ok.. wait and wait... another run to the toilet... and finally my turn! sharks... felt like I need to go to the toilet again! but I just emptied my bladder! urgh...

Ok... my ex-student is the radiologist support staff.. now what? ok don't care, I just have to deliver my message.

"Doctor?"
"I am not Doctor."
"Ok. I have very scared. I had a bad experience before."
"Ok. I will be gentle."

Tensed up! Then she cleansed my ** and inserted the probe. tensed!! breathe breathe! endure endure.. urgh!!!! felt like peeing!!! discomfort.. slight pain. more scared than anything! I shifted and the probe slided out.

"Oops, let me insert again"
I was hoping that I would faint so that I do not have to go through that!

".. lining... number 4...." she instructed my ex-student to record it.
"If I ask you to clear your bladder, could you?"
"hmmm... maybe can..."
"Ok, then you go and we will call your number again..."
Oh my God..... I should have gone to pee again and again! Now I have to let the probe be inserted again or the third time!!! urgh!!!......

*rush to toilet* *relieved*

"..ok, she is back.." I heard my ex-student said to radiologist.
ok... one more time for me. I apologised profusely... Don't think the radiologist completely got the picture about why I am so tensed! Nevertheless, she kept ensuring me and telling me "It is not so bad right?"

"...lining.. number 4... left... right... " ok, finally done!!
*HAPPY and GLAD*

Next up.. wait... waited for admin as well as prescription. signed the papers for Medisave and got the prescription to collect medication. Another waiting queue... and they run out of a medication that I needed.. meaning? more waiting time.... ok... maybe I could make use of the time at the social work unit. Wah piangz.... another queue... ok... wait... counselling appointment fixed. hubby back from medicine collection (It is always great to have two people)

Back to IVF clinic-another wait-for the nurse to teach me how to jab myself. Ah! I met someone else I know! Had a short but nice chat. She might be the one of the embryologists who will help us in the labs. Small world...

Jabs? Not really scared.. Ok, until the moment I had to do it. It felt weird stabbing myself with the needle. I wanted to hurry with the injection but it hurt a little when the hormone liquid is squeezed. The resultant?... a bruise. Oh well, it is still not as bad as the scan!

I will have to self-administer the rest of the jabs as well... 2 more jabs for now. I will need to return on Friday.

IVF? Yes!

After several months of contemplation, serious considerations and discussions, I decided to start with IVF. Why didn't I said "we" you must be wondering? cos my hubby had decided since Nov 2011 that we should go ahead with the IUI. As for me, I have always wanted a natural pregnancy of course!!

Both of us have some issues. His sperms is moving relatively slower, is relatively fewer and there are some abnormalities. As for me, my egg reserve is low; and this was the critical reason that made me decide to go for IVF! I do not want to regret not trying in case my egg reserve depletes!

Back to Nature - Bukit Timah peak at 163.63 metres

Hello blog! Long time no visit... I am returning because I deactivacted my Facebook... And considering to remove my Watsapp too... I cannot deny that they are annoying items in this new technology world...