Egg Retrieval Surgery- IVF

Last Saturday, I had my egg retrieval surgery.  Strangely, I was kind of looking forward to it, just to get it over with.  It's an out-patient surgery that lasts about 2 hours.  (including recovery)

At night, hubby and I try to kneel down and pray together as a couple before going to bed.  (That's assuming one of us hasn't fallen asleep already- which is usually me.)  When I was praying, I confided to Heavenly Father that I was feeling scared.  And I asked him to bless me with peace and comfort to get through this.   And He did.  I was able to sleep through the night pretty well.

That morning, I had hubby give me a priesthood blessing.  He not only blessed me, but also blessed the doctors, and those that would be working with me.  I felt at peace while driving to the hospital.

FYI- I have a history of being uncooperative with hospitals.  When I was 14 and needed surgery, they had me go into the bathroom to change into a hospital gown.  I locked myself in the bathroom and wouldn't come out.  The poor nurse kept knocking on the door.  "Honey... it there anything I can help you with?"  Nope.   It took them a while to convince me to open that door.   Now, looking back on that, I realized how far behind I must have thrown that doctor's schedule by doing that.  But - oh well.  They had even more trouble trying to get me to cooperate to get the IV in too.  I just get freaked out by needles.

 So now that I'm an adult (or at least pretend to be), I find ways to work around that.  For example, I have them cover up the IV with not just surgical tape, but wrap my hand with a towel or coband.

When they had me go into the bathroom to change into the ugly hospital gown, I had a flashback of my childhood.  I could just lock myself in here again.  As I changed, the words of the church hymn "I Need Thee Every Hour" came into my head.  And I changed them, I prayed in my head that I didn't just need Him every hour, I needed Him right now... to get through this.  I took a deep breath, and went out to face my fate.  My supportive hubby sat in the chair next to me.

The nurse that put my IV in was very compassionate and patient.  She told me I could take a minute.  (Probably because I kept pulling my hand away.)  But eventually, I let them put the IV in.  (But I wouldn't look at it until they covered it up.)

While the nurse was doing the in-take questionnaire, hubby had to leave to go do his part.  (He had to provide semen, so that the embryologist would have fresh sperm to inject into the retrieved eggs.)  He gave me a hug and a kiss before he left.  And I was by myself.

After the paperwork, they had me walk back to the operating room.  I didn't like that.  They had tools on a tray, and I could feel my anxiety rising.  They had me lie on the table and cross my arms on my chest, while they wrapped me tight in a blanket and strapped my legs in.  I felt my body clenching up.  I kept thinking "Knock me out, knock me out!  I don't want to see this!!"

Soon after that, they did.  They put the oxygen mask on, which was good because I think I was starting to breathe harder.  And not much longer after that, I was under.  And it was better.

I woke up later and Devon was beside my bed.  I was sore, but it didn't really hurt too much.  But I was a little nauseous.  But they gave me something for that which helped a lot.  They gave me a prescription for Percocet for when I went home.

Hubby said I slept all the way home.  He helped me to the couch, and I stayed there for the rest of the day.  I ate soup and apple juice all day.  And some noodles for dinner.  I felt so much better after the surgery was over.  I was sore, but since they drained all the fluid from each follicle, the overly bloated/ sick feeling was gone.  And my tummy didn't hurt like it had previously.

So I was glad that surgery was done.  Part 1 - Done.

I have a good dog.  She stayed by my side all day, just to make sure I was okay.  <3