Before today I didn't even know what subchorionic bleed was....

So... I am worried, very worried. I have in fact, exhausted myself with worry :(

Our surrogate started bleeding last tuesday (5W6D) and an emergency scan was done which found 110HB, normal embryo/yolk sac etc and a CRL which measured upto GA 6W0D and there was no bleeding from near the sac. 

She was put on bedrest for the week, and then today she had another scan as she was still bleeding and they found that there was a 23mm x 15mm area of bleed,(a Subchorionic bleed) adjacent to the sac. They also found the CRL measured up to GA 6W5D (2days under), 123 HB, which is great and near spot on, but the Subchorionic haemorrhage is larger than the sac, which Dr Evil Google says is bad news.... nasty doctor google.

So they have no admitted her to hospital to avoid any risk.

I am worried but at the same time they are taking every precaution because it is a surrogacy and it is SCI and they are wonderful.

Have you got any kind reassurance? 

 :-[ SR x

Doctor...we have a heartbeat.....no wait...we have two!

So good news first, we have Two Beautiful Heartbeats, plus two healthy looking, correctly sized/aged embryos plus two sensationally gorgeous yolk sacs, each in their very own uterus (lucky little beans) Hopefully they're nestling in for the next 7 1/2 month stay at "Hotel warm and snug" 

The heart rates are 110 BPM and 142 BPM. 

I am obviously worrying (there's a suprise) that the 142 BPM is too high but my googling with Dr Evil Google hasn't as yet brought up any cause for concern. All reassurance still welcome...

Now for the other worrying part, we received one set of results unexpectedly early, as we were expecting them both today. But late last night on receiving the email titled 'Urgent Scan-USG Report' I FREAKED OUT. Ms P had started bleeding and so had an emergency scan. They found everything to be normal during the scan and found a glorious little heartbeat! But now she's been put on bedrest....I freak again! I think it's precautionary and I'm trying to remind myself of the HUGE number of women on my fertility forum who described bleeding at this point and still went onto have successful births...

So...off we go to start another two week wait *GULP* until we hit 8 weeks! I was advised by my boss today (who is amazing) to get ready for the roller-coaster twists and turns, ups and downs, and remember that one day we'll be off the roller-coaster.....I never did like theme parks that much...

Waiting is already torture

So I have been trying my hardest to stay busy, keep distracted. I have also tried helping other people from my fertility forum with all of their research and concerns on the different routes they are taking....but today....I started panicking about the next scan - which is on wednesday. I guess two days before hand is about standard right?! Especially in my early 'novice-at-waiting-for-scans-through-surrogacy-days'...

I just am so worried that something is going to go awfully wrong and it's all going to be over before it's really begun....

We were both ecstatic that we only had two gestational sacs and it was an extra thrill that they were two singleton pregnancies, as it's exactly what we wanted. But now I'm worrying that we could lose them both in the first trimester and be back to square one and super heart-broken? :(

Oh I need to try and calm down, I know you've all been there or are about to go there so I thought this the best place to have a panic!

On other news....we are getting married in August! I finally sent out the hand-made invitations today to all ends of the Earth (my partner's family live in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe). I have also finally got round to booking my wedding dress fitting and I am starting to get super excited/nervous/worried/amazed by the prospect of marrying my lovely man. Hopefully we'll look like this....

And never end up like this....

Hahaha...

Hope everyone is well and happy and not as terrified and neurotic as me about this whole surrogacy malarky!  

First Scan Results and the astounding beauty of Pregnancy hits home

So... yesterday after I made myself sick with worry all morning about receiving our first (5week) scan results, had some beer to calm my tummy and my nerves, babbled to a friend over lunchtime pasta for hours, we eventually received our first scan results :)

Two, well-defined gestational sacs were seen, all healthy and fine. Though one concern of mine is one measures up to 4w+2 days and one to 4w+3 days but we are at 5weeks? Dr S says its normal and healthy so I guess I shouldnt worry! What do you think guys? Normal variation? Is it just rough estimation of the relationship between size and Gestational Age that they use at this early point anyway? Late implanters? Them being late implanters would explain our lower hcg values too. But also my old Dr from the clinic we used DE IVF said its perfectly normal to be up to a week behind at this early stage, post IVF, and it's only past a week under that it becomes a bit of a worry.

I think of them as lower HCG values as ours were taken at 19dpo (14dp5dt), at which point most websites say the average is 303 mIU/ml but ours were 163 and 237)

We are over the moon to see just the two Gestational sacs, I spent last night looking in depth at the scans on our 42" screen and even kissed each scan right on the GS saying "Hello little bean". :D My partner thought I was mad but he is also amazed by the strength of love he already feels towards the little ones.

I'm just trying to stay away from the evil Dr Google this morning (I'm on school holiday) and just keep thinking positively. Apparently I was talking in my sleep last night about the scan results, I was saying what level of accuracy the scan went down to and finished by saying "It really is quite beautiful". And it is, it's amazing! We have never got this far along before and I am amazed and dazed and stunned by the beauty of it all. I only wish they were able to send a DVD or sound recording of the heartbeat scan when it happens, as I would dearly LOVE to actually "hear" our babies heartbeats, but alas as long as it's all going well, that's clearly the most important aspect by far.

I have such strong faith and trust in the work of Dr S and all the staff at SCI. From one happy lady!

 SR x

We are currently....pregnant x 2!!!!

So we have GREAT news and we are over the moon!!!!

cOnGrAtULaTiOnS...!!!

We would like to inform you that as per our schedule we have done a Beta HCG test for your surrogates.

We are happy to inform you that their Beta value is 237.08.

Please find the attached files for the same.

We would like to congratulate you as you are pregnant now.

We will now do a USG scan for your surrogates within a week to check the pregnancy sacs.

Once her scan will be done, we will get back to you at the earliest.

SCI wishing you good luck for this beautiful journey ahead.

We are thrilled, super happy, ecstatic!

Anyone have any idea whether beta values indicate singletons or multiples, appear to indicate singletons from my research thus far?!

Transfer done!

Great news is we went to blastocyst and the transfer was done yesterday! 

I don't know quite how I will cope with another two week wait. My current strategy is to try and not talk or think about it for a few days, try and stay busy and pray that the days pass quicker than in previous two week waits! Roll on the 30th May, thats all I can say!

We are keeping this information very, very private this time round, so only Dr S, me, my partner, Meg, Margarida, and my best friend knows. It became quite intense previously when we shared our every thought with all the family, extended family, all our friends, some colleagues, the next door neighbours (not the neighbours but you catch my drift)

I hope everyone is well and happy.

:)

When things just don't go to plan

So I awoke yesterday morning feeling very positive about the world and everyone in it. And I had good reason, since on monday afternoon, Dr S said everything was going to plan in terms of our donors and surrogates and she impressed my partner with her expertise and professional attitude. Also yesterday morning was my partner's 30th birthday! I skyped him at 8.30am Indian time, -(4AM UK time!!!) and spoilt him rotten in any way you can across skype. He seemed happy and full of energy..


Then....things got tricky the further through the day we went. He took on a far too long list of 'must-sees' in his self-built sight-seeing tour of New Delhi between midday and 4pm in 42 Deg heat. And....he got dehydrated, severely dehydrated. He ended up being rushed to hospital. At first we didn't know which hospital and I was trying to get this vital information from a delirious, confused, disorientated severely dehydrated guy via his Indian mobile. I got the information I needed when his phone was handed to the doctor.


So long story short, all of us involved got no sleep last night as we were frantically worrying that the situation was worst case scenario. The doctor mentioned something to me about Viles Disease and I panicked. My partner's now been on a drip for 24 hours, IV antibiotics for 20 hours and had some horrible symtoms which I won't describe. But he's at an excellent hospital and the Dr's have tested for everything under the sun and all tests are clear....*sigh*....


So he should be discharged from hospital tomorrow, he is feeling a LOT better and is back to his usual cool, calm, collected and optimistic self! We hope he will be able to finish off all of the important duties he is out there to do, and return to the UK on Saturday as planned....*double sigh*....


I am so relieved that it appears that it was just a case of severe heat stroke coupled with severe dehydration and nothing more sinister. I have however had a nasty shock to my system which it will take me a while to recover from.


All in the course of a good day's surrogacy work though...eh?


I also must mention how amazing people have been in support. Dr S and the SCI staff were amazingly supportive and helped me communicate with doctors and sent Rachna in to visit my partner twice. The taxi driver who waited around for my partner whilst he was collapsed in a pharmacy and then took him to hospital and waited until he was sure he was being cared for is a brilliant guy and I owe him a lot. Also thank-you to Bernadette and Michael for calling me up and doing everything within their power to reassure me and offer me good advice. You're all wonderful people and I wish there were plenty more of you around! 


So for now, we just pray that he is discharged tomorrow, and that there are no further 'hiccups'.


Thank-you again to everyone who helped us through the worst 30 hours a girl could have imagined.


:) onwards and upwards