Friday, November 14, 2014

May 10, 2014: Another Failed Cycle



     The shots ended up getting administered at work because of the times I had to do them.  I always made a co-worker do it.  

     When it was time for the ultrasound to check out the follicles, everything was looking great! We had 2 pretty big follicles ready to go!  I had the choice of continuing through an IUI or through intercourse at this point.  I chose to do the intercourse route so that we could try to keep things as natural as possible.  The doctor gave us specific dates to have intercourse once all the drugs were administered and the follicles were just right, and we had triggered.  

    I was sooo excited.  This could be it!! The moment we had been waiting for!  We had to wait quite a while before I could get my beta (pregnancy) test done.  I remember I was working at the shop with the hubby that day.  I was so nervous.  Anytime my phone would make a noise, I would get butterflies.  Finally the call we had been waiting for!!!!!!

                                                          NEGATIVE
     Another failed cycle.  I was crushed.  I just didn't want to keep putting myself through this mentally and physically.  It was just becoming too much to deal with.  Why didn't I get pregnant?  Everything was done perfectly.   Was this just not meant to be?   I cried for most of the day.  My next appointment was set, and I was scheduled to consult with my doctor once again....






 

May 2, 2014: Progesterone Check!

It was time to get my progesterone checked!! I was almost done with this cycle, and my beta was coming in about 8 days and I couldn't wait!!  My results came back that my Progesterone was at level 15, which was high enough to support a pregnancy!  Whoohoo!!!




April 30th: Inside the Cath Lab: Part 2

     The time had come.  I was wheeled into the Cath Lab.  No wonder this procedure is so damn expensive.  The amount of people in the room and the room itself was something I had never seen before.  The technology was unbelievable.  They had the room which was filled with all sort of monitoring devices and a metal type bed attached to it all.  Then there was a separate room for most of the medical staff to work in so they would not exposed to the radiation that would be used.  So at this point I still have not had any sort of medication to calm my nerves.  You would think you would get a little something! They ask me to slide on over onto the table where the procedure would take place.  Once I am all situated on the narrow, metal table, I sit up on the table so they can putting the "mapping" stickers all over my back.  They are large, freezing cold stickers, that they place all over you, so the doctor can map out where the catheters are going and those sorts of things.   Once they have completed that, they had me lay down and secured my arms down by my side.  The bed is small, and has a clear thing on the right side, so you can't roll off.  Still, no medication.  Finally the doctor walks in ready to go.  I was like.... "Ummmm is anyone going to give me something to calm down before he starts?!"  Lol.  The nurse repsonded that they would shortly.   

     They had music playing in the room.  Dr. Razavi asked me what I wanted to listen to, but I was so nervous that I didn't care what was playing.  He said he hated country so he would pick the music.  I laughed and told him that was fine with me.  They seemed to be having a good ol' time in there.  It helped to lighten the mood a bit of me being absolutely and completely terrified.  Finally, the nurse dosed me with something.  She told me that she would be sitting behind me, behind a clear glass, in case I needed anything, and that she would be coming to check on me periodically.  She couldn't be exposed to the radiation either, so she couldn't stand by my side during the procedure.  Next....the procedure began.  I remember telling Dr. Razavi that I could feel the drugs.  I felt good. 

      They clean both groin areas on my inner thighs where the catheters would be inserted.  The doctor put a shot in my legs that felt like a wasp sting, to numb the areas for the catheters.  Once the area was numb, they made two tiny little slits and put the catheters inside.  It was such a weird feeling.  I could feel the catheters in my legs until they got further up into my chest area.  It felt like a weird pressure.  During this procedure, the catheters have electrical impulses on the tips, so they can start up your SVT.  Mine didn't need any help.  My SVT triggered the minute the catheters entered my heart.  This is where I began to freak out.  Big Time.  They hadn't given me enough drugs. Lol.  I began to tell the doctor that I was having an episode.  They assured me that everything was ok and they were cotrolling everything.  This is exactly what they needed to fix me.  They dosed me again to calm me some more.  

     While I am having an episode, the doctor is look at a 4-D image of my heart on the monitors.  You can also see an X-Ray shot of your heart with the catheters in it.  It's quite amazing to be awake and watch all of this being done.  He guides the catheters to where they need to be.  There is a guy in the other glass room that he is talking to while this is happening.  They find the cell that is triggering the episode and the doctor yells, "Tachycardia! Tachycardia!! You see it?!  There it is!  Burn Burn Burn!!"  While this is happening, I can feel burning in the center of my chest and it slowly spreads out.  Then the doctors yells, "Stop!"  Him and the other guy continue to communicate throughout the entire procedure.  They continue to do this until the cells are all burned that were causing the SVT to occur.  

     Every now and then the nurse would come to check on me.  I kept looking back at her with terror in my eyes.  This was by far the scariest thing I had ever been through.  I was still panicking.  The doctor told the staff "Hold, on I need to talk to her".   He told me that I needed to stay calm and still, or he will have to basically put me to sleep.  They drugged me once more.  Before I knew it, it was all over.  All of the episodes, burning in the chest, the commotion.  It was done.  I did it!  I was 98% cured.  By this time I was in and out of it.  They had kept drugging me and I was barely starting to feel it.  A little late right?!  The doctor told me that I could go on and continue with the big plans that I had ahead.  (Making a baby)  I managed to mumble a question.."What are the chances of this ever coming back?"  He said "2%", with a big smile as he exited the room, to prepare for the next case.  I had the biggest smile on my face.  The nurses came, to put pressure on the sites where my catheters were.  One of them told me it went great.  The doctor kept trying to trigger the SVT and it never came back.  I couldn't believe this was all behind me now.  

     They wheeled me out to my family so I can go to a room for recovery.  I had the biggest smile on my face and gave them a thumbs up.  :)  In recovery, you have to lay there without moving your legs or head for 4 hours, due to the catheter sites being open.  They instructed me that my heart may have some skipped beats and flutters for the next several weeks, due to being agitated from the procedure, but I was a happy girl.  GoodBye SVT!!!

They said that I didn't need a follow-up appointment.  I was good to go at this point.  I had been cured.  The procedure didn't even take that long.  I think my anxiety helped to trigger things. Lol  Several weeks had gone by but I felt like I couldn't go on, without seeing Dr. Razavi and thanking him myself.  I was too drugged to say anything to him that day.  I scheduled and appointment and went back to see him once more.   He told me that the flutters and hard beats that I feel occasionally, are normal. He told me that everyone's heart skips about 200 beats a day, but they don't feel it.  I do, due to what I had and being more in tune with mine.  He put me at ease, and said that if something were to happen, it would have already happened.  He told me to go act my age and live my life! I hugged him and thanked him for changing my life.  What an incredible experience and what a weight lifted off of my shoulders!