I don't even know where to begin...

I found out on Tuesday that I'm pregnant. Hardly anyone knew that I was doing an FET this month, not even our families. I kept it pretty quiet, because I knew my odds were so low. The success rate for FET at my clinic last time I looked was less than 10%. Only 3 out of my 7 embryos survived the thaw, and after I found out the quality of the embryos we had left to transfer, I basically just started counting the days until AF would arrive. We would have been starting our cycle at the new clinic with the arrival of AF. Christmas Day was when my AF was supposed to visit, but by some miracle it didn't. I had started brown spotting on Thursday and I had already had a good cry over the fact that the cycle didn't work. Spotting has always been the prelude to a failed cycle for me. On Boxing Day I got up the nerve to do an HPT. I couldn't believe it. The HPT was faintly positive. I had never had a positive HPT up until that day. The brown spotting continued until Monday and I was so scared that my AF would still come. It didn't and today, 16 days post transfer, I had a beta hCG result of 501. I still can't believe it and I'm so scared that at any moment something may happen that would take away this surreal joy.

And of course my joy is not complete. I have so many friends out there who have yet to be blessed by a wonderful miracle. I hope and pray that you will not have to wait long for it to happen. My commitment to IVF Connections and these email lists remains the same as it did, the day I vowed to turn my negative into a positive. I can't even begin to thank everyone who has supported me through these many IVF cycles.

Love, Brenda

I just wanted to thank everyone who sent me good wishes. I appreciate the support you have given me sooooo much. Some of you asked me what my protocol was for this FET or what I thought made this cycle work. I truly believe that it was the removal of my hydros (blocked and fluid-filled fallopian tubes) that made the difference for this cycle. I had my tubes removed in November and only a month later it had already made a difference. I did a natural cycle FET as I had done with all my previous FETs. At my clinic in Canada they monitor you with b/w starting on day 10 of your cycle to measure the LH and E2 levels. Once the LH surges the embies are transferred 3 days later. I did take one baby aspirin a day throughout my FET and will continue to take it for a while yet. I had 2 failed IVFs and 2 failed FETs before this cycle. Thanks again to everyone who emailed me and I hope and pray that we all be blessed in the New Year.

Love, Brenda

I'm so scared. : ( Our beta on Tuesday was 501. We had another beta on Thursday with a different lab and it was 728. The numbers aren't even close to doubling every two days. It feels like our miracle is slipping away. I won't be able to do another beta test until Tuesday, so until then I just have to hang on and pray for another miracle. We have cancelled our New Year's plans, because it would be too hard to pretend to celebrate while the future of our baby stands suspended in time. If you have a moment, please say a prayer for us. I'm trying to stay positive, but it is so very hard.

Love, Brenda

Everyone's prayers and positive thoughts worked. I'm still pregnant. My third beta was 4866 (23 days post transfer). I can't thank you enough for all the prayers, support and advice everyone gave me over the weekend. I don't know what I would have done without you. I know I still have a long way to go, but I'm so thankful that I have made it over one more hurdle.

Love, Brenda

We had our first u/s today at 7.5 wks. We are having one baby and we are so thrilled. The h/b was 162 and the little embyro measured 1.5 cm long. We could just see the little heart fluttering and it was the most amazing thing. It is still so hard to believe that after 5 IVF/FET cycles this miracle has happened.

Our baby boy, Nicolas Magellan, arrived on August 31st, 2000. Sometimes when I hold him I am overcome by emotion, when I remember all that we went through to have him and how I had almost lost faith that our miracle would happen. I can only wish that everyone reading this page will someday know the joy that I feel.