Stats: Day Three

Ok, guys. Before I dive into our embryos status, I want to do a bit of housekeeping.

First, I want to touch on a little sensitivity training with everyone. I know that I am doing all this very publicly and I am happy with that choice, for the most part, it is really helpful for me and there are many reasons I am glad I chose to blog this way. Even with all that, this is still a very personal and invasive process that is, at times, incredibly difficult for me to go through especially without Tim. I made a promise to you guys to keep you updated as I am updated, and I stand by that 100%. I will keep you as updated as possible via this blog as I possibly can. If i haven’t updated the blog, I usually don’t know. If I do know and I haven’t updated the blog, I am waiting to be able to tell my husband first or create some neat programming for you, like the video, or maybe I need some time to process that news before I relay it to you. If you text me in between updates to ask how I am, give me encouragement, or tell me to drink water (because I still need those reminders!), I think it’s great and I love it.  I just want for you guys to go through a short list of questions before you ask me questions in between updates.

-Has the answer already been written in a previous blog

-Do I need to know this information right now, potentially before Tim

-Will this relieve the recipient or cause anxiety

I AM NOT UPSET, ANGRY OR CALLING ANYONE OUT!! Please know, this is relayed to you with love for you and for myself. I am so on edge these days from all of the hormones and everything I have invested in this that I tend to snip at everyone and I don’t want to snip at you because I am overly sensitive.

Second house keeping item: Embryo Grading.

Most clinics grade embryos with two letters. For example an AA embryo would have a fully developed, clearly defined outer layer (the layer the embryo hatches out of that will eventually become the placenta) with no or few extraneous cells on the outside (thats the first letter) and the two inner layers (the layers that eventually become the skin, hair, nails and the babies internal organs, respectively) cells are dividing at a normal, steady rate and are clearly delineated. Follow this link to learn more about how embryos are letter graded on day three.

Of course, the military likes to do things differently and they assign one number grade for the total embryo. Here is some info about number grading a day three embryo.  I definitely think you should read the articles, they aren’t long, but in short hand, 1 is the best quality and 5 is the lowest quality. Embryos can result in a live birth among the spectrum of of grades, but you certainly have a better chance with a higher grade. So, our embryos were graded today as follows:

8 Embryos – Grade 1

3 Embryos – Grade 3

1 Embryo – Grade 4

All in all, we are very, very pleased. W may lose our Grade 4 kiddo, it may cease to grow, or it may not. But, right now, our whole dozen are growing and happy and we are still on track for transfer on Saturday! No signs of OHSS yet, but I am still not out of the woods. Just trying to continue to take it easy and stay hydrated. I am unbelievably exhausted from the progesterone that I have to take every 8 hours.  It’s like, as soon as i recover from the exhaustion, it’s time to take another. It is really taxing. In fact, it is almost impossible to keep my eyes open even right now.  I will let you guys know if there are any developments between now and Saturday, otherwise, I will let you know how transfer goes!

Til next time!

❤ Katie

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