The Madness of Uncertainty..Let the Testing Begin!

I did most of my testing while staying with my cousin during the holiday so I kept all my tests on this little shelf in the bathroom.

I've always been a person that would rather have all the news/information that I can whether it be good or bad.  This has been true for all five of my FETs as well and I expound on my philosophy of using home pregnancy tests before the official blood test in my blog post Pregnancy Tests and Patrick Henry.  Uncertainty is hard to handle and with the added drama of this being our last embryos and that they looked so miraculously good after being thawed, I've been even more anxious to know what is going on with the babies.  So in line with my other FETs I began testing on Tuesday at 3dp5dt (three days past five day transfer).  This time around I obtained much more effective pregnancy tests that could detect the HCG hormone earlier and at various levels.  With past FETs I only used tests from The Dollar Tree store which supposedly test at 20mIU HCG.  This FET I have decided to use more sensitive tests FRER (Free Response Early Results) and Wondfo tests that other people have found more reliable, consistent, and sensitive. Since I already had the Dollar Tree tests I still used those too.

On Tuesday morning (3dp5dt) the FRER was NEGATIVE.
On Wednesday morning (4dp5dt) the FRER was NEGATIVE.
On Thursday morning (5dp5dt) the FRER was POSITIVE!
On Friday morning (6dp5dt) the FRER was EVEN MORE POSITIVE!!
This morning (Saturday 7dp5dt) the FRER was slightly darker than Friday...

FRER Results

The Wondfos are cheaper so I've been taking them twice a day since 3dp5dt.  They first showed a faint positive line on 5dp5dt.  Check out the progression:

Wondfo Results

On Thanksgiving morning at 5am when I took the FRER Dan got up for a minute and was half asleep.  I was squinting trying to see if the second line was really there or if I was wishing it to be there.  He looked and said "No, there is no line" and went back to bed.  As the test sat for another minute it was obvious that there was in fact a second line!!!  I snapped a picture and showed him as I climbed back in bed and he said, "OH YEAH!"  It was a fun moment.

Dollar Tree Results

I also tested with Dollar Tree tests which have proven to be pretty ineffective for early results pregnancy testing.  Even when I was pregnant with twins back in March 2011 the Dollar Tree test came up a very faint positive the day before my BETA.  This time I barely get a faint positive and then it fades when it dries.  If I ever have to go through this again I will skip buying the Dollar Tree tests and use the Wondfos and FRERs.

I have two more mornings of testing before my BETA blood test on Monday morning.  We are hoping to see the positive line get darker and darker each day until it is as dark or darker than the control line.  I've been having more nausea than I remember with my other FETs.  Also my estrogen and progesterone levels were much higher than normal.  My estrogen level at 4dp5dt was 922 and they were looking for 150 or higher.  My progesterone level was 42 and they are looking for 30 or higher. I had A LOT of cramping this FET and a bloating sensation in my lower belly.  All of these symptoms of pregnancy can be explained by my estrogen and progesterone injections which will make me feel pregnant even if I am not.  I am waiting for one symptom to arrive that I know will be directly connected to a pregnancy- a pulling sensation in my lower abdomen.  With Lena and her twin that started around 8dp5dt.  The positive pregnancy tests are also an extremely reliable indicator of pregnancy.  The BETA HCG number on Monday will tell us just how pregnant I am.  We shall see!

Fall Fun 2013

Under the beautiful trees at Riley's Farm in Oak Glen.

Our little family of three set off for a few local adventures to enjoy the fun and beauty of fall.  As Lena gets older it has been more and more fun to watch her discover the world and all that is in it.

Oak Glen and Riley's Farm
We invited my parents to come along to the mountains in Oak Glen where there are a ton of apple orchards.  We stopped at Snowline Orchards for hot homemade cider mini donuts and to sample 16 kinds of apples and three kinds of apple cider.  Delicious!  Afterwards we headed down the street to Riley's Farm where I had preordered our lunch of chicken pot pie, Sally Lunn bread, and a 5 lb crumb top apple pie.  We at our lunch on a rustic picnic table under the most beautiful trees with golden fall leaves.  We were able to walk the property and see the pumpkin fields, farm animals, and various historical buildings.  It was such a relaxing and fun outing except that Lena got car sick and threw up about four times throughout the day.  Good thing I packed lots of changes of clothes!

Lena and Grandpa floating sticks in the stream.

The flower fields.

Lena LOVED the horses!

Lena and Mommy

Daddy and Lena in the pumpkin fields.

The inside of our 5 lb apple pie!

Grandma and Grandpa

At the cider mill where we watched the apples pressed into cider.

Corona Pumpkin Farm

San Juan Capistrano

Halloween

Amy's Farm

Planes of Fame Air Museum

Estrogen and Progesterone Test Results

On Wednesday morning (the end of 4 days post 5 day transfer - 4dp5dt) I headed back to Dr. K's office for a blood draw to check my estrogen and progesterone levels just to make sure they don't need to adjust my medication levels.  A few hours later I got a call from the nurse and she said that everything looks great!  My estrogen level was 922 and they were looking for a level of 150 or higher.  My progesterone level was 42 and they were looking for 30 or higher.  I was curious if my levels were so much higher because of pregnancy or if that is just what happens when you are on daily hormone injections.  When I Googled it I did find one research report that stated estrogen and progesterone levels post FET do not correlate with successful pregnancy.  Oh well...

Toddler Wars

The terrible twos hit around 22 months for Lena.  She is a little firecracker and keeps me on my toes but I love her to pieces...even when she looks like this:

Yet another crying fit...snotty nose, puffy eyes, and all!

She is only two but it seems that a part of each of my day I am engaged in "Toddler Wars"!  The worst seems to be the hours between nap and bed time right when I am trying to tidy up the house and make dinner before Dan gets home.  While sometimes her toddler antics can make me crazy they are also often pretty amusing which is why I must document some of these moments...

This is how I like the towels....

This is how Lena likes the towels....

You never know where you might find little Lena "surprises"!  She loves to move and hide things in strange places.

I let Lena have a "trinket drawer" in the dining room.

This girl is like a monkey!  She is always climbing...everywhere!

Lena has a habit of twirling her hair into fantastic knots!  Not fun!

Lena and one of her kitties.  She will often try to sneak off to find one of them.

Lena and I on a fly killing spree with our electrified fly swatter.  Lena can't stand having flies around.  Going on a fly killing spree is one of her favorite activities to do with me.

She has TONS of toys but pulling things out of my cabinets and lining them up is one of her favorite games. 

Lena's Second Birthday Party