Morning sickness...aka...all day sickness!

I have been so sick lately.  More so than I remember.  Everyday I get nauseated even worse.  I've been eating the saltines, sucking on the jolly ranchers and drinking citrus water.  Nothing works and the thought of any food make my stomach turn.  I've heard of these pregnancy pops at Toys R Us.....my hubby is going to pick some up and I hope they work!  I miss eating sushi, I miss having a margarita, I miss feeling peppy!  I guess I'm just having a pity party today, I'm sure it won't last. We are so busy around here I don't have time for it, nor the sickness.

So what are your remedies for the infamous early pregnancy sickness?  I would LOVE to know!

First ultrasound

Today I'm 6 weeks and 2 days!  My hubby and I drove down to Newport and had the first ultrasound.  This has been a long time coming...well it feels like it. The little boy is very healthy with a  very strong heartbeat!  My due date is 11/25/2013.  He is between the line with x's.  The circle is a yolk sac that will be pushed out eventually.

I'm still on the injections every day for progesterone and every 3 days for the esterdial valerate.  The injection I get every day hurts quiet a bit. Not sure why since the one I get every 3 days hurts a tad when being injected but after it's like it doesn't hurt.  My hubby feels so bad that it hurts, he feels like he is hurting me.  Poor thing.  The teens are doing well and being very supportive.  My son feels the most concern, he's always asking if I need anything or telling me to rest.  I think he's starting to realize he won't be with me for long...(he's leaving for the Navy soon).  I'm actually due around his birthday.  Who knows...maybe on the day!

Update @ 6 weeks

Today I woke up with morning sickness like I remembered way back when I was having my own babies.  I've just been chilling today to ease my tummy.  Monday wasn't a great day.  Since I'm a surrogate and I didn't get pregnant on my own my body needs extra hormones to boost itself up and become a normal pregnancy.  I take prenatal pills and baby aspirin everyday, crinone (a vaginal suppository) twice a day and .2ml every 3 days.  I had run out of crinone last week and the Dr.'s office overnighted me samples they had at the office.  I took those all weekend.  Monday came and I had such pain 'down there', I had to ice it!  I was having cramps and bleeding slightly!  Of course I freaked and called the Dr. They sent me to get labwork done and decided I was having a reaction to possibly a bad batch of the meds.  The labs came back with perfect numbers so the little guy is just fine.  In order to avoid this, they have switched up my meds.  Today I'm waiting for them.  Instead of taking the crinone, I'll be doing daily .1ml injections of progesterone in oil.  So not looking forward to this...but I do what must be done.  I have to take the meds until I'm 10 weeks pregnant.  Ugh, 4 weeks left. That's 28 shots plus 9 shots of the other shot!!! No Bueno! On a happier note, next Wednesday is my very first ultrasound.  We get to hear his little heart beat!

Oh, some people have asked why I think its a boy.  Well, they've done genetic testing which also tells them if it is a boy or a girl.  My IPs want a boy so they transferred only a boy.

Sorry if this post is a bit TMI....just telling it like it is.

2ww over!

Today the wait was over.  I took my blood test this morning.  4 hours later I sent a text to my nurse...."did you hear anything yet"...I received a "yes" and then a phone call.  I'm PREGNANT!!!  Woo hoo.  My hcg level was 627.  Pretty awesome that this is my first time and first try.  Great success!  So, after I received the  good news I emailed the IP's.  IM had been checking her email every 2 hours while she was supposed to be sleeping half way across the world.  I don't blame her though.  I wouldn't be able to sleep either.

So I've calculated how far along I am and it looks like I'm 4 weeks and 3 days.  My due date would be Nov. 22nd.  Happy Thanksgiving...hahaha.

The next step is taking another blood test on Thursday to see if my hcg level doubles and then to check my hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone).  First week of April I'll be 6 weeks, that is when I will have my first ultrasound and hear the baby boy's heart beat.  Can't wait...I hope IM will be able to skype in.

Now its time to rest, I'm off to bed.  I need to make sure this little guy is well taken care of.

Day 7

So, today the little faint line was darker.  Yay!!  I feel so much better today though.  Not too many symptoms, I almost feel normal except for the headache.  I'm not writing too much, not too much to tell.  Only thing I've been doing is racking my brain for ideas on how to tell my IM after the blood test comes back positive.

Think think think!

Day 6

Time change happened Saturday night so I woke up bright and early this morning thinking I had slept in.  I have been so tired lately.  I couldn't tell if it was the progesterone or early signs of pregnancy.  Last night I spent most of my time obsessing about that exact question. I scrolled every related blog and forum. Everyone who was in their 2ww (2 week wait) was having the same issue.  The only thing I learned was that you can't tell them apart.  The think that causes your 'early pregnancy' symptoms is the progesterone in your body.  So, if you're taking progesterone in any form (vaginal suppositories, oil injections or pills), you will have the exact same signs.  So, I went to bed even more frustrated. When I woke I jumped to take that, now becoming ritual, hpt (home pregnancy test).  I decided not to even look at until the 3-5 minutes was up. So, I sat and waited.  When I finally got the nerve I noticed a faint line but it was different than yesterday!  This time I didn't need to move the test around to catch the light perfectly in order to see it.  I just looked at it! See!! What I did here was kick up the contrast so the line could be seen on camera. I am PREGNANT!

Since I have had the lines to show that I indeed am pregnant.  I wanted to tell you the difference of symptoms that I experienced that I don't think is the progesterone.

Progesterone symptoms
Sleepiness
Shortness of breath
Headache
Bloating
Breast tenderness

Pregnancy symptoms
Same as above
Lower back pain
Leg cramps
Feeling of pinch nerves in legs

Hope that helps!

5 days past transfer

Today I'm 5 days past transfer.  Yesterday I cheated and took a hpt.  It was really really negative.  Today I thought...its day 5, that's when everyone starts testing...so I was very optimistic.  I waited....and waited....wait, is that a really really faint line?  It looks like it.  Or are my eyes playing tricks on me.  So I took it to Curtis for a second opinion.  Is it?  Is it?  He confirmed that I indeed saw a tiny light line.  I got my hopes up!  Then, as time passed (1 hour) I started to second guess what I saw.  I've gone back and looked at it a couple of time in the past 2 hours.  I have no idea what I'm seeing now.

So, I decided to give it a rest and make cinnamon rolls.  Today is family day I'm not letting it get to me.  As I was baking...I received an email from IM ....she asks.."did you take it"?  I could not have her stressing..so I told her I will wait until Wednesday (the 8th day).... She says she can hardly sleep.  I think she is just so cute!  I can imagine how crazy her house must be with questions, worries, and hopes!  I just hope I have good news to give.

I am still testing everyday, hoping each day is darker.

The Beginning

Today I've decided to document my journey as a gestational surrogate.  Here is a little background...my name is Jen and I am 36  years old (29 if you ask my family).  I am married to Curtis, the most incredible husband in the world.  We have 7 kids combined...but non of our own...and don't need anymore.  Curtis' 3 are adults and living their own lives with their husbands and children.  Which brings me to the grandchildren, we have 6!!!  My kids are the 4 that live with us..R-18, C-17, K-14 and KY-12.  Everyone has been so supportive of the decision to be a surrogate.  As you can tell my life is pretty advanced for my age, my friends where all having babies and my best friend was still trying.  So, it got me thinking...I could have one at this age...but I didn't want any more kids.  Light bulb!!  I could be a surrogate!!!!  So, I began the journey of a gestational carrier!  I contacted a surrogate company in my area and started the long long application.  I then had some blood work done, Curtis had blood work done and we both and our psychological appointment..we're SANE!!  Woot woot!  After they gave us the clearance, I started to received couple profiles.  We, as a family, picked the best one.  I will refer to them as IF (intended father) and IM (intended mother).  They have a boy who is 5 and lost another boy at 29 weeks.  IM was told she should not have more for the safety of herself and unborn.  So, they searched for a surrogate.  We all met and loved each other...we even went to a wonderful family dinner...see pic below!

From left to right...Curtis, C, R, KY, me, IM, boy, IF, and K. 

On March 5th they transferred 1 5day blastocyst boy embryo, I ate a piece of pineapple core that morning.  IM and I call the embryo pineapple boy now.  haha. I was on bed rest for 3 and that was not fun at all...but I did what I had to do!  Today is day 4 post transfer and I am so anxious!  My blood test is March 18th.