Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Two Week Wait

...this is what they affectionately consider the "two week wait" and I'm sure you're all just as anxious as we are to hear the news!

I have a blood test scheduled (beta) for Monday morning and we will know more by Monday afternoon. For our Norwegian fans, that means you'll probably be fast asleep when we have the news!

Friday, July 25, 2008


I just found this blinkie online... what a hoot! I guess it pretty much sums up the efforts of my Friday. Thanks again to everyone following our team journey. We so appreciate your prayers, wishes & thoughts... they are the wind beneath our sails!

Look at all of our visitors today! What support!!


We have one beautiful blast that was transferred this morning! The thought of the day is "it only takes one" so we will remain hopeful and believing in miracles. The beta (blood test) is scheduled for Monday, August 4th!




and I just have to share Hanne's excitement with all of you too! She emailed a half dozen times...

oh.... so out of myself, just walk around the house and the garden kidding myself that I am doing housework or tidy... but I am totally into the transfer news...

then

Hmm... the logic part of my brain (whats left of it) thinks; hmm... nothing from Julie yet, that probably means we have transfer day TODAY! hopefully, hopefully...

and then

Transfer time.... its 8.30 in US time.... it means we are just about to make miracles... hopefully.....

I am so grateful, its a huge gift that we have been allowed to get this far....

I am just out of words...


Your excitement is contagious!!
Keep it up!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Timing is Everything

Uggghhh! Get this, the embryologist called and said,

"you are scheduled to come in tomorrow at 8 am (if you don't hear from us) for an 8:30 am transfer. However, depending on how they are growing, and we don't take a peek until tomorrow morning, you could be on schedule for a 6-day transfer so we can make sure they're at blastocyst."

So, long story short, I hope they are MORE THAN READY to find a new home tomorrow morning and that my phone doesn't ring at "o-dark thirty" and they move it out a day.

Waiting...

on CRM to call me today regarding a time for transfer tomorrow!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Tired and happy!

Back in Trondheim, tired but very happy :) The trip back over the ocean went fine, not on business class this time, but still... It was good to take time to let the impressions from the last 14 days sink in. Wow, what a couple of weeks.
Thanks for making our stay a fantastic one Julie and JP and for being so good at keeping our spirits up! If God, the world and the universe will, we´ll be back in march/april for some serious business :))) But first, our attention is directed at the transfer on friday and the following days and weeks. Take care, love and hugs from team N

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Enjoy!

In between the ups & downs of the roller coaster visits & phone calls to CRM, we had a wonderful visit!

QOTD (Question of the Day)

"So, you have 4 embryos, how many will you tranfer?"

Best case scenario is they all make it to Friday and we have two beautiful blasts to transfer and two to freeze (on the what if)... but we're all pretty positive this will work the first time around!!

Fertilization Report

(click on any image in blog to enlarge view)

I just received a call from Dawn @ CRM and 4 embryos have made it to fertilization!! We are doing a 5-day transfer...
Friday is our magic day!!

Your thoughts, prayers and positivity is contagious ~ keep it going!

Team Norway is headed home today ~ we will miss you here in Minnesota, but hope you can get back to Trondheim-time quickly!

Sunday, July 20, 2008


5 eggs retrieved -sweeet :)

Go Team Norway! Photobucket

...and now it may be a 3-day transfer instead of a 5 day... me thinks a couple of these embies may be "more than ready" to find a new home soon!!

Today is egg retrieval day for Hanne!

PhotobucketI just found a little detail to help explain the "what and how" of last week and the one ahead of us. It's very descriptive, but gets to the point for those who are inquiring how this is all possible.

Step 6 Monitoring
While the Donor is administering the fertility medications, she is required to be monitored by routine estradiol levels and trans-vaginal pelvic ultrasounds in order to follow the rate of follicular growth and resultant estradiol levels. When the physician determines the time is optimal for timing the egg retrieval, the Donor will receive a final injection called hCG, which will mature the eggs for retrieval. At the same time, the Recipient is monitored by periodic estradiol levels and ultrasound evaluations for endometrial thickness.

Step 7 Egg Retrieval
The most commonly used method of egg retrieval is trans-vaginal ultrasound directed needle aspiration. This is a minor surgical procedure and is performed under intravenous sedation and general anesthesia, but without intubation. A vaginal probe (transducer) is placed in the vagina and a needle is inserted through a needle guide attached to the probe. The ultrasound image allows the physician to accurately guide the needle through the vagina directly into the follicles for aspiration under direct visualization. The process takes about 30 minutes. Following the retrieval, the donor recuperates for 1 – 2 hours and is then discharged to resume light daily activities.

Step 8 Fertilization and Embryo Transfer
Fertilization, the union of the sperm and egg, is a very complex process that occurs in the laboratory hence the term "in-vitro" which translates to "in glass". The eggs retrieved are examined by the embryologist and then placed in a specialized culture medium in preparation for insemination with sperm. A masturbated sperm sample is enhanced by a highly specialized process prior to being placed with the eggs. Approximately 72 hours following ovum retrieval, selected embryo(s) are transferred to the Recipient's uterus. If there are embryos of sufficient quality remaining, they may be cryopreserved for subsequent transfers.

The embryo transfer procedure usually requires no anesthesia. A catheter is inserted through the cervix into the uterus, and the embryos are gently and carefully placed into the uterine cavity. The Recipient is maintained in a recumbent position for approximately fifteen minutes and then discharged.

Step 9 Post Embryo Transfer Management and Follow-up
The Recipient will need to take daily hormone injections in order to sustain an optimal environment for the embryo implantation. Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, two pregnancy tests are performed. If the Beta-hCG titer is rising, this indicates that implantation has taken place. Hormone injections will then be continued until 12 weeks of gestation at which time the placenta will supply all the hormones necessary to sustain the pregnancy. In the interim, ultrasound examination(s) will be performed to definitively diagnose pregnancy between 5 to 6 weeks after the embryo transfer. If the pregnancy test is negative, all hormonal treatments are discontinued and menstruation will usually ensue within two weeks.


We've got everything crossed Photobucket
pregnant bellies being rubbed for luck across the world Photobucket
and prayers going up for today and this week! Photobucket

PhotobucketHanne & Tommy!

We will have a follicle count to post by this afternoon.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Another 48 hours...

We have retrieval... sort of like, "We have lift off!" in astronaut terms! Hanne will have her egg retrieval on Sunday and my transfer will be Friday. We have 4 follicles right now, so we still hope for more (of course) and that all of these precious cargo make it the full week!




It was a long, full day. We dropped off Hanne & Tommy with a little instruction dance in the street. More to follow tomorrow, promise!

Good morning!

I bet not many of you can say you awake dreaming of ovaries... but I can, especially this morning! And I'm so very thankful that we have good friends and family out there cheering us on. It has helped us all keep our spirits and hopes high this past week!

A special shout out to Stella who is now praying for "many, many good eggs" for us.

I am going with Hanne & Tommy this morning to another ultrasound where we hope to see lots of follicle growth with some eggs for retrieval!

It must be true that time stands still on occasion, because this last week sure seems like it has been one very long day! I haven't even updated my other blog since my ramblings about Lucky Charms. So on this day of a full moon, we are hoping all of the stars, wishes, Lucky Charms and prayers are on our side and that time marches on with renewed hope!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

I just got an email from Hanne & Tommy with this photo and the text "four elephant eggs & counting, new ultrasound on Friday B-}"

Whoohoo.... keep praying for us, it's working!!

And once again, cheers to another 48 hour wait...

Monday, July 14, 2008

Cheers to Another 48 hours

So we are moving at a "snail's pace" and will wait another 48 hours to see if Hanne responds to the continued medication and time to grow some more follicles. After an ultrasound and waiting for the report bloodwork results from today, it was discovered that there was one follicle, when there were none from Friday's report. Hanne's estradiol has also tripled. We still have hope!

I picked up Hanne & Tommy downtown and brought them back to our house for dinner. We had a lovely time. JP made a tomato-basil pork loin, bread and salad. It was scrumptious! We toasted (beer, wine, milk & lemonade) to the coming week and all that it holds for us!

Dropping them back off downtown just now, we hugged and I told Hanne that I hope she feels like crap for the next two days. Giggle. She said she had some cramping over the weekend and now we assume that her not feeling well helped make the one little follicle grow. So wishing her not feeling well some more might be just what it takes!

.......we believe.......



Saturday, July 12, 2008

Friday, July 11, 2008

For those anxiously awaiting a report... we are not giving up hope yet! I heard from Hanne this afternoon and they did not find any eggs this morning at the ultrasound. She is scheduled for another one on Monday morning. We will know more then if it is meant to be in July.

JP keeps saying that God has a plan. So we believe. If not today, this week or this month, it will happen.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Are we there yet?


On our drive to Winona, the kids must have asked a dozen times, "Are we there yet?!"

So I thought I'd put it out there and see if YOU are here yet? Hanne & Tommy, how was your travels to the US? I wonder if the storms delayed your arrival and landing into MSP? The storms were behind us the whole drive down to Winona. Surely you must be exhausted! I hope you were able to rest and relax on the plane. Will you try to adjust to the time this weekend?

Can't wait to catch up with you!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

In... and out...

kinda like "wham bam, thank you m'am!" with the ultrasound this morning, and my magic number is a perfect 10!

Now... we... wait.....
again


Good luck at your appointment tomorrow, Hanne!! And pack light so you have room to bring home lots of souvenirs from Minnesota.

Friday, July 4, 2008

4th of July



This day means different things for different reasons... and on the surrogacy front, it's time to celebrate the END of Lupron! JP thought it was funny that I was taking a photo of the sharps, so he took a photo of me taking a photo of the sharps!





I now have a 10 day respite from needles...

Thursday, July 3, 2008

A Cycle Update from Hanne

A bit of our conversation by email, received from Hanne, this morning. Keep those positive thoughts headed our direction! It's working!! We are getting excited to meet with you again in Minnesota.

"Just wanted to tell that I had my first ultrasound check this morning.
And, it all looked good. The results gets faxed over to Dawn.

They wanted to check out that no cysts or anything could have developed around the ovaries - if it had, we probably would have gotten a delay... I have been so focused on the set schedule and my protocol from Dawn, that any possible "delay" has been totally out of my mind. But happily, we are just moving along as we should, totally after the book :)

I will have my next ultrasound on 7/9, the day before we leave. This Saturday I will begin to take the meds that stimulates the egg production - so hopefully the next ultrasound will show me a hole bunch of maturing egg follicles. Yes, I do feel like a hen :) "
Although Hanne and hen both start with an "h", there is no comparing lovely Hanne to an egg-laying hen! That said, we are hoping that there are many, many eggs to choose from so say a little prayer for us in the coming weeks!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Photobucket

Just watching the calendar, changing the medications in/out as the days move forward, and waiting for Hanne & Tommy to come to Minnesota. Nothing new to report this week from this side of the ocean. This is a great month... filled with high levels of anticipation and a few "waiting periods" along the way!

Stick with us... keep us on your prayer list... and check back weekly!