Eggcellent end to a hard few weeks.

So the next step to all of this before I start the chemotherapy is fertility preservation, there is only a small chance that chemo could affect fertility however it is better to be safe than sorry. So the closest center is up in London, Guys hospital. Around 40mins on the trains and tube.

The first appointment goes smoothly, a check up on where I am in my cycle currently and blood test. I am then given two different type of injections and they will give me a call, so before we leave ) they show us how to administer these injections.

Couple of hours later and they call me telling me which injection to do, my mum has to do it unfortunately. Few days later and we was back at Guys again for another ultrasound scan and blood tests. Pretty much after every appointment they call you later in the day once they have the results together.

So I was called later that day and told to do 2 injections and that my actual course of everything can start on the Sunday, that’s right 3 injections down and I’ve not actually started the course yet. Sunday comes around and here we go, luckily the solution is already made up for these injections of Menopur that have to be done in the evening of each day, it stings a bit but it’s not too bad to be fair. So for the next 4 days it’s one injection every evening, then day 5 it’s back for a scan and bloods, they said its progressing well.  I have to lower my dose slightly and each morning do another different injection.  This other injection you have to make up the solution yourself, this caused just a tad amount of stress as I was so worried about myself or anyone else doing it wrong and having to start all over again.

You have to remember that all these injections are hormones, whilst I didn’t get any side effects, just a rash near the sites I was injected, I did get a tiny bit hormonal. Everything else was running smoothly my eggs were developing well and on day 10 (Tuesday) after yet another bloods and scan I was told I had 20eggs each side!! Later that day the usual call now telling me they are going to collect my eggs  on Thursday. So one last trigger injection 36hours before, that’s right last injection, I had a day off from them Wednesday. However I didn’t actually have a day off from needles as Wednesday was my chemo pre assessment and blood was taken (not sure I’ll have any blood left soon).

So Thursday comes around and I wake up in excruciating pain, I was convinced something was not right but I just wanted to get to the hospital. I am nil by mouth so I can’t have any water or painkillers and we have a 40minute train journey in rush hour to get through. I managed to get someone to let me sit down on the train (I was blubbing) the pain was not letting up at all. We made it to the hospital and in the lift my body had just about had enough, I knew I would faint so I crouched down in the lift and as we got off on our floor I had to sit down as I knew what would happen if I didn’t. The units reception staff saw me and got nurses and dr who took me through and onto a bed, monitored my heart rate and blood pressure and did a scan, they think the pain was due to the amount of eggs (possibly on the verge of hyperstimulation) they set me up with a drip and few different Drs came to see me and decided to still go ahead with the procedure.

Deep sedation is lovely, I was sleep and back in my room before I knew it, a bit uncomfortable so they gave me some painkillers and monitored me for longer, I stayed longer than most but then early afternoon I was able to go home. Knackered and sore I slept so well that night.

I have to just say the staff at Guys were amazing, so many appointments seemed a pain when you don’t live close but it’s nice to know they are tracking everything and everyone was so nice.

So step 2 fertility preservation is all done, now for a weekend off spent and off to my brothers firework evening before step 3 chemotherapy starts on Monday.
Xx At certain stages in your life you’re not always looking forward but living in the present, however sometimes you are forced to look ahead, this can put things into a different perspective.