In which P & K go to clinic for one last time

DAY 8


Had to get up early to get to clinic for 10. There had been a slight snowfall, so all looked much cleaner. Managed to get the new and old tickets muddled and threw away the brand new one – looked in bin where I had just chucked it, but there were hundreds all identical. Felt really stupid. Decided it was the drugs making me loopy. Not to mention that I now have breasts that can open doors 5 minutes before me. Yet again, am confronted with a wonderful man who could have lost his temper with me, but instead just went a bit quiet (just like when I rear ended his sports car).

Arrived in plenty of time and shown in. Some mad woman kept talking to me – got quite noisy and eventually the nurse looking after the ward told her to shut up. After about 10 minutes, the nurse said I could go in, but she stopped me at the door. Wait, she said. Got out a syringe and stabbed me in the buttock with it. What was that for? I asked and she said to relax my uterus. Then I was told to wait a further 5 minutes. I explained I didn’t have one last time and she seemed to think I did. I think I’d know if I got stabbed in the bum. Began to think this could have ruined my chances of the Day 3 embie taking. Damn it. They must have forgot.

Go in and this time, room empty except for one doctor and one nurse. No translator. The nurse held my head down and I kept my mouth shut. All same as before. Olga comes in and I’m told only one blastocyst, all others failed. This worries me a lot. What are the chances that these 2 are ok then? Seems very slim indeed. Not to mention an important injection forgotten for the first.

Back to ward and back in bed, studying ceiling. This time told to wait for 15 minutes before loo and another 30 after that. Why the difference in times? Am totally convinced they messed up the first transfer – no injection and too short a rest period. Add to that the poor quality eggs – our donor was clearly over stimulated – and I am finding it almost impossible to be positive.

Then we are both taken to the first room we went to. Same big male nurse. Olga there to translate and we are shown how to snap the tops off the vials of hcg, add the liquid to the solid powder (which magically immediately became liquid) using one syringe. This seemed complicated enough – but then we had to take it up the other syringe and stab me in the bottom with it. Yikes! The nurse said he would do one now. Marked off my buttock into quadrants showed K where to put it and then OUUUUCH. It really hurt. I dreaded the thought of several more of these and if it hurt when the nurse did it, what would it be like when he did? I have a bit of a needle phobia, so I couldn’t do it at all.

We had to buy more medicines and pay the bill. It was a lot bigger than we expected. Paid by credit card. Decided I was well enough to walk and take the tube back.
Went to shopping centre near tube and had lunch at strange KFC franchise. Everywhere was Valentine's cakes and flowers. Went downstairs to video/book store. Once again had a locker, but this one free and more for your convenience. Rather nice shop, a bit like WH Smith. Loved looking at the movie dvds and reading the titles and actors – funny how the Cyrillic looks so alien, yet it says an English word..but often with the Russian pronunciation. Some titles were just in Russian though – but you couldn’t tell until you tried to read them. Quite a laugh! Realised that some movies might not be in English - although l can now read the back of them which helps and often says if it is. DVDs one of the few things we found to be really cheap – about £3 – 5.

Back to hotel. Had an hour's sleep - really tired. Watched the Simpsons movie (which we both enjoyed), but the other 2 were all Russian with no English subtitles even, so they will have to go back. It started to snow. We watched it. Gosh, it was magical. Felt very happy and cosy in our little hideaway. Also discovered curtains had thick extra curtain - doh! – but rooms were very warm and very controllable heatwise anyway. Watched V and the Cock & Bull Story. Both enjoyable. Stomach felt odd like l was having uterine contractions (like in late pregnancy) only milder. Must be the uterine relaxant wearing off – again, worried that I should have had it for the first tx. Took first meti-pred. Had been warned this is an utterly bitter and disgusting pill, but found it difficult to swallow without touching tongue. It did and had bitter taste in my mouth for half an hour after. Washed all our clothes – hadn’t really packed enough for the weather and had ended up wearing the same things over and over.