From Moderate to Severe

I am starting to think I shouldn't post anything until this process is complete because it seems that as soon as I hit "Publish" something new develops.  I guess that life is full of change, but I was hoping for something along the lines of forward progress. 

When we got home last week, I felt like I was walking into some stranger's house.  I was only gone for 2 1/2 weeks, but it still felt weird to be back.  It really took crawling into my own bed, with my own sheets and soft pillow for me to realize I was home!  Nights have been rough since the retrieval, so it didn't surprise me that I was uncomfortable and wasn't able to get a restful nights sleep.  I shook it off and blamed the fact I couldn't lay in my natural sleep position but rather had to be propped up on my back with the pillows arranged in a recliner position.  My breathing was more labored and painful than it had been, but again, I staved off worry by attributing it to the altitude and my large, fluid filled abdomen.  By late that night, I was so short of breath I couldn't talk on the phone and couldn't move without a shooting pain in my chest.  A sixth sense (my mother-in-law) told me that this was in fact NOT an improvement and I should let my doctor know.  The thought in the back of my mind that this would pass was repressed further and I left a message on the Nurse Triage line. 

First thing in the morning the next day, the clinic called and told me to get my Butt to the Emergency Department.  Noooo!!! Please, I am getting better!  Except for the fact that Ian has been my personal nurse, attending to my every need, from bathing and dressing to eating and vomiting, and the fact that I can't move without a sharp pain running through my chest, I THINK I'm getting better...  Seriously, straight pipe dream. 

Ian brought me in and they ran a slew of tests: chest x-ray, abdominal/vaginal ultrasound, lab work, EKG, and a chest CT.  With OHSS, they were thinking fluid on the lung and heart, free fluid in the abdominal space and/or pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).  Yikes!  It didn't take long for them to discover a large pleural effusion (fluid in the sac that protects the lung) on the right and a small one developing on the left.  This was compounded by the fact that I had free fluid in my abdomen and large ovaries topped off with a boggy uterus, all pressing on my diaphragm - classic signs of hyper stimulation.  Thank God it isn't a pulmonary embolism was my first thought!  I couldn't bear the thought of being inpatient in a hospital that I work at, on a heparin drip that requires every six hour lab draws- dodged a bullet there!  My problem was extremely high levels of hormones causing fluid to shift from where it is supposed to be (in my vessels) to where it shouldn't be (any open space).  Because there is no treatment for the high hormone levels, they don't recommend taking the fluid off, because it ends up back in the same spot, ultimately prolonging the recovery process.  They also don't give diuretics because it will just further dehydrate me, extending my discomfort.  So, they sent me out the door on a high protein/ high salt diet and zofran and phenergan to help keep the food down.

The next day was rock bottom, but with everyone shoving some sort of protein in my face and MAKING (how dare they) me get out of bed, I started to feel a tinge better.  Today, I'm on the downhill slide.  I am able to sit up in a chair without pain, tolerate food, and take care of my personal hygiene.  Tuesday was Ian's first day back at work and we both worried how I would do, but I promised not to overdo and we are both pleasantly surprised that I was able to take care of myself for the first time in weeks.

No final report on the embryos, but I will post as soon as we get the magic number.  Even with the OHSS, we are a go for implantation in about six weeks.  I am thinking sometime in July.  I am so glad to be feeling better and hope to get back to my normal work and exercise routine in the next couple weeks.  Thanks to everyone who offered their help and words of comfort!  I have great friends and family and really couldn't do it without you all!