The Get

So, my husband has the kind of job that absolutely doesn't allow any time off. I suppose if I were in a terrible accident he would be allowed to leave, but being late is just not an option. He works in film production, which means that any lost time has to be covered by production insurance. Which means that a bonding company has to okay anything that may or may not affect production. Plus, my husband can't just have someone cover him because he's contractually obligated to do it himself.

All of which meant that I had to hire a chauffeur to drive me to my retrieval this morning. Yep, I went in style, a big black town-car and a hunky wanna-be at the wheel. Considering how tender things can be "down there" after the procedure, I'm actually glad I wasn't going home in my husband's little gas-miser. There is something to be said for a giant leather back seat, after all.

I won't know much until tomorrow, of course. Of the thirteen, ten seemed mature. Because my husband couldn't be there they will have to use his frozen "specimen", which we have never done before. I've heard that it can actually be better in some cases since the thawing and washing process winnows out the bad ones - but "fresh is best" is the usual recommendation, so I am a little nervous about it. My clinic ICSIs everything, so as long as there are a few good ones in there somewhere it should be okay, but adding one more thing to the list of "what-if"s isn't ideal.

My doctor said something funny just as I was going into the OR. The embryologist grasps the sperm by the tail, which immobilizes it so it can be manipulated. I had a sudden image of some kind of Harry Potter scene, of embryologist-wizard students learning these secrets. Maybe it was the fentanyl, but there is a kind of strange-magic quality to the whole process.

In any case, thanks for the book recommendations. I managed to borrow almost all of them from friends, but I was so out of it for most of the day that I just watched Mad Men and dozed. If all goes well, transfer will be on Saturday - which is perfect for a long weekend of books, with my husband around to fetch me whatever I call for (until Monday, anyway).

Fert report tomorrow morning.