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This is my IVF story Part I.

It was the morning of April 3, 2012, just one day after we transferred two, beautiful embryos back to me.

I woke up feeling great. That day would mark just another day where I followed every single order my doctor gave to me.

My IVF Story Part I

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“Step 7 (IVF – Pre and Postoperative Instructions)” Outlined

After the embryo transfer:

• Rest at home the remainder of the day after your transfer as well as the day after.
• You may get up to eat and shower, but rest the remainder of the day. Your position (sitting, laying) doesn’t matter.
• Abstain from intercourse until instructed otherwise.
• You may return to your usual non-strenuous activities. Avoid any activity that is strenuous, involves heavy lifting, has a risk of jarring motion, or risk of falling or being injured.

Side note for full reference: IVF = In Vitro Fertilization

The only thing I would do all day is jump on a 9am Twitter call with the agency I worked for back then.

The Pain Begins

About 8:45am, my stomach started feeling full and bloated.

I am no stranger to bloat (obviously), but this was different – much different.

I got up to go to the bathroom, thinking maybe it was just gas pains that I could find immediate relief from. No relief.

At 8:50am, the pains began to get more intense.

I went to the bathroom again, but I knew I had a call soon, so around 8:52am I plopped myself on the floor of my office.

By this point, I was holding tight to my right side.

I began sweating, so I laid down, still clenching to my side.

At 9am, I knew I had to be brave and dial in for the call. I dialed in, softly spoke, “Hi, it’s Sarah Kay Hoffman,” and then placed the phone on mute while I waited for others to join.

The pain was ultra intense, and by now I was feeling extremely nauseous.

As I waited, I grabbed my garbage can.

I was sweating in agony and was having a hard time breathing.

I started throwing up around 9:01am.

By then I had no choice, but to immediately hang up the phone.

No Twitter call would be happening for me.

I fumbled and stumbled to my bed.

Ryan was gone working about 1.5 hours from where we live.

At the time, I only knew of one person I could call.

I could barely talk the pain was so intense. Ryan and my friend Shondra (who had been a major hand holder to me for a couple months) told me to call 911. There was no way I was calling 911.

I bit the bullet, and texted that one person I knew – Jackie, our dog “nanny.” I knew I was playing with fire if she didn’t respond.

Emergency Room

“Can you bring me to the emergency room?”

That was all I had the energy to say.

A few moments later, by the grace of God, she responded, “I’ll be there in 5 minutes.”

I brought my “puke bag,” and Jackie got me safe and sound to the emergency room.

The emergency room at Sutter Hospital in Tracy, CA would turn out to be a nightmare, literally…..and to this day, I have no problem telling anyone and everyone about the horror that was Sutter hospital.

I was alone, all alone, when I was posted up in my room.

With just a hospital gown and pain so awful, I held back tears because feeling any emotion was physically so painful on my insides.

As I waited for Ryan to come, I prayed to God that everything would be okay and that the hospital would take care of me.

Silently, I also prayed,

Please let the embryos be okay.

My IVF Story Part II tomorrow.

This is all a part of a series for National Infertility Awareness Week.

Xox,
SKH