Ahhhh....that's the sigh of relief as my life gets underway---caffeine and a few celebratory drinks to follow.

Yes, the retrieval came and went. This time, I will not be sharing how many were retrieved and how many were fertilized....the reason being that I find if someone reads closely, it might be possible to figure out who I am. Granted, I am not all that afraid to be outted however, anonymity is kind of nice. Of course, I do not want to put either the IPs or myself out there for the world to see--so for now, I am going to keep the numbers to myself. If I find out we are pregnant, I will update that news, but no more facts and figures for the IPs privacy and for my own.

The IM trigger shot came and went. I figured out if I numbed the area with ice, I could take the shot without feeling it. Unfortunately, after the numbness wore off, well, that's a whole another story. My normal protocol calls for a trigger in the stomach, not an IM in the stomach, I don't want to confuse everyone. But just so you know. I just prefer shot in the stomach. Some people prefer a shot in the bum/hips, its just a personal preference. Either way, glad it came and went. Even happier to know that I won't be faced with another trigger shot for a while.

Before I end this post for the day, I just wanted to say that even though I did not receive a letter from the IPs, I know that what I donated to them was more than an egg or two, I helped them have a family (hopefully) and its bigger than me. A letter would have just made it a bit more personal--its something I think we, as donors, do really appreciate. And maybe, regardless if the agency/clinic encourages it, IPs should consider that the donors may just be curious about their perspective and a letter helps to tell their side. Its a way to put a bit of feeling, personality, and thought behind what can be a process riddled with facts and figures and lack a human touch. I am not sad that I didn't hear from the parents, I hope them the best. I just wanted to address why I think its great to write to the donors. I often think that I should write a card to the IPs for the transfer. But I don't know if they would appreciate it as much as I would, so it always holds me back.

The next few days are sure to tense for the IPs, they are also a bit tense for me as I find myself waiting on baited breath, waiting to find out if the eggs developed, if the transfer was successful, if they got pregnant. It never truly stops when the retrieval is over...that's a common misconception. The IPs, with their first names and limited information, are never far from my mind. I guess that is how our lives are forever intertwine. It's easy to say my part is done. But its not everyday that you give someone a piece of you and hope that it grows into their hopes and dreams. I believe its human nature to seek an underlying connection with the people that pass through our lives. The IPs are such people to me and they probably always will be, especially if a pregnancy results. I wish them the best, my thoughts and prayers will be with them.