corrections

Hey, did you know that 8 cells is not the minimum standard for Day 3 embryos? It’s actually the precise stage of development they look for. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one. Some experts even believe that dividing too quickly (>10 cells on Day 3) is just as much an indicator of poor quality as dividing too slowly. I guess a lot of you did know all of that, but I didn’t. tbean’s comment yesterday inspired me to consult Dr. Google and… Oh. Oops.

I never researched Day 3 embryo quality during my last cycle because when I got the anticipated update call, I clung blindly to the nurse’s reassurance that everything was perfect. “Anything 8 cells or higher is great for this stage,” she said. This led me to understand embryo development as More = Better, without qualification. I used that schema to evaluate my update this time around, and I got myself worked up over something I shouldn’t have.

Here’s the thing: I’m just nervous. So, so nervous. I keep trying to find a measuring stick that will help me prepare for whatever the outcome of this cycle will be, even though I know such a thing doesn’t exist. When I got what I thought was a not-so-great update yesterday, I vomited my nervousness all over my blog before even taking a moment to think about it, let alone research what it actually meant. Rest assured that I’m feeling rather humbled today, and also extremely lucky and grateful to be where we are.

Transfer is tomorrow at 11:30am. Our clinic uses a surgical rotation and the doctor that will be doing the transfer tomorrow is the same one that nestled E into place 3 years ago. That feels like a good sign. I had acupuncture today and she planted three "seeds" in my ear that will remain there until Thursday evening. I'm ready. Let's do this.