So Far, So Good

I went for my best test Monday with much trepidation.  Fortunately, my results arrived a mere one hour after the blood was taken, which was a relief because waiting until 4:00 in the afternoon is always torture.  My HCG level was 90.  The nurse reported that this was a "strong" number.  Yay!  Honestly, if you had asked me what kind of number I needed to feel relieved, I couldn't have told you.  But, apparently, 90 fell within that zone.  I was cautiously optimistic once again.  Still, even a "strong" initial number wasn't going to soothe my frayed nerves unless it doubled by this morning.

In the world of infertility, the two days between beta tests feels longer than the two-week wait.  So, we do the only thing we can--try and find solace and comfort on the internet.  In that vein, yesterday evening, I spent some time Googling about miscarriages and betas and all types of things.  I learned that my numbers don't rule anything out--we could have one, two, or three babies in there; I learned that my chance of another miscarriage was not a large as I believed; and I learned (again) that there is a limit to the utility of internet.  Having exhausted what it had to offer, I hung up my searching shoes and went to bed.  Nothing to do but wait.

Woke up this morning to roughly 6 inches of snow.  Blerg.  I diligently headed out in the crappy weather to attempt to get my blood drawn at roughly the same time it was taken on Monday.  Since we wanted actual doubling--nothing less would sooth my soul since Oliver had only increased 80%--the magic number we needed this morning was 180.  I said a little prayer on my way in, got my blood drawn, and then went about my day.  Shockingly, I promptly forgot that I was waiting on a phone call until the phone rang.  I immediately had a giant lump in my throat.  My results were in--quite early again, thank goodness.  The nurse chatted with me for a bit and then we got down to business.  And the answer was.....194!!!!  We had slightly more than doubled!  Woo freaking Hoo!  I did a dance of joy and immediately texted Phil.

At this point, I am feeling very good.  I know that things can still go wonky, but all indicators are that we're going to be fine.  Sometime between now and the ultrasound appointment in two weeks I might get a little nervous.  Indeed, until we see a/those tiny blinking heart(s) on the monitor, I'm not sure anything will really relax me.  But, I am definitely feeling good.  The news I got is the best I could get at this point, so I will take comfort in that.  Besides, every step we make it this time is one step further than the last FET where we didn't get anything at all, and that's something worth celebrating all by itself.

So.  In sum.  "Strong" initial HCG levels that are doubling like they are supposed to.  Whew!  Now I can quit worrying about that and get geared up for Lil' Bit's surgery next week!  Ah, the life of a parent.  Never a dull moment!  And I wouldn't change that for anything.