It was now the day of my first attempt of the embryo transfer and to say that I was nervous was an understatement. Before I knew it I was now in Doctor Simpson's office (who was a doctor who specialised in IVF and surrogacy) who had been highly recommended by Doctor Cameron.
"So I'm just going to explain the process-" Doctor Simpson smiled at us before he readjusted his large black glasses onto the bridge of her nose.
"Ok" Ben answered for us all.
"What I am going to do is very similar to your cervical smear test" Doctor Simpson explained. "I'm going to use a speculum into your vagina" she added as she looked over to me. "This is to hold your vaginal walls open" she advised as she pointed to the speculum on the nearby already pre-prepared surgical table and equipment.
"Ok" I nodded.
"I will then use my trusty ultrasound here" she continued as she nodded towards the ultrasound machine on her right hand side. "To help me accurately pass a catheter through your cervix and into your womb" she stated. "From there I will pass the already fertilised embryo into your womb; is there any questions?" she offered with a warm and reassuring smile.
"It is going to hurt?" Ben asked as he squeezed my right hand with his left.
"It will feel uncomfortable, yes" Doctor Simpson advised. "And afterward please don't be concerns if you experience cramping, bloating and vaginal discharge" she explained and I nodded at this. "There are all in fact normal; but if they get worse you need to come back" she explained. "Anything else?" she offered us all.
"When will we find out if it has worked?" Evie asked eagerly.
"We will ask all of you to come back in 2 week's time Mrs Dwarfson" she answered. "This is to check if the embryo transfer has been successful; to do this we will have to do a pregnancy test and another ultrasound" she said.
"Ok" Evie stated.
"What if it hasn't worked?" Doug asked nervously.
"We will cross that bridge when we come to it" Doctor Simpson smiled. "Let's all thing positive shall we?" she grinned causing us all to nod at this.
"Right your Majesty-" Doctor Simpson said. "If you could get up onto the table?" she asked. Me and Ben then slowly stood up and we both walked up to the table; I then dropped Ben's hand to help pull my dark purple knickers down and let the drop to the floor; I then picked them up and gave them to Ben who put them into his right blazer pocket. I then climbed onto the table and lay down before sliding my legs into the stirrups which gave Doctor Simpson access to me.
"Right-" she began as she rolled her chair to the end of the bed before sliding on a pair of light blue surgical gloves on. "Here comes the speculum" I heard her say as I felt her fingers part my folds; I then felt a slight pressure and coldness as I felt the speculum slowly slide inside of me. However before I could fixate on how strange this felt I then felt the speculum slowly open within me and I felt my body stretch and move with it. I couldn't help but grunt at this as I started to feel a little bit of discomfort and I watched as Doctor Simpson quickly looked up at me.
"Sorry your grace" she quickly apologised as Ben slid both of his hands over my right hand.
"It's ok" I muttered as mine and Ben's gazes locked on one another's. I offered him a reassuring smile; I knew how this would make him feel. Me and Ben hated to see each other in pain or discomfort; so I knew that this whole situation was going to be hard for him – but I also knew that we would get each other through it. Ben then stroked my hair with his left hand before he pressed a kiss against the top of my head; I then threw Evie and Doug a quick glance to see that they were both watching us attentively. I then looked back at Ben went I felt a coolness against my stomach; and I felt something run across my stomach which told me that Doctor Simpson was now using her ultrasound machine.
"Perfect" I heard her say as I didn't take my eyes from Ben's.
"Now here come the catheter" she advised and I felt more movement and I grunted again as I felt the catheter slowly slide into place.
"Won't be long now" I heard Doctor Simpson say.
"Ok" I advised.
"You are doing so well Mal" Ben smiled.
"Thanks" I muttered and me and Ben shared a brief but loving kiss. I then felt a coolness enter me and I felt my stomach started to flutter.
"There" she said happily. "Looks like it is in a perfect place" I heard her say. "Catheter is coming out now" she advised.
"Ok" I muttered and I felt her slowly pull the catheter from me. I then felt the speculum slowly shut before it too was removed from my body.
"Just lie there for 15 minutes your Majesty" Doctor Simpson advised as she placed the speculum back onto the surgical table, next to the catheter. "Just to allow the embryo to settle" she added.
"Ok" I repeated again.
"I'll just leave the room to give you a few moments together" she smiled at the four of us before she quickly stood up and left the room. The room then fell into silence for a few minutes while we took in what had just happened. I felt Ben press another kiss against my head and I smiled up at him and I turned my right hand over and squeezed his left hand.
"Thank you Mal" Evie said finally breaking the silencing, causing me to look over to her.
"You're welcome E" I smiled happily over to her. "I just hope it works" I added nervously.
"Me too" Doug advised as I looked over to him.
"It should do" Ben said and I looked back over to him. "We need to think positive, remember" he added and I nodded at him.
"Yes" I nodded at him before the room fell into silence once more, with all four of us hoping that our efforts today hadn't been in vein and that luck and fate would be on our side.