Another "what helped me post" at 43 1/2 (pg mentioned)

I used to participate on this board and found it wonderful, then, honestly, just didn't want to think about anything any more, so stopped coming. It's tiring, right? But I've recently returned to avail myself of the pregnancy over 40 board and wanted to post a little hope here. The hopeful stories I used to read here were always really uplifting to me, although I understand that not everyone appreciates them, so skip on if that's you.

So my statistics are:
43 1/2 years old, 7wks with my own egg and have a heartbeat. FSH last time I looked 35 (pretty much didn't usually ask because I didn't want to know!). Endometriosis, an autoimmune disease, and prior ovarian surgery. First pregnancy and pretty much first try. And my disclaimer is: I'm pregnant, but as you all know, that's not the same thing as having a baby and there's still a long way to go. You'd think that once you actually get pregnant you can relax, but no, because then you're afraid to sneeze or say one wrong word and jinx it (well, at least I am!). So I guess I am living dangerously by posting here.

Total of 13 retrievals, one transfer (BFP) using DS.

PROTOCOL #1: First 9 retrievals, one egg per cycle, a few frozen on day 2, but none of the rest made it to blastocyst. To accomplish this feat, I did the following consistently:

-healthy diet
-great weight
-don't smoke
-exercise moderately
-eliminated caffeine
-CQ10
-DHEA
-royal jelly
-multivitamin
-fertility yoga
-red rasberry tea
-relaxed and kept stress low

RESULT: Nothing.

PROTOCOL #2: 10th retrieval, continued above protocol, but changed DS as a last ditch effort, just in case, even though it was very good quality and other pregnancies had been reported. Told it wouldn't help, but what did I have to lose?

RESULT: Nothing. Same as before.

PROTOCOL #3: 11th-13th retrievals. On 11th try I had totally given up and decided to try just one more time and then quit. Here's what I did because I was done in my mind:

-stopped every single supplement 2 months prior to 11th cycle
-went from 0 caffeine to double espresso 2x day
-quit all exercising and all yoga so felt crappy and stiff
-got really stressed out
-at JUNK, i.e. cheetos and snowballs and every other bad thing there is
-stayed up late and didn't get enough rest
-finished taking a class to become a foster parent
-every other bad thing you could possibly think of for fertility
-basically gave up and surrendered, although I did pray for direction

RESULT: 11th cycle, popped out TWO blastocysts in one cycle. 12th cycle, ANOTHER blastocyst. 13th egg damaged in transit. So a total of THREE blastocysts. Had one transfer (first one ever), BFP. But as I said, still a long way to go.

CONCLUSION: Well, what to think? I did everything well and was calm and collected and nothing, then did everything wrong and was stressed and voila. So I guess I think that you get what you get regardless of what you do or don't do and depending on your point of view it's either luck, fate or God. I don't feel I had any contribution toward this, other than being game and persevering. And I obviously had a very talented group of doctors who would do 13 retrievals, one egg at a time. And I learned that you can have 9 bad eggs over 1 1/2 years and it can look totally hopeless and then finally get a good one. You know, the darkest right before the storm bit... And of course, I offer my compliments to Dr. Z, C and Y, because really, what other doctor would have allowed me the chance?