Fertility Clinic A Blessing
Becoming pregnant at 17 giving my son up for adoption!
I am now married and wanting to have a family. No worries at first just thinking it was taking time after a few years still not happening? We see our family doctor, he runs test and finds my hormone levels are extremely low and I have a severely tipped uterus and Fallopian tubes that are blocked.
When you find you are unable to conceive as a woman you have the emotions and feelings of loss.
After trying to wrap our heads around this we then go into Calgary to the fertility clinic. The battery of test become more extensive and we both have to go through many tests and consultations.
We then try some fertility drugs to see if that will help after about 1 and a half years we have no change.
The findings after this is that we would probably need to consider invitro fertilization.
We leave that visit with a lot of information that we need to read and discuss, then let the clinic know if we are wanting to go ahead.
We come home and start reading and discussing this information. You have to be able to afford this as the drugs alone cost us thousands of dollars and there is no coverage through your plan, and of course a large bill from the clinic itself.
My dad was trying to help by approaching MLA’s asking why there is coverage for women to have abortions but no help for those needing help conceiving, of course this did nothing more than get us canned letters from the government offices.
AFTER ABOUT A MONTH
After about a month we decide to take the next step and let the clinic know we are wanting to go ahead. They then inform us that we will have to do more visits which include more tests, visits with the clinics psychologist and of course lots of paperwork. We are informed of things that had never crossed our minds, at the time the first in vitro child was about 14 years old and the doctors did not know if she would ever be able to have a child herself, would there be other problems with in vitro babies?
Thinking to myself pay back is here
During this time I am sure I am being punished for giving up my son! Thinking to myself pay back is here. The way I beat myself up through this time I see now was crazy! Of course because we had now been married for about 8 years the people we knew and I know they meant well and had no idea what we were up against always asking us when we were going to have children, seemed to me at the time excessive, I stayed home more trying to avoid the question I had now begun to dread.
They Had Room For Us
The fertility clinic finally called to say they had room for us to begin, I would have to begin a round of different drugs prior to coming in for the first procedure. We obtained the first of the drugs and began taking them as directed. I cannot remember the names of these drugs or the exact order. I know I was having shots at the local clinic in my hips for many days. Once I had completed some of these drugs I remember one was a nasal spray. The drugs cause many different side effects. I had a difficulty sleeping, my hips were sore. It actually gives you a good taste of what menopause will be like.
These drugs will force your body to produce many eggs. I then had to go into Calgary and stay close by for daily visits to the clinic. We were lucky my husband had a great aunt that lived 5 minutes from the clinic and I stayed with her for this duration.
MY HUSBAND
My husband stayed home working to pay for this until he would have to be there.
I was monitored everyday while still taking the shots and other drugs. Had to be at the clinic everyday by 8:00 am. Sometimes would leave after a few hours, and may have to return in the afternoon. The clinic is very good at what they do. The doctors and nurses are beyond wonderful. They were checking on the eggs and when they were at the point the doctor was happy with everything, I then had to go to the Foothills hospital one Thursday night at midnight for a special shot. I was then to be at the clinic the next day and they extracted the 11 eggs, which were then placed in a Petri dish fertilized and observed.
I HAD ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS
My husband had to be there through this part of course. I was lucky a lot of men would not even consider going through with all of this, not too mention I was at times a bit crazy with over excessive hormones.
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I ended up with 8 viable eggs, they had already told us that they would only put 3 fertilized eggs back in. 5 eggs were frozen and 3 of the 11 eggs did not fertilize. So at this time we knew we would have a maximum of 2 more chances if we needed.
On the Sunday I was back at the clinic to have these 3 precious eggs put back inside of me. I was then released and told to have an ultrasound on a certain day a few weeks later. The next few weeks was a very nervous time and seemed to take forever. My period did not come. So a few days after it should have come I was having an ultrasound at the Drumheller hospital. They found one and then two eggs the third egg had not stayed viable. I then called the clinic very excited and happy. They warned me that I had along way to go and that a multiple pregnancy can have many more problems.
BLESSINGS
We were very careful and were very lucky because I carried those two precious eggs for 5 days shy of nine months. I was healthy throughout my pregnancy with no complications. We were given two beautiful baby girls. They were small, 4 lbs 9 ounces and 5 lbs 10 ounces but perfectly formed, healthy and beautiful little girls.
Going through this and having success is amazing. I have a friend who did the procedure 3 times and was unsuccessful. They have adopted a wonderful son. Another friend who was successful the first time and has triplet daughters because of this medical miracle.
Shortly after their triplets were born the Calgary, fertility clinic changed their practice. They would only put in two fertilized eggs. The success rate was so high and the added complications of a multiple pregnancy made this decision the best decision for everyone
THE VIRST VITRO BABY
The first in vitro baby Louise Brown from Britain has been able to conceive and carry children. I am sure my daughters if they want to have children will be able to as well.
If there is anyone going through this and needs someone to talk to I would be more than willing to listen and offer any insight. This can be a lonely time without someone that understands what you are going through.
Vicki Wilton
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