Thinking about wanting to have a baby was something that was really interesting to me. It never really felt like my clock was ticking until, one day, it was. It was a loud tick.
Meeting Angie and Planning a Future
I was single at the time, but not getting any younger, so I decided to start looking into the process of becoming pregnant. That is when I met my wife, Angie. We were high school acquaintances who rekindled our friendship at a mutual friend’s birthday party. We were drawn to one another, fell in love, and started building a life together.
From the start, I told Angie that I was planning on becoming pregnant. Even though Angie’s previous relationship graced her with three beautiful daughters, she was all on board and chose to embark on this journey with me.
Navigating Medical Obstacles
I started with my gynecologist, where evaluations revealed a uterus full of fibroids. My OBGYN stated there was no way I could get pregnant as things stood, so I underwent a laparoscopic myomectomy to remove ten fibroids. One risk of surgery was scar tissue blocking my fallopian tubes, which unfortunately came to fruition: one tube was completely blocked and the other was slightly blocked. I knew IVF would be my next step.
Lucky for me, I found VCRM. A very good friend helped me research LGBTQ+ inclusive fertility clinics in the area, and Dr. Sharara and VCRM were at the top of the list! Angie and I went in for a consultation where we were greeted with warmth and smiles. We immediately felt comfortable and safe. (As it turns out, my cousin and his wife were also successful clients of Dr. Sharara!)
Grief, Strength, and Embryo Adoption
During our first IVF attempt, we retrieved 15 eggs, fertilized 5, and transferred a normal male embryo. Unfortunately, the transfer was unsuccessful. We were deeply saddened, but determined to try again.
That is when Sara, Angie’s eldest daughter, had a relapse of her germinoma brain tumor. Sara passed away on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018. Staying by her side was our sole priority. It was the most devastating thing that has ever happened to our family.
Due to my age and further testing, we decided embryo adoption was the best option. Dr. Sharara hand-selected our embryos, and on October 7, 2019, a male and female embryo were transferred.
One of those little embryos stayed with us. We stayed with VCRM until 9 weeks of pregnancy before graduating to my OBGYN. We miss VCRM immensely, but we know we will be back just as soon as we are ready!
