After being told we could not have children, we looked to alternate options. We researched, IVF (invitro Fertilization), IUI (Interuterian Insemination), and adoption.

IUI is purchasing donor sperm and inserting it into the uterus with the hopes it will naturally fertilize an egg.

IVF is the stimulus of the womans hormones to release multiple eggs. The eggs are retrieved through surgery then fertilized in a petri dish, then the embryo is transfered to the uterus with the hopes of implantation and pregnancy.

We first rulled out IUI because of the thoughts of using "another man's sperm".We looked to adoption and it seemed hopefull. We had an adoption agency, a case worker and met her to discuss the situation. All seemed ok, until they review Michelle's age. They were hesitant to allow someone so young to adopt. She was 21 at the time. Then when the $25,000 was needed, we had to rule out adoption all togethor.

We then moved to IUI. We used a donor bank from Washington state. We purchased two vials a month ( a couple times we purchased 3 ) and with shipping we were spending around $700 a month. We first tried at home insemination, twice. And it did not work. We then did doctor assisted at Walter Reed, twice. We had to pay an additional $175 each time for that process. While I was deployed to Iraq, Michelle became pregnant from our 4th IUI and we thought all was good. She had a miscarriage at 7 weeks, and the results were devastating. I went into a state of depression for a few weeks in Iraq, but was forced to recover due to the situation over there. We slowly recovered and continued IUI's the month I got back. We continued with 5 more brutal months of IUI's, the hopefull two week wait followed by crashed dreams from a negative pregnancy test.

We then recieved orders to Andersen Air Force Base Guam which gave us much excitment. We very quickly learned there is no infertility help for us there. So, we then turned to one last hope of IVF. Just one month later Michelle did all the blood work required. We started the stimulating

medications which were injections daily. Many days were several painful injections. We spent 2 weeks in Washington D.C. for the IVF cycle in Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During those 2 weeks were doctor apppointments every other day, sometimes daily to have scans to measure everything in the womb and do blood work.

The egg retrival and embryo transfer came quickly. We had 11 eggs, and 11 million sperm. Of the 11 eggs, 8 were mature enough to fertilize. They were all fertilized over night and the next day we got a call from the IVF clinic. 5 fertilized! 2 days later we went in to transfer the embryos into Michelle womb with the hopes atleast 1 will stick and grow. On the morning of the transfer, we found out that 3 eggs had made it to a grade 2. ( The embryos are graded on a scale of 1-5, 5 being a "dead" embryo that cannot be used, and 1 being as healthy as can be) We were very excited. We decided to transfer 2 embryos. The doctor would not allow us to transfer the 3 because he said it was very risky. Triplet babies have a very hard time surviving. So we transfered 2. We got a picture of our two "babies" and got to watch them on a monitor being transfered into Michelle's uterus. We got a picture of the two embryos in the uterus.

Now, we had the final two week wait.

It went quickly due to our upcoming move. On Valentines day, we finally took a store bought pregnancy test. To our delight, it was positive. The following morning the doctors confirmed it with a positive blood test. The answer to our dreams had come. Now we just had to wait for our first ultrasound, scheduled for 6 March. During those 3 weeks, we made our move to Guam. The two of us, our baby, and two crazy cats.

A not so happy ending...or begining                                    

We anxiously made the drive to the hospital for our first ultrasound. We were very positive. She had all the signs of pregnancy. The doctor at obgyn did the ultrasound and found nothing. Our hearts dropped. I was devestated and Michelle was numb. I asked the doctor why her levels were high, and she sent us for another blood test. It came out positive, we unfortunatly got our hopes back up. We then waited 5 hours for a more in depth ultrasound with the radiologist. he unfortunatly found nothing but a small gestational sack. A week later, we had our final ultrasound and there was no sign of life.

 

 

And that is where our new beggining is. That is where we decided, it was time to help our family grow, but helping another family in need. WE WILL ADOPT.

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