Chantal and Keith

Almost a year later I found strength, courage and enough finances to attempt a 4th IVF round. It was my most stressful and physically demanding cycle to date. We transferred the embryo that looked the greatest and once again felt hope.

Hope shattered 12 days later. A biopsy confirmed I had endometritis, an infection in my uterine lining most likely from my previous caesarean two years earlier. It took 2 rounds of antibiotics to clear the infection and we were ready to try a frozen embryo transfer in March 2020. Then COVID hit and the world stood still.

Our clinic reopened in June 2020 and I was first in line. Protocols were different, we transferred an embryo while my husband was on FaceTime. I felt so alone and scared. Nothing went perfectly. Our embryo got stuck in the catheter and the whole procedure had to be redone, it was just my luck.

My second son was born on St. Patrick’s Day 2021, ironically for an Irish girl, one of the luckiest days of the year.

Infertility doesn’t leave you when you make it to the other side. There’s a piece of me that will never recover from the trauma. But Infertility didn’t just take from me, it gave me determination, compassion and acceptance.

I am not just a success story or one of the lucky ones. I fought tirelessly, unwilling to settle, I advocated for myself and I worked hard to find ways to pay for the never-ending treatment bills. I did not let the past fails dictate my future and I absolutely refused to give up.

With a frozen embryo left in the freezer, my story continues…