Rachel and Ross

Finding out shortly after high school that I had PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) I always kept the thought of having difficulty conceiving in the back of my mind. I have a disease that has not yet been classified as such, as there is no clinical testing to prove the cause, rather a checklist of symptoms that the doctors use to determine this disorder and often an ultrasound to find ovarian cysts.

Knowing that I had this condition, my husband and I researched the fertility treatment options and the day after returning from our honeymoon, we had our 1st appointment with Mt Sinai Fertility Clinic. They found more than 50 cysts on each ovary and being that I do not have a regular cycle and quite a bit of abdominal pain, I wasn’t too surprised. We started medication immediately. I had endured a few procedures, several dose increases and injections, all within the first 7 months. To say that I felt like a pin cushion or lab rat, is the nicest way to describe it. Blood test after test, internal ultrasounds and consultations at 7am seemed like we were living Groundhog’s Day over and over. You become a robot after a while and although the end result is an amazing blessing, the process makes you sometimes feel dehumanized.

At this point, the costs were growing and the 5 appointments a month seemed to be deflating our spirits. Trying everything to ensure our chances were heightened…diet, eliminating certain foods no alcohol, no heated seats or laptops on the lap, reading resources on how we could increase our chances, including meditation and positive reinforcement.

We continued on and eventually after a chemical pregnancy, we became pregnant the following month through IUI. This was our last attempt, for now as we could not afford the IVF treatments and felt we needed to regroup before trying again. We are so lucky that this worked out and that we didn’t give up. We found out Father’s Day weekend last year and welcomed our beautiful little prince this February. He just turned 3 months old and has been an absolute joy every day. Our love has grown to an indescribable level for him and each other, that we just find ourselves smiling every time we look at him and one another.

We are the lucky ones. Although 1.5 years seems like nothing compared to some friends who have spent many more years and many more thousands of dollars, still waiting for their miracle. Seeing the end result, I would do it all over again. Every single moment, because without the journey we had, we would not appreciate this miracle as much as we do.