Success Story: I Never Gave Up!

I first started trying at the age of 24 (in 1989), travelling from home (near Liverpool) into the city (Paddington) every day to have injections & Blood tests, then travelling to work and trying to carry out a fulltime job. This went on for years, trying Ovulation Induction, AIH and other various treatments. Anything that would give a sign of hope I would try. Finally I was left with trying IVF. I agree that a wonderful doctor and IVF team makes the attempts alot easier. I battled disappointment after disappointment, watching family, friends and work colleagues fall pregnant and have their families, but still I was not going to give up without a fight. I started IVF at Westmead Fertility Clinic. Finally after 2 unsuccessful attempts, my 3rd attempt on IVF was a success (Boy didn’t we party!) friends and family came from everywhere to celebrate, but this was short lived as on Christmas night I was in Hospital miscarrying. Yes I was devasted but I was not going to be beaten. I kept saying I did it once I will do it again. So back to IVF I went. Next cycle unsuccessful. I was close to throwing in the towel but I said " One more go" By now I had been trying to conceive for 15years. (This was Christmas 2003) I gave everything I had to this cycle, (physical & mental energy). There were hurdles along the way. The day I went to have my eggs extracted, I was told my mother in law had cancer. This devasted all my family but I was to keep calm if there was any chance that this cycle was going to work. The day they implanted the embryo was a magical day, I too saw the monitor and prayed that this tiny embryo will grow and give hope to me and my mother in law. Well I had to wait the two weeks to find out if it was a success or not. I was to go in on a Monday for a pregnancy test (the same day that my mother in law had to start Chemo) the clinic asked me to come in on the Friday so no one in the family knew that we were having the test. I will never forget that day. The nurse said I will call at 1pm; well the call didn’t come until 3pm. The first thing I said to her was "Did you leave the negatives until the end? She said, "No, we have been staring at your filing and cant believe that after 15years the result was POSITIVE. That night we announced it to my family and I believe that this is what helped my mother in law get through her chemo and make a full recovery. My doctor was brilliant, the day I had my 12-week visit and you get to hear the heartbeat, we cried together. I was lucky that my IVF doctor was also the doctor that delivered my child. She was with me every step of the way. I overcame Gestational Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and was admitted into hospital at 33 weeks. So two weeks after my 40th Birthday (at 36 weeks), I gave birth to a beautiful Boy, which I called Daniel. (He is now 19 months old). They say life begins at 40 and for me it sure did. The ultimate satisfaction was the day my son puts his arms out to me and called out "mum". When I first heard that I knew that everything I went through over the 16 years was all worth it. I never gave up and I hope that other woman going through what I did can look ahead and see what the final result will give. I agree that without the support of my husband, IVF Doctors, Clinic Staff and family it is not an easy journey to undertake. My motto is "Never give up" Sorry for such a long Story but it was hard to condense 16 years into a small letter. Dianne

Dianne, Australia