The Lister Hospital and Fertility

If you’re regular reader of LBR, you will know both our boys are IVF babies. My goodness were they wanted. We didn't realise there was a problem with our fertility, because Step D was conceived naturally and the first time we didn't use protection, we were pregnant. (We lost that baby on the day of our 12 week scan.)  So I thought we wouldn't have any problem conceiving another baby. 

The problem was, 2 months after losing that baby, Step D got leukaemia and as mentioned before, the whole world got turned upside down.  Although I was also devastated, I wasn't getting any younger. I had just turned 37 when I lost our first baby and I knew time was running out. (That dam body clock) Rightly so, the husbands’ first concern was the survival of his daughter and all thoughts of other children had vanished. We didn't use protection for a year and I kept a note of when I ovulated. We still didn't get pregnant. In that time I had reflexology, massage and acupuncture. All to no avail. That's when the first blood tests began. 

Day 3 tests, Day 21 tests. FSH, LH, Thyroid. All came back normal. I had scans and dyes injected. Again all came back normal. That's when The Husband was tested. (He went along with it because he loved me. But his heart really wasn't in to it.) So it really came back as a huge surprise that it was a Male Factor problem. . The consultant explained stress has a huge bearing on fertility and it would be difficult to know, if ever, we would be able to conceive naturally. The only option was ICSI (where they inject the sperm into the egg)

We live in Bournemouth. Probably unless you have fertility issues, you won't know that it depends on where you live, it is a fertility lottery. In Bournemouth, you can have one round, unless you already have children. Well I thought we would be OK, as obviously I didn't have any. But I was wrong. The husband had LGH (Holly) with his first wife, so that made me not eligible for my own baby.

The Husband, pre LGH illness worked for himself. But with LGH being so ill, all thought of work went out the window. His business went under as he was spending so much time at the hospital. So money was an issue. Luckily we had a little bit saved "for a rainy day" well it wasn't just raining it was pouring! So with The Husband Kicking and screaming we went to The Lister Hospital in London. I knew The Husband didn't want to be doing this. I knew we only had one go at this. So we went to the best.

For anybody who has ever been through IVF, they will know how stressful it is.I became an expert patient. I researched, the best drugs, what they would do to my body.  It took over my life. I was on, a zillion vitamins; I was having weekly acupuncture, lymphatic drainage massage. Eating brazil nuts. . . .You name it I did it!  I hadn't touched alcohol for over a year. Stopped drinking caffeine, only ate organic food and drink. Had blood test after blood test. Needles in my stomach , bits up my girl bits (sorry!) on a daily basis. It really isn't pleasant. The only way I got through it was believing it would be all worth it. 

To cut a long story short. My body did me proud. I produced 34 eggs (av is about 10) I had 3 excellent blastocysts after 5 days. 2 were put back. (I saw both boys at 2 cells, 8 cells and 100 cells). 

LBR at 8 cell embryo

And 2 weeks of torture later, I was pregnant. I still have the HPT with the lovely blue cross. It was amazing. After all the stress of the previous 2 years, something had finally gone right!

The two best words in the world. . . .

It was a long, long road to get my beautiful boys. After years of trying to conceive, we were told we would never be able to conceive naturally.  After a day or two of mourning, I woke up and decided this wasn’t going to beat us and I would do everything in my power to make it happen. I was a women possessed. I had every blood test known to man, including many I was told I didn’t need. If I was I going to go through IVF then I was going to make sure I was well armed!

I researched all the hospitals both here and abroad. I put my husband through hell!  I had no time for socialising, no time for niceties.  Every minute of every hour was spent researching what my blood levels meant. What prenatal vitamins to use, what alternative medicine, would give me the highest chance of getting pregnant.

We, when I say “we” I mean, “ I”  finally chose a hospital in London. One of the top ones. I knew I only had one shot, so I had to throw everything at it. The daily sniffing to down reg my body, was just another day closer to achieving my goal. Every blood test, scan and daily injection was allowing me to get closer to my beautiful baby. I actually saw my boys at 2 cells, 4 cells, and again at 100 cells.

I had two blastocycts put back and waited. I tested 2 weeks later, and just knew it had worked. I was pregnant with one baby. Now I could allow myself to think about what sex I wanted. 

I wanted a girl.

I wanted to dress her in pretty clothes. I wanted her to have a bob. I wanted to watch “high school musical” and to be able to chat about her first crush. I wanted to speak to her on the phone daily when she is older wanted to go shopping. .  I wanted a girl. 

My labour was terrible. A car crash. I finally gave birth after, lots of intervention and lots of doctors being involved. I heard the baby cry. I asked what it was.  It was a boy. I was too much in shock to care I didn’t have my girl. I needed my body to be repaired by the doctors, have a bath and then hold my son.

“My son” my goodness they must be the best 2 words in the English dictionary. Although I laboured throughout the night, the following night I just sat at the side of my bed and fell in love. I truly was the luckiest person in the world. R was perfect. I was so proud of him being him.  There was not a moment when I wished I had had a girl. He was perfect just as he was.

After another 3 attempts at ivf over the next 3 years. I was lucky to get pregnant again.(we went to the ARGC) Again I wanted a girl, but I must say, not as much as I did before my R.  This one was a whopper. Off the scale in all the prenatal scans and also breach.  We again didn’t know what sex we were having. I was scheduled for a c –section. But my lovely little man had other ideas. I went into labour 2 weeks early and my 9 1/2  lb boy came into the world. 

I looked down at his beautiful little face and full head of hair and like R, knew I would, love and worry about him for the rest of my life.