Good News

[shayman]

Hello everyone,<br>My name is Samantha and I thought long and hard about posting a note to this site, my husband persuaded me in the end as he thought it was important.<br>Here goes with a long story: We had been married for 8 years in 1998 when we decided to 'go for it' and try for a baby, I wanted to be pregnant by the time I was 30 and took it for granted that it would happen as easily as all my friends were finding. How wrong we were! Didn't really begin to think too much about it until after the 2nd year of trying, my best friend fell within one month of coming of the pill and was already planning her 2nd, people were getting pregnant left, right and centre! I eventually took a trip to the docs and started having the usual tests along with my husband, The result of 'unexplained infertility' came back. We kept trying whilst we were waiting for our 3 year wait for NHS IVF treatment to come up. In 2000 I noticed that my periods had become more and more painful but was fobbed off time and time again until I eventually broke down in the doctors surgery saying that something was wrong, my stomach was huge! He begrudingly sent me for a scan and it was found that I had a broad ligament tumour the size of a grapefruit which looked as if it were atached to my left ovary (the lab later confirmed that it was a huge mass of endometriosis). I was in hospital a week later for a full laparotomy (cut from navel to minnie) they promised me they would save the ovary if they could. I woke to find that the tumour had destoyed the left ovary, it had to be removed along with some damage to my bowel. I was mortified, we wern't having any luck with two ovaries, what were my chances with one? Depression set in and eventually our turn on the NHS came up in 2002 (October). We were exited and determined and tried not to get too down when right at the end of the cycle it was found that my husbands sperm count had dropped dramatically, we were going to have to have ICSI! 7 weeks later, 2 grade 1 embryos were implanted, 13 days later my period came. I was in a bad way and had decided I couldn't give IVF another go unless we went to the very best clinic with brilliant success rates. We were all set for a further attempt in April of this year but in March I was 10 days late for my period. I wasn't bothered, since my operation I had stopped counting days and marking calenders, missed periods to me no longer meant the chance of pregnancy it was just my cycle! My best friend forced me to do a test and yes I was pregnant! I am half way there now, our baby is due in November. Words canot describe how we are feeling, but shocked has to be the overwhelming one.<br>I don't want to sound like all those stories that we have all been told over the years but I really thought it was important to tell you what happened to us. I had given up on miracles at least 3 years ago and thought IVF was the only way. It wasn't, never give up hope that it could happen naturally, good luck to you all.<br><br>Sam

[Missy1]

Hi Sam,<br>Thanks for writing your story and congratulations. I'm really happy for you. It's reassuring to know that miracles do happen sometimes!<br>Lets hope that everyone who visits this site will have a miracle story of their own soon.<br>Take care.<br>Missy

[fi]

wow what a story, personally i don't believe in miracles since we have been trying for 6yrs and as you say i get peed off with all these 'stories'of people having one, but yours is so special since you have been through so much.<br>ivf/icsi is the only way a great number of us will prob get there, but congrats to you both, well done and lots of joy for the new arrival!!<br>love fi

[KirstyC]

Hi Sam,<br>That's an amazing story, thank you for sharing it. I am so happy for you both after all you have been through...<br>Enjoy the rest of your nine months and just think you will treasure your gift more than all of your friends who didn't have to travel on this journey!<br>Lots of love<br>Kirsty<br>x