Espo IVF Fund
Donation protected
Our Journey
My journey on the long road of medical issues began almost 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with amenorrhea it was recommend for me to have an internal ultrasound. It was suspected that I had a heart shaped uterus but to solve the amenorrhea I would have to be placed back on birth control. Thankfully only a few years later I would finally meet my soul mate and this is where our journey truly begins. Not long after Thomas and I got married we talked about my medical issues and knew that we needed to get some things clarified. I went to my OBGYN and told her about my medical issues. She wanted to see the images that were taken during my first test and also we discussed my family history. She immediately told me that I needed to see a fertility doctors to have a Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test and suggest one of the best fertility doctors in our area.
The HSG would confirm if my uterus was heart shaped. At first I thought this would have been a horrible diagnosis but after all that I have been through this would have been something that they could surgically fix. The HSG confirmed that my uterus and tubes where just fine and that wasn’t the problem. After having blood test to check all my hormones and egg reserve the doctor came to the conclusion that my body wasn’t ovulating on its own and I would need to be on medication to make this happen. After a few months of being on many different medications and us desperately trying to conceive nothing happened. Then it was back to the drawing board for us and the doctor. This is when more testing was being preformed to make sure nothing was wrong with Thomas. After the results came back that everything looked good this is when I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility. After our next appointment, he suggested that we consider doing IUI (Intrauterine insemination). After not much thought Thomas and I knew this was a process that we wanted to undergo. This process was a combination of taking medication, ovulation tests, and internal ultrasounds each month in order to pinpoint the right time for the insemination. I remember after each IUI, I would just wait hoping that it took and that we had conceived. You will never believe how you can make just a little sign into something big and then time after time when the test date came so did the one sign that I knew it didn’t take. I remember one time when we were waiting in the room to have the IUI done. Thomas said to me, “does it bother you sitting in this room half undressed waiting” and I replied to him at this point I have had so many people poke and prod at me it doesn’t really bother me at all. Due to insurance you can only have 3 IUI’s done within your life time unless you are willing to front the cost yourself which is around $500 per IUI. Each one you have the chances of it working grow even less. I had 3 failed IUI’s. This caused extreme emotional stress for the both of us. I just couldn’t understand why it wasn’t working or was I doing something wrong.
Once again it was back to the drawing board for us and the doctor. The doctor informed us that we should really consider IVF since it was our best chance of having a baby. I remember that day well, I got in the car and burst out in tears. I knew that it wouldn’t be an option for us because it was going to be a HUGE financial burden to us that we just couldn’t afford. The next day I got a phone call from the doctor and he said there is one more option we can try which is to have abdominal laparoscopy for them to look around. In relief I said I will do it but I need to have it done before my insurance deductible restarts. He had one opening only one week before my insurance reset. I prayed that they would find something that would explain why we couldn’t conceive and that they could fix. The day came for me to have the surgery. I remember them taking me back and telling me the risk which I thought was well worth it to make me able to have a baby. They did find that I had mild endometriosis which was found mostly on my bladder. It was almost a relief that they had found it and that it might have been the cause all along. It was to our despair that it wouldn’t be the answer that we had hoped for. At my follow up appointment for my surgery the doctor told me what they had found and that he would keep me on my medication for a few months to see if I could conceive on my own. I thought to myself another round on an emotional roller coaster. It was the same routine of medicine, ovulation test, and hope that I would conceive. After 3 months, we didn’t conceive on our own and was told by the doctor that he was taking me off the medicine since my chances of it working were slim to none. All of this has taken place within a 2 year time span.
After this our focus was how to come up with the money to have IVF. IVF treatment can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 which doesn’t include up to $3,000 a month that your medicine can cost. Insurance does help with the medicine but doesn’t cover some of it. Insurance companies in NC don’t offer infertility coverage and therefore we would have to pay for all of this cost up front. Up to this point we have spend close to $10,000 on treatment. We have went back and forth on whether to ask for help and have came to the point that all we want is to be able to have a baby. This is probably one of the hardest things I have had to do is ask others for help. We are trying to raise enough money to get the process started and try not to leave such a financial burden on us. Any amount that you can donate would be greatly appreciated. This has been a long emotional roller coaster and in the end all we want is to come home with a baby. Please help us bring home a baby!!!
My journey on the long road of medical issues began almost 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with amenorrhea it was recommend for me to have an internal ultrasound. It was suspected that I had a heart shaped uterus but to solve the amenorrhea I would have to be placed back on birth control. Thankfully only a few years later I would finally meet my soul mate and this is where our journey truly begins. Not long after Thomas and I got married we talked about my medical issues and knew that we needed to get some things clarified. I went to my OBGYN and told her about my medical issues. She wanted to see the images that were taken during my first test and also we discussed my family history. She immediately told me that I needed to see a fertility doctors to have a Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test and suggest one of the best fertility doctors in our area.
The HSG would confirm if my uterus was heart shaped. At first I thought this would have been a horrible diagnosis but after all that I have been through this would have been something that they could surgically fix. The HSG confirmed that my uterus and tubes where just fine and that wasn’t the problem. After having blood test to check all my hormones and egg reserve the doctor came to the conclusion that my body wasn’t ovulating on its own and I would need to be on medication to make this happen. After a few months of being on many different medications and us desperately trying to conceive nothing happened. Then it was back to the drawing board for us and the doctor. This is when more testing was being preformed to make sure nothing was wrong with Thomas. After the results came back that everything looked good this is when I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility. After our next appointment, he suggested that we consider doing IUI (Intrauterine insemination). After not much thought Thomas and I knew this was a process that we wanted to undergo. This process was a combination of taking medication, ovulation tests, and internal ultrasounds each month in order to pinpoint the right time for the insemination. I remember after each IUI, I would just wait hoping that it took and that we had conceived. You will never believe how you can make just a little sign into something big and then time after time when the test date came so did the one sign that I knew it didn’t take. I remember one time when we were waiting in the room to have the IUI done. Thomas said to me, “does it bother you sitting in this room half undressed waiting” and I replied to him at this point I have had so many people poke and prod at me it doesn’t really bother me at all. Due to insurance you can only have 3 IUI’s done within your life time unless you are willing to front the cost yourself which is around $500 per IUI. Each one you have the chances of it working grow even less. I had 3 failed IUI’s. This caused extreme emotional stress for the both of us. I just couldn’t understand why it wasn’t working or was I doing something wrong.
Once again it was back to the drawing board for us and the doctor. The doctor informed us that we should really consider IVF since it was our best chance of having a baby. I remember that day well, I got in the car and burst out in tears. I knew that it wouldn’t be an option for us because it was going to be a HUGE financial burden to us that we just couldn’t afford. The next day I got a phone call from the doctor and he said there is one more option we can try which is to have abdominal laparoscopy for them to look around. In relief I said I will do it but I need to have it done before my insurance deductible restarts. He had one opening only one week before my insurance reset. I prayed that they would find something that would explain why we couldn’t conceive and that they could fix. The day came for me to have the surgery. I remember them taking me back and telling me the risk which I thought was well worth it to make me able to have a baby. They did find that I had mild endometriosis which was found mostly on my bladder. It was almost a relief that they had found it and that it might have been the cause all along. It was to our despair that it wouldn’t be the answer that we had hoped for. At my follow up appointment for my surgery the doctor told me what they had found and that he would keep me on my medication for a few months to see if I could conceive on my own. I thought to myself another round on an emotional roller coaster. It was the same routine of medicine, ovulation test, and hope that I would conceive. After 3 months, we didn’t conceive on our own and was told by the doctor that he was taking me off the medicine since my chances of it working were slim to none. All of this has taken place within a 2 year time span.
After this our focus was how to come up with the money to have IVF. IVF treatment can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 which doesn’t include up to $3,000 a month that your medicine can cost. Insurance does help with the medicine but doesn’t cover some of it. Insurance companies in NC don’t offer infertility coverage and therefore we would have to pay for all of this cost up front. Up to this point we have spend close to $10,000 on treatment. We have went back and forth on whether to ask for help and have came to the point that all we want is to be able to have a baby. This is probably one of the hardest things I have had to do is ask others for help. We are trying to raise enough money to get the process started and try not to leave such a financial burden on us. Any amount that you can donate would be greatly appreciated. This has been a long emotional roller coaster and in the end all we want is to come home with a baby. Please help us bring home a baby!!!
Organizer
Leslie Esposito
Organizer
Fuquay-Varina, NC
