Those who know me (Emma) & Luke will know our trying to conceive journey & will know it hasn't been easy & how we just want to become parents. ❤️ We've been together since 2014 and at that time we never ever imagined we'd be in our current situation. We had decided to start to try for children in 2016 and was just going to 'see what happens'. Fast-forward to 2022 & we still have no children, not even fallen pregnant.

We had all relevant tests through the GP and was reffered to the fertility clinic at Wheel Unity Treliske after a year of trying. Under the NHS we were able to proceed with IUI and IVF, it was our choice what to proceed with. We wanted every chance we could get so went ahead with 4 rounds of IUI to start with. We were so hopeful we would eventually get there. The pressure was off and it was in the doctors hands. All scans and all results were brilliant, absolutely no reasons at all why we couldn't conceive. However after 4 rounds, luck wasn't on our side.

End of 2021, beginning of 2022 we went ahead with our first round of IVF on NHS. Everything was well, scans showed alot of follicles and everything looked great. However the day of egg collection they only managed to get 5 eggs due to a high left ovary that they couldn't get too. We ended up with only 1 egg fertilize. We were initially devastated, we were so hopefully after hearing many stories of people getting lots of eggs. After a couple days we thought, actually, we got one! We had made an embryo! We had to have it transferred after two days, and unfortunately our embaby didn't stick

I was offered a laparoscopy under NHS just to see if anything was untoward or if there was a reason why my left ovary sits high. In April 2022 I had that procedure. Nothing was really found, ovary was fine and only minor endometriosis was found and removed, but it was never enough to effect anything.

So here we are, September 2022 and because we had no eggs to freeze, that was it for us under NHS. We now have to pay for treatment.

We had savings for this, we had prepared ourselves for this outcome, however due to an unfortunate injury to Luke he could not work for 3 months and him being a self employed carpenter, with his injury, he was unable to work. With no help from the government and just my wage from Next you can imagine we went though a big portion of our savings just by paying bills and living.

We are still unsure how much of an effect or longlasting effect luke's injury will have on him, at the moment he's back at work but we'll have to see what happens.

This isn't really what I wanted to do but family members have said to give it a go, other people do. With cost of living rising and people tightening their belts we really are not expecting anything at all and this isn't a sob story. We will get there one day! Whatever it takes. But if you wish to help, then anything will be greatly appreciated, even it it just covers fuel or Tamer bridge tolls.  We hope that the next round will be the only round we'll need to do but who really knows.

Our dream is just to become parents. ‍‍

Thanks for reading

Emma & Luke xx

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