RichardBabyMamaFund

 Hi there. 

As you know, Jess and Jeff have been trying to have a baby since they were married in 2006. After years of trying with no avail, they have decided to use a surrogate.

 

This is where you come in. Surrogacy is uber expensive. So we are asking for a little help.

 

We are asking for a donation, whatever you are able to afford. Even if it is just $10.00, every little bit helps.

 

And one other thing, PLEASE forward and share this with YOUR friends, family and acquaintances. As they say, it takes a village.

 

For those of you who don't already know Jess and Jeff's story, please read on:

 

In 2006, Jess and Jeff were married in a beautiful ceremony in Mexico, surrounded by all of their family and friends. Their chemistry was so intense, a lot of us were hedging bets as to how long it would take before they got pregnant.

 

In 2007, a year later, we all heard the fabulous news! Jess and Jeff were pregnant. They were both overjoyed with excitement to the point that Jeff used the picture of the pregnancy test as his screen saver on his computer. They began picking out baby names, starting their baby registries, and reading up on the newest books. Jess was so excited she started tracking the development of their baby week by week and made their first OB appointment. But their excitement would soon be replaced with sorrow.

 

At six weeks, as Jess anxiously awaited their first appointment, she began to miscarry. Jeff was overseas working as Jess sat alone watching their hopes and dreams of a family slowly slip away.

 

As she sat in the OB office to confirm her miscarry, Jess did her best to hide her disappointment and torment in the waiting room as she sat and listened to all of the other mothers-to-be talk excitedly about their joy of being pregnant:talking about baby names, due dates, and birthing methods. It was all she could do to contain her grief and hold back her waves of tears.

 

After meeting with the doctor and finding out that a single miscarriage is not rare, Jess and Jeff decided to continue trying to get pregnant. But, nothing happened. 

 

After months of no news, they both decided it was time to see a specialist.

After a few tests and ultrasounds, the specialist confirmed why Jess and Jeff were having a hard time getting pregnant.

Jess had multiple fibroids in her uterus, which was making it nearly impossible for her to get pregnant. The specialist was actually surprised that Jess was able to get pregnant in 2007.

 

They scheduled a fibroid removal surgery for the fall.

In August of 2008, Jess started to have bouts of intense, debilitating cramping. She figured it had to do with the fibroids, and that the pain would be relieved with the upcoming surgery.

 

But suddenly, later in the week, Jess started blacking out and would awaken lying on the floor. She called 911. Upon arrival the EMT's found Jess in and out of consciousness at the bottom of her steps, and rushed her to the emergency room. This is where Jess found out that she had indeed been pregnant again.

 

What should have been a happy event, was now life threatening.

The doctors in the emergency room told Jess that, unfortunately, the baby had implanted in her fallopian tube, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy. They also told her that the fallopian tube had ruptured, and that she had been bleeding out into her abdomen the entire week. The amount of blood loss was what had led to the blackouts as her body struggled to give enough blood to her heart and lungs to keep her alive.

 

Jess was rushed into emergency surgery to repair all of the damage and save her life. 

 

Jess had already lost so much blood into her body cavity that the doctors had to open her stomach up to stop the bleeding.

 

She was extremely lucky to have survived this ordeal. It is not uncommon for women to lose their lives from ruptured ectopic pregnancies.

Later in 2008, after Jess healed from her emergency surgery, she had the fibroid removal surgery.

 

During the surgery, Jess and Jeff would discover more upsetting news adding to their grief of trying to have a family.

The doctor informed Jess that she not only had fibroids, but that she also had extensive endometriosis along her uterus and fallopian tube causing the ectopic pregnancies. In addition, she had a deviated septum making it difficult for the baby to attach to the uterus. Last, he stated that she had cysts in her uterus that would expel water to abort the baby if she got pregnant again.

The specialist repaired and removed all the stated complications to the best of his ability.

Jess and Jeff had to wait a very long three months while she healed before trying to get pregnant again.

 

After trying again and again, Jess and Jeff were still not pregnant.

In the summer of 2009, they decided to try IVF, or InVitro Fertilization.

If you are not familiar with the IVF process, please check out the links below.

 

http://www.infertility.about.com/od/infertilitytreatments/ss/ivf_treatment.html

 

http://www.fertilityfactor.com/infertility_in_vitro_fertilization.html

 

IVF is not easy. Between the daily blood draws, the bed rest, egg removal, embryo implantation, ultrasounds, and hormone injections:it can weigh heavily on a couples emotional state:it is a daunting task to say the least. But, Jess and Jeff hoped it would be worth it. That their dream of starting a family would come to fruition with the help of IVF.

 

After a month and a half, it did. They received the news that they were pregnant again. But, they were reluctant to share the news with friends and family until they had made it past the first trimester.

Unfortunately, their fears were right. Jess had another life threatening ectopic pregnancy. The embryo had implanted in her fallopian tube once again. 

Her doctor gave her a shot to abort the baby to prevent rupturing her one and only remaining fallopian tube.

 

Unfortunately it was too late. Jess was rushed to the emergency room to remove the ruptured fallopian tube, stop her blood loss, and save her life.

 

The dark clouds just never seemed to let up. 

By the end of 2009, Jess and Jeff had endured 3 miscarriages.

In the first half of 2010 they endured TWO failed IVF cycles.

For more information on how enduring this is go to:

 

http://www.fertilityfactor.com/infertility_fet.html

 

During the summer of 2010, the specialist informed Jess and Jeff that Jess's fibroids had returned with a vengeance. He told them that this may be why they had suffered two failed IVF cycles. He informed them that for some reason Jess's fibroids grow way faster than normal. Their only option was yet another surgery, to remove the new fibroids, and then try another IVF cycle.

 

After the three month healing period, Jess and Jeff were certain that this was "the one". Jess had been back on her restricted diet, she had just had the surgery, and she had also started acupuncture that had evidence backing it to heighten fertility.

 

But, alas, no pregnancy. And no baby. All of the prayers and all of the positive thinking could not keep those dark clouds at bay.

Jess and Jeff were ready to give up.

Jess started questioning everything. 

Was she not supposed to be a mother? Had Jeff picked the wrong partner to try and start a family with? Did she not deserve a family? Her guilt was unimaginable and it plagued her.

 

Finally, after four failed IVF attempts, their doctor recommended surrogacy.

 

This was a very difficult, heartbreaking decision for the both of them. 

They were forced to let go of the images that they had in their heads of how their family would be. Jess was forced to succumb to the limitations of her uterus and forced to accept that another woman would have to carry their children for them. Unfortunately, surrogacy is their final hope for having children of their own. 

 

In the last few years, Jess and Jeff have depleted their life savings, accumulated massive credit card debt, and taken out numerous personal loans, just to try to have children of their own through IVF.

 

This is where you come in.

Like I said before, they need your help desperately.

Jess and Jeff have finally found a gestational carrier (surrogate) who has passed all of the initial exams and is cleared for the implantation.

Please, even if it is a small amount, donate today.

And please, forward this to all of YOUR family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances:anyone that you think would be able to help.

Jess and Jeff are hoping to raise $45,000 just to cover the costs of the surrogate.

 

Again, it takes a village:..