Allison & Jack's IVF Journey #CreatingACornwell

Hi there! For those who don't know us, we are Allison and Jack Cornwell. We have been married now almost 7 years (where does the time go??), and we've known each other for more than TWENTY years! Our story technically began in 1995 when we were classmates in high school. We never dated in high school, but we were friends throughout those three years. As many do, we lost touch after graduation, but reconnected on Facebook in 2013. Jack randomly sent me a message, and the rest, as they say, is history.

We have known since before we got married that we wanted to have children. We're both very parental, and have even created lists of baby names. Our conversations frequently start with, "if we have children," or "when we have children..." Unfortunately, we very quickly learned that what comes easily for many would be a struggle for us.

In 2017, we started going to a reproductive endocrinologist here in San Antonio who diagnosed me with, essentially, random infertility - meaning they could not really determine what was causing my infertility. Jack was diagnosed with low motility and a low count, which meant we were doubly infertile. Our doctor said he wanted to try IUI only once and then move on to IVF. IUI did not work. We did one IVF retrieval and were lucky to have 5 embryos we were able to use/freeze. Over the next few months, we did 3 transfers with the 5 embryos (1 the first time, then 2 the next 2 times). The first one resulted in a positive test, but there was nothing there at the first sonogram. The second one did not take. The third resulted in a positive test, but ended in an early miscarriage. We never got to the heartbeat point. Our doctors essentially said they had no idea what caused it, but blamed the embryos as likely bad and said if we did it again, we'd need to do genetic testing. Crushed, we put our plans on hold to allow our hearts to heal.

Fast forward to 2021. We are now both teachers, and we have not given up on our dreams. We are now patients at a new clinic and in the short time we've been there, I've been diagnosed with Chronic Endometriosis and had a hysteroscopy to remove a massive cluster of polyps. Chronic Endometriosis is known to cause random, unexplained miscarriages (!!), but not all hope is lost. My doctor put me on a medication that can help kill the bacterial infection that causes CE, and there is a possibility I will have to have another hysteroscopy soon. 

Jack and I are both undergoing various testing and we are working on our personal health, as well. Based on what we've learned so far, my RE is recommending three cycles of IVF with genetic testing each time. The odds of success greatly increase with the number of cycles, as well as some other things that we have already check marked. But it's not cheap. Unfortunately most insurance, including ours, does not cover IVF. One cycle will cost around $18,000, which means we could be looking at a lot of out of pocket expenses. We are prepared to apply for a medical loan, but are hopeful we can keep that to a minimum, which is where you - and this GoFundMe - come in.

After much prayer and discussion, we have decided to reach out to our village for support. It is not easy for us to be vulnerable in asking for your help, but we understand it is necessary. In doing some research, the following quotes stood out to me:

• Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you. - Misty Copeland
• Having someone help you does not mean you failed; it just means you are not alone. - Unknown

By choosing to support us, you are saying that you see us, you believe in us, and most importantly, you believe in our dream.

HOW FUNDS WILL BE SPENT

All of your generous donations will be used to fund the various medical costs associated with IVF, including:

• Medications
• Retrieval surgery + anesthesia
• Fertilization
• Genetic testing
• Cryopreservation
• Embryo transfer(s)

Funds have to be paid prior to the procedure.

THANK YOU ♥️

Thank you is not enough to say to someone who helps you realize your dream. Something we would like to do is create some sort of work of art that includes the names of all our generous donors. This piece of art will live on the wall of Baby Cornwell's room to remember everyone who helped make their life possible.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Donate! Any dollar amount you are able to contribute will be greatly appreciated. If you would rather donate directly instead of via GoFundMe, you can do so through Venmo @AllisonNCornwell (6448 = last 4 of phone)

Share This! Whether you are able to financially support our cause, if you are able, we would be so grateful if you would share this with your family and friends.

Comment! We want to hear from you!

Follow Our Journey! In addition to posting updates here, we will also regularly post updates in our group on Facebook. You can join the group by clicking here . Feel free to add your friends or family to the group, as well, whether they are there to support us or be encouraged in their own journeys. Either way, it's nice to know we are not alone through this.