Becoming Baby Dodson - Our Journey
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We decided to do a fundraiser to help raise money to expand our family. Family has always been very important us. Over the years, we have had countless conversations about our future children and our desire to start a family, but we never anticipated the struggles that would come our way.
Weston and I met in 2005 when he came up to Maryland with my cousin (his best friend) and his family to visit that summer; I was 13 and he was 14. The next summer, he came back to Maryland on another family vacation. According to his mom, Weston came home from that trip and told her he had met the girl he was going to marry!
In 2012, I was diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized ovarian tumor that engulfed my right ovary requiring surgical removal; fast forward 2 years, the tumor returned on my left ovary. I underwent the egg retrieval process twice prior to having my other ovary removed, in hopes I would be able to go through IVF and carry my own children when the time was right.
We kept in touch off and on over the years, but it wasn't until Weston joined the Coast Guard and I graduated from college that our story began to evolve. We had been long distance until I graduated from my graduate program in 2016 and moved closer to him. Unfortunately, my tumors returned and progressed to ovarian cancer a few months before we got married in June 2018. A year later, I underwent my fourth extensive abdominal surgery, including a hysterectomy, because my cancer returned. I was heartbroken when I woke up from surgery and found out my uterus had to be removed, but Weston has been my rock and an amazing supporter through everything. Shortly after yet another extensive surgery in February 2020, I began chemotherapy treatment during the COVID pandemic. This has kept me from returning to work in the medical field due to my compromised immune system.
This journey, especially the last two years, have been a roller coaster, but we have now began the process of IVF in hopes of having a biological child via a gestational carrier. Unfortunately, none of these expenses are covered by Tricare, which brings us here. We thank you for taking the time to read our story and appreciate your support and prayers as we continue to navigate this journey.
Weston and I met in 2005 when he came up to Maryland with my cousin (his best friend) and his family to visit that summer; I was 13 and he was 14. The next summer, he came back to Maryland on another family vacation. According to his mom, Weston came home from that trip and told her he had met the girl he was going to marry!
In 2012, I was diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized ovarian tumor that engulfed my right ovary requiring surgical removal; fast forward 2 years, the tumor returned on my left ovary. I underwent the egg retrieval process twice prior to having my other ovary removed, in hopes I would be able to go through IVF and carry my own children when the time was right.
We kept in touch off and on over the years, but it wasn't until Weston joined the Coast Guard and I graduated from college that our story began to evolve. We had been long distance until I graduated from my graduate program in 2016 and moved closer to him. Unfortunately, my tumors returned and progressed to ovarian cancer a few months before we got married in June 2018. A year later, I underwent my fourth extensive abdominal surgery, including a hysterectomy, because my cancer returned. I was heartbroken when I woke up from surgery and found out my uterus had to be removed, but Weston has been my rock and an amazing supporter through everything. Shortly after yet another extensive surgery in February 2020, I began chemotherapy treatment during the COVID pandemic. This has kept me from returning to work in the medical field due to my compromised immune system.
This journey, especially the last two years, have been a roller coaster, but we have now began the process of IVF in hopes of having a biological child via a gestational carrier. Unfortunately, none of these expenses are covered by Tricare, which brings us here. We thank you for taking the time to read our story and appreciate your support and prayers as we continue to navigate this journey.
Organizer
Kate Dodson
Organizer
Safety Harbor, FL
