To start off, I want to say thank you for viewing my page. My husband Drew and I appreciate the donations, sharing and your time!

Let me tell you about our story. Those that know me, know how hard this is for me. I am so stubborn. In my head, I am the one who helps everyone else when they need it. Not the other way around. No one helps me and I don't ask. I take care of us. My husband fights with me about my stubbornness but he loves me. He knows it's only so that we can be independent of others.

Here is the thing though, I have never wanted anything more in my life. I don't just want this for me. I want this for my wonderful, loving husband Drew. He is such a good man and he takes care of me and our fur children. He has a heart equal in size to mine for all living things. I know he will make a great father and I want that dream to come true.

Drew and I have been married a little over 3 years. We have been trying to have a baby for all 3. Our first year we tried naturally. Around January of 2020 we reached out to my PCP to start the process of testing for infertility and seeing a specialist.

Drew got his sperm tested and everything was normal. Numbers we great so no concerns there. My first appointment however.... was pushed off for months because of covid. I know I may sound ungrateful but it's hard not to. I was ready to get answers. This made me start to feel discouraged. Finally come September 2020, I got my HSG test. This found that I had a left tubal blockage of some kind.

After getting the run around from the first OBGYN I was seeing, I got referred to see Dr. Hunter at Kentucky Fertility Institute. I cannot say enough good things about KFI and the staff. They are so amazing, supportive and so kind! Yllena has helped me so much, and its amazing how the staff are always there! So Dr. Hunter ran some labs, and they were all normal and I had a normal period ( every 30 to 35 days, lasting 5 days like clockwork). Dr. Hunter decided we should to a medicated IUI cycle. This is less expensive and less invasive than IVF.

We were so excited. First round, I produced multiple follicles and they were excellent in size. So IUI number 1 was a go. It went smoothly, so then we had 2 weeks of wait. ( The longest 2 weeks ever). Well, those 2 weeks passed and another negative test. We were upset. We mourned but then we moved right into the next try. We knew the odds. The more you try, the more you increase the chances.

The next month, no follicles on the right side. With the left being blocked we had to skip. They suggested we still try at home, because it's not uncommon but they didn't want us to spend our money. Month 3 comes around and they wanted to do a baseline. This is an ultrasound at the beginning of the cycle. On my baseline, we found a mass. We couldn't tell the full size but at this point it looked like the size of a papaya. The next few days, and weeks were scary. All I could think is the worst.. so we had to do a CT scan to try to find the real size.

CT scan day comes and we find it's 32 cm x 16 cm x 33 cm. This is about 13 in x 6 in x 13 in. So it's massive! So Dr. Hunter's question, is it benign or not? Due to the size he referred me to an Oncologist. Dr. Doering was so great. So informative and calm. He tried to be reassuring without giving false hope. He explained that regardless this was a major, invasive surgery. I would have a 13 in incision across my stomach.

He told us the best case scenario, I would have my left tube, left ovary, and appendix removed along with the cyst. He also gave worst case scenario, I would have a full hysterectomy, have my appendix removed and the cyst along with other testing for cancer and chemo. My heart stopped. We were terrified. This would be my first ever surgery, and it was something so major? And then, that I could lose everything by having a hysterectomy?

But I couldn't think of that. I had to try to keep it out of my mind, and not worry my husband. Who is going through this right along my side. Surgery was scheduled for a few weeks later. As the time got closer I was more and more anxious and afraid. The day before surgery, I got a call and my doctor had a family emergency. One more week. More waiting, more tests, more prep. I was ready though. Ready to know and hopefully we could have everything we ever dreamed of.

The week passed, and finally it was surgery day. My poor husband was so scared and so worried about me. He felt all my fears, while also trying to come to grips with the possibility of having to explain to his wife that she would never birth her own child. It wasn't guaranteed but the fear was there. And he knew it would crush me. I love him for his support and loving me and knowing he'd be there for me no matter what.

Surgery went off without a hitch. They removed the cyst and it was massive, 26 lbs!!!! They also removed my left tube, ovary and my appendix for good measure. But thank God it was benign. It was called a mucinous cystadenoma. I stayed in the hospital for 2.5 days and then 7 more weeks of recovery. Thankfully recovery went smooth too.

Holidays made Drew and I decide to hold off going back to KFI. We decided to try on our own in hopes that the surgery was exactly what was needed. That brings us to now, and we tried for 3 months on our own, and still no positive tests. At this point we are looking in to IVF and adoption. That's where all of you come in. Anything helps! And if you can't donate, if you could just share!

All funds go to us TTC. If we have any funds remaining when we are successful, it will go to another couple in need. 

Thank you!

Sincerely, Margaret and Drew Carroll