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Thank you for taking the time to read our Go Fund Me page. For most couples, conceiving a child is a happy, blessed time. But for others, who face infertility issues, it can be a difficult and stressful time. We understand that this is an extremely personal subject, any many readers may not agree with or understand the choice we are making to reach out for help - but I ask that you listen to our story.
When I was 13 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease which is an auto-immune gastrointestinal disorder that can cause fatigue, weight loss and severe abdominal pain among many other symptoms. There is no cure, but with medication and diet you can control the disease. I was well maintained until my first year of college when I had my first abdominal surgery where they removed part of my intestines.
The next year, I began to suffer from severe abdominal pain again and after weeks was rushed to the hospital. It was then that they discovered I had a mass on my right ovary the size of a Nerf football which had twisted my ovary, something called torsion. I was rushed into emergency surgery and the mass and ovary were removed. A week later the doctor confirmed that I had Stage 1 Ovarian Cancer and I underwent months of Chemotherapy.
Over the next four years, I graduated from college, began working and met a wonderful man who would later be my husband. Around the time we started dating, I had another flair up of the Crohn's Disease. My doctor told me I would need to undergo another resection, where they would remove part of my intestines and an abscess (a collection of fluid and pus) that had developed in my abdomen. The week following the surgery I was readmitted to the hospital. The incision where they had reconnected my intestines leaked and I developed another abscess that required surgical removal of more bowel. A few days after the second surgery I was still experiencing abdominal pain and fever and a CT Scan revealed yet another leak and another abscess. This time my intestines were badly damaged. The bowel could not be reconnected because of the damage and I was left with a temporary ileostomy and multiple drainage tubes following surgery. When the bowel had leaked following the second surgery it also spilled Ecoli bacteria into my abdominal cavity causing peritonitis (an infection in my abdominal cavity) and sepsis (an infection in the blood stream). I spent 30 days in isolation in the hospital while the doctors attempted to find antibiotics not resistant to the the bacteria. After battling back from all of these complications, I was discharged from the hospital weighing only 95 pounds (I'm 5'6 and usually 135lbs.) and very weak. With the help of my family, I regained my strength and decided to go back to school to become a nurse. I felt like my time in the hospital gave me the empathy and compassion to help those that are sick and suffering.
I completed nursing school and soon after married my now husband. After trying for a year to conceive, we learned that my only ovary and fallopian tube is blocked by adhesions (scar tissue) from all of the abdominal surgeries I have had. It was at this point our doctors told us IVF was our only hope. This was devastating news. We have always wanted to be parents and to look into the eyes of a baby we created. We could not imagine our life without raising a child. This past month, with the help of Reproductive Medical Associates of New York, we underwent our first cycle which only produced one viable embryo. Unfortunately, it did not implant. Like most insurances, IVF is not covered and we paid $16,000 out of pocket. We would like to attempt another cycle, but we need your help! Any and all help no matter how small it is would be greatly appreciated to get us to our goal.
We appreciate you taking the time to listen to our story and thank you for all your help. We understand not everyone can or is willing to help out finacially. You can also help by sharing our story so others can donate or share. Let's go viral!
Sincerely,
Heather and Chris Linsalata
When I was 13 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease which is an auto-immune gastrointestinal disorder that can cause fatigue, weight loss and severe abdominal pain among many other symptoms. There is no cure, but with medication and diet you can control the disease. I was well maintained until my first year of college when I had my first abdominal surgery where they removed part of my intestines.
The next year, I began to suffer from severe abdominal pain again and after weeks was rushed to the hospital. It was then that they discovered I had a mass on my right ovary the size of a Nerf football which had twisted my ovary, something called torsion. I was rushed into emergency surgery and the mass and ovary were removed. A week later the doctor confirmed that I had Stage 1 Ovarian Cancer and I underwent months of Chemotherapy.
Over the next four years, I graduated from college, began working and met a wonderful man who would later be my husband. Around the time we started dating, I had another flair up of the Crohn's Disease. My doctor told me I would need to undergo another resection, where they would remove part of my intestines and an abscess (a collection of fluid and pus) that had developed in my abdomen. The week following the surgery I was readmitted to the hospital. The incision where they had reconnected my intestines leaked and I developed another abscess that required surgical removal of more bowel. A few days after the second surgery I was still experiencing abdominal pain and fever and a CT Scan revealed yet another leak and another abscess. This time my intestines were badly damaged. The bowel could not be reconnected because of the damage and I was left with a temporary ileostomy and multiple drainage tubes following surgery. When the bowel had leaked following the second surgery it also spilled Ecoli bacteria into my abdominal cavity causing peritonitis (an infection in my abdominal cavity) and sepsis (an infection in the blood stream). I spent 30 days in isolation in the hospital while the doctors attempted to find antibiotics not resistant to the the bacteria. After battling back from all of these complications, I was discharged from the hospital weighing only 95 pounds (I'm 5'6 and usually 135lbs.) and very weak. With the help of my family, I regained my strength and decided to go back to school to become a nurse. I felt like my time in the hospital gave me the empathy and compassion to help those that are sick and suffering.
I completed nursing school and soon after married my now husband. After trying for a year to conceive, we learned that my only ovary and fallopian tube is blocked by adhesions (scar tissue) from all of the abdominal surgeries I have had. It was at this point our doctors told us IVF was our only hope. This was devastating news. We have always wanted to be parents and to look into the eyes of a baby we created. We could not imagine our life without raising a child. This past month, with the help of Reproductive Medical Associates of New York, we underwent our first cycle which only produced one viable embryo. Unfortunately, it did not implant. Like most insurances, IVF is not covered and we paid $16,000 out of pocket. We would like to attempt another cycle, but we need your help! Any and all help no matter how small it is would be greatly appreciated to get us to our goal.
We appreciate you taking the time to listen to our story and thank you for all your help. We understand not everyone can or is willing to help out finacially. You can also help by sharing our story so others can donate or share. Let's go viral!
Sincerely,
Heather and Chris Linsalata