Growing Our Family, One Step at a Time

Hi everyone!

Walter and I are generally private people, but we feel ready to share a bit about our lives. For more than 6 years, Walter and I have grappled with infertility and the complexities that accompany it. It has understandably been a very emotional journey that isn’t easy or simple to talk about.

Our status as carriers of severe genetic traits adds another difficult layer to our treatment plan. It necessitates extensive testing and specialized infertility treatments. One of these diseases is carried by me and the other women in my family: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

Being a carrier, or someone that can pass on a disease to our children without experiencing symptoms of DMD, has been a source of great distress during my life. It is a terminal disease that breaks down the muscles of the body until the person can no longer function. I saw the devastation this wrought on my family first-hand because of what my brother Haden went through before his death. I miss him every day.

We know that with or without disease, our family will see its fair share of setbacks and trials, but we decided a long time ago that we would go through this for our future children. Because of these obstacles we have carefully planned and reached out to specialists who will help us through our journey with in vitro fertilization (IVF). The injections, doctor’s appointments, and uncertainty has taken a toll on us that cannot be put into words. Though it hasn’t been easy, we know it will be worth it.

The profound love that has developed between Walter and I has been so comforting throughout this experience. We consider our cat, Pepper, to be our baby right now, but we have an endless hope that we might have a baby for her to love on as well.

We expected to fund the treatments ourselves, but have found the expense for our treatments has been far more than we anticipated. This is, in part, because of the experimental nature of the procedures needed to test embryos for genetic traits and ensuring they have the best chance for a healthy future.

We have seen the blessings of children through our own nieces, nephews, and throughout our families. Seeing the joy our friends have with their children just strengthens and solidifies our focus to grow our family as well.

Even if you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing our story with others who might be able to help. We are grateful for any support we receive, whether it's through donations, prayers, or messages of encouragement.

Thank you for taking the time to be part of our story!

Jaleyna & Walter