IVF for Baby Brumm
Donation protected
For those of you who know Kyle and me, you know that we are lovers of all things involving adventure. Our relationship thus far has been filled with traveling, exploring new places, spending time outside, and enjoying each other’s company every step of the way. We feel that each and every adventure we’ve been on together has been an important bonding moment to strengthen our relationship and prepare us for the ultimate adventure: parenthood. Kyle and I have always known we wanted kids together, but once we decided we were ready to add some little adventure buddies to our tribe we had no idea what kind of mountain we were trying to climb to reach our first little baby.
Our journey to baby Brumm started several years ago, but it has felt much longer. Since then, we have spent numerous hours in and out of doctor’s offices for tests and treatment, we have paid thousands of dollars in medical bills, and have been put through the wringer emotionally. These past couple of years have taught me so much about patience, having grace, and finding my inner strength. I have never wanted anything more in my life than to be a mom and to start a family with the love of my life. We have worked with our doctors every step of the way, scrutinizing our diets, our exercise routines, anything to ensure there was nothing we were doing to hurt our chances of getting pregnant. About a year ago we finally heard the words we had feared most: it will never be possible for us to have our own children without reproductive assistance, and then it still isn’t a guarantee. When you hear that as a couple you are infertile, you don’t know how it is going to affect you. After receiving our diagnosis, I initially couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame, and defeat. However, Kyle and I now know that our cause of infertility is something that is completely out of our hands; there is nothing we can do nor ever could do to change it, or prevent it.
All that is left to do now is keep a positive mindset, follow the care plan of our amazing doctors, and make the most out of our situation. We are so grateful that we still have a path to having our baby, but it surely isn’t an easy one. I think most people are familiar with the concept of IVF, but it seems that unless you, or someone close to you has gone through it, chances are you probably don’t know the details of what all goes into making such a miracle happen. Our process started by going through all sorts of tests to ensure that we qualified for IVF, then we had a consult to go over our health, how the process works, and were given our care plan. Once our cycle actually begins, I will need to inject myself with multiple hormone shots daily. Next, we will need to make several trips to Iowa City for ultrasounds to check my progress before the egg retrieval, which is followed by the lab assisting in creating our future baby. Finally, assuming all goes well, an embryo will be transferred back to me. After all that, and another round of hormone injections, we will hopefully be pregnant. Most insurance does not include IVF coverage, unless your state requires it. Unfortunately, Iowa is not one of those states that requires any sort of coverage. The package rate for IVF from the University of Iowa is $18,250. This price doesn’t include all the tests and treatments we’ve already undergone, the thousands we will be spending on medication, the initial consult we had, or any extra testing we may need along the way.
We have gone back and forth for some time now trying to decide if we want to open up and share our very personal story with the world. We have been afraid of judgement and the added pressure that comes along with sharing such personal news. But then we thought about how we will do anything and everything for our babies once they’re here, so why not start now? Other than focusing on our health, the only thing we can do right now is try to create the most stable environment possible so we can provide for our babies and give them the best possible future. We already have student loan debt that we are trying to pay off (like so many others our age), and taking on medical debt is only going to make it harder for us to give our future babies the best life possible.
We have so much love to give and aspire to raise kind, loving, passionate children who are driven to explore and care for this world as much as we try to. Please, support us on our journey in any way you are able. Of course we greatly appreciate any monetary support you are able to provide, but we are also so grateful for emotional support and kind words. If you feel so inclined to donate to our cause, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Even if you aren’t able, thank you so much for taking the time to read our story.
Please feel free to pass this onto anyone else who might find value in learning about our journey. We hope to help others who are going through the same challenges know they are not alone, and they have a community of people behind them. Our family and friends always mean the world to us, but it becomes that much more evident just how lucky we are to have you all in our lives during times like this.
Love,
Laura & Kyle
Our journey to baby Brumm started several years ago, but it has felt much longer. Since then, we have spent numerous hours in and out of doctor’s offices for tests and treatment, we have paid thousands of dollars in medical bills, and have been put through the wringer emotionally. These past couple of years have taught me so much about patience, having grace, and finding my inner strength. I have never wanted anything more in my life than to be a mom and to start a family with the love of my life. We have worked with our doctors every step of the way, scrutinizing our diets, our exercise routines, anything to ensure there was nothing we were doing to hurt our chances of getting pregnant. About a year ago we finally heard the words we had feared most: it will never be possible for us to have our own children without reproductive assistance, and then it still isn’t a guarantee. When you hear that as a couple you are infertile, you don’t know how it is going to affect you. After receiving our diagnosis, I initially couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame, and defeat. However, Kyle and I now know that our cause of infertility is something that is completely out of our hands; there is nothing we can do nor ever could do to change it, or prevent it.
All that is left to do now is keep a positive mindset, follow the care plan of our amazing doctors, and make the most out of our situation. We are so grateful that we still have a path to having our baby, but it surely isn’t an easy one. I think most people are familiar with the concept of IVF, but it seems that unless you, or someone close to you has gone through it, chances are you probably don’t know the details of what all goes into making such a miracle happen. Our process started by going through all sorts of tests to ensure that we qualified for IVF, then we had a consult to go over our health, how the process works, and were given our care plan. Once our cycle actually begins, I will need to inject myself with multiple hormone shots daily. Next, we will need to make several trips to Iowa City for ultrasounds to check my progress before the egg retrieval, which is followed by the lab assisting in creating our future baby. Finally, assuming all goes well, an embryo will be transferred back to me. After all that, and another round of hormone injections, we will hopefully be pregnant. Most insurance does not include IVF coverage, unless your state requires it. Unfortunately, Iowa is not one of those states that requires any sort of coverage. The package rate for IVF from the University of Iowa is $18,250. This price doesn’t include all the tests and treatments we’ve already undergone, the thousands we will be spending on medication, the initial consult we had, or any extra testing we may need along the way.
We have gone back and forth for some time now trying to decide if we want to open up and share our very personal story with the world. We have been afraid of judgement and the added pressure that comes along with sharing such personal news. But then we thought about how we will do anything and everything for our babies once they’re here, so why not start now? Other than focusing on our health, the only thing we can do right now is try to create the most stable environment possible so we can provide for our babies and give them the best possible future. We already have student loan debt that we are trying to pay off (like so many others our age), and taking on medical debt is only going to make it harder for us to give our future babies the best life possible.
We have so much love to give and aspire to raise kind, loving, passionate children who are driven to explore and care for this world as much as we try to. Please, support us on our journey in any way you are able. Of course we greatly appreciate any monetary support you are able to provide, but we are also so grateful for emotional support and kind words. If you feel so inclined to donate to our cause, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Even if you aren’t able, thank you so much for taking the time to read our story.
Please feel free to pass this onto anyone else who might find value in learning about our journey. We hope to help others who are going through the same challenges know they are not alone, and they have a community of people behind them. Our family and friends always mean the world to us, but it becomes that much more evident just how lucky we are to have you all in our lives during times like this.
Love,
Laura & Kyle
Organizer
Laura Brumm
Organizer
Des Moines, IA