- S
The word "Ubuntu" comes to mind when thinking about our journey to parenthood. This term is often translated to mean "I am because we are" and is "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity" - it will truly take a village of love and unyielding support to make our dream of becoming parents a reality.
In full transparency, I always thought I had "time" to have a baby. Like so many women, I focused on education and career. Months turned into years... years into a decade +. Before I knew it I would near the eve of my 40th birthday without the family I always longed for. As is true to my nature, I started researching and planning - I was called to action. I lost weight (85 lbs). I overhauled my lifestyle and began taking better care of my health by hiking and kickboxing, doing yoga and meditating. I started acupuncture and began taking supplements, religiously. In the last few months I began working with my ObGyn Dr. to better understand why we weren't falling pregnant the good ole' fashioned way. (Unfortunately, my employers insurance does not cover fertility services). According to my lab results and an HSG test, this is when dye is injected into your Fallopian tubes to see if there are any blockages or damage, it was solidly confirmed that IVF would be our only path to parenthood. At the onset, this was devastating news. I felt broken. Like my body had betrayed me. Feeling like I'd done all the "right" things... weight loss, healthy habits, career, only to have our dream of a baby slip away. How in the world would two working class folks ever afford IVF?
Thankfully, it is not in my nature to lie down and give up. So my research continued. I found a fertility center in NY called CNY that provided discounted IVF. In the article about CNY, there was mention of another fertility center right here in Colorado with a similar pricing structure. I wondered if this could be our answered prayer. I figured it was worth a shot to give this center a call. Dr. Paul Magarelli at High Quality Affordable Fertility Centers had a phone consult with me. What I really enjoyed was the time he took with me, the probing questions he asked, and his candor. Based on my labs and my test results, time was not on my side. He was frank, but not pushy. He encouraged me to continue my research and to go with the fertility center I felt most comfortable with. (It is difficult to express how much I appreciated him taking such time and care for a "potential" patient). He started providing affordable IVF for military families and veterans. Seeing how Shareeff is a veteran, Magarelli was a natural fit for us. In a recent interview he said, "When I turned 60 I sort of looked at my life. For me to be able to help create a family, and have more people have access to it, that’s important." It was clear to see that Dr. Magarelli had heart, and to us, IVF is heart-centered work. So we felt good about moving forward with him.
Please know that any contribution you make will go directly towards financing our baby to be. We remain optimistic, and are deeply thankful should you choose to contribute monetarily or by keeping us in your positive thoughts and well wishes. We ask that you cover us (and so many like us) in your love and support as we make our way on this fertility journey. It will not be easy, but nothing in life that's worth it is. We sincerely hope that this fund is viewed as a hand up - because we all need a tiny hand, sometimes. Thank you for reading our story. "Ubuntu".
With love and gratitude,
Ashlea & Shareeff
In full transparency, I always thought I had "time" to have a baby. Like so many women, I focused on education and career. Months turned into years... years into a decade +. Before I knew it I would near the eve of my 40th birthday without the family I always longed for. As is true to my nature, I started researching and planning - I was called to action. I lost weight (85 lbs). I overhauled my lifestyle and began taking better care of my health by hiking and kickboxing, doing yoga and meditating. I started acupuncture and began taking supplements, religiously. In the last few months I began working with my ObGyn Dr. to better understand why we weren't falling pregnant the good ole' fashioned way. (Unfortunately, my employers insurance does not cover fertility services). According to my lab results and an HSG test, this is when dye is injected into your Fallopian tubes to see if there are any blockages or damage, it was solidly confirmed that IVF would be our only path to parenthood. At the onset, this was devastating news. I felt broken. Like my body had betrayed me. Feeling like I'd done all the "right" things... weight loss, healthy habits, career, only to have our dream of a baby slip away. How in the world would two working class folks ever afford IVF?
Thankfully, it is not in my nature to lie down and give up. So my research continued. I found a fertility center in NY called CNY that provided discounted IVF. In the article about CNY, there was mention of another fertility center right here in Colorado with a similar pricing structure. I wondered if this could be our answered prayer. I figured it was worth a shot to give this center a call. Dr. Paul Magarelli at High Quality Affordable Fertility Centers had a phone consult with me. What I really enjoyed was the time he took with me, the probing questions he asked, and his candor. Based on my labs and my test results, time was not on my side. He was frank, but not pushy. He encouraged me to continue my research and to go with the fertility center I felt most comfortable with. (It is difficult to express how much I appreciated him taking such time and care for a "potential" patient). He started providing affordable IVF for military families and veterans. Seeing how Shareeff is a veteran, Magarelli was a natural fit for us. In a recent interview he said, "When I turned 60 I sort of looked at my life. For me to be able to help create a family, and have more people have access to it, that’s important." It was clear to see that Dr. Magarelli had heart, and to us, IVF is heart-centered work. So we felt good about moving forward with him.
Please know that any contribution you make will go directly towards financing our baby to be. We remain optimistic, and are deeply thankful should you choose to contribute monetarily or by keeping us in your positive thoughts and well wishes. We ask that you cover us (and so many like us) in your love and support as we make our way on this fertility journey. It will not be easy, but nothing in life that's worth it is. We sincerely hope that this fund is viewed as a hand up - because we all need a tiny hand, sometimes. Thank you for reading our story. "Ubuntu".
With love and gratitude,
Ashlea & Shareeff
