Katie's IVF Fund

Hi All,

For those of you who know me well asking for help is not my strong point but I am going outside of my comfort zone because I am faced with a challenge that I cannot quite conquer alone, IVF.  For those of you who are not familiar with this term it stands for InVitro Fertilization and it is a very expensive series of medications and procedures to hopefully accomplish a successful pregnancy.

Thinking back on my childhood in a large, tight knit family where holidays and birthdays were a monthly gathering of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents I feel very lucky to have built those close relationships and memories.  As I have gotten older I realize not everyone’s family is as close and I hope to one day be able to share this type of family experience with a child of our own. 

I was raised in Aberdeen WA and lived there most of my life until Robby and I met.  We met in his home town of Winthrop WA when I was on a weekend vacation with my Mom and Sister-in-Law to visit the small town for the Christmas at the End of the Road Celebration.  We happened to strike up a conversation at a local pub and spent the rest of the evening playing pool and talking.  After talking everyday since we met and dating long distance, driving 6 ½ hours one way to visit each other, we decided to take the next step and made the choice that I would move to Winthrop.  I moved to Winthrop in June of 2014 to live with Robby and start the next chapter of our life together. 

We live in Winthrop and love the area with all it has to offer in every season.  We have 2 dogs, Sissy and Roka, and a cat Otis.  We spend our free time in the Spring and Summer hiking, backpacking, camping, taking Sissy and Roka to the river and having BBQs with our friends.  In the Fall we enjoy football season by getting together with friends to watch the games.  Robby also enjoys the bear and deer hunting seasons in the Fall which are popular in our area.  I am not much of a hunter but I do enjoy going on scouting hikes and drives with him.  When Robby is off hunting I enjoy spending my time reading, baking, I am a steady runner and try to make as many trips as possible to Aberdeen to spend time with family.  In the Winter we enjoy snowshoeing, ice fishing and spending the holiday season with our families.

Robby and I have been dating for 4 years and had a plan in mind of marriage, travel and then starting a family, but after finding out we would need to pursue IVF treatment our plans have changed to a different order.  Our journey of infertility starts before Robby and I met.  In the years of my 20’s before I met Robby I had gone through two surgeries which affected my fertility.  I had a large cyst removed from my ovary in my mid 20’s and at this time my OBGYN informed me that I had the worst case of endometriosis he had seen.  He recommended I start trying to conceive if having children was a part of my life plans but I was not in the right relationship at that time to have a child so I have waited until I have found the right man to spend my life with.  The second surgery ended up removing my left tube and ovary due to damage from a very large endometrioma.  A few months later Robby and I met and from the beginning I have been very honest and open about my medical history and issues with endometriosis and how it may affect my fertility but he has always been very supportive. 

In the years we have been dating he has supported me through two other surgeries.  In 2015 a colon resection surgery was done due to endometrial tissue invading my colon and causing a blockage.  Shortly after this we decided if having children was in our plan we would need to start trying soon.  In late 2016 we consulted an OBGYN about starting the process of trying to conceive since it meant a change in daily medication for me.  I have Protein S deficiency so I am required to take a blood thinner medication on a daily basis and in December 2016 I started taking Enoxaparin shots for preparation of conceiving.  My OBGYN also suggested an ultrasound since I had a history of endometriomas and one was found on my remaining ovary.  She suggested surgery to remove this to avoid any further ovarian damage and also to perform a test on my fallopian tube to see if it was blocked.  Surgery was done in February 2017 and the endometrioma was removed successfully however the test on my tube came back with poor results. 

With evaluating my medical history and recent test results my OBGYN recommended a consult with a fertility specialist.  After traveling five hours for our consult we left with overfull minds from all of the information we had received.  We talked over the information and considered our options and decided IFV treatment is where we will end up in order to have a family.  So, here we are after four surgeries since 2009, multiple blood tests and ultrasounds and over $9,000 in medical bills hoping to start our first IVF fertility treatment cycle with Seattle Reproductive Medicine Clinic. 

We have so much care and love to give a child and we would feel so lucky and grateful to be able to be parents.  I have wanted to be a mother as far back as I can remember.  Whether it was caring for my baby dolls as a young child, watching over my younger siblings and cousins as a young teenager and now as an adult woman with a maternal nature to carry and raise a child with the man I love and will spend my life with.  Robby has always thought of having children as part of his future and with such a caring heart and good nature I know he would make an amazing father. 

With Medical Insurance not covering any of the medication costs or IVF procedures which are upwards of $16,000 for one cycle this process is expensive.  We do not feel that the ability to have a child should be based on your economic status but we find ourselves in a situation where our economic status is holding us back from being able to pursue the treatments needed to fulfill our dreams of being parents.  The funds donated would be used to help pay for medications, treatments and travel costs since the clinic we are working with is located in Kirkland.  We work very hard to provide for ourselves and are dedicated and take pride in our professions.  I know that we would continue to work hard and provide all the material needs for a child as well as guidance, knowledge and love.  

If you feel like you would like to donate any amount of funds we would be so grateful for your help in reaching our dreams of becoming parents.  We are hoping to schedule our IVF cycle for December 2017 and would use the funds at that time.  There are no amount of "Thank yous" that would convey how grateful we are!!