$3,070 raised
·38 donations
The Crisman's Infertility Journey
Donation protected
Becoming a parent is supposed to be easy, right? At least that is the picture society paints for us. Everywhere you turn happy couples are sharing adorable and creative pregnancy announcements. We get to watch the development of the eminent baby bump, the fun and exciting gender reveal parties, the proud moment of welcoming baby into this world, to seeing the excitement of baby’s first steps. Every treasured moment proudly posted to social media. What society doesn’t prepare you for is the isolated and lonely world of infertility.
June of 2015 Jon and Lyndsey profoundly sealed their love for one another through marriage. They knew they wanted to become parents beyond anything else. They immediately began the exciting journey of trying to conceive for a baby. Becoming pregnant seemed relatively easy for them. However, after hearing the words “I’m sorry, we can’t find a heartbeat” for two loved and treasured pregnancies the couple became concerned. The doctor decided to run tests during a surgical procedure called a D&C (dilation and curettage). Through testing it was found that Lyndsey has what is called a balanced translocation.
A balanced translocation is a condition in which the correct number of chromosomes are present, but two pieces of chromosomal material have switched places. So what does this mean? Many people can have translocations without being aware of the condition until they go to have children of their own. A balanced translocation increases the risk of recurrent miscarriages. It also increases the risk of having a child with severe development delays and/or severe abnormalities. Jon and Lyndsey had a difficult time accepting this new journey that would be filled with so much physical and emotional pain. After grieving the news, they decided to begin the long road of IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
Mother’s Day weekend 2016 Lyndsey began a series of injections designed to stimulate your ovaries and develop mature eggs. The doctors were able to retrieve thirty eggs! From there four arrested and one was immature. They were able to fertilize twenty-five eggs and twenty-four took. Now the long five day wait would begin to see how many embryos would make it to day five blastocysts stage. They were blessed to have sixteen embryos make it to day five for biopsy. RGI from Chicago traveled to take samples from the embryos for PGD testing. After a long two week wait, the doctors called to share that out of sixteen embryos three were viable for transfer. This is incredible for someone with a balanced translocation.
The first embryo was transferred in June. They were blessed with a pregnancy, but it ultimately ended at home one summer night in late July. The next embryo was transferred in October the day after Lyndsey’s 30th Birthday. This embryo did not take, so there was no baby blessing for transfer number two. After a few more immunology tests and a change in protocol, the couple decided they would try for their last baby in December. They were praying for a Christmas miracle, but unfortunately this transfer also did not result in a baby. Hearts were broken and spirits were defeated. Where does the couple go from here?
It’s now five months later and after grieving the losses of their potential babies the couple is ready to give IVF another try. They will be traveling to another clinic on the East side (2 hours away from home) of the state that uses state of the art technology and will attempt to uncover any additional underlying causes of miscarriages. If all looks well the couple would love to move forward in hopes to receive their baby blessing through IVF with PGD again. The one thing that stands in the way is trying to finance another cycle. The couple is still trying to pay off the $35,000 from the first cycle they underwent. Unfortunately, the type of IVF cycle with genetic testing they need is more expensive because of the complexity it takes to assure they are transferring a healthy baby that is not impacted by a balanced translocation. My hope is that someone reading this story will think of how wonderful it is to be a parent and will open their heart to help this wonderful couple receive their miracle baby. If money is left over the couple will not let their inability to have a biological child prevent them from becoming parents and will seek additional options like a surrogate and/or adoption. Please open your hearts to help make this dream come true for the Crismans.
June of 2015 Jon and Lyndsey profoundly sealed their love for one another through marriage. They knew they wanted to become parents beyond anything else. They immediately began the exciting journey of trying to conceive for a baby. Becoming pregnant seemed relatively easy for them. However, after hearing the words “I’m sorry, we can’t find a heartbeat” for two loved and treasured pregnancies the couple became concerned. The doctor decided to run tests during a surgical procedure called a D&C (dilation and curettage). Through testing it was found that Lyndsey has what is called a balanced translocation.
A balanced translocation is a condition in which the correct number of chromosomes are present, but two pieces of chromosomal material have switched places. So what does this mean? Many people can have translocations without being aware of the condition until they go to have children of their own. A balanced translocation increases the risk of recurrent miscarriages. It also increases the risk of having a child with severe development delays and/or severe abnormalities. Jon and Lyndsey had a difficult time accepting this new journey that would be filled with so much physical and emotional pain. After grieving the news, they decided to begin the long road of IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
Mother’s Day weekend 2016 Lyndsey began a series of injections designed to stimulate your ovaries and develop mature eggs. The doctors were able to retrieve thirty eggs! From there four arrested and one was immature. They were able to fertilize twenty-five eggs and twenty-four took. Now the long five day wait would begin to see how many embryos would make it to day five blastocysts stage. They were blessed to have sixteen embryos make it to day five for biopsy. RGI from Chicago traveled to take samples from the embryos for PGD testing. After a long two week wait, the doctors called to share that out of sixteen embryos three were viable for transfer. This is incredible for someone with a balanced translocation.
The first embryo was transferred in June. They were blessed with a pregnancy, but it ultimately ended at home one summer night in late July. The next embryo was transferred in October the day after Lyndsey’s 30th Birthday. This embryo did not take, so there was no baby blessing for transfer number two. After a few more immunology tests and a change in protocol, the couple decided they would try for their last baby in December. They were praying for a Christmas miracle, but unfortunately this transfer also did not result in a baby. Hearts were broken and spirits were defeated. Where does the couple go from here?
It’s now five months later and after grieving the losses of their potential babies the couple is ready to give IVF another try. They will be traveling to another clinic on the East side (2 hours away from home) of the state that uses state of the art technology and will attempt to uncover any additional underlying causes of miscarriages. If all looks well the couple would love to move forward in hopes to receive their baby blessing through IVF with PGD again. The one thing that stands in the way is trying to finance another cycle. The couple is still trying to pay off the $35,000 from the first cycle they underwent. Unfortunately, the type of IVF cycle with genetic testing they need is more expensive because of the complexity it takes to assure they are transferring a healthy baby that is not impacted by a balanced translocation. My hope is that someone reading this story will think of how wonderful it is to be a parent and will open their heart to help this wonderful couple receive their miracle baby. If money is left over the couple will not let their inability to have a biological child prevent them from becoming parents and will seek additional options like a surrogate and/or adoption. Please open your hearts to help make this dream come true for the Crismans.
Donations
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashley Pierce
Organizer
Hudsonville, MI
Lyndsey Crisman
Beneficiary