Ayden’s Story

1Year

Our wonderful little Miracle was born on 9-28-2005, Ayden Michael Figg. It was long journey but so worth it. This journey would of never have happened had we not harvested our eggs and done IVF(invitro). Though the process costly, time consuming, sometimes heartbreaking was so worth it when you look into your child’s eyes.

Our first IVF cycle was not successful but we did not give up. We had 12 embryos to use. Each time they unthaw vials of two to three to see how they grow in the lab. As they unthaw some embryos do not grow successfully so you don’t know how many you will have until day of implant that you will have. We attempted the first one in November 2004. Our second was attempted 2-4-05. To prepare you have ultrasounds weekly sometimes daily, daily injections that you must give yourself of progesterone, daily medications taken orally. All of that is necessary to prepare your body to take the embryos.

The first time I gave myself the shots, the second time I had Bryan give them to me. He enjoyed giving me those shots daily, especially if I had not been so kind to him the night before…. ha! The shots must be given the same time each day and all medications must be taken at same time daily in order to make things go smoothly. On 2-4-05 we went in for the procedure, this time around I was not as nervous and had left this in God’s hands. Our doctor was Dr. Randy Odem of Washington University Physicians. He had told us that one of the embryos did not make it but that 2 of them did. One was 8 cells big and the other was 5 cells big. In order for the embryo to be a good cell it needs to be over 4 cells.

Nothing can prepare you for looking at your baby in a dish. While incredible what medicine can do, still strange. Bryan and I glanced at our potential child through a microscope and said a prayer that our prayers would be answered that morning. The procedure lasted all of 30 min, and it seemed to go well. After implant you have to remain flat and remaining resting for the next 72 hours. I felt good about the procedure and had a great feeling that it would be successful.

Results do not come in until 2 weeks. Those two weeks is the most anticipating weeks of your life. Bryan says he knew a week into it as my cheeks were rosy each day and I had better color than I had in some time. Bryan and I were prepared to adopt a child if need be and had even found an agency. The day came where we were to find out. Bryan was at work, I too was working at home.
Typically you got the call in the mornings. It was 1:00 pm and still no news. I had prepared myself for bad news, I knew that God would get me through whatever the nurse would say.

It was a little after 1:00 and the phone rang. The nurse says, we have your results, she pauses. I say to her “its ok, if it did not work, I am ok, I have prepared myself for that news.” She says, “Well we don’t have to worry about that because it worked.” I had her repeat the news and then began to scream and cry. Nothing can prepare you for the joy and fear that the news will bring. All my nurses and doctors were on the line so that they could give me the news together. I was told that there was only a 30% chance of this working and Bryan and I had beaten the odds.

It was a rough pregnancy. I bled at first, they thought I may be developing placenta abruption, was in pre-term labor, on bedrest, had gallbladder attacks and started to develop pre-eclampsia and was in the hospital 9 times. Ayden’s original due date was 10-25-2005. We were blessed with a wonderful doctor, Dr. Michael Paul. He helped our dream become a reality. Because my body had been radiated things were tricky. He took every pre-caution, listened to every need I had and helped bring our son into the world.

For those of you having the diagnosis of Colon Cancer, or any Cancer, there is hope if you are young to have your family. Talking with your doctor about infertility is so important and should not be overlooked. Had I not harvested eggs before treatment I would not have children. Ayden is my gift, he was my hope while I was sick, and he is now what keeps me going.

Ayden is proof that hope is evident, and miracles happen. Thank you to all who supported us, listened to us, walked with us on our journey, gave to our organization and first and foremost supported the benefit dinner in 2002 that helped us pay to harvest our eggs. Bryan and I could never repay you for the generosity that all have shown. By giving to our organization you could be helping someone else find their cure or to be given their gift of a child. Help make a difference by following our upcoming events.