Campaign Story

Hello. Our names our Kristel and Crispin. I am starting this in hopes we might receive help affording IVF & assistance with medical bills from past ectopic pregnancy surgeries. April 10, 2022, and April 16, 2023, are the days when my life took an unexpected turn. Almost an exact year apart from one another, these two dates share a common trauma that has forever scarred my brain, my heart, and my body. I woke up both days pregnant, and I went to sleep both nights lying in a bed, post laparoscopic tubal ligation, no longer pregnant. We have been pregnant twice and both these pregnancies were deemed as an ectopic pregnancy within one of my fallopian tubes known as a tubal pregnancy. Tubal pregnancy is when a fertilized egg gets stuck on its way to the uterus within the fallopian tubes and is not a viable pregnancy. Both ectopic pregnancies required medical treatment, substantially affecting my and my spouse’s mental and physical health, and ultimately leading us to navigate life with infertility.

Both these ectopic pregnancies ended in surgery with the removal of the improperly implanted fetus and fallopian tube, which is known as laparoscopic tubal ligation. However, each treatment was unique in its own way. The first one on April 10, 2022, was much more traumatic as 911 was called with an ambulance dispatched as I was in an immense amount of pain in my lower abdomen and losing consciousness. I was rushed into the emergency room to learn I was internally bleeding due to an ectopic pregnancy in my left fallopian tube that the doctor thought had ruptured. I was placed into emergency surgery almost immediately after admittance and less than two hours later woke up post operation minus my left fallopian tube and no longer pregnant. April 16, 2023, was of course traumatic, but having been through this scenario a year prior, I knew my body was telling me something was wrong. This time we drove to the emergency room due to abdominal pain and after multiple ultrasounds and hours later, learned that, in fact, I indeed had another ectopic pregnancy in my remaining right fallopian tube. The second laparoscopic tubal ligation was scheduled and performed quickly, but this time I woke up post operation not only missing a fallopian tube and no longer pregnant, but sterile. I, now and forever, remain incapable of naturally conceiving a child.

Since I no longer have my fallopian tubes, the only way for us to conceive is through IVF (In vitro fertilization). We have begun the process of IVF, which brings us hope, but this journey comes with a mixture of stress and emotions as this process is not a guarantee of pregnancy. Another negative feature of IVF is the actual cost to have it completed and the medication and tests associated. Health insurance does not cover IVF or any of the medications that must be taken prior to the physical procedure. Similar to our ectopic pregnancies, undergoing IVF presents mental, physical, and financial challenges, which is very intimidating.

We have started the beginning process of IVF and hope to fully begin Summer or Fall of 2024. I have a surplus of medical bills from my prior surgeries that insurance did not cover and already starting to increase debt with the start of IVF. Hoping maybe someone out there can relate to this story and help. Thank you for reading our story.