Campaign Story

The secret is out! We are Jason and Amy. We met years ago and knew of each other through a mutual friend. As our friendship turned into a romantic relationship things moved pretty rapidly. After about a year of dating we moved in together and a year after that decided to try to start a family. We were on the cusp of advanced ages and decided we could always get married but can’t always have a baby. Our journey started over 5 years ago. We tried…. And tried…. And tried. Finally, after about a year we consulted a fertility doctor. We started the process, and then shortly after, we had an opportunity to move 554 miles away. In the meantime, we got engaged and started planning a wedding all while trying to start a family. Ovulation tests and negative pregnancy tests consumed us. After we moved I did not have insurance due to going from full time to per diem and my husband was only able to insure himself per his company policy. So after a million attempts, failed pregnancy tests, and disappointment, my part time status turned full time. A full time ultrasound sonographer, where babies and pregnancies and millions of questions from patients are everywhere. You put on a brave face and smile and come up with some excuse of why you are 40, married, and have no kids. Meanwhile, your stomach drops and there’s just a gut wrenching feeling of “blah”. We worked throughout the pandemic while we started seeing a fertility doctor 2 hours away when we planned our first round to start early 2021. However, again, life had other plans. In January we contracted COVID, in February I had a rush breast biopsy (thankfully it was negative), March was our first failed round, we had gotten 5 eggs and in the end no viable embryos, which also revealed a second factor of our infertility and already all of the lifetime insurance funds were maxed out. We took several months off. Mostly to regroup and completely change what I was ingesting into my body and to figure out exactly how the heck we would afford this round. I did that for about 90 days. Then the dates were being pushed back due to lab results, insurance was not covering meds or cycles. We figured it out. Borrowed from Peter to pay Paul, had a supportive family, and finally we started round 2. I was not progressing and my treatment was as high as we could go without causing ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome. I had one more chance. They would follow up 2 days later and make a decision. I PROGRESSED. During our second retrieval we had gotten 7 eggs and 5 embryos. Only 3 embryos made it to testing and all were genetically abnormal. So now that brings us to our current status. Wanting so badly for a family but already exceeding our funds, insurance, and savings. And everyday we age and that decreases our odds. We are not ones to ask for a handout, or a pity party, or even air our business but maybe it’s time. Fertility is an epidemic that affects 1 in 8. The same statistics as breast cancer. Yet the lack of grants, insurance, and even support from employers and society is almost nonexistent. There are many emotional burdens with infertility aside the obvious. So, please, if you feel in the giving spirit and want to give a gift to someone who will never know how to repay you, please consider donating to our fundraiser. It takes a village to raise a child but it takes all of you to help make a baby!!!! LET’S MAKE A BABY!