Near and Dear

So, it's happening as I knew it would. Georgia is trying to put forth legislation limiting fertility treatments. The hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. You can read both of the bills here and here. Here is a recap of the bills:

Senate Bill 169 would restrict doctors' ability to perform IVF in accordance with best medical standards.

No more than 2 or 3 eggs could ever be fertilized in a cycle; if a woman produced more eggs, they still could not be used.

Only 2 embryos could ever be transferred to the uterus, unless the woman is age 40 or over (then a max of 3).

No extra embryos could be cryopreserved. If they are created, they have to be transferred.

No financial relief, such as insurance coverage, is proposed to help with the added financial burden of using less effective treatment. Patients will still have to pay out of pocket for less effective treatment.

Bans all financial compensation for donor gametes, such as egg donor, sperm donor, or embryo donation, which would reduce the pool of available donors in Georgia.

Senate Bill 204/HB388 is an embryo adoption bill. It would subject embryo donation to all the same provisions as required by law for adoption of a child. This would subject infertility patients needing an embryo donation to go through the judicial proceedings, home visits, and other procedures required for an adoption. We do not believe that such treatment is appropriate or needed for embryo donation.


If any of you have missed all the hoopla surrounding OctoMom, where have you been? However, because of her, people are up in arms, and now the government is getting involved.

As many of you know, this is very near and dear to my heart, and I am seeing red over the ignorance and public perception that ART (assisted resroductive technology) and IVF (in-vitro fertilization) has.

So, because this is my blog, I am going to share my feelings. Feel free to move right along.

My struggle with infertility...

I am one of the many many faces of infertility. We all have a story, a struggle, that is unique and ours alone.

After years of infertility, three IVF's, over 35 follicles extracted and fertilized, a total of twelve embryos transferred and spending over $50,000.00, I was childless. All that was left was an emotional, bloated, angry, sad soul. Dave and I are not alone in our struggle. There is another side of infertility that does not include multiples or even one child, for that matter.

The above bill would mean that all three of my IVF transfers would not be allowed today. It would mean that if I was lucky enough to have extra follicles, they would have to be destroyed, not fertilized and frozen for a future cycle. It would mean that there would be no financial compensation for embryo donation or sperm donation. And most importantly, it would still mean that insurance companies would not have to cover infertility treatments. Even though what the bill is proposing would drive the cost of infertility treatments up even more.
Then there is also the embryo adoption bill, which basically treats an embryo donation as an adoption.

And I fear this is just the beginning.

I think this article might be on to something. These bills do not protect the health of women, but more about establishing legal rights for embryos. The bill would ban embryo-destructive stem cell research. So, basically, I wouldn't have the final say with what happens to my embryos? This all coming from the Georgia senator who believes in less government, more personal responsibility, and greater individual freedoms. Um...okay.

When did it become acceptable for the government to regulate my health and personal life?
My body, my choice.

Journey

My favorite part of everyday with Marlee is before bed, when she snuggles into me and lets me rock her. She lies so still, with her Mr. Bear under one arm and her sippie cup of water under the other.
Tonight, as I rocked her, I thought about what a wonderful day we had together. The past couple of days have been pretty tough on my baby for reasons unbeknown to me. The hard days make the good days that much better. Today was a that much better day.
As I rocked my daughter and ran my fingers through her hair, I started thinking how fast my baby's entire life has gone by. It seems we were just celebrating her first birthday, which was in July. I thought once she reached one year old, time would slow down. How wrong I was. These past six months have flown by at an excessive speed. I can't even believe my baby girl is 18 months old.

Six long years ago, Dave and I were preparing for our first IVF cycle. Our journey has been a long one. Our struggle is still so fresh in my mind, yet nothing more than a distant memory. It's almost a surreal feeling.
Through all the sadness, I would have never thought that there was a plan for me. That miracles do happen. That through years of heartache, there would be a time for happiness.
My Miracle.
My Marlee Kay.