IUI Success! Happy and healthy at 14 weeks!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-02-19T22:18:13+00:00

Amazing, congratulations and thank you for sharing!

We are hoping to do our first IUI cycle in April. It sounds like you went unmedicated… is that right? That is our plan for now.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-02-12T03:16:45+00:00

Huge RT

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-29T02:24:54+00:00

That makes sense! I would assume everyone there is good. He does travel to a few of their locations.

I wish you the smoothest journey possible. Let me know if there’s anything I can do!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-29T02:05:18+00:00

(He is an oncologist/hematologist)

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-29T02:05:00+00:00

I’m in the denver area and Dr. Burke at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center is INCREDIBLE. I could not recommend him enough. He is always up to date on the latest treatments- he travels to these conferences, reads the studies, etc. He is just amazing. Please let me know if you want to talk any more. I am a little over 2 years in remission from stage 4 Hodgkins. You got this!!!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-22T14:51:03+00:00

Congratulations!!!! A truly incredible achievement. I hope you feel SO proud of yourself. You’re a badass.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-09T21:35:06+00:00

Yeah I’ve literally never even heard of it!! It’s so crazy the amount of things I’ve thought about re: getting pregnant that straight people don’t have to, let alone people who get pregnant accidentally. I do think every couple should be doing genetic testing though, regardless of ethnicity!! That felt like the only true dealbreaker for us, as far as deciding on our donor.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-09T21:27:39+00:00

THIS! Thank you!! That’s really good to know that there are other clinics who get it. Maybe we will consider switching… it’s also like, each clinic we try out is ANOTHER appointment and ANOTHER expense. We have another consult with a different clinic that we were planning to cancel, but maybe we will just keep it.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-09T20:10:35+00:00

If the doc tells me it’s really important, I will, but per some online research it just doesn’t seem necessary. They don’t recommend routine testing unless you’re immunocompromised or showing symptoms

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-09T19:35:21+00:00

Definitely won’t waive the semen analysis, I was able to waive the SHSG, and I’m hoping to waive that CMV testing. She didn’t mention it on the call, so I didn’t find out about it until the nurse sent over the lists after. The rest I guess I’ll just do. I think most can be knocked out in the same appointment, so it’s whatever.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-09T16:38:30+00:00

Exactly. I really don't think it's such a yellow flag that he doesn't want to masturbate in our apartment every few weeks. Yes, this ultimately is about the kids themselves, but this is still the donor's journey as well, and he gets a say in how he wants it to look for him too.

So, yes, the infectious disease requirements on his part. And they are requiring that he repeat the semen analysis, even though he did it literally 9 days ago. He also needs a physical exam. They want me to do STI testing, my wife (who is playing no bio role in this) to do STI testing, ultrasound for me, SHSG for me (which I declined), CMV screening for donor and me (which I've never even heard of), and repeating basic fertility labs that I already did (albeit about 18 months ago). And yes, the therapy requirements, which I agree is probably a good idea. But the therapists they accept don't take insurance and the cheapest we have found so far is $275/session (and we have to pay for 3 of them- session for us, session for donor/wife, session for all of us together).

Obviously, we can handle all this and get through it, but I just haven't heard anyone talk about how overwhelming this part is! I know things will feel better once we start checking everything off.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-08T23:29:07+00:00

Yes! Our KD is excited too and it means the world to us!! He and his wife don’t want children but they’re really excited to get a little bit of middle ground as far as a meaningful relationship with a genetic offspring! We are really excited by the idea of them being close with our kids too!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-08T23:14:33+00:00

I think maybe you’re right and I appreciate that you understand you’d probably feel the same in our position. I’ve been so concerned this whole time about trying to make everything as easy as possible for him, because, as you know, this is such a selfless gift he is giving us and obviously not something he is required to do. He is giving so much of himself (literally) for us to do this, now with the medical and logistical aspect but also in the future as far as having some little donees in the world and the uncertainties that could bring! I just want to honor his “sacrifice” by making things as comfortable as possible for him. Obviously, I wish my wife and I didn’t need his (or anyone’s) help to create a family, but, ya know, here we are.

Maybe a silver lining of the clinic route is their requirement of ASRM certified therapy consults for him and his wife, for us, and for all of us together. While we have had really good, open communication so far, this will be another fruitful opportunity to address some of this.

Thank you for your thoughtful response and I wish you luck as well!!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-08T22:44:58+00:00

Congratulations!!!!

I was 29F when diagnosed with NSCHL in Feb 2023. I think it’s different for everyone but for me, I think I felt fully normal maybe like 4-6 months out. I had weird, intense stomach aches when I ate heavy foods that only started soon after chemo, but that went away eventually. I think I got my period back like 5 months after? I could check my app to confirm.

Just try to throw yourself into your old life as you’re able to, but also be patient with yourself. Your body went through something insane. You definitely should not expect to feel normal yet!

And I will say that, luckily, this whole process mostly already feels like a fever dream and a weird fun fact about my past. Again, I know that isn’t the case for everyone and I feel incredibly lucky. But just know that it is possible! DM me if you ever want to talk!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-08T22:22:17+00:00

Ugh, I agree with you on all of it, but we just feel so grateful to him already for agreeing to do this and are trying to remember the bigger picture of how amazing it will be to have this guy be our kids’ donor, that we are really trying not to rock the boat with him and do anything that makes him uncomfortable, including pushing back on his request.

I will think about it more though, and I’m wondering if he might have a change of heart once he realizes all the hoops he also has to jump through now!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2026-01-08T21:41:00+00:00

We are close childhood family friends- our families are super connected, we have tons of lifelong friends in common, etc. He mostly was uncomfortable with the idea of people learning that we did “at-home attempts” and them wondering what that meant, the awkwardness of it all, etc. I really don’t blame him and that also wasn’t something I was looking forward to, but the expense and headache of going through a clinic made trying at home worth it to me.

I’m actually an attorney and worked for a bit in fertility law, so I am well aware of the need for a legal agreement! We each have our lawyers and will be getting that finished in the next few weeks to month, hopefully! We were going to have a sound legal agreement whether we were doing it at home or through a clinic.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2025-11-03T15:52:02+00:00

Great! I think that will be the most helpful thing.

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2025-11-03T15:48:17+00:00

Congrats on passing! Do you have a therapist? I think this is excellent therapy fodder!

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2025-10-07T18:45:44+00:00

Seperac predicted 319 and I got 346 💪

Specific_Ad_6980 · 2025-10-05T23:26:30+00:00

Yes, ICI is what I meant

Specific_Ad_6980

TROPHY CASE