I spent most of my young adulthood believing I’d never be able to get pregnant. At 15, I was diagnosed with bone cancer. I underwent a year of chemotherapy and my right leg was amputated at the knee to prevent the spread of cancer.
Overcoming Illness and Dreaming of Family
Two years after my amputation, the cancer returned in my lungs. I had surgery to remove it, and it reoccurred again two years later, and then again two years after that. At 23, after several rounds of experimental chemotherapy, a doctor explained that I’d most likely never be able to carry a pregnancy. As an amputee and cancer survivor, I already had doubts about my abilities to live the life I’d dreamt about before getting sick.
Years passed without recurrence, and I began planning my life again. When my wife Lindsay and I got engaged, I signed us up for an LGBT class on becoming parents. We learned how difficult private adoption can be, especially for a lesbian couple where both partners have health histories (my wife is bipolar). We risked a long, expensive process without guarantee.
Meeting Dr. Sharara and Finding Hope
We decided to make an appointment with a fertility doctor just to see what my chances were. I fully expected to be told again that pregnancy was not an option. As I sat across from Dr. Sharara and shared my medical history, I braced myself for bad news.
We decided to proceed with IVF with donor sperm. Dr. Sharara and his staff were there with us every step of the way, offering words of comfort and hands to hold. We felt completely cared for the entire time.
Perseverance Through Loss to Success
After one cycle of IVF and our first embryo transfer, I got pregnant. Tragically, at six weeks, there was no heartbeat. Having a miscarriage was one of the hardest experiences I’ve ever been through, but Dr. Sharara was there for us through the whole process.
After taking time to heal physically and emotionally, we decided to do another transfer. I got pregnant again, and the baby continued to grow healthily!
