Thursday, November 5, 2015

Surrogacy: Setting the Record Straight

26 days since transfer:

I love our small town community. In times of tragedy there can be great support and great strength among neighbors. It definitely has benefits, however a small town is also good for rumors! In a town where everybody knows everyone's business or think they "know", I am here to tell you that everyone's information is always just a little off. I am so grateful to my close friends who have not shunned me for my decision to become a surrogate as well as a repeat surrogate. You know who you all are! But I find it almost comical that information is filtering back to me about the circumstances surrounding the first journey. So I am here to clear the air and set the record straight.

  • No, I did not give birth to twins! Two embryos were transferred in 2013(after two failed attempts) and only one embryo took. She was born healthy in 2014 and is so adorable.
  • No, I am not a surrogate for a gay couple. While there are gay couples out there who want a family just as much as any other family, this family unit is very special. There is a daddy and a mommy. But does it really matter WHO the parents are? There are two people who love these little ones with all their hearts! When someone wants to love kids, their marriage/gender status becomes irrelevant. Please respect their privacy and know that I would not go down this road if I didn't feel that the family unit that I am dealing with wasn't sound.
  • No, I did not get paid several hundred thousand dollars for the first journey let along a second. While the process of IVF is costly and very scientifically involved, think about it people...would I really still be living in our little broken run down home if I had been paid several hundred thousand dollars???
These are just a few of the rumors swirling around me. As the rumors fly, I am currently fighting against loosing this little embryo. My focus switched yesterday as I started to bleed. In any pregnancy, this is generally not a good sign. The cause was unknown, but very scary! I wracked my brain trying to determine if there was a food I ate or activity I participated in that could have contributed in some way to the cause of the bleed. I am carrying a child for someone else and take this event in life very seriously. After bed rest yesterday and again today, things seem to be on the up side. Blood tests revealed today that the pregnancy is still viable and the bleed was just an unexplained very scary thing that happened. I find myself thinking how irrelevant the rumors are and how important this little life is. I encourage anyone who has questions to ask me as I am happy to share my experience. Thank you to all of my friends for your fabulous support and words of encouragement! You are a big part of this journey too and help to keep my strong!