Krystin & Matt

I met Matt in my freshman year of college in the same English literature class. We didn’t get along at first, until we attended a magic show together on campus. From there, our friendship blossomed and eventually turned into a young love affair. We were together for four years in college. Since Matt was from Harrisburg and I was from Pittsburgh, we were in a long-distance relationship both during and after college. We went back and forth a lot, but our faith in our relationship never wavered. After five years together, on our first vacation, Matt proposed to me in front of Cinderella Castle at Disney World. Of course, I said “yes!” We got married on our sixth anniversary and were excited to start our new life together.

We decided to have a baby during our second year of marriage. As a child, I knew I wanted to be a mother while playing house with my cousins. As an adult, people told me I would be a good mother. However, getting pregnant wasn’t as easy as it seemed. After five years of trying on our own, I went to my gynecologist to see if there was a problem. But the answer I got was just to keep trying. I kept getting asked if I was pregnant, and it was really wearing me out.

Finally, we decided to take matters into our own hands. First, we went to a large health center near us. But we felt like a number there. We had to have a lot of tests before we could see a doctor. We had intrauterine insemination (IUI) trials, Matt seeing a urologist, and one in vitro fertilization (IVF) trial. Our doctor was convinced that my egg count was good, so it would work. But I will never forget the day after my first egg retrieval, when my doctor called me from an unlisted number and yelled at me for not having enough eggs. As if I could control that! When our embryo transfer failed on the third day, I decided not to work with that doctor again.

During this time, we met with Shady Grove Fertility (SGF). My mother-in-law had seen a billboard in Harrisburg and told me about it. We researched it and learned about the Shared Risk 100% Refund Program. During our first meeting with Dr. Nguyen, I told her about our long-term efforts, our previous bad experiences, and my fear of not being able to have a baby. Dr. Nguyen reviewed my old charts and gave us hope. In 2020, we signed with SGF and started a new journey.

Our first saline ultrasound showed polyps. I had previously had an abortion for polyps and fibroids, which upset me. Dr. Nguyen helped us find a doctor in Hershey who accepted our insurance. The surgery was successful, and we were hopeful for our first egg retrieval. However, only 3 of the 11 eggs became blastocysts, and none of them implanted.

Dr. Nguyen told us to trust the process and adjusted our medications. She also suggested that we get an endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA) test. This test helped us find out that my transfer time needed to be adjusted. I stayed away from social media during this time because the constant baby announcements and news of my friends’ pregnancies were making me sad. After multiple egg retrievals, medication adjustments, and frozen embryo transfers, I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

We had our egg retrieval at Chesterbrook on January 30, 2022. In the first retrieval, only one embryo developed into a blastocyst and was frozen. I tried to stay positive and told myself, “It only takes one.” Dr. Martin performed the embryo transfer on March 9, 2022. Dr. Martin told me that this embryo was high quality and that he had high hopes. After the transfer, I reminded myself to stay calm and positive.

I found out I was pregnant on March 22, 2022! When Dr. Nguyen and my nurse Jess called me to tell me the good news, we all cried. When I heard our baby’s heartbeat at the first ultrasound, I couldn’t hold back my tears. However, after my eight-week appointment, I had heavy bleeding and went to the emergency room. The ultrasound showed that the baby was still alive. I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma and told to rest. The hematoma disappeared at 12 weeks and I announced my pregnancy to my family in the second trimester.

We welcomed our son Orion on November 25, 2022. The birth process was challenging, but when I held him in my arms, it felt worth it. I continued to send ultrasound pictures and updates to Dr. Nguyen and Jess. Dr. Nguyen, who held Orion, was like family to us.

Know that you are not alone in this process. You will experience emotional ups and downs, but be gentle with yourself and your partner. Everyone’s experience is different, so don’t compare your results to others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Despite all the hardships, when you finally hold your baby in your arms, you will realize that it was all worth it.

Thank you to all the staff at SGF Mechanicsburg, Chesterbrook and Wexford. As Winnie the Pooh said, “Always remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and more loved than you know.” Always stay hopeful and believe in yourself on this journey.