For the record, I was 27 at the time. That is young! However, my ovaries apparently tell a different story. Options. Details. Everything was discussed. The sweet doctor told us, “It can still happen naturally! It may just take some time.” With this diagnosis, however, no one knows when the time will be up.

Egg Extraction and freezing.

That was an option. The issue at hand was the possibility that my ovaries would stop releasing eggs. Therefore, if they went in and took my eggs out and froze them, we could do In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in the future.

Try now

That was another option. That is the option we chose. The doctor ordered an ultrasound to count my follicles. She ordered more bloodwork to check more hormones. Everything came back normal. Again, she used the scary word “but” that no one likes. BUT if we wanted kids, we had to start trying now because time was running out.

She gave us six months to try.

After six months, nothing. So we reported back to the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology for Bruce’s tests. We now were the couple included in the waiting room full of couples. Now, we were there for more testing. In that same waiting room six months prior, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I knew, in that moment, that we belonged there.

We returned to the office two days later for the results. Everything looked great! Numbers were high BUT the sperm shape was abnormal on 95%. I was really beginning to hate the word, “but.” We were fighting time. With the male factor issue, we needed time. With every other number looking great, it could still happen naturally. In time. With the female factor, no one knew when my time would run out.

We needed the time we didn’t have.

She instructed us to try again for another six months. If still nothing, return for follow-up testing. I was reminded by my body every month that we were trying and failing. I was reminded by my job that a lot of women were trying and succeeding. Again, I worked in the large OB/GYN Ultrasound department. While it wasn’t easy, I tried not to think about is.

It could still happen naturally! It may just take some time! But I was ready then for it to be our time.