The $600 Question October 31, 2009
Oh, we try very hard to poke our heads in the sand, but every now and then something makes us pop them right up. We got our sperm storage fee statement in the mail today.
We have one lone vial left in storage. Our bill came accompanied by a form to fill out and have notarized if we would prefer to have our sperm destroyed. Somehow we managed to avoid having a bill sent last year, so this year we got a double bill for $600. Well, that $600 question may as well be a million dollar question, because we have no idea what to do at this point.
Wasn’t your last post all about trying to come to terms with the fact that Adam will end up being an only child, you ask? Yep, it sure was. The thing is, though, that that post got Dan and me talking. We see the value in adding to our family, and I think it’s something we’d both want if the great Infertility wasn’t on the table, but that’s the hand we were dealt.
There are days when I think about how great it would be for Adam to have a sibling. I watch the family across the street playing in their front yard, the sister tickling the brother. I think about holding a newborn again, a tiny precious thing, getting to start this whole fascinating process all over again.
But then there are hard days when I don’t know how on earth I would be able to take care of another child. Adam is challenging. He’s beyond amazing, but it takes all of my energy to make it to bedtime most days.
So, I guess we’re at a crossroads. Is there even any point to contemplating using our own genes again if a time does come where we decide to try again? Would it make more sense to just choose another path from the get go?
I think about how it took 7 cycles with a total of 21 embryos transferred to get Adam, and I know I’m crazy to even think about paying the $600. We have one vile left. That’s one cycle’s worth. The odds are dismal.
But then I think about how I got pregnant all three times that I cycled with my second clinic. They’re good there. But then again, only one pregnancy took.
And then I think about how I know Dan is not going to go through another surgery. The sperm that was retrieved the first time (second surgery) is all that we’ve got.
I guess even the fact that I’m mulling this over means that I don’t consider the door fully closed. In all honestly, half of me wants to sign the form and close the door for good while the other half wants to call my RE up and make an appointment to start a cycle with our lone vial ASAP. Is it worth $600 to not have to figure it out right now? Probably.
- Posted in : IVF Part 8: the 2nd time around
- Author : amanda
Comments»
This reminds me of how I felt deciding to give IVF a go when the dr gave us a 20% chance. I felt I needed to know, down the line, that I had at least tried.
Oy… hard decision. We have frozen embryos left that we keep paying $200 a year for despite the fact that I have decided not to get pregnant again.
Such hard decisions. I can’t imagine not paying the fee, just to have the option. And the fact that our clinic is so good…so very tempting, isn’t it?
I don’t envy you on that decision. If it were me, I’d be thinking about paying the bill just to not think about it for another year too… and then start dreading it coming up next year. It’s hard to close the door and throw away the key.
Oh I know, I know, I know! So you have one chance and you have to determine if you want to go through all this again. Tough, but not really tough is it since the door is reopened? All I can say is – I thought I was done too (and I’m so glad I wasn’t). You know where to find me if you want to spew about this. It took me four more times for E., but I’m an old hag!
Oh and E isn’t NEARLY as tough as A was as a baby, and won’t Adam be starting preschool soon? Just some more thoughts to throw in the mix. Yes, you can curse me now!