Hello and welcome to the Fairfax Cryobank Family Forum!
The forum has a new look and the Fairfax Team is so excited to create the best experience for our users.
To Note:
Private Donor Groups and Private Sibling Connection Groups are now located under the category "Groups". Search the donor number in the search box and you should find exactly what you're looking for!
Questions about your forum access? Email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
Follow these steps to join a private donor group:
1) Press "Join" at the right of the group
2) Once prompted to confirm your request please list this information so we can verify your information:
Name (under which the vial was purchased)
Email
Clinic Name
Donor number
Child Date of Birth
*If you are looking to start a private group for a PRS donor please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com with the above information and that you are looking for a PRS group*
If you have any questions about the verification process please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
The forum has a new look and the Fairfax Team is so excited to create the best experience for our users.
To Note:
Private Donor Groups and Private Sibling Connection Groups are now located under the category "Groups". Search the donor number in the search box and you should find exactly what you're looking for!
Questions about your forum access? Email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
Follow these steps to join a private donor group:
1) Press "Join" at the right of the group
2) Once prompted to confirm your request please list this information so we can verify your information:
Name (under which the vial was purchased)
Clinic Name
Donor number
Child Date of Birth
*If you are looking to start a private group for a PRS donor please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com with the above information and that you are looking for a PRS group*
If you have any questions about the verification process please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
My Experience
At the end of last year, and in light of the fact that I will be 36 shortly, I decided that I should wait no longer to start 'my family'. Subsequently, I visited my local fertility clinic and started researching my options. In April I selected Donor 2647 (whom I've affectionately nicknamed Sam) based primarily on his charming personality and sweet character. It's a bonus that he's good looking and willing to share his lifetime photo series with us 
I also loved the fact that he is an ID Options Donor (in case my child has an identity crisis at some point and needs to know about his/her biological father).
After ordering my 'units', I took some time away from work, away from family - some time to reconnect with myself and really reflect on the huge decision I was making. Is this REALLY what I want? Yes, of course it is... I've wanted children for no less than 20 years now!! Can I really do it on my own? Yes, of course I can... I have spent my whole life setting up for having children... financially, intellectually, emotionally, physically... But would I really be on my own? No, of course not!! I have the support of all my wonderful family - including the efforts of both my parents, my fantastic younger siblings (both of whom have very involved partners and are successfully parenting young children), my 9 nieces and nephews ranging in age between 1 and 13, and my amazingly energetic bull-of-a grandma! (Please don't tell her I referred to her that way, haha... it's just cuz she's SO strong, and independent, and so very wonderful!) I also have several very supportive close friends and family friends.
Another question I asked... how will this impact my future with regards to meeting someone with whom I can share my future? Well, at this point (and at this age), most anyone I'd be interested in would likely have had children already (and I'm all for supporting a big extended his-hers-ours sort of situation!), and/or if they were worthy of my love, then they'd love my child(ren) also, such that perhaps they would become an adoptive father at some point. Depending on when I might meet them, perhaps we could still have one together... ? I felt more comfortable in all these thoughts than at the thought of still 'trying' to meet someone (especially being fresh out of a broken marriage, and not yet being fully emotionally available), and putting 'baby-pressure' on a new relationship... then to end up parenting with someone for the rest of my life... and what if after the whirlwind of honeymooning then getting caught up in the baby thing, we were to find out that we're actually not compatible at all... ?! Yeah, so anyways, I unanimously (haha) decided that insemination was the right decision for me.
So, at the beginning of July I returned to my every-day life, raring to go. Unfortunately my 'units' had not yet been 'released' for shipping to Canada ... argh! Luckily, when I was set to ovulate in early August, my units had finally arrived. I was inseminated on Sunday, August 8th at 8:30am. It was totally unsexy (not that I expected it to be sexy at all), but seriously people... can we get those big clinical fluorescents dimmed or something?!! Some soft music playing? I had a couple chuckles with the doctor and intern, at that, and especially at the thought I might become pregnant by the hands of a woman (tee hee). Overall it was a very positive experience, afterwhich, I jumped in my car and drove 12 hours to meet up with my family (all of whom I've mentioned above!) because the following week we were 'on holidays' to attend our family reunion with our entire extended family... what a hoot, and holy fun family time... I can't imagine I could have been in a more positive environment for my body to have made a baby!! (FYI - I suspect I ovulated around 4pm on that same Sunday afternoon, as I had the typical small stomach pain I get every month around that time... and what a wonderful thought it was to know that the sperm and egg were all dancing around inside me at the same time!)
Two weeks later... well, less than two weeks later (the morning of August 18th, specifically) I noticed that my urine had a very strong smell... ah, very interesting... hmmm. On August 19th, my breasts started feeling very tender... almost pre-period feeling, but different... kinda more tingly or something... again, very interesting... is it just my imagination? I went and bought the home pregnancy kit. On Saturday morning, August 21st, I did my first test. It said to wait 3 minutes for the results, and a faint pink line will appear if pregnant. I waited 3 minutes. No line. Ok. No line. That's ok. Slightly disappointed but not without hope, I left the test on the bathroom counter. Within the hour I happened to glance again... and ummm... LINE. FAINT PINK LINE!! Seriously? But then I read the test instructions again, and the instructions said not to trust the results after 30 minutes had passed. Ok. Well I'll try again tomorrow. Sunday morning, August 22nd I tried again, and at 5 minutes, the faint pink line appeared again. I emailed a picture of the pregnancy test to my family, along with this note, "The window on the right is the 'control' window - it's the one that tells us the test is working. The window on the left - if it has a line, this indicates a positive result (pregnancy)... I'm not actually supposed to test until Monday morning (if I don't get my period) but I was anxious so tested this morning... The positive result line is faint, BUT IT IS THERE!! I'll test again and let you know for sure Monday!!! Xoxo"
On Tuesday, August 24th I went to my doctor to obtain the requisition for a blood test to confirm. On Wednesday afternoon, I went to the lab. On Thursday at noon my doctor called and told me I was pregnant. Wow.
On Monday, September 13th I went for my first ultrasound. The big black blob is the sack of amneotic fluid... The little white ghost on the right side is the baby!! His brain is the sort of black blob at the top of his ghostly figure (pretty big, relative to the size of his body... He's gonna be a smart kid haha!!) I wasn't expecting to hear any heartbeat yet, but the nurse surprised me - she said it's beating really strong already, and I should hear it, so she turned the volume way up
I didn't cry, much!! haha He's 15 weeks old today
I know lots can still happen, but I'm bursting with excitement! I'm so glad to have a place to share my news. I'm looking forward to having others join this Private Forum - I can't wait to hear your stories! I'm looking forward to meeting your very special children here, and sharing whatever-you-will, all within our parental comfort-levels of course. Write soon
I also loved the fact that he is an ID Options Donor (in case my child has an identity crisis at some point and needs to know about his/her biological father).After ordering my 'units', I took some time away from work, away from family - some time to reconnect with myself and really reflect on the huge decision I was making. Is this REALLY what I want? Yes, of course it is... I've wanted children for no less than 20 years now!! Can I really do it on my own? Yes, of course I can... I have spent my whole life setting up for having children... financially, intellectually, emotionally, physically... But would I really be on my own? No, of course not!! I have the support of all my wonderful family - including the efforts of both my parents, my fantastic younger siblings (both of whom have very involved partners and are successfully parenting young children), my 9 nieces and nephews ranging in age between 1 and 13, and my amazingly energetic bull-of-a grandma! (Please don't tell her I referred to her that way, haha... it's just cuz she's SO strong, and independent, and so very wonderful!) I also have several very supportive close friends and family friends.
Another question I asked... how will this impact my future with regards to meeting someone with whom I can share my future? Well, at this point (and at this age), most anyone I'd be interested in would likely have had children already (and I'm all for supporting a big extended his-hers-ours sort of situation!), and/or if they were worthy of my love, then they'd love my child(ren) also, such that perhaps they would become an adoptive father at some point. Depending on when I might meet them, perhaps we could still have one together... ? I felt more comfortable in all these thoughts than at the thought of still 'trying' to meet someone (especially being fresh out of a broken marriage, and not yet being fully emotionally available), and putting 'baby-pressure' on a new relationship... then to end up parenting with someone for the rest of my life... and what if after the whirlwind of honeymooning then getting caught up in the baby thing, we were to find out that we're actually not compatible at all... ?! Yeah, so anyways, I unanimously (haha) decided that insemination was the right decision for me.
So, at the beginning of July I returned to my every-day life, raring to go. Unfortunately my 'units' had not yet been 'released' for shipping to Canada ... argh! Luckily, when I was set to ovulate in early August, my units had finally arrived. I was inseminated on Sunday, August 8th at 8:30am. It was totally unsexy (not that I expected it to be sexy at all), but seriously people... can we get those big clinical fluorescents dimmed or something?!! Some soft music playing? I had a couple chuckles with the doctor and intern, at that, and especially at the thought I might become pregnant by the hands of a woman (tee hee). Overall it was a very positive experience, afterwhich, I jumped in my car and drove 12 hours to meet up with my family (all of whom I've mentioned above!) because the following week we were 'on holidays' to attend our family reunion with our entire extended family... what a hoot, and holy fun family time... I can't imagine I could have been in a more positive environment for my body to have made a baby!! (FYI - I suspect I ovulated around 4pm on that same Sunday afternoon, as I had the typical small stomach pain I get every month around that time... and what a wonderful thought it was to know that the sperm and egg were all dancing around inside me at the same time!)
Two weeks later... well, less than two weeks later (the morning of August 18th, specifically) I noticed that my urine had a very strong smell... ah, very interesting... hmmm. On August 19th, my breasts started feeling very tender... almost pre-period feeling, but different... kinda more tingly or something... again, very interesting... is it just my imagination? I went and bought the home pregnancy kit. On Saturday morning, August 21st, I did my first test. It said to wait 3 minutes for the results, and a faint pink line will appear if pregnant. I waited 3 minutes. No line. Ok. No line. That's ok. Slightly disappointed but not without hope, I left the test on the bathroom counter. Within the hour I happened to glance again... and ummm... LINE. FAINT PINK LINE!! Seriously? But then I read the test instructions again, and the instructions said not to trust the results after 30 minutes had passed. Ok. Well I'll try again tomorrow. Sunday morning, August 22nd I tried again, and at 5 minutes, the faint pink line appeared again. I emailed a picture of the pregnancy test to my family, along with this note, "The window on the right is the 'control' window - it's the one that tells us the test is working. The window on the left - if it has a line, this indicates a positive result (pregnancy)... I'm not actually supposed to test until Monday morning (if I don't get my period) but I was anxious so tested this morning... The positive result line is faint, BUT IT IS THERE!! I'll test again and let you know for sure Monday!!! Xoxo"
On Tuesday, August 24th I went to my doctor to obtain the requisition for a blood test to confirm. On Wednesday afternoon, I went to the lab. On Thursday at noon my doctor called and told me I was pregnant. Wow.
On Monday, September 13th I went for my first ultrasound. The big black blob is the sack of amneotic fluid... The little white ghost on the right side is the baby!! His brain is the sort of black blob at the top of his ghostly figure (pretty big, relative to the size of his body... He's gonna be a smart kid haha!!) I wasn't expecting to hear any heartbeat yet, but the nurse surprised me - she said it's beating really strong already, and I should hear it, so she turned the volume way up
I didn't cry, much!! haha He's 15 weeks old today I know lots can still happen, but I'm bursting with excitement! I'm so glad to have a place to share my news. I'm looking forward to having others join this Private Forum - I can't wait to hear your stories! I'm looking forward to meeting your very special children here, and sharing whatever-you-will, all within our parental comfort-levels of course. Write soon
Comments
Laura MacLoughlin