It took me a bit to put this one together. There is a lot, and it’s incredibly personal. Back in August I started considering my fertility which led to be going through an egg freezing cycle. To put things into perspective I wanted to quick review the timeline of things.
Timeline
My symptoms began in January 2022. My multiple appointments and tests took place over the next few months. The surgery for the biopsy of my brain tissue was the end of May. Within a week post surgery I learned that I had a Grade 2 Astrocytoma, and I was diagnosed with brain cancer on June 23rd. I spent some time consulting with radiologists to learn about my 2 options for radiation treatment. The doctor said that radiation is 6-7 weeks followed by a month long recovery period followed by chemotherapy treatment. I made the decision to stick with conventional radiation at Abbott but still needed to decide when to start – immediately vs delaying until August. Because I had some trips planned, I made the decision to delay treatments until mid-August so I could go on my 2 planned summer trips. I returned from my Montana trip on August 13th and started radiation on August 15th. For a more detailed timeline you can read An Introduction to Kiss My Astrocytoma.
Coming to terms?
I thought my chance at motherhood was gone. Being a mother has always been in the cards for me. But why bring an child into this world if I know I’m going to have to leave them eventually? After talking about this with my mom we decided that maybe that’s the very reason I should still plan to be a mom – because I’ll have something to leave behind. And no matter the circumstances, I know that child would have so much love and support.
Nobody was saying I couldn’t or shouldn’t have kids. It’s just an assumption I made because it felt like it obviously wouldn’t make sense. But this diagnosis is taking enough away from me so I don’t think it should take the chance of motherhood away too. My child could be my legacy. I would live on through my child for my friends and family. I would have had the chance to enjoy being a mother and soak up any milestones I can. And that child would be so loved. Win-win-win.
My legacy
At this point I was no longer accepting not being a mom. The thought of having something (more like someone) to leave behind for my loved ones became really exciting. I still battle myself a bit on this just because I can only imagine how hard it is on a child to lose their mother. However, I had to remind myself that I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. I should not be making decisions based on the fact that I may or may not be here in 10 years, because we need to be assuming that I will absolutely be here in 10 years. Even in 30 years. Because treatments are advancing everyday, and because I’m a Brockopp.
It then occurred to me that with radiation fast approaching, I needed to learn about how my cancer and my treatments could affect my fertility. My treatment team advised me that radiation would pose no risk of infertility but chemotherapy could. I’m so glad I reached out to them about fertility when I did because I could have missed my chance.
Obstacles
I started looking into fertility preservation and egg freezing. As I started researching and making phone calls I became really disheartened when I realized the cost of freezing my eggs would make it impossible for me to do it. I heard anywhere from $15,000-$20,000 for 1 egg freezing cycle and that doesn’t include the annual storage fee. Medications are typically another few grand at least. And it’s still no guarantee you’ll be successful. And you have to pay upfront – no payment plans.
The other thing I had working against me was my upcoming treatments. I was fast approaching my start date for radiation and I knew chemotherapy would follow. While it wouldn’t be possible to complete egg freezing before my radiation treatments started, there have been patients that have gone through an egg freezing cycle during the course of radiation treatments. Either way, now I had a time crunch – it had to be done before I started chemotherapy. This was an obstacle because most fertility clinics don’t have open ended egg cycles – they’ll offer a cycle once every few months.
It didn’t sound like insurance has much to do with fertility preservation so I wasn’t sure how I could find any sort of financial help. I could explore loan options but between school and medical stuff I’m in no position to pursue another loan. At this point I was feeling like this was out of reach which was disappointing.
A miracle
A huge shout out to my mom for finding Kindbody online. She looked online to try and find affordable options for egg freezing and came across Kindbody’s website. They offered payment plans. They were local. Their pricing was more like $8,000 for a cycle. They were founded for people like me who are going through medical challenges and needed help.
As I was getting registered to be a patient, I learned that I had a chance at even more reduced rates due to having cancer. My doctor just had to verify my diagnosis with Kindbody. Then I qualified for 50% off of the egg freezing cycle and 100% off all medications. I was able to finance the rest to make monthly payments. The initial doctor consultation required payment upfront which was only a couple hundred dollars. I was so impressed with the doctor and was eager to move forward with their team.
Starting the cycle
After the initial intake consult I went in for a physical examination involving a pelvic ultrasound and blood work so we could establish a baseline. We talked about timing and they shared an overview of how a cycle works. We decided that I would begin my hormone injections once I returned from my Montana trip which lined up with the start of my radiation treatments. I began two life changing medical journeys on August 15th.
Then it was time to start the daily injections. I was told that I should plan for about 10 days of injections. They monitored me closely – I had to go in once every 2-3 days for an ultrasound and blood work. Then once everything lined up and looks ideal for egg retrieval, I would do my “trigger injections” and it would be a quick turnaround for the procedure.
There was also coordination with the pharmacy. It came down to a bunch of rushed, back and forth communication with the pharmacy staff to make sure my meds would be delivered in time. They were actually great to work with. They communicated with me via text message and worked quickly and efficiently to get things ready.
The medications
Each evening around the same time I had to do 3 hormone injections, each one done a little differently. The Kindbody app included video tutorials on how to do each of them. One of them I had to mix and prepare myself. They had a 24/7 nurse line as well if I had any questions or concerns.
Follistim, Ganirelix and Menopur were my 3 daily injections. All injections were subcutaneous. The primary side effect was bloating. I also experienced mood swings. Injections needed to be given at least 1 inch away from the bellybutton, somewhere along the tummy area. They recommend switching up injection sites each day because the belly starts to bruise up.
Throughout the cycle alcohol is prohibited. They recommend a diet that is high in protein and sodium as well as drinking tons of fluids and electrolytes. Eating a salty diet and increasing fluid intake can help to prevent Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). OHSS causes your ovaries to become swollen and painful and is a risk to anyone undergoing hormone injections that are intended to grow their eggs faster.
My trigger injections were Pregnyl and Lupron which I completed at 10:30pm 2 nights before my procedure. These injections trigger the eggs to undergo final stages of maturation just in time for the retrieval procedure. The day before the procedure I had to complete a COVID test and a pregnancy test. Because of the trigger injections we needed the pregnancy test to be positive, which mine was. Just like most other procedures I couldn’t have any food or drink 8 hours before.
The procedure
By the time of my procedure I was so bloated and ready to be done. It was an outpatient procedure – the procedure itself only took like an hour. There were tons of consents and instructions to go through. I got into a gown, went into the procedure room, was given anesthesia, and an hour later I was already waking up. They retrieved 36 eggs which is outstanding. Of those eggs, 25 were viable! It’s not unusual for only like 15 eggs to be retrieved, and usually only half or less of the eggs end up being viable.
Unfortunately I continued to be highly bloated for awhile. You feel that way until your next period. I was so bloated that it hurt to walk – I had to waddle like I was pregnant because of the discomfort. Outside of that my recovery went well and my cycle was incredibly successful ☺
Kindbody
What stood out most to me was the kind and genuine nature of Kindbody. Every staff member whether it be front desk staff, nursing, or the doctor were incredibly caring. This was not your typical clinic-feel. When you walk in it looks like a boutique. The aesthetic is so beautiful and unique. The waiting room was filled with a large pink comfortable couch, a white fluffy rug, art, and beautiful decor. They always had music playing. There were snacks and drinks available in the lobby. Even the actual exam rooms had the same unique aesthetic with the decor.
It was a pleasure getting to know the doctor and the nursing staff. They were truly interested in my life and they would always hype me up for what I was going through. I knew they actually cared and I felt so safe and comfortable there. It’s hard to describe just how great my experience with this facility was. it felt very personal. I would highly recommend them for anything IVF related regardless of your circumstances. They treated my journey and my complicated circumstances with kindness. They worked quickly to address my needs and always make sure I had what I needed. Anyone can look to Kindbody, it’s not restricted to people with medical challenges.
A huge shout out to Kindbody for making this a pleasant experience while I was going through so much at once!
♡ Hailey
Coming Up on Kiss My Astrocytoma
A Message from my Mom
What does the research say?
Reminder to check out my Macrame page as well as my Etsy shop.! I have some fun new Christmas pieces I’ve listed that are available now!
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