Gift of Parenthood

John & Jen�s Fertility Assistance

John & Jen�s Fertility Assistance — photo 1 of 1
Donation ProtectedMar 8, 2022
Our names are John and Jennifer. We have been happily married for over 2 years and together for 5. We have been struggling with infertility since the very beginning. Jen was diagnosed with low AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone). This hormone determines egg quality and typically ranges from 1-4. Jen’s last reading was 0.4 and unfortunately there is no medication, cure, treatment, or reversal for this problem. Also, this number slowly deteriorates as women age past 40 and start reaching menopause. John was diagnosed with high levels of abnormal sperm cells. Typically this number is between 90-94% abnormal. John’s last reading was 98% and unfortunately no supplements or proposed treatment ideas improved this number for the last 2-3 years. John and Jen have already gone through 3 separate intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures which include ultrasounds, bloodwork, ovulation medication, abdominal injections, doctors appointments, scheduling conflicts with work, rescheduled appointments, repeated semenalyses, financial hardships, and most of all, the mental and emotional distress that constantly weighs on us whenever we see our loved ones and their beautiful babies. This has made our infertility journey exceptionally difficult, knowing we are both young and healthy yet still unable to naturally conceive a child without assistance. Our next step is to undergo In Vetro Fertilization (IVF). This procedure involves extracting an egg and sperm and fertilizing it under a microscope, allowing that egg to develop into an embryo, then eventually transferring a single viable embryo into the uterus. From that point it’s all up to luck. A single IVF procedure usually costs between $12,000-$15,000. This would cover all the necessary expenses for medications, ultrasounds, cryogenic freezing, and transferral fees. Insurance does not cover “elective procedures” like this, so we have to pay the entire amount out of pocket BEFORE any treatments can begin. With limited time, limited resources, and limited eggs left, we are reaching out to our friends and family for help. If you know us, you know we are not the type of people to ask for assistance. We push ourselves and endure the hardships without the possibility of quitting in our minds. But this fight has seemed like a losing one for a while, and we need your help this one time. We aren’t asking for any specific amount or timeframe. We’re perfectly happy if you just share this page with someone who might also be struggling with infertility and is having a hard time with it. Let them know that they are not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help from time to time. We love you all, and we wish you health and happiness as we continue on our journey. Thank you!

Updates (1)

  1. Round 1… Fight!

    May 14, 2022(edited)

    First off, thank you again to everybody who has shown support, and thank you for following us on this journey. After a small delay, we have finally started our first round of IVF injections. And when I say “we”, I mean Jennifer. She has been so strong and brave through this process so far. It’s really reinforced my belief that I married the right person. About a month ago, Jen finished a small cycle of birth control to prevent ovulation. When she went in for her bloodwork and ultrasound checkup, they had found a small benign cyst on one of her ovaries. The doc said these types of things are normal and typically go away after one menstrual cycle. So we waited a month, and sure enough, it was gone! So our clinical team deliberated about what our next step should be and they give us the green light to begin daily injections in preparation for IVF! We were excited, nervous, scared, and hopeful all at the same time. Yesterday was Jen’s first round of injections. And that was when it finally dawned on us that we’re really doing this. This whole time, getting bad news, setting up a fundraiser, paying thousands of dollars for medicines, procedures, etc., doctors visits and bloodwork, it never really sunk in until last night when I was holding a needle full of stimulation medication while Jen got emotional (rightfully so) and held her shirt up so I could reach her abdomen. The reality of infertility is truly something we would not wish on anybody. A good friend told me at the beginning of this “anybody can be a parent, some people just have to work a little harder for it”. And that’s the mentality we’re keeping moving forward. We still don’t know what’s going to happen. But we have two more days of injections. Then Jen will go in for bloodwork and an ultrasound to make sure things are progressing the way they should. Then our clinical team will decide what to do from there. Meanwhile, we are both doing well. We’re both still working, feeling good, staying positive and hopeful. We hope you are all healthy and happy. I’ll try to update more often since things are much more dynamic now. We love you guys!

Donations (17)

Italo Gamarra

$100

Apr 3, 2022

Kellie Troxell

$100

Apr 1, 2022

Joshua Wise

$40

Mar 19, 2022

Monique Guzzi

$100

Mar 17, 2022

Lauren Glover

$20

Mar 14, 2022

Laura Hrdlicka

$50

Mar 14, 2022

Angela Poliseo

$100

Mar 14, 2022

carmen M Longnecker

$50

Mar 14, 2022

Leiann Wilda

$25

Mar 13, 2022

Carson Young

$100

Mar 12, 2022

Mary Kate Dusseau

$50

Mar 11, 2022

Petra Brubaker

$150

Mar 11, 2022

Stina & Chris

$200

Mar 11, 2022

Andrew Princiotta

$75

Mar 10, 2022

Kain Jutras

$50

Mar 10, 2022

Lara Scarpati

$100

Mar 10, 2022

Kyle Miller

$100

Mar 10, 2022

About the Organizer

John and Jennifer Barranco

Spring Hill, FLJoined Mar 2022

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