1. Failed Transfer

   August 10, 2023(edited)

   Hello everyone, It is easiest to reach everyone with updates here – cycles and appointments are difficult to track since it is an ongoing process and changes weekly. Unfortunately, our last embryo transfer done on 7/27 failed. We had transferred our one female embryo and it sadly ended in a chemical pregnancy (info on chemical pregnancies can be found here: https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/pregnancy-loss/chemical-pregnancy/). We still have a total of 4 male embryos that all tested genetically/chromosomally normal or euploid. This allows us 4 more attempts at a successful FET (frozen embryo transfers). Our doctor at Kindbody (Dr. Balmir) will select the best graded embryo for our next cycle. We will begin cycle appointments 8/17 and begin the preparations needed for transfer. We have been enjoying having our new clinic close by for monitoring and check-in appointments. We are healing emotionally and know that we are already well prepared for the next steps in our journey. With another cycle comes another medical bill we weren’t expecting. We now have quite a bit of debt (almost a college degree amount) to pay off for our treatments. If you can help at all, it would be so appreciated. Also, please feel free to share our story/post with others. Some have reached out about other ways to send funding and I do have a Paypal (paypal.me/mrsakruger) and Venmo (@Ashley-Hudak) as well. I have been working all summer and will continue to also work a part time job at Sylvan Learning during the school year to help with expenses as well as private tutoring for clients. We are so thankful for all the donations and support from our family and friends – we would not be at this point in our journey without everyone helping. Thank you all so very much for your love, thoughts, texts, and well wishes. We rely on all your support, prayers, and good energy for the strength to move forward. Love you all, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor (woof!)

2. Rounds 3 and 4

   June 27, 2023(edited)

   Hello everyone, Joe and I have just recently received our results from our last two egg retrievals! I did one egg retrieval in May and then continued medications to also do one in early June. We had excellent outcomes for these rounds – a total of 5 embryos that all tested genetically/chromosomally normal or euploid. This embryo banking allows us to now have several attempts at FETs (frozen embryo transfers). There has been a lot of waiting and hoping but we are so thrilled with the results from our new clinic (Kindbody). It has also been helpful to have the clinic close by and to be able to do all parts of the process at one clinic. We will be able to attempt another embryo transfer at the end of July, and we are really excited! The only unfortunate part of this continued process is the cost. We now have quite a bit of debt (almost a college degree amount) to pay off for our treatments. If you can help at all, it would be so appreciated. Also, please feel free to share our story/post with others. Some have reached out about other ways to send funding and I do have a Paypal (paypal.me/mrsakruger) and Venmo (@Ashley-Hudak) as well. It has been so frustrating that insurance deems infertility as a ‘choice’ for procedures and treatments. So even with decent insurance, nearly all our costs are out of pocket. I recently started working a part time job at Sylvan Learning to help with expenses as well as private tutoring for clients. We are so thankful for all the donations and support from our family and friends – we would absolutely not be at this point in our journey without everyone helping. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I will post another update later this summer after our next transfer! Love to all, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor (woof!)

3. Round 3 Preparations

   April 11, 2023(edited)

   Hello all, I hope this update finds you well - it is so nice to finally have some spring sunshine! I am writing with some updates on our journey. Which, unfortunately, continues on. Our FET (frozen embryo transfer) failed on 3/30. Devasted once more, but not ready to give up. So, we are continuing treatment but in a different capacity. Joe and I made the switch to a local clinic called KindBody. They have a location in the north loop of Minneapolis and have some great ideas to change our treatment plan (which will hopefully lead to some success). I met my new doctor via Zoom already (Fabiola Balmir) and I feel so positive about our plan. Joe has already had some initial testing and I will have some baseline testing tomorrow at the clinic and we will begin our next cycle the first week of May. This clinic’s cost is more comparable to CNY if we include what we have been spending on travel. We will be using a plan called duo stim this time which means I will have two different egg retrieval procedures about a week apart. This will include more medications and be a little harder on my body, but it should ultimately lead to a better total number of viable embryos. After that, we will have the embryos tested and then hopefully plan for transfer the following month/cycle. I am hopeful that this will work and I’m trying my best to keep a positive mindset. However, this is challenging with social media so I think I will be taking a brief hiatus for a little while. If you can continue to support or donate, that would be so incredibly helpful. We are getting some help from family but still have about $16k in debt from our previous two cycles and then will incur some additional debt for our third (and most likely final) round. This is our last try so we are putting in everything we’ve got. Please also feel free to share our story/post with others. Some have reached out about other ways to send funding and I do have a Paypal (paypal.me/mrsakruger) and Venmo (@Ashley-Hudak) if that makes things easier. Again, thank you so much for every single donation, kind words, prayers, and love. We are so lucky to have such an amazing support system. I will post another update in May once we have the results from our next retrieval and plans for transfer. Love, Ashley, Joe, and Eleanor (woof!)

4. Transfer #2 - Sticky vibes needed!

   March 14, 2023(edited)

   Hello all, I have good news to share! Next week, Joe and I are headed to Colorado Springs for our 2nd embryo transfer. At this point we have one embryo with a decent rating that we are able to try and transfer. Unfortunately, we only had one good embryo from our last retrieval due to an issue with cryopreservation – apparently, some embryos aren’t able to survive the full freezing process. While we were a little disappointed, we do have hope in our little one. It only takes one to have a successful pregnancy! So, we are putting our hopes into this transfer before we attempt any other steps. We are going to go out on Monday (and stay with our dear friends, Chris and Katie) and have the transfer done on Tuesday morning. I am doing everything I can in the meantime to make it the most successful I can – lots of acupuncture, healthy eating, long walks, and rest. When I get to the clinic I will be able to do an IV transfusion of lipids that help aid in implantation, as well as two sessions of acupuncture at the clinic both pre and post transfer. All of these things should help with implantation! I began my medication protocol last week and increase the medications and injections this week. We are roughly $14k in debt at the moment for our second cycle and had to additionally spend another $1k on medications in preparation. That being said, we would be incredibly grateful for any amount you might be able to donate. Please also feel free to share our story/post with others. Some have reached out about other ways to send funding and I do have a Paypal (paypal.me/mrsakruger) and Venmo (@Ashley-Hudak) if that makes things easier. We are so thankful for all the love, support, and prayers we have already received! We need lots and lots of sticky vibes to help this little embryo stick around. With love, Ashley, Joe, and Eleanor (woof!)

5. Retrieval 2 - Colorado Bound

   January 22, 2023(edited)

   Hi! Joe and I are leaving shortly for the airport. I have had my baseline and monitoring appointments (3!) to prepare for our next egg retrieval. Unfortunately, we do not have any usable embryos for our next transfer so, we are starting back at the beginning. I have been prepping with all of the medications and shots and I am starting to feel like a bloated pincushion. However, both Joe and I are remaining positive and excited to see how the next round goes. My procedure will be tomorrow at 8:00 am in Colorado Springs at CNY. Our CO besties (love to the Morris fam) are graciously hosting us for the next few days. Additional medications this time brought the med total alone to $5,800...so, fingers crossed we get a good outcome! Thank you for all of your donations - it is making this whole process possible! Peace, love, and pineapples, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor

6. Round 2 – Here we go again!

   January 11, 2023(edited)

   Hello all, Joe and I appreciate the friends and family that have reached out to check on us. It’s been a challenging time lately but we are looking forward to the future and the new year. We love each and every one of you and are so grateful. I officially had my baseline appointment for my next IVF cycle this morning and things are looking great! We will need to do another egg retrieval since we do not have any viable embryos. This means we go through the whole process again. I’ve been taking all my supplements and ordered all my medication for this round right before Christmas. The medication costs came in at $4,700 this time…yikes! But if all goes to plan, the overall costs will be similar to last round ($13k with travel). So, I am writing to you today in hopes of a little help. Please also feel free to share our story/post. Some have reached out about other ways to send funding and I do have a Paypal (paypal.me/mrsakruger) and Venmo (@Ashley-Hudak) if that makes things easier and fee free for people. We realize it is a big ask but we are so eager to start our family and have that little rainbow baby. I am going through my stims (stimulation) meds throughout the next week so hormones and emotions will be high, but a trip to CO to CNY is in our future soon and I am so happy about it. XOXO, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor pup

7. Preparation for Round 2!

   December 12, 2022(edited)

   Hello again! Thanks to your generous donations, we only have a small amount left to pay off for our first cycle! All costs considered, it is about $15k for one full cycle (excluding travel costs). We were completely blown away by the support we received from all of our friends and family when we went through such a hard loss this past fall. We are still healing emotionally but are ready to try again (timing is everything with aging). I had a procedure done last month (hysteroscopy) to prepare fully for our second IVF cycle that will begin mid-January. Unfortunately, we don’t have any embryos from our first cycle that we can use so we need to start the entire process over again at the egg retrieval stage. We are planning on freezing any viable embryos we get in January and will do the full PGT chromosomal testing before attempting implantation. We will schedule a frozen embryo transfer for March if all goes to plan. We will need to be in MN in mid-February for the next Hudak wedding – we are so thrilled for my brother Max and fiancé Kat! This means we will have a few upcoming trips to CO for both the egg retrieval and embryo transfer. We did consider another clinic here in MN but it was nearly $8-10k more than going again with CNY in Springs. I am in full preparation mode now with acupuncture, supplements, healthy eating, and trying my best to keep positive. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and we will be sure to update everyone on how our retrieval goes in January! xoxo, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor pup

8. Broken Hearts

   October 1, 2022(edited)

   Hello all, Unfortunately, I am writing today with an extremely heavy heart. Joe and I did have success with our first IVF embryo transfer in August. As of this past week, I was ten weeks pregnant. We were beyond happy, and my initial scans, bloodwork, and appointments were going well. On Thursday, we received our NIPT report stating that the baby had zero chromosomal abnormalities and was a boy. Absolutely thrilled, we began thinking of names and planning on telling our families this weekend. Due to being an IVF pregnancy, I have had more regular visits to the doctor and was being monitored closely. So, on Friday, we were completely blindsided at my scheduled 10-week appointment since everything else had previously been right on track. The baby now looked abnormal, and I was told that I would need to see a specialist immediately. After rushing to an additional scan at the Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic in Burnsville yesterday, we were given terrible news. The baby had developed body stalk anomaly which has roughly a 1 in 10,000 occurrence rate and is a completely sporadic condition. It is very rare and there is zero chance of survival. I will need to have D&C procedure on Tuesday morning. This is so frustrating because it had nothing to do with our genetics/chromosomes or either parent. It is just something that can happen during cell development, and we drew the short (extremely short) straw. The doctor stated that fortunately, it is also very unlikely that it would ever happen to us again. The doctors and nurses we worked with yesterday showed immense compassion towards Joe and I and we were thankful that we also had my sister Amanda with us to support us and help answer questions. Joe and I are both devastated and still trying to process and deal with the immense grief that accompanies loss. My doctor is very supportive (and kind), and she is encouraging me to take time off work to heal physically and mentally. I am going to take the next week off from teaching and work on doing some healing and grieving. This is a heartbreaking update to write, and Joe and I are thankful for every bit of support we have had along the way. We will take some time to heal, but we are committed to continuing our fertility journey and try IVF again. If you have any women you love in your life, please remember that abortion is not something that most women can/want to choose but it is sometimes what is needed to keep that woman safe and healthy. I feel very blessed to have a wonderful support system and Joe has been by my side every step of the way – he truly deserves an award for being the best husband. With love (and grief), Ashley & Joe

9. Planes & Pineapples

   August 2, 2022(edited)

   Today is the day that we officially board the plane for Colorado! The medications worked just as they should and my monitoring appointments (ultrasounds and bloodwork) here in the cities went well. I am on track for egg retrieval tomorrow morning (8/3). Joe and I will be staying with some very close (and generous) friends in Denver while we are traveling to the clinic in Colorado Springs. Joe and I are both ready for the next few steps! We may also be able to do a fresh embryo transfer after a 5 day wait and testing while we are there. While there is still a long road ahead, we are hopeful. I recently read about pineapples and their positive energy and impact on women going through IVF (check out the article here -https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/style/pineapple-in-vitro-fertilization-pregnancy.html) so I obviously had to get something with a pineapple on it for the trip. I’ll be sporting some lovely pineapple joggers at some point! Again, a heartfelt thank you to our support system and I will write an update after our return home. Love, Ash, Joe, and Eleanor

10. Medications & Traveling

    July 26, 2022(edited)

    Hello all, I have several exciting updates to share on our IVF journey! This summer I began the priming and preparation protocols and officially start my stims/stimulation cycle of medication this week. Which means, we will be going to CO in about two weeks for the egg retrieval! Your donations have made this possible! I was able to use funds from this campaign thus far, to help with ultrasound and monitoring appointments (most of which insurance refuses to cover due to an infertility diagnosis), and more recently, for medications. The bill for my stims medications was $3,200 yesterday…so I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. BUT, I’m so thrilled to finally be moving forward in the process! I am not sure how I will feel with the adjustments of all the medications but, I am still excited to get started. We are still in need of funds to pay for all costs associated with the first cycle at CNY in Colorado Springs…I can’t believe how expensive IVF is! If you are able to pass along our story, we would be forever grateful. We both hope that everyone is having a wonderful summer and we feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family that support us. I will post in update in the next two weeks or so about our progress and trip out to Colorado Springs! Love, Ash, Joe, & Eleanor (woof!)

11. Summer

    May 26, 2022(edited)

    Hello again, Man, it has been a tough few days with all of the news about schools and students right now. My heart is heavy and I\\\\'ve been extra emotional as I consider school wrapping up for the year and how I can best show my students and families love and care. In order to move forward with our IVF cycle this summer (aiming for the end of July!), I have had to have a lot more monitoring and testing done. I had to complete a checklist of bloodwork and an additional ultrasound that insurance won\\\\'t cover (nearly $1,000). My medical bills have totaled nearly $5,000 since December and I am fighting with insurance since they claimed I haven\\\\'t met my deductible ($3,000) yet. So, I feel a little frustrated with the situation but I am keeping up on all of my supplements and have begun one of my hormone shots. Due to testing being so expensive, any little donation will still be very much appreciated. I am looking forward to the next step of the process and I have been in communication with our clinic in Colorado. I am also hoping to take this summer to relax and step away from the stress at school/work and spend time in the garden (and with family!). Love to all!

12. Progress & Hope

    April 5, 2022(edited)

    Hello all, A HUGE hug goes out to every single one of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you beautiful people! Because of all of your support, we can afford to officially commit to one cycle of IVF! After consulting with a few clinics for opinions and budget, we are able to begin treatment with CNY Fertility in Colorado Springs, CO. We have a few months of testing and preparation first. This summer, we will make a few trips to Colorado for one complete round of IVF. I will continue to post updates here to share how things are going. In the meantime, I would love to send each and every donor a handwritten note of thanks. Please send me your most up to date address via email (an.hudak@gmail.com) and I can get a card to you! With Love, Ashley & Joe

13. Generosity

    March 10, 2022(edited)

    Joe and I feel incredibly supported by all of the friends, family, and acquaintances that have donated to our cause! I’m in tears just thinking about how much everyone cares and has shown up for us in our time of need. The next steps of the journey are only possible because of all the donations you have contributed! We would not have been able to move forward without monetary support. We are in the consultation phase now with 2 different clinics (RMIA in Edina, MN and CNY Fertility in Colorado Springs, CO) for the next part of treatment. As with many things right now, there is quite a wait…but we will hopefully have some updates on when we can begin treatments in late spring/early summer. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Hugs to all!

14. THANK YOU!

    February 15, 2022(edited)

    Joe and I are absolutely blown away by all of the support we have received. A huge hug and thank you to all! We feel so lucky to have such a wonderful support system. <3

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