Ever since engaging in unprotected sex years ago, there had been occasional worries of a pregnancy surprising us too suddenly, although none did.
Eventually it did feel unusual that all the care-free occasions never resulted in accidents, and even timed ones bore no results either.
There was a sadness in the realisation that there may be something not right, that we may need to do some checks. It's difficult being ready for something you never thought you'd need to hear, but it had to be done.
GF's local general practitioner made an appointment for us at a nearby hospital for an ovarian and uterine diagnostic and a semenalysis. It was a somewhat depressing wait for the procedures, and results could not be immediately known.
"Your eggs are too small, and your husband has very low sperm count with weak sperm" was all we could remember from her GP's interpretation on our next appointment.
For the next two years, we tried one thing after another following the advice of family, friends and experts, and realised what may work for most did not work for us.
First thing we started on was a regime of pharmaceuticals including Chlomie for her eggs and Tribestan to increase sperm count, as well as a precisely timed roster. We had to take a break and let this go after its third month, with option to resume a few months later.
GF's mum also took us to a traditional medicine practitioner, the type whose three fingers on your wrist could tell your entire condition. Balls! Hundreds of them! Black chewy herbal medicinal balls 1cm in diameter was prescribed for me, and smaller ones for her. Smaller because she had to down about 6-9 at one go after meals. Another six months went by with no results.
Although GF dreaded it, physical intervention was the next option. The difference between the investment needed for an IUI (intra uterine insemenation) and an IVF (in vitro firtilisation) was big enough for our first attempt to be an IUI. Apparently the difference in success statistics isn't that big. We had to alter our lifestyles a bit to provide as best an environment as possible for maximum sperm-count and ovulation results. Although friends have mentioned being successful after several IUI attempts, the physical and emotional challenge put us on a break after our first attempt.
Almost another year followed with other plans including homeopathic supplements introduced by a friend with recent pregnancy success, but with no results for us. It was time again to decide to go for our second IUI at an internationally renown fertility centre whose newest facility happened to be close by. Tests, consultations, medications, stimulations, IUI, and even considerations for an eventual IVF, all just seemed to go on with no end. Statistics were just that. One could still very well be on either side of the statistics no matter what we did.
It was time for another break, a breather to weigh the available options more seriously. IVF? Adoption? Try all the above again to beat the statistics? We decided to let it go for a while, especially since both of us would be packed with our own work-travel schedules over the next few months and the stresses related to it.
That was when it happened! When we had almost given up, when we had stopped everything we were trying, and right in the middle of the hectic Chinese New Year season, one of our nights of intimate adventure sparked its miracle, only to be discovered 5 weeks later.
23 March 2010: Two lines! For me, it was a definitive conclusion, but GF was still unsure and felt it could be an inaccurate reading from the cheap test kit, or an imbalance of hormones due to the preceding few hectic weeks. She decided a visit to her GP for a scan was in order the next day.
