“A Mom Can Never Say Never”
The Elmore family and the little miracle, Maren Faith; Kirksville, MO

I often wonder at what point our door knobs became sticky, our everyday dishes became Disney princess plates, and we could easily quote Barney lyrics, but it happened. From the lowest point in our lives, it just happened, a family was created. I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I just never knew it was easier wished than done. Michael and I tried so long and hard for a family, longer and harder than most couples might have, but a mom can never say never.

Our journey began in February 1993, but months of trying on our own turned into years of trying and we had not conceived, so we sought medical assistance. Easily enough we got pregnant on only our second Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) cycle in August 1997. It was so exciting to actually see a positive pregnancy test. The excitement of that pregnancy ended suddenly in an early miscarriage, and was followed by another miscarriage in December 1997.

Knowing we had to just be experiencing bad luck, we gathered our strength to continue. On the sixth IUI, we were blessed with another pregnancy and it was twins! However, in my fifth month, my water broke prematurely and I went into labor. On February 13, 1999, Nathan and Haley were born too early at 20 weeks. Devastation doesn’t even describe out emotions; there are no works to explain the sadness and despair of losing your children.

Still hoping for a miracle, we moved forward. Following our eighth IUI cycle, we were expecting triplets. Again, incredibly in my fifth month, my water broke and on November 4, 1999, Meredith, Miles, and Matthew were born too early at 18 weeks. Holding those babies in the hospital and wondering what could have been were the saddest times in our lives. We were numb with grief and sorrow. The following days were the darkest of our lives; I could not be consoled, the grief was unbearable, truly thinking I wouldn’t survive, nor if I wanted to. “Never” was certainly toying with my emotions. I felt like a failure as a woman, as a wife; and the only things I wanted were our babies.

As we continued to try, our monthly hopes were followed by crushing defeats. Every month dedicated to temperature charts, ultrasounds, blood draws, long trips to doctor appointments, surgeries, procedures, or tests; the process consumed our lives. In March 2001, we adopted our son, Mason; then experiencing a joy our lives had been missing. But still knowing we were missing a piece of our hearts, we proceeded with treatment and in 2002 I asked my doctors to try something different. I knew we were running out of time and faith, we had already lost 7 babies and our hearts were hesitant. With our team of doctors and nurses, we reviewed my history and discussed the options; knowing we needed to avoid another high-risk pregnancy, we decided to try a new medication for me: we chose REPRONEX^®.

I responded wonderfully to REPRONEX^®. My doctors were pleased and after only 3 beautifully monitored cycles, I took a pregnancy test. It was ironically Christmas morning 2002 when, before dawn, I slipped back into bed and whispered to my husband I had one more gift for him and gave him a positive pregnancy test. We held each other and cried, so happy, so scared, but so hopeful.

We lived on pins and needles; waiting and wanting our baby girl. I was scheduled for an induction on August 25, 2003 and a 7 pound 10 ounce Maren Faith entered our lives. The delivering doctor, coincidentally one of my fertility doctors, put her immediately on my chest, and we were basically in awe. Amazingly, I was holding our baby, and I stared wondering how something that small and perfect came from us after all these years.

The fertility doctor that helped to choose REPRONEX^® visited us in the hospital. He had no reason to do so; he had just followed our case and wanted to express his congratulations. He was so happy to be a part of our story knowing it was so special. A happy ending like ours doesn’t come along every day, but after 10 years of losses, hopes, prayers, and dreams, we just hit the jackpot. It was a difficult period of infertility and loss, but now all I can think of is how lucky we are to have our family; and how thankful I am we never said never and had the opportunity to choose REPRONEX^® and get our miracle.