Fertility treatment is heartbreaking, rewarding, scary and exciting
Why do you want to share your story?
To encourage other families to press on during the fertility journey — it was heartbreaking, rewarding, scary, and exciting.
What led you to Fertility Centers of Illinois?
I always assumed it would be difficult for me to get pregnant due to having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and not being able to track cycles or ovulation as needed for a planned pregnancy. I had read about FCI and had even inquired once before — it felt like a good place to start and get answers at the very least, but it ended up giving us so much more than that.
How would you describe your experience with your physician?
Dr. Hobeika is one of the kindest, warmest physicians I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He took time to explain the intricacies of fertility, conception, medication, and everything else this process entailed. He answered all of our questions without hesitation and gave us honest, fact-based answers. While being very upfront with us, he somehow managed to instill hope and this is what encouraged us to endure the process. Anyone who works with him is lucky to do so.
What helped you get through treatment?
My husband was an incredible support, as he was going through this along with me. He gave me my injections and that made him even more a part of the process. We have very a supportive network of family and friends, all of whom kept encouraging us along the way. Exercising and staying active also seemed to help keep our spirits up and feeling well physically. I will also note that every single person I encountered at FCI, from physicians to technicians to patient coordinators and beyond, was absolutely patient-centered and kind. I always looked forward to seeing anyone and everyone when I had scheduled appointments.
Do you have any words of hope for others?
Whether intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) or any other treatment does or does not work for you and your family, if you want to become a parent, you will find a way. If you stay the course, you will find your way to parenthood. For those who do IVF: while I can’t guarantee it will work and it’s 100% a chance you are taking, if it does work, I cannot identify a better feeling than finding out that it did work.
Tell us about your little miracle!
She’s not quite here yet! I’m currently 32 weeks pregnant and due in early March 2022. She used to be a tiny blip on a screen, then she was resembling of a gummy bear, and now we feel her kicks on a nightly basis. We are so excited and anxious to meet our daughter. We don’t know much about her yet, but we do know that she may be a Celine Dion fan — the kicks are pretty intense when we hold the phone near my belly. Either way, we can’t wait to find out exactly who she is when she gets here!
