Success Stories-Melissa Stafford

I truly believe that success stories are the key to not losing hope--at least for me they are! I have asked three special friends to share with me there success stories and I will be posting these throughout the day; I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I do!

The first story is from Melissa at Stafford Stories; she is a dear and sweet friend of mine...I've been so blessed to get to know her through this blog world and I've very thankful for it. I'm so excited that Melissa has a success story and very excited she is letting me share it with y'all today!! Thank you Melissa for sharing your story; congrats again sweet friend!

Our Story - Stafford Stories

Us girls all have fairy tales, dreams, desires, wants, and plans for our future. We feel that if we make these plans that they will come true. My dreams have come true, but the timing of the dreams aren't always when I thought it would be. Let me start at the beginning. Our story began when Chad and I got married in September 26th, 2006. We spent our first year of marriage truly enjoying our marriage as a couple. It was a great first year! Towards the end of the first year Chad and I went on a 1st Year Anniversary Trip to Mexico and a month before leaving we decided to go off the pill and start trying to have a baby. We spent the next 10 months trying on our own with no success at all. I was scheduled for my yearly OBGYN appointment and we decided that we would seek additional help. I still remember that day as if it was yesterday sitting in the doctor's office telling my OBGYN that we were having problems and then our world was turned upside down. We both spent the next four months doing every test possible to determine a cause. Chad was sent to a male specialist (sorry I don't know what they are called) and they did additional testing and it was determined that we would go on Clomid for the next 6 months to see if we could conceive on our own. However it did not work and than they suggested that we try an IUI. I just knew an IUI would work and we would be pregnant. Well I was wrong we did a total of three IUI's from November 2008-January 2009. It was disappointing to hear that our next steps were to seek help at the Tulsa Fertility Center. We had our first appointment in February 2009 to review our history with the doctors at the clinic and determine what was the best option for us. Based on our male factor issues our doctor decided that we should go straight to IVF with ICSI as based on our records we had less than a 5% chance of conceiving on our own. This was dramatic for me to hear, but I knew at the time that I had to have trust in the doctor's that they knew best. So we proceeded and began the journey of IVF. After our first appointment it felt as if I would finally get pregnant and all my dreams would come true. I had NO doubt at all that it won't work I just knew that once the doctor's put the egg and sperm together that it would create a embryo and it would implant in me and all would be great. That is what I thought, but boy was I wrong. I began fertility shots in April and we had our Egg Retrieval on April 16th 2009 and my Embryo Transfer on April 19th 2009. During the month of April and a few weeks in May I ended up taking around 60 shots...YIKES! On May 1st 2009 we did our first Beta test and we received news that it was a low positive and so for the next several days I did two more Beta tests and it was determined on May 11th, 2009 that I was not pregnant. It was a very SAD day! I just did not understand why this was happening to me. During the peak of our fertility treatments I was surrounded by some many people that I love that were having babies or pregnant. My twin sister Amie welcomed Drew in May 2009, my friend Ashley welcomed her little girl in June 2009, my friend Kendall welcomed her little girl in June 2009, and my sister Jessyca welcomed her little girl in July 2009. I was around so many blessings, but I was dying inside. I wanted what they had and I just didn't understand why it was so hard for us. I don't want my friends or family reading this to think I was hurt or upset about their pregnancies I was more jealous than anything. Only a few people know this, but since I am telling you our story I am going to be real with you, when Chad and I went to our failed cycle consult in Tulsa in May 2009 we were told that our best option to conceive was donor sperm. Hearing those words and the lost hope our doctor had in us was heartbreaking. I felt completely lost! It was also hard because I felt as if I couldn't talk to anyone about what was going on because I thought that they would not understand and just tell me to be patient and I would get pregnant. And that was the last thing I wanted to hear! After the failed IVF I couldn't do it again as my heart was not 100% into trying again. So from June 2009-August 2009 Chad and I decided that we would give our worries to GOD and let him lead us. I am not saying that we didn't stop counting days and determining peak ovulation days because we did do this each month, but we did focus more on our relationship with GOD than on getting pregnant. It was difficult for me to give it all to GOD as I have the personality that wants to control all details and make it happen. But as I continued to grow my faith in GOD I changed. I felt called to the Alter one Sunday in early September 2009 and I talked to GOD and told him that I could not feel this way anymore, I could not continue feeling sad each month that I did't get pregnant and on that day I laid it all down to him so now it was his turn to take care of it. About a week later I was walking with Bella and I just spoke to GOD and asked him to give me some sign that he was with me and taking care of me and I looked up and the sun rays were shining down on me. I felt comfort and strength after that walk that GOD was with me. On September 22nd, 2009 I woke up and had a strong feeling that I needed to take a pregnancy test, I was 10 days late. I already knew what it would say NOT PREGNANT! HOWEVER TO MY SURPRISE IT CLEARLY SHOWED PREGNANT. I was completely amazed I didn't know what to do. I have never received a positive test since we started our journey. On September 25th, 2009 I went to my OBGYN's office to confirm I was in fact pregnant and on that day all our dreams came true. It was the best third year anniversary present we could give each other as the next day was our anniversary and WE WERE PREGNANT! It is surreal to think that on our 1st anniversary we began the journey to become parents and on our third anniversary we were blessed with the miracle that is growing inside of me. Dreams do come true and I know this because of the miracle that God has given me. As you are reading this I am 36 weeks pregnant and will be holding my little boy in a few short weeks. I share my story to give all couples hope and faith that God will take care of you. Sometimes just sitting and being patient and letting God take care of you is what you need. It is what I needed and my faith in God is so strong that I don't want to let go of his hand in this journey of life. Each of you are in my prayers!

Love Melissa


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