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My Unexpected Journey as a Surrogate
Enriching, Engaging &
Incredible Beyond Words
as told by Lori to Cheryl Anderson
My house was finally quiet…I had just put my 3-year
old triplets down for a nap. I picked up the paper
and started scanning the Help Wanted ads, as I knew
Kindergarten was just around the corner. Although I
had a master’s degree in early childhood education,
I hadn’t taught school since I had given birth to my
triplets (Megan, Emily and Hunter).
An ad suddenly caught my attention: “Special
Surrogate Wanted”. I read on. A couple was looking
for someone to carry their baby for them.
I remembered all the trouble my husband and I had
conceiving, and felt this instant need to give back
and help someone else. I picked up the phone. Before
I knew it, I was connected to Creative Family
Connections, a company that specializes in building
families through assisted reproductive technology.
In this call, I indicated that I was open to working
with traditional or same-sex couples or single
parents. There was no pressure either way.
Within a few weeks, with my husband fully on board,
I had filled out an application and met with two
attorneys from the agency. I was caught by surprise
when one asked me: “What do you plan to do with the
money?” I replied that maybe I’d start a college
fund for my triplets when I learned that the
intended parents would pay me $20,000, plus
expenses, with another $5000 if I became pregnant
with twins.
The following weekend, I met the intended parents:
Michael and Tracy, who couldn’t wait to become dads!
We all got along very well. We had similar thoughts
on pregnancy and its associated issues, and we
agreed to move forward.
The next steps included appointments with the
psychologist for everyone, as well as a checkup for
me at the fertility clinic. Diane, the founder of
Creative Family Connections, accompanied me to this
appointment. Her being there really helped me. After
some more screening, I was deemed “good to go”!
Next, the doctors expertly synchronized my menstrual
cycle with an egg donor’s, and after retrieving 12
eggs from the donor, they created embryos in a Petri
dish. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, was underway.
I was already taking an additional medication to
ready my uterus for implantation, and I had three
embryos transferred a few days later. This was a
very simple process and no more painful than my
annual pap smear. As an added bonus, I was told to
rest for 24 hours. (What mother of 3 wouldn’t like
to do that?)
Now the waiting began. Was I pregnant? To determine
this, I had to wait to have the clinic perform a
beta (blood) test two weeks after the egg retrieval
(the day of fertilization).
My thoughts throughout these weeks were: “Am I
pregnant? Please let me be pregnant.” I was ecstatic
when the first word I heard from the nurse at the
clinic, after my scheduled beta test, was
“Congratulations!”
“Really?” I asked.
“Really truly!” chirped the nurse, “you are not just
pregnant, Lori, but your numbers are really high.”
I quickly called Michael and Tracy, who quickly
called Diane, and there were shouts of glee
everywhere.
I remained a patient at the IVF Clinic through the
first ultrasound, since the doctor wanted to hear a
good, strong heartbeat. Then, I returned to my own
OB-GYN for the duration of the pregnancy. With all
of us in attendance at the 8-week ultrasound, we
were overjoyed to learn it was twins! Michael and
Tracy were thrilled to have an instant family, as
they called it!
I know that all surrogacy relationships may not be
quite as ideal as mine, but my whole family became
so close with Michael and Tracy that it was just
incredible. Even my children learned about this
wonderful way to help other people have children.
They were with me every step of the way.
Creative Family Connections’ attorneys took care of
all the legal filings in advance, so that Michael
and Tracy were the legal parents, treated as such by
the hospital staff, and were both listed on the
birth certificate.
The babies came right on schedule and were as
healthy as could be: a girl and a boy, Logan and
Chance. These lucky children not only have two
loving parents, but our families will always have an
amazing bond that will be there forever.
Surrogacy for me was never a planned step in my
life. It has, however, enriched my life more than I
ever imagined. I am so grateful that I could help
bring two children to life…and into lives that will
be filled with unconditional love from morning to
night. If that is not the gift of life, then what
is?
++++++++
Creative Family Connections LLC, is a woman-owned,
specialized law firm in the DC area which helps
prospective parents fulfill their dream of becoming
parents by finding them gestational surrogates and
egg donors.
www.creativefamilyconnections.com
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