A couple of weeks ago I wrote about deciding to apply to become an egg donor through Nurture.
I’ve had all sorts of reactions to my decision, ranging from “Are you MAD?” to “That’s incredible!”, from “Aren’t you petrified of the needles?” to “Aren’t you worried that one day your recipient’s baby [from your egg] might meet and develop a relationship with one of your own children?”
To answer briefly – I don’t think I’m mad at all. I have two BEAUTIFUL children who are happy and healthy. Needles schmeedles. The inconvenience of a handful of jabs is far less to me than the years of desperation and sadness that a woman struggling with infertility would experience. The whole ‘my-child-meets-recipient’s-child’ scenario is practically impossible. Something that never would have crossed my mind, had it not been one of the questions I was asked.
I have friends, special and close friends, who have suffered the cruel trials of infertiliy. I don’t know anyone (I don’t think) who has had an actual egg donation, but I do have many friends who required IVF treatments in order for their eggs to be successfully fertilised. I know their pain. I saw the twinges of pain and depression in their faces when someone announced a pregnancy. I felt their pain when they shared how useless they felt, that their bodies couldn’t perform something that is meant to happen so naturally.
So, this is why I have signed up to be a donor. In the coming weeks, I will document my experiences, to prove to the disbelievers, the naysayers and the (for lack of a better word) scaredy-cats, that egg donation is NOT a horror story of 5 inch needles, raging hormones and resulting infertility. It is the most considerate, amazing and life-changing gift that one woman can give to another.
I hope you’ll join me on my journey, along with the lovely ladies at the Nurture egg donation programme. Visit the “The Donor Diaries” tab drop-down, which I will update at each step.
Step 5: You like me, you REALLY like me!
Step 6: You want me to stick that WHERE?
Step 7: Pass the Dormicum … aaaand enter the Sandman
I’m so glad you are going to be documenting your experience. A friend of mine also documented hers and it was such an interesting journey to follow. He egg donor recipients have a happy healthy little girl now. It was such a lovely ending to her story
That’s amazing Fiona! Could you send me the link to her story? x
Good for you!!!!! You are doing an amazing thing!!!
Thanks China xxx
So very awesome of you, N. I will definitely be following your story
Thanks Heather x
Hi. I followed a link from Tertia’s Facebook page to get here and I just read all your posts on the donor process you went through. I am covered in goosebumps and in tears. You did such an amazing thing by donating. As a recipient (we are on donor #6 now and hoping this one will be the lucky one) I have always wondered what my donors are thinking and feeling during the process. So, it is very special for me to read what you felt. While we’re going through this cycle (ER is next week), I think of my donor constantly, wondering how she’s feeling and sending her my love through the ‘universe’. And if she is thinking of me, like you were with your recipient, then maybe we are somehow connected. I so wish I could chat with her throughout this process and tell her how much I love her for what she is doing, but I hope that she knows.
You are awesome. Thank you.
PS: About the antibiotics, the recipient couple also take them. We just finished our course yesterday. They told us it’s just to prevent any infections, etc.