Imogen
was helped into the world with IVF treatment and was the result of
our second attempt. My wife and I sought assistance after 5 years
of trying without success. The timescale for IVF is often quite
some time when getting funding from the NHS. After 2 years we were
finally given the green light to begin our first course of
treatment in November 2003. This involved the usual procedure of
Lindsey having many injections administered by myself. The first
attempt was unsuccessful and very disappointing after all our hope
and anticipation. After a short 6 months we were fortunate to be
able to have another attempt. Often the wait between attempts on
the NHS is considerably longer. Along the journey, we were
followed by Yorkshire TV for a prime time ITV documentary,
“Precious Babies”. The program was aired 3 weeks prior to Imogen’s
arrival.
We had made 26
journeys to Leeds from our home in Morecambe over a 12 month
period, covering over 3000 miles. Looking back now, this was
a small price to pay for what we have now and we would even
have walked these miles. Our second course was a success and
much relief to us when the test showed positive. But in light
of things this was the beginning of a very long journey.
In December 2004, as proud parents
to be, we headed to our local hospital for a 20 week scan. Having
previously had a scan at 12 weeks, the 8 week hiatus seemed an
age. We entered the ante-natal clinic with excitement and
anticipation of seeing our long awaited baby. This we thought was
to be our last Christmas together before an extra cracker at the
dinner table would be required.
The radiographer was telling us
that it was difficult to get a good image of the baby as he or she
was facing the wrong way. We were advised that he would get a
colleague to have a look and that we should wait outside the room
for a few minutes. This we duly did thinking nothing of it. We
were a little disappointed that we had not yet seen a good enough
image to take a scan picture of but we were happy that there was
still a heartbeat. What happened next knocked us for six. We were
called back in and a senior radiographer introduced herself.
Lindsey was quickly on the couch for the scan to begin again. The
lady spent what seemed like an age scrolling the scanner across
Lindsey's tummy without disclosing information.
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