Our Fertility Journey: An Update

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It's been a couple of years since I've shared an update with you on my fertility journey, and after spending a lot of time over this past year in prayer and in doctor's offices, I felt the all too familiar nudge that it's time to share where we are.

Where we left off: Endometriosis

For many years, 7 exactly, I lived believing I had endometriosis. This past year Ben and I decided to see a new doctor to get the process started on the medical route of our fertility journey. It started with a trip to a new OBGYN for me to get a yearly checkup, with the hopes we could be referred to a specialist soon after.

We discovered quickly that my symptoms of endometriosis had not only ramped up to indicate a potentially more severe case but that endometriosis now required surgery to diagnose officially. An elimination diet, exercise, routine bloodwork, and an ultrasound were recommended to start the process.

An Ultrasound Discovery

After receiving the routine ultrasound I was told I needed to come into the office to review my results. During that visit, I remembered feeling my stomach tie in knots as the doctor told me about the many cysts I had, including a large, "chocolate" cyst on my left ovary.

"Chocolate cysts are related to endometriosis and cannot disappear on their own. You can either have preventative surgery or risk the cyst flipping, requiring emergency surgery and causing you to lose your ovary potentially."

I left the office with two options: schedule surgery now, or wait and risk the cyst flipping and be rushed to emergency surgery.

I felt overwhelmed and afraid. We went in knowing the issues we'd been dealing with and left with the fear of needing emergency surgery at any moment. I prayed about the decision I needed to make but felt nothing except peace about moving forward with surgery because it was the option that seemed to make the most sense. We prayed over the surgery process and over the cost that would accompany everything. We prayed that God would open the right doors for this to happen. To get a step closer to health and pregnancy in the long run.

Feeling peace, we continued down that path to schedule it. But strangely, I kept hitting a roadblock.

Health Insurance: God's Roadblock?

43-45 In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, “Who touched me?”

When no one stepped forward, Peter said, “But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.”

46 Jesus insisted, “Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.”

47 When the woman realized that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed.

48 Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!” - Luke 8:43-48

I kept running into a roadblock: Insurance wouldn't cover anything. From my first visit through the bloodwork to the follow-up visits and ultrasound. Nothing was getting covered by my health insurance. Months started to pass as my (seemingly neverending) fight with insurance continued.

During this extremely frustrating wall I kept running into, a memory kept bumping into my mind. A year before I'd received a prophetic word from a sweet friend during an alter call at The Belonging Co.

It mentioned God being the one to receive the glory for our first pregnancy - not doctors or the medical field.

At the time, I thought that was an odd thing to prophecy (since I was believing we'd conceive naturally, when God's timing was right if we conceived at all.)

When the option of getting the surgery scheduled seemed almost impossible through insurance, I felt that familiar invitation from Holy Spirit to pray for supernatural healing. I started believing God would heal me, while I slowly searched for another doctor to get a second opinion on my need for surgery in the first place.

I believed and asked for God to heal me during any opportunity I remembered. During my morning coffee, on my commute, when church asked if anyone needed healing, before my head hit the pillow. I prayed and believed that God would be the one to heal me.

My walk slowly began to mirror that of the woman with the issue of blood. I began believing by faith, through the power of Jesus, that I would be healed.

A Different Perspective

The Lord lead me to a new OBGYN. When I sat down with her, she asked me to list my current symptoms.

The majority of my endometriosis symptoms were no longer bothering me.

"I think you've been misdiagnosed. Diet and exercise alone couldn't have cured you of those symptoms. I think you'll get another ultrasound and the cyst they found will be gone."

And just like that, tears begin to well. A few weeks later, I'm talking to the ultrasound team.

"Oh honey, I don't see any cysts." Followed up the next day with "We found a tiny cyst- but it's not a chocolate cyst and it most definitely doesn't require surgery. ALL of your other cysts are gone, including the large one they were worried about."

My jaw fell to the floor and I wept. I wept with gratitude, disbelief, and shock. I thanked God while simultaneously feeling undeserving of healing while other women pray for healing and don't receive it.

I just know Jesus laid hands on the sick and they were healed. I just know the woman with the issue of blood was healed by her faith that touching Jesus's clothing would heal her. My favorite translation reads:

Jesus responded, “Beloved daughter, your faith in me released your healing. You may go with my peace.”