Durkin Family Story
Davis Durkin
Waiting until 32 to start our family felt natural to Kevin and me. I never felt pressure of the clock ticking, we just knew we were ready. We spend our adult life protecting ourselves from pregnancy so I just assumed it would not be super hard to have a child when we were ready. I was slightly wrong on this account. After one year of trying to conceive (TTC), my OB suggested we start some testing to eliminate possible factors of infertility.
Over the second year, each test would come back with no issues, and we heard the term "unexplained infertility" being tossed around. This was the more frustrating time of the four years of TTC. We were trying some of the normal fertility drugs such as Clomid- and nothing was working.
During the 3rd year, we moved to Charlotte NC from Atlanta, GA and I was referred to a local fertility clinic from an Atlanta clinic. After the first visit, I was scheduled for an IUI- this was the first suggestion. It failed. We tried once more and it failed. I am not blaming this clinic - they have some fairly decent stats - but I have never felt more like cattle being "herded" as I did there. It is a business - I understand this and appreciate it - but for a woman going through this private painful matter, it is essential to have people in these clinics that TRULY care about their patients.
After 2 failed IUIs, I was not ready to go through another treatment of any kind with this clinic so I took about six months off from doctors and enjoyed my life again with my husband, still TTC.
After speaking with my best friend who suggested a clinic in Winston Salem at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, I thought it could not hurt to talk to the doctor she knew.
What set the tone for my entire experience with the WFU Center for Reproductive Medicine was that Dr. Yalcinkaya agreed to meet me on a Friday afternoon at 5pm - after he had a full day of surgeries - because he knew I was from out of town. He not only met with me - he asked me more questions than any doctor in all four years of trying combined. In each question was a sincerity of interest.
After this visit, I felt more positive in this "unexplained" world than ever before. The energy of his entire staff is positive. Everyone seems to know that this process is tough and tries very hard to make you comfortable. After some exploratory surgery and a few months of a different fertility drug, Femara, we decided to try IVF. Coming from someone that hates needles, I was actually comforted through this process by this wonderful staff. No one made me feel ridiculous for asking what might have been obvious questions. Even during payment times, I left with a big smile on my face because Patty in the financial office had me in stitches.
With all of these warm "friends" around me, it was easy to go into this IVF experience positive. My son was conceived in April 08 and born Jan 09 - first round of IVF after four years of TTC. Dr. Y and Dr. Carrillo are brilliant and wonderful people. I am SO lucky my best friend loved me enough to tell me about this diamond in the rough of fertility clinics. I know not every case is a success, but I do know they care about every single case.
Missy, Kevin and Davis